The diagnosis was terminal, he knew it would be. The nurse smiled sadly at him as she passed over the plastic wallet. It contained a leaflet and a small hand held device that he could put his finger into to check his progress on the go.

The clinic’s machine was much more precise than the one he had tried at home. It was to be expected. Two years; two years was all he had left.

The good news was it was unlikely to accelerate, he shouldn’t be worried about collapsing in the grocery store any time soon. Two years; two years to get his life wrapped up, to live it to the fullest. After those two years he would be in limbo, he could go at any minute.

He decided to travel.

In his mid-twenties, his job had allowed him to buy a house and a fairly desirable car. Selling these along with the majority of his possessions provided him with more than enough money to fund his adventure. He started in Japan, moving across Asia and then on into Europe. He had been on the road for 20 months by the time he left Barcelona and, though he had hoped to make it to Africa, his results suggested it was time for home.

It was easy enough to get a short term agreement on a place. He’d only be needing it for three months, six tops. The owner understood and didn’t pry. The condition currently effected one in three people and continued to rise.

Initially it was nice to be back in the US, home amongst the familiar sounds and smells.

Though his new apartment was small, it was ample space to accommodate the meagre possessions he had taken back out of the lock up. Most days and every night he spent alone, catching up on Netflix and scrolling through social media. His friend’s list had reduced over the last few years, his friends either succumbing to the illness or distancing themselves from him ahead of time.

Two months had passed before he found the website.

It was 3am, he couldn’t sleep and had nothing to be up for the following day even if he could. As the deadline loomed he began to obsess about his condition, it was only natural considering what awaited. One article led to another, one list of top tips branching out into eight more. The word ‘Guardian’ appeared once or twice, growing in frequency as his research took him deeper into the hole.

It was then that he discovered the listings and among those listings, her.

He was surprised that the program was not more widely known, then again he had been away for almost two years so was understandably out of the loop. He scrolled through the ‘About’ section, devoured the FAQs and even had time to review the terms and conditions. It seemed legitimate, more so it seemed like a viable solution.

The program was simple. Those that were immune could set up a profile and offer to become Guardians of those that were not. When the time was near the Guardian would take their Ward into their home and provide space, safety, sustenance and companionship for as long as may be required.

Those who had the disease, even in perfect conditions, only lived for around five years after it took hold so for the Guardians this was only a temporary role. For their trouble they were paid a fee. This, he discovered, was upfront and could run into the tens of thousands of dollars. He scrolled through the profiles of the top rated Guardians, reading their self-descriptions and taking in pictures of beautiful homes in the mountains or by the sea where he could live out his final days in luxury. The price though, that was going to be a problem.

He could understand the reason for the charge. The Guardian would have their work cut out for them. For those who had multiple Wards their homes would have to be modified, he had already seen some impressive images, and their safety and wellbeing could become a full time job. Besides, he reasoned, it’s not like people with his condition needed money after the event.

Two years ago he could have afforded to stay with any of them, still having money left over to enjoy himself a little before he did so. That was before he went travelling, that was before he was broke.

Out of curiosity, he scrolled to the very end of the listing. The advertisements here were smaller, jammed together in walls of text. The costs were much more affordable but the conditions a world away from anything resembling luxurious. He ignored any profile without pictures or proper spelling. If you couldn’t build a simple profile on a website, he wouldn’t trust his health to you.

Most were loners, stoners and motel owners that would provide basic shelter and food and water for as long as it was needed for a few hundred bucks. Needless to say, they didn’t appeal to him. He was about to close the page when he saw the thumbnail hidden amongst the press of ads.

He didn’t know what caused him to click it, it didn’t really stand out amongst the others. He sat up on his couch as the profile filled the screen. This could be something.

Her name was Abi, twenty, from Colorado. She was in college studying language and enjoyed music and reading. She advertised space in her room, friendship and care for as long as needed. The room was in a house share just off campus. It was basic but homely. She advertised her rate at three thousand dollars, stating the money would help pay for her studies.

