Things Better Left Alone
By inch_hi_guy April 7, 2000

He opened his eyes and looked around. His head was pounding and his vision was blurred, his legs shaky as he got to his feet. He found himself under some kind of large covering, like someone had dropped a tent on top of him. The white material was soft, but it was somewhat heavy, so he crawled on his hands and knees toward the light he could see at an opening. As he arrived at the opening, the sunlight assaulted his eyes. Still unsure of where he was or what had happened the night before, he made his way free of the tent and found himself on a smooth, black surface. Finally he stood and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. As he looked around at the black material that rose in a sheer cliff to his front, and spread out flat to his sides, he started to realize what had happened. His experiment had worked!!!

It had all started about a year ago. He had been conducting experiments on a solution that would shrink matter, especially living organisms. The objective was to create both a product that would shrink, then one to restore the original size of the subject. The idea was that, for example, a cow could be shrunk and fattened on a mere cup full of grain, then restored to full size that would feed many people. It was not until a week or so ago that he had decided to try it on himself, it had been a long time fantasy to be small, to see the world from a new angle.

How small was he? He didn't know for sure, but judging by his surroundings he couldn't be more than an inch tall. Must have miscalculated the dosage, because he intended to be around six inches, but this was ok too, it would just call for more caution, because he would not be noticeable at all.

After he made his way down from the couch to the floor, he found that it was hard to walk through the carpet that came up to his shoulders. He wanted to explore his apartment, but decided that it would take much effort and quite some time to make it all the way through, so instead he decided to spend his energy trying to get to the house next door, where Nancy and her daughter, seventeen year-old Jennifer lived. The chance to watch them go about their business not knowing he was there was an exciting idea to him, but he would have to be careful.

It took him most of the day to cross the ten yards of grass that separated the two houses. It was getting dark by the time he reached the front door, and from his vantagepoint he could see light through a crack under the door. On his hands and knees he could see into the house, and looked carefully before he started crawling under. Quickly inside, he ran to the wall and stayed close to it, figuring that he would be less detectable this way than out in the open, and much safer. The carpet in the house was not deep shag like his, and was much easier to move through.

He found the living room close to the entryway, and was able to make it to the china cabinet and hide safely underneath to rest. From here he could see and hear the two ladies that occupied the house, sitting on the couch watching T.V.

"So do you think it would be OK if I tried out for basketball mom?"

"Sure Jenn, just as long as your grades don't suffer and you make sure you do your chores here. Speaking of which, did you clean today like you where supposed to?"

"But mom, its not dirty in here, why should I vacuum and dust when its not dirty?"

"Because that keeps things from getting dirty! You don't have to dust but I want you to at least run the vacuum real quick before it gets too late."

"Alright mom, jeezz."

He chuckled to himself, teenagers! He was indeed having a good time being in the room and nobody knowing he was there. He was able to see what happened normally in these people's lives. "I could really get used to this" he thought. He watched Jennifer get up from the couch and walk out of the room, thinking how large she looked to him, even from so far away. He started to imagine what he could see watching them in their bedrooms, or even the bathroom!
daydream was broken by a loud, roaring sound. The floor under him began to vibrate violently and he immediately thought it was an earthquake. Then he saw the source of the disturbance. The vacuum!!! Why hadn't he realized what was about to happen from the conversation? Even though he was under the cabinet and there was only a five to six inch gap between it and the floor, he could still be in danger. At his size, if the machine was close it could easily suck him in from under his refuse. He watched as the giant Jennifer quickly moved it across the floor, steadily coming closer to his position, and he had to act quickly. Running further under the cabinet, toward the wall, he was able to squeeze between the leg of the cabinet and the wall. He carefully watched as the machine came closer to him as she quickly covered the area, and before long it was upon him. Fortunately she was not doing a very good job, and spent little time going around the obstacles in the room. As quickly as it had came, it was gone and he could breath easier.

He spent the rest of the evening under the cabinet and listening to the women until they went to their beds for the night. Soon the house was dark and quite, and he was tired and hungry. Deciding that his hunger should take first priority, he ventured out to find something he could manage to eat. Crossing the room took a while, but soon he was at the couch and coffee table where the ladies had been just a short time ago. He looked up for some way to get higher for a better look at the landscape. Finding nothing promising, he figured his next best bet was the kitchen, which wasn't too far away.

