Katy soon became a regular at the Playdate Factory. She was there with her daughter practically twice a week to shrink and play. She enjoyed it more and more each time she did, and Sara began to look forward to her ‘little mommy playtime.’
Katy hadn’t felt this good in years. She loved getting small...and not just to play with her daughter. There was something about reducing her size that made her feel...good. Vulnerable...yet playful. When she was with Sara, she didn’t really give it much thought...but from time to time, as techs would enter the playrooms for whatever reason, Katy would look up at the normal sized adult as she stood there, shrunk and in her little girl clothes. It was those moments when she’d feel her face flush with embarrassment and her voice go dry.
All in all, things had changed. She and Sara would go shopping for children’s clothes more often...and not all for Sara either. It wasn’t uncommon now for Sara to run up to her with some cute frilly dress or unicorn-print shirt and yell, “Ooo Mommy...you’d look so cute in this!” Generally, people would chuckle at the little girl’s comments...but every now and then an adult would look at her and give a knowing wink. It was times like those that Katy blushed the most.
One day, Katy and Sara found themselves sitting in the lobby at the Playdate Factory, waiting to be called into their appointment as usual. Katy was listening to a conversation happening up front at the customer service desk between an apologetic employee, a flustered woman, a confused 4 year old girl, and a rather irate man who only stood inches high. The man, wrapped in a handkerchief, was beyond himself as his size profile had been entered incorrectly into the computer, and the tech on staff had administered too much shrinking drug. This had resulted in him suddenly shrinking below the intended size AFTER having entered the room. His daughter had immediately grabbed him and proceeded to play with him like one of her dolls. The tech, having left his console for a ‘bathroom break’, returned over 15 minutes later to discover the situation. He was forced to request the aid of three experienced staff members when the little girl, feeling suddenly frightened and defensive, had gripped her father a little too tightly and refused to give him up. The whole thing had turned into a real fiasco, but Katy never heard the resolution as Dr. Davis soon called them in through the adjoining door to the facility.
“Ms. Smalls, it’s always so great to see you!” the tall woman said in greeting as they walked down the hallway toward their room. The Doctor also smiled down at Katy’s daughter.
“And it’s always nice to see you too, Sara. Are you excited to play with your mom again today?”
Sara nodded excitedly. “Mommy’s gonna get small!” Dr. Davis laughed and Katy felt her cheeks go red. Dr. Davis scanned her badge and let Sara into the play room as usual, leading Katy into the prep room next door. However this time, the taller woman had a different set of questions for the mom.
“You’ve really been enjoying yourself, haven’t you, Ms. Smalls?”
Katy smiled, and nodded. “Yes...it has been an amazing series of experiences. It’s really helped me reconnect with my daughter. Not to mention...it’s sort of fun, haha.” Katy laughed.
Dr. Davis laughed along before pushing up her glasses and leaning forward.
“You are, by far, one of the best adjusted clients we have. I wanted to ask you...coming here, packing clothes, playing with our toys in our rooms...it’s not necessarily the most comfortable experience is it? What would you say if you could shrink and play...at home?”
Katy blinked. “At home? What do you mean?”
Dr. Davis explained. “Petite Play Incorporated, the operators of the Playdate Factory, have been experimenting with a new drug that allows shrinking without injection. The agent is instead ingested, as is the counter-agent. I would like to offer you the option to participate in our trials.”
Katy was taken aback, hardly able to believe what she was hearing. “Shrink? At home?” she repeated.
Dr. Davis smiled. “I would provide you with the chemicals and instructions. You would perform the trial and fill out a small questionnaire after each use. Other than that...you’re free to play at reduced size within the comfort of your own home! Compensation includes free premium sessions at the Playdate Factory, as well as heavy discounts on this new product when it’s released. What do you think?”
Katy thought about being small within her own home...the normal objects she used every day looming gigantically before her...her own stairs being so much taller...and about how much more freedom she’d have in choosing outfits. Not to mention playing with their own toys rather than ones that have been touched by so many other kids.
“Okay,” she exclaimed with excitement, “I’d love to try it!”
Dr Davis smiled.
“After administering today’s treatment, I’ll get the package prepared. Don’t worry: a tech will be watching your session, but you’re such a pro, I know you won’t have issues.”
She chuckled as she rolled up Katy’s sleeve and injected her with the shrinking serum.
“Go have fun, little one,” she said teasingly as she let Katy into the changing room.
Katy smiled back as she felt the tingles coming on, eager to shrink and play...but even more excited for what she would be bringing home with her.
