Andrew Chapter 4: Version 2

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ANDREW CHAPTER 4: ANDREW?S NEW BENCHPRESS RECORD

In mid July 2005, Andrew and Steve?s families were among several that visited Commander Marge?s Haunted House. Andrew would soon discover that events from that week would have lasting effects on his life for years to come.
Andrew worked out harder than ever before after that adventure. Steve noticed that he soon managed to add another 200 pounds to his bench-press, pushing it past 1000 pounds by the end of July. Steve realized that he would never be able to match Andrew?s strength, so he set his jealousy aside. By working as hard as he could, Steve managed to push his own bench-press up to 750 pounds. Andrew did not gloat about his superior strength, though he did wonder why his strength increased so quickly after the visit to Commander Marge?s Haunted House. He was pleased when his weight crossed 300 pounds by the end of July.
On July 31st, 2005, Andrew and Steve were working out in Andrew?s home gym. Steve was amazed at the dramatic increase of Andrew?s strength and size in just one month.
?How did you get so big and strong so quickly?? Steve asked Andrew, as he watched him curl 100 pounds in each hand.
?What do you mean man?? Andrew asked, not even panting as he finished 100 reps with the barbells.
?Don?t play dumb,? Steve warned him. ?You?ve packed on 25 pounds of muscle in just one month and added 200 pounds to your bench-press!?
?You have too,? Andrew reminded him. ?You?re 285 pounds with a 750 pound bench-press! So you have become bigger just as fast as I have!?
?You know, you?re right,? Steve realized. ?I hadn?t realized that. Maybe I should be asking: how did we get so big so quickly??
?Maybe it?s just good diet, exercise, and my father?s supplements,? Andrew speculated, putting the barbells back on the shelf. ?He did tell me that those supplements make Creatine look like baby food! And judging by their effects, I?d say he?s right!?
?I suppose you?re right,? Steve said doubtfully. ?But I still think something else is going on. We did not get stronger this quickly before we visited Marge?s Haunted House.?
?Maybe it?s Commander Marge?s Gravity Chamber,? Andrew realized.
?Do you mind explaining that to me?? Steve requested.
?Remember when I was in the Medical Room on the Transylvanian Space Station?? Andrew asked him. When Steve nodded, Andrew added, ?Marge told me about a Gravity Chamber she was going to build under the gyms in her house. The chamber can simulate heavier gravity. So if I can lift 500 pounds in normal gravity, I could only lift 250 pounds in 2 times Earth gravity. So by the time I managed to lift 500 pounds in heavier gravity, it turned out to be 1000 pounds in normal gravity.?
?When?s the last time you only benched 500 pounds?? Steve asked Andrew, grinning.
?I think it was Grade Eight,? Andrew replied. ?Or maybe it was Grade Nine. I really don?t remember.?
?See, that proves it,? Steve realized. ?It took you two years to increase your bench-press by 200 pounds normally! But the Gravity Chamber allowed you to increase it by 200 pounds in only one month! Something else must be going on here!?
?Don?t forget my father?s supplements,? Andrew reminded him. ?They may have played a factor as well.?
?You?ve been taking them since you were 11,? Steve reminded him. ?But they never gave you such a rapid strength increase!?
?Could it be my final growth spurt?? Andrew guessed. ?Maybe that?s it.?
?I suppose so,? Steve agreed reluctantly. ?But I still think you should get Dr. Johnson to check you out. Find out what?s causing your rapid strength gains and how strong you will actually get.?
?Good idea,? Andrew agreed. ?So, are we done talking? I want to do more lifting.?
?Good idea,? Steve agreed. ?So, how much do you lift now??
?Well, I lifted 500 pounds in Marge?s chamber yesterday,? Andrew replied. ?It was on Setting Two, so I guess I?ll try 1000 pounds today.?
?You bench-press 1000 pounds now?? Steve asked in shock. ?I?d like to see that for myself!?
?Sure thing man,? Andrew agreed, putting ten 45 pound plates on each end of the weight bar. ?Ready to spot me??
?Sure man,? replied Steve. ?You do realize the bar weighs 25 pounds.?
?Yes I do,? Andrew agreed, trying not to get impatient with Steve stating the obvious. ?I?m going for a new record: 1025 pounds.? He lay down on the bench and grabbed the bar firmly with both hands. ?Get ready.?
Steve stood behind Andrew as he lowered the bar to his chest. Andrew pushed the bar up until his arms were straight, and then let the bar back down, until it was almost touching his chest. Andrew slowly completed 10 reps, relieved that he had managed to deflect Steve from any further questions. Andrew was not ready to tell anyone what Margaret and Commander Marge had told him, even though Carrie already knew.