Once in the kitchen he was amazed still at the gargantuan size of what had been until today normal objects. Assessing the situation, he decided his best chance of success would be the table that sat in the center of the room. The legs of the chairs where made of sculptured metal and he might be able to climb up, and reach the table from there.

He slowly began to ascend the leg of the closest chair and found the going easier than expected. Before long he had managed to reach the seat, and from there up the back support to the table. He thanked the ladies in his mind for remembering to push the chairs in. Once on the table he sat down to rest for a minute, and when his breath had returned he stood to look around. The table had been cleaned, and the only objects that occupied it where a set of salt and pepper shakers, a sugar bowl, and a bottle of ketchup sitting on a decorative cloth in the center of the table. With no other options other than climbing all the way back down the chair hungry, he walked to the cloth hoping for something, and decided he would even settle for raw sugar.

Luck was on his side this night, for he found some missed crumbs of bread in the cloth. They were small and plentiful, and he ate all he could hold before stopping. Satisfied, he felt that he should take a short nap before descending the chair to find a suitable place to sleep for the night. He laid down on the table, but the wood was hard and cold and he could not get comfortable. Frustrated, he spotted the handle on the sugar bowl, and that it had no lid. He was able to climb it easily, and once at the top, looked down to see that it was nearly full, and it would be a simple task to get back out once his nap was done. He swung his legs over the edge and dropped down into the sugar, sinking up to his knees in sugar crystals that were the size of golf balls to him. He plopped down where he stood, the sugar forming around him and creating a perfectly comfortable cushion. He smiled happily, closed his eyes, telling himself he would wake up in an hour or so refreshed and ready to make the long climb to the floor.

******* He squinted his eyes, blinded by the light that flooded in on him. He woke up and realized that his nap had become a full nights sleep, and he was still in the sugar bowl where he had stopped last night. The morning sun was streaming through the kitchen windows, and he stood and stretched his arms and legs, sore from the long journey of the day before. He must find a way to quickly get back to the floor, and find a safe place to hide until the ladies of the house left for the day. He could already hear the shower running and knew they would be coming to the kitchen soon for breakfast. He was not ready to be seen, not yet, he had not explored all he desired yet. He walked to where the edge of the bowl was directly above him, where he could reach it to escape the bowl. He heard the shower stop in the other room and knew that time was short. He reached above him and grabbed the edge and pulled himself up. As he got his head above the edge, Nancy entered the kitchen in her bathrobe. Startled, he lost his grip on the edge and dropped back into the bowl, landing on his butt, and burying his legs in the golf ball sized crystals. He had to decide what to do and fast. He paused for a moment, attempting to place Nancy and what she was doing. The sunlight was momentarily blocked as she walked to the table, and he could hear something being placed on the tabletop. It was then he decided that he had two choices, either attempt to make himself known to the women, and be prepared for whatever they would do to him, or he could try to stay hidden, with them only feet away until they left and he could make his escape. He quickly chose the later, for he felt that letting himself be captured would be far worse, and he would never be able to make his way home, restore himself, and share his discovery with the world.

Having decided to hide, his only choice was to bury himself in the sugar bowl prison where he was. Carefully but quickly, trying not to make too much motion that would be detected, he wiggled himself deeper into the contents of the bowl until he was covered completely. He left only his face barely covered, so he could breathe and see through his camouflage. As he settled himself and became still, he realized that Jennifer had also entered the kitchen as he heard the ladies talking.

"What do you want for breakfast Jenn, cereal, poptarts, waffles??"

"I think I'll just have cereal mom, its easy"

"Me too, sounds like a plan. Get the milk and the bowls, and I'll get the cereal"

"Ok. Want juice?"

"Sure, sounds good"

He listened to the cabinets, drawers and the refrigerator door open and shut as the ladies gathered the necessities for their meal. He could actually feel the vibrations as they walked back and forth. Suddenly the sunlight was blocked out completely and as he looked up, he could see a large yellow box, as tall as an office building to him, with the familiar "Cheerios" in black letters. The table became alive with sound and small tremors as objects where placed on its top. He heard the chairs sliding across the floor and back as the ladies sat down.