---
Katy went home that day with a bottle of powder and written instructions. All she had to do was mix it up in few quarts of water and drink a cup, and she could shrink down to toddler size in the comfort of her own home. Also included were a few antidote pills, which could counter the effects and allow height to be regained more quickly. All Katy needed to do was decide when to use them. The decision was easy: Sara’s birthday was rapidly approaching, and she decided that a surprise playdate at home with her same-size mother would be the perfect gift.
Over the next few days, Katy prepared. She bought some brand new clothes for Sara’s dolls, and purchased an adorable polka-dotted dress for herself. She was going to go all out...knee highs, dress, minnie mouse undies and even hair ribbons for pig tails. She was so giddy she could hardly contain herself. She skipped their usual playdate, which raised questions from Sara, but Katy told her that it was because she was planning a wonderful birthday surprise.
Finally, Saturday arrived...the big day! Sara woke her up that morning excited to get her special present. Katy fixed her chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, then took her to the park. After lunch, Katy popped in one of Sara’s favorite movies...45 minutes of rainbows and unicorns and the power of love. While Sara sat fascinated, Katy dumped the experimental powder into a pitcher and mixed it with the indicated amount of water. Pouring herself a cup, she wrinkled her nose at the taste. She added sugar then tried again, much happier with the result. Having consumed her dose, Katy snuck upstairs to prepare.
She made her way to her room and pulled out the special clothes she planned to wear that day. She had barely just laid them out when she felt warmth in her stomach. Holding her abdomen, she couldn’t help but giggle as she felt the sensation spread. Her fingers tingled and she felt the rug shift ever so slightly beneath her bare feet.
She was shrinking! Excitedly, Katy ran to the mirror, watching as her body dwindled, her clothes shifting and becoming much more ill-fitting. When her shirt slipped from her shoulder and her pants dropped to her ankles, she giggled, stepping out of the bottoms as she pulled her top off over her head. She walked over to where she had the polka dot dress and grabbed it, giggling as it ballooned in her hands, slowly reaching wearable size. She threw it over her head and let it fall down onto her as she finally reached her target size.
Except...the tingles didn’t go away. Nor did the carpet stop shifting underfoot. Nor did the dress stop growing on her still-shrinking frame.
Katy blinked with confusion as the children’s dress she wore began to climb down her legs, the ruffles sagging on her tiny shoulders. In a panic she ran to the mirror again, only to be greeted by the image of a tiny, panicked woman wearing clothes that were far too large for her.
Children’s clothes.
She yelped in panic, her voice coming out more like a squeak. The shrinking wasn’t stopping as her height rapidly diminished. She turned to run to the door but tripped on the dress’s hem, falling into the tent-sized garment. It continued to expand, and she cried out in little squeaks, closing her eyes as she continued to shrink...shrink…..shrink.
Eventually the tingles subsided, and she opened her eyes, finding herself surrounded by fabric. Clumsily, she clawed at her surroundings, desperately attempting to find an exit from the textile labyrinth. Eventually she was able to reach the neck of the dress, and she looked up in shock at the world around her.
Everything...was….HUGE.
The ceiling was so impossibly high, she could barely even see it. The floor seemed to stretch out unbelievably in each direction, and the handle of the nearby door was an almost impossible distance above her. She was so small...wait...how small? She figured she had to be more than just a few inches...but definitely less than a foot.
Her mind raced. How did this happen? Did she read the instructions incorrectly? Were the instructions wrong? She shivered in the chill of the air, crouching back down into the huge dress for warmth.
The pills...the antidotes! She knew she had left them on the counter. But how would she get them at this size?
“Phone!” she squeaked.
She turned around and looked at her bed. She could see the edge of her phone hanging high above, cursing to herself for leaving it up so high. Looking around the room, she saw that there were objects she could drag over to help overcome the height: a shoebox, a pair of heels, a the small box that Sara’s doll house had come in. She had to get that phone: it was her life line. She could tell someone what happened, and they could get the pills for her.
She ran across the room toward the shoebox first, quickly finding the trek to be farther and more tiresome than she had anticipated. She grabbed the dark blue object and pulled at it, managing to drag it with her, thankful that she’d taken the shoes out weeks ago. She was halfway back to the bed when she noticed the sudden quiet in the air. She realized that this whole time, there had been an ambient noise in the background...and now it was suddenly gone. Why?
Because the tv was off….
She figured this fact out just in time to hear the thunderous steps of someone ascending the stairs. Katy turned, staring wide eyed at her door as the handle turned and the door pushed open. The gigantic form of Sara appeared, peeking into the room.
“Mommy? Are you here?”