After 10 reps, Andrew began to get tired. He pushed himself to complete 15 reps, turning his face red from the effort and making his arms tremble. Steve watched in amazement as Andrew?s veins bulged and realized how truly strong Andrew had become.
?AAUUGGHH!? Andrew yelled with the last rep, as he slammed the bar all the way up. He managed, with trembling arms, to lower the bar back into place on the hooks. ?Whew!? Andrew gasped in exhaustion as he lay back. ?That was intense! Man, I?m tired now!? He stood up and stretched, and his t-shirt ripped all along his back. ?Rats, this always happens!? Andrew snapped. He ripped his t-shirt off in frustrations and threw the rags to the floor. ?There, that?s better!?
?What do you mean, that always happens?? Steve asked. ?Have you ripped your t-shirts apart accidentally before??
?Oh yeah!? Andrew grinned, admiring his massive biceps in the mirror. ?This is the third t-shirt in a row that has ripped during workouts!? He grinned at the sight of his massive pecs and 6-pack abs and bragged, ?Those puny t-shirts can?t contain the bulk of this muscle monster!?
?We should measure your biceps and see how large they are now,? Steve decided. ?Where?s the measuring tape??
?It?s on the dresser,? Andrew replied, motioning with his huge left arm.
Steve came back with the tape, wrapped it around Andrew?s flexed bicep and said, ?I see 27 inches.?
?Wow!? Andrew gasped in amazement. ?They grew three inches in one month! How about that??
?That?s amazing man!? Steve agreed. ?But not as amazing as the fact that you have no neck! Look in the mirror again, and you?ll see for yourself!?
Andrew looked in the mirror and saw that Steve was right; his deltoids came right up below his earlobes.
?Yeah, I am huge!? Andrew laughed. ?But my shoulders look bigger too! Measure them and see how wide they are now!?
Steve did that and said, ?Your shoulders are three feet wide now!?
?That?s why they were able to?? Andrew began, before he stopped.
?What were you about to say?? Steve asked him.
?Uh, just that my wide shoulders explain why I was able to bench so much,? Andrew replied.
?Bench-press uses the chest and arms more than the shoulders,? Steve reminded him. ?So what have you been doing to make your shoulders so big? Have you been doing overhead presses??
?Yeah, that?s it,? Andrew agreed, stepping closer to Steve. He realized that Steve was getting too close to his secret, so he decided to scare him into keeping his mouth shut. ?I?ll show you man.?
?What are you??? Steve began, before Andrew grabbed him by the collar and then hoisted him over his head effortlessly. ?Hey, hey, put me down, big man! I didn?t mean to get you mad!?
?You?d better not!? Andrew warned him, turning towards the mirror so Steve could see himself held up effortlessly. ?You?re so light man!?
?Put me down, man!? Steve yelled. ?I mean it!?
?Sorry man, ?Andrew said, letting Steve down gently. ?I didn?t mean to get carried away!?
?I?m the one who got carried away!? Steve reminded him, trying to force down his fear at Andrew?s awesome strength. ?You can?t just use your strength to bully others! You have to treat them gently!?
?Oh yeah,? Andrew realized. ?I?m sorry again. I just got so excited about my strength; I just had to show it off.?
?With power like that, you could bench a car!? Steve declared.
?Hey, that?s a good idea,? Andrew said, taking him seriously. ?If I keep getting stronger, I?ll need substitutes for normal weights soon!?
?I was just kidding man,? Steve reminded him, even more scared now. ?It was just a joke!?
?Sounded more like a challenge,? Andrew stated, crossing his arms and glaring at Steve. ?I?ll let you know when I?ve met that challenge man!?
?Uh, sure man, whatever you say,? Steve stammered, trying not to back away as Andrew came closer. What?s happened to my best friend? he asked himself. Has he turned into some kind of huge muscle freak? ?Why don?t we see how much punishment you can take??
?What do you??? Andrew began, before Steve punched his rock-hard abs. ?Feel better now?? Andrew asked, as he felt nothing but a slight smack.
?No I don?t,? Steve replied, holding up his red hand. ?I think I hurt myself, instead of you!?
?Was that puny punch supposed to hurt me?? Andrew sneered. ?You can do better than that, can?t you??
?How?s this?? Steve yelled in fury, slugging Andrew in the face as hard as he could. ?How?s that feel?? he added, as Andrew?s head snapped around from the force of the blow. Steve actually backed away a few steps when Andrew looked back at him and grinned.