He had not been this close to the giant women before. Even the vacuum incident last night had not given him the opportunity to realize the size of them from his vantage point. But now, as he watched fingers the size of tree trunks grasp the side of the cereal box, the amazement of it was awesome to him. Had he decided to try to get their attention, he would have surely failed, and if he had been seen, would probably have been mistaken for an insect and swatted. He listened to the tinkling sound of the dry cereal loops falling into a bowl, a pause, then again, as both giantesses filled their bowls. Once again the box was placed in his line of sight, but further to the side this time, as now he could look straight on into Jennifer's face, which rose high above. He watched as she concentrated on pouring milk from the jug into her bowl, then as she passed it to her mother. She raised a glass of juice to her lips and drank, and her throat mesmerized him, watching as it accepted the liquid and passed it down into the teenagers' body. Setting the glass down, she picked up her spoon and plunged it into the cereal. He gained sight of the food as it passed her breasts and continued to her waiting mouth, open and hungry. As she began to chew, her nose wrinkled and she quickly swallowed.

"Eww, I forgot how plain this stuff is"

"Well put something on it. There is sugar right there"

His heart leapt out of his chest. He realized what he had done, that he had almost certainly doomed himself to death, to be eaten for breakfast by this young teen giantess. He was frozen in terror as he felt the bowl moved, and felt the sugar around him shift as it was tipped slightly. A spoon that was three times his size descended upon him from the sky, threatening to carry him to his doom. The young giantess dug into the sugar, barley missing him, but shifting a large quantity of the crystals over his mid section. He watched the spoon disappear from view with its payload, only to return again and threaten him. He couldn't believe his luck as after three close calls, he still remained in the bowl, shifted further toward one side, and buried more deeply. He closed his eyes and exhaled in relief for his escape, then..

"Want some mom?"

Once again he felt movement as Nancy moved the bowl close to her. The shifting sugar had obscured his clear view, and he could only see light now. He heard the scrunching sound of the spoon digging into the sugar close to him, felt the movement around him, then it was gone. A few seconds later he heard the scrunch again, only much closer, felt upward movement under his body as he realized he was being included in this spoonful. There was nothing for him to do but go along for the ride. The sudden, swift movement made him a little dizzy and before he knew what was happening, he was dumped unceremoniously into the bowl, landing feet first. He found himself in the middle of a cereal "O", clinging to it like a life preserver.

Once again he considered his options. Stay here and have a 99 percent chance of being eaten, or make himself known and subject to unknown horrors. This time he chose to make himself known, for if he could stay alive there was at least a chance of future escape. He looked up at the face of the mother giantess as she chatted with her daughter. She dipped the spoon into the cereal and sent a wave through the milk, making his toasted oat preserver buck wildly. He used all his strength, managed to stand up on it, and began to wave his arms and shout "HELP!!".

Had Nancy been paying attention to her food, it is possible he could have been seen. But she was talking with Jennifer about school and boys and such, and paid little attention to what was happening in her breakfast bowl. He continued to shout and wave as she scooped up another spoonful, and the movement sent him sprawling. He landed back onto the same "O" where he stood, with his butt in the center. He looked up in time to see the spoon disappear into her mouth, then reappear empty. He watched her chin move up and down as she chewed, then the motion in her throat as she swallowed. He would have to wait a minute for his strength to return before trying again. Nancy finished the statement she was making, then the spoon descended on the bowl once again. It was tilted as it made its plunge into the mixture, this time only a few yards (from his P.O.V.) from him. Suddenly things around him changed significantly as his luck ran out, and he had been scooped up along with several of the "O"s around him. He scurried to stand again, but the accent was too fast and his legs would not cooperate. He again screamed with all his might "Help" and "NO", but Nancy continued to speak and could not hear him. She raised the spoon to her mouth, but had stopped short as she finished her thought.

"... and her mother would never let that happen".

As she finished that last word, he watched her lips, which he had at one time lusted after, part and reveal a mouth full of perfect white teeth. It all seemed in slow motion to him, he seemed to notice every detail as he was moved into the wet, steamy cavern. He could see the ridges in the roof of her mouth and even the little veins that ran throughout it, thinking how cool that looked as the lips closed behind him, and locked the light out. He still clung to the soggy preserver that had kept him afloat until now, praying that somehow it would save him as he heard the loud crunch of cereal between teeth. He felt things around him being violently tossed about as Nancy's tongue methodically moved the food between her teeth to be chewed. He wondered if he had made good enough notes for someone to follow what he had....

"So I'll pick you up from practice today and we will go to the mall, OK?"

"Sounds cool mom."