A weak puff of smoke wheezed out of the hopelessly bent spout of the lamp. And then... nothing.
"Maybe I didn't rub it hard enough," Ethan said, trying to sound hopeful. He rubbed it again, harder and even more deliberately this time.
Still nothing. Then, gradually, the color of lamp began to change. It grew darker, from brown, to dark brown, and finally, to pitch black. The lamp destroyed, genie was no more.
"No. No. I can't be stuck like this," Drake said to himself. "I don't want to be a giant for the rest of my life. This can't be happening!" Huge tears began to form in his eyes.
Ethan looked up at his enormous and totally helpless friend.
"We'll figure something out Drake," he said, taking a tentative step toward the mountain of flesh that filled the basketball courts. He reached Drake's arm and touched it carefully, trying however he could to offer some bit of comfort to his best friend. It was a bizarre feeling. The hairs of Drake's arm were as thick as wires and he could almost feel the blood pumping underneath Drake's skin, which had a springy, spongy feel to it.
Suddenly, the gigantic body began to quiver. Huge tears streamed down Drake's red face. He tried with all his might to keep from crying out loud, knowing the sound would be deafening to the little toy-people on the ground below. His body finally registered the light touch of Ethan's hand. Drake looked down at him, eyes bloodshot. Without thinking what Ethan might feel, Drake pulled his arm from behind behind his back.
Ethan watched in fear as Drake's hand swept over his head and scooped down underneath him, knocking him off his feet. He fell roughly onto his best friend's hand and before he could right himself, felt himself rapidly rising into the air.
"What am I gonna do, Ethan?" Drake whispered. He was getting used to the idea that his voice was way too loud for regular-sized humans to stand comfortably.
Hot wind hit Ethan in the face as Drake spoke.
"I dunno dude. I--I dunno."
Drake's eyes closed tightly, squeezing out more enormous tears. He refused to believe what had just happened to him. He clenched his giant teeth together in frustrated disbelief and massive veins popped out on his neck.
Something knocked Ethan down from behind. It was one of Drake's fingers. He was closing his giant hand around Ethan.
"WHOA WHOA MAN! YOU'LL CRUSH ME!"
"I know, I know. Geeze, I'm not gonna crush you," Drake snapped back in frustration. Ethan sat in the bowl of Drake's palm wanting nothing more than to be on the ground.
"Hey! Could you maybe...let us go?"
Ethan and Drake turned their heads to the other side of Drake's enormous body. A dozen or so pale faces looked up at him. They were students who had been trapped on that side of the gym when Drake's growth began.
And among them were three of the gym rats who inspired Drake's burst of temper which resulted in his hasty, irreversable wish.
Drake recognized them. A look of anger came across his face.
"Buddy?" said Ethan, noticing Drake's breathing getting faster.