?I guess that was supposed to hurt as well,? Andrew realized. ?But it didn?t. I?d give you some of your own medicine, but I don?t want to hurt you.? He gave Steve a playful slap on the shoulder, but Steve was knocked to the ground. ?Hey, you okay, man?? Andrew asked him, pulling him up effortlessly with one hand.
?Oww!? yelled Steve, as Andrew pulled him up too hard, and he found himself dangling in midair. ?You?re way too strong, and you?re hurting me man!? Steve looked down almost two feet at Andrew?s face, and yelled: ?let me go!? He tried to remove Andrew?s hands from his arm. That?s when he realized Andrew was only using one arm. Steve tried to break Andrew?s iron grip, but even both hands failed to loosen Andrew?s fingers even one bit. ?What do you think you?re doing big guy?? Steve laughed, hoping he could get Andrew to let go if he pretended not to be afraid. ?Take it easy!?
?Take it easy?? Andrew laughed incredulously. ?Did you take it easy on me when you punched my abs, or smashed me in the face??
?I didn?t mean it man!? Steve tried to reassure him. ?I was just upset! Let me go, big guy, please!?
?Yeah I am the big guy now!? Andrew gloated, delighted with his scary strength. ?Don?t forget that, little man!?
?Are you two finished horsing around?? Andrew heard a voice ask from behind him. He dropped Steve with a crash as he whirled around, startled by the voice. ?Uh hi Carrie,? Andrew stammered in embarrassment. ?How long have you been standing there watching us??
?I just came by to see you and I heard Steve yell,? Carrie replied. ?What do you think Steve is, a tree??
?What?s that all about?? Steve asked, as he got up off the floor. He was pleased that he had managed not to yell in pain when he hit the hardwood floor from eight feet in the air. Now he realized how Andrew got his shoulders to get so big. ?Have you been lifting trees like you did with me??
?Don?t be ridiculous!? Andrew snapped, trying to dismiss Carrie?s revelation. ?No one can lift a tree with their bare hands!?
?Don?t be modest Andrew,? Carrie admonished him. ?If you don?t want Steve to be jealous, you can?t keep secrets from him. Especially since you can?t hide your true strength anymore!?
?What do you mean?? Steve snapped. ?He can lift more than 1025 pounds? Were you holding out on me, man??
?No man,? Andrew assured him. ?You saw my true strength today. Carrie meant that I can?t hide it anymore, which I did not when I withstood your punches without pain.?
?You hit him, more than once?? Carrie asked Steve. ?I know you?re jealous of him being stronger than you, but I never thought you?d try to hurt him! What were you thinking??
?I wasn?t thinking,? Steve replied. ?I just reacted. I?m sorry man,? he said to Andrew, holding out his hand.
?No harm done,? Andrew assured him, shaking Steve?s hand. ?At least not to me.?
?Oww!? yelled Steve. ?Let go man, you?re crushing my hand!?
?Sorry man,? Andrew apologized, releasing his crushing grip immediately. ?I didn?t mean to hurt you, again.?
?I think we both have to be more careful around each other,? Steve realized. ?I?ll try not to get jealous, if you try not to hurt me. How?s that??
?Good idea,? Andrew agreed. ?I?d shake on it, but I don?t want to hurt you. It will just be a verbal agreement.?
?Okay,? Steve said, massaging his sore hand. ?Now, how about telling me how you really got so strong. No more diversions about supplements and growth spurts. Just the truth. I can tell you, if you can?t hide your true strength, people might begin to think you?re on Steroids!?
?Hey, I?m not on drugs man!? Andrew snapped, grabbing Steve?s collar and dragging him within inches of his face. ?You got that, punk??
?Or maybe it?s PCP,? Steve stammered. ?That would explain your mood swings and your resistance to pain.?
Andrew let go of Steve?s collar, shocked that Steve would say such things about him.
?Why are you saying such things man?? Andrew asked.
?Yes, why are you?? Carrie asked Steve. ?Don?t you know Andrew better than that? How can you think he?s on drugs??
?He has not come forward and told everyone how he got so strong!? Steve protested. ?People will start to talk if he does not come forward now!?
?I guess you?d better tell him everything we know,? Carrie said. ?I?m not surprised Steve doesn?t know. I just realized Margaret and the doctors on the space station told us everything before Steve got to the medical room.?
?You?re right,? Andrew realized. ?Steve never found out anything, did he? We?d better tell him right now. Better sit down, Steve; it?s a long story.?
?Okay,? Steve said agreeably, sitting down on the bed. ?I?m ready.?
He sat quietly and listened in amazement, realizing why Andrew and Carrie had kept quiet for the past month.