The Shrink Program

Chapter 2

"No," I hissed to myself as I heard Devin open the front door. "There is no way..."

Not liking where this was going, I silenced the thought, turning firmly on my heal to run up the countertop.

The containers and assorted food items towered over me as I weaved my way through them, adding to the overall horror of the situation.

Sure, I had already been this size for two whole days, but it was going to take more than a weekend for me to adapt to how big everything was...

I wasn't the sort of girl to feel intimidated...Or at least I wasn't one to show how afraid I felt....but it's hard not to feel a little freaked out when every object around you can squash you dead.

Just keeping that in mind. For health reasons.

I sent a dark glare at the door to the living room, so far away and unreachable, it might as well be on the moon.

Everything was so open and high up. Even walking in my own kitchen felt like being the only person in a desert full of skyscrapers.

Inconvenient, to say the least.

Finally, after way more effort than it should take, I reached the end of the bench, where the fridge stood against the wall.

The worst part was that all the people around me were just as big and scary as the world around me, effectively making little miss Maddison the most vulnerable person in the house.

It's one thing to be babied by my little brother... because, honestly, it wasn't actually all that different from how things usually are....but I did not need Vain seeing me like this.

Getting as close to the wall as possible, I turned to face the edge of the counter. Staring into the darkness that was the space between my fridge and countertop

This might not be such a good idea...

Before common sense could finish giving its likely excellent advice, I sprinted forward and leapt off the edge, throwing myself at the space behind the fridge.

There was a moment of weightlessness, then I flung my arms out, expertly grabbing onto the metal coily bits on the back of the fridge.

Sure, probably not the technical name for them, but the point is, I didn't fall to my death, which makes me a hero.

I let out a small gleeful sniggered as I began to climb, pleased with my own awesomeness.

Of course, I couldn't take all the credit.

The Shrink Program gave all their patients Jump Boots and Grip Gloves. High tech equipment that let the shrunken people jump and climb just like Spider-man....okay, maybe not quite as good as Spidey, but still pretty ninja.

I scaled up the back of the fridge, entirely out of sight as Devin walked back into the kitchen with Vain in tow.

"Thank you for agreeing to help me with Maddison. You know just as well as anyone what a stubborn pain in the neck she can be... Annnnd she's gone. Typical."

I had to resist the urge to laugh triumphantly as I reached the top of the fridge.

Though I did allow myself to silently place my hands on my hips and pose superiority... but that was totally justified.

I didn't just pick this hiding spot at random. No, I had no choice but to use my genius intellect and strategical mind to outwit the likes of my little brother and neighbour.

When someone is looking for a person smaller than them, the last place they will look it up.

I grinned evilly to myself. Now the tables have turned on you little brother.

Feeling quite clever, the last thing I expected was to have my bubble burst.

"She's probably on top of the fridge." Vain's gentle voice murmured, practically making me fall over with surprise. "Maddison always did like to go to high places when she felt stressed."

I bit my lip at the sharp stab of nostalgia Vain's words drove into me. It made my heart ache a little, hearing him talk about me like he knew me. Like he still cared about me.....

There was a shuffling noise from below. "It's probably a sign of how primitive her brain is."

"I dare you to say that to my face!" I yelled, all thought of hiding flying from my mind without so much as a Bon voyage.

"You..." I trailed off as Vain's calm face rose in front of me, higher and higher as he stood up onto the chair he had likely dragged in front of the fridge.

My mouth went dry as his vast shadow fell over me, his giant form blocking my view of the rest of the kitchen.

Right, Maddison. The person you have been so terrified of confronting is also a giant now. Good luck with that.

Slowly, I let my gaze travel up to meet his eyes, flinching slightly as I saw him looking calmly down at me, arms crossed as if disappointed with a naughty child.

At least that hasn't changed.

Feeling trapped under the gaze of a person much bigger than me made the fact that I had been caught, quite easily, to tell the truth, finally sink in.

I was at his mercy.

Vain tilted his head slightly, calmly studying me. If he noticed the way my body had frozen like a dear caught in the headlights of a monster truck, he did an excellent job of not showing it.

With a slight sigh, he finally broke the silence between us.

"Really Maddison, if you're going to go to the effort to avoid me, at least try to be a little less predictable."