He browsed over her profile picture, an awkward selfie. She was smiling nervously, a pair of black rimmed glasses perched on a button nose. She had put her dark hair into two braids, the tips betraying an earlier light purple dye job. Her black beanie had an Atticus logo on it, her thick grey sweater hanging off of one shoulder.

She was cute, he thought selfishly. That wasn’t the point of Guardianship but it certainly wouldn’t hurt. Three thousand dollars for floor space in a dorm room? It certainly beat dying alone here in his shit apartment. He clicked to send her a message expressing interest before shutting down the computer.

He needed to get some sleep. He needed to think about what his life could be like with Abi, twenty, from Colorado.

There was a message waiting for him when he woke.

She thanked him for the message, asked if he had any questions.

He replied that he’d like to know a bit about her. He asked if they could meet.

She said no but was happy to answer any questions via message. He should have known, he scolded himself, rookie error.

She asked him why he needed a Guardian, how long he had before it was due.

He told her, no remaining close family, no friends he could trust to stick by him. He had maybe two months.

Shit, she was sorry to hear that. She shared a house with her friend. There was space for him for as long as he needed.

He asked if she had done this before.

She said no but had been reading a lot about being a Guardian and caring for those afflicted by the illness. She asked if this was going to be a problem.

He decided to be honest. He didn’t have many options but was concerned about her lack of experience. Would she know what to do? Would he be safe? What about the housemate? Would she be ok with him staying with them?

Abi confirmed it would be ok. She was smart, she was studying, she would take care of him, she promised.

He waited a while before replying. This was the biggest decision of his life, could he trust her?

He asked. He asked why she was doing this? If it was just to help pay tuition then what was stopping her taking the money then ditching him at the first opportunity?

Her answer had surprised him. It came just before midnight, a single paragraph.

Her brother.

He had been afflicted but misread his tests. He was out when it happened, going to a game with some friends. They didn’t notice and he fell behind. Her family found out two days later and in the worst of ways. Her mom found him for sale.

She could still picture him in her head. They had stripped him naked and placed him in front of a white background. His shoulders were slumped, one eye closed with a vicious bruise. It was horrific.

She remembered her mom screaming, her dad raging for his credit card as the timer counted down. The sound of her parents sobbing as they entered their bid, a second too late, would stay with her forever.

The sale had been anonymous, the site protecting the privacy of both the buyer and seller. The representative they spoke to showed no remorse, the afflicted weren’t people, they didn’t have rights anymore. It had broken her family, destroyed their lives and plunged them into the darkest depression she had ever experienced.

She would have been swallowed by depression herself if not for the resistance movements. They wanted change, protection for their family and friends who were struck down by the epidemic.

Sadly public opinion had proven hard to sway.

Her spare time was spent fighting the good fight, drawing up petitions and attending protests. She might not be able to change the world but she was sure as hell going to try anyway. Until things changed for the better she would do everything she could to help anyone she could. She only had finite space and not much money but if he wanted it, it was his.

Reading her story brought a tear to his eye. He agreed to the terms and the process was started.

They finally met in person two weeks later. If was at a coffee shop, in public, somewhere neutral and safe. The pair chatted, both visibly nervous. She was nice, polite and clearly a smart cookie.

They agreed to meet up again the following week to discuss the logistics. The week after that the signed the agreement. In a few days he was on her doorstep.

The girl who answered the door was the opposite of who he was expecting. She was tall, lean and incredibly blonde. She was dressed for the gym, a tight top that revealed her flat stomach and a pair of shorts.

The woman jogged in the spot, beaming at him as he stood awkwardly on the welcome mat. ‘Um, hi? Can I help you?’ she tied her silvery blonde hair into a ponytail as she spoke. 

‘Err, yeah, I’m here for, for Abi?’ he stuttered as he spoke, a sudden nervousness washing over him. He adjusted his backpack and shuffled uncomfortably.

She looked him up and down, her sapphire eyes lingering on him. It felt like an age before she spoke, sweat prickling down his back.

‘Oh shit, yeah, you’re our new roomie aren’t you? That’s super exciting, Abi is real sweet. I’m sure you’re gonna love spending time here. Feel free to head inside, her room is upstairs and to the left.’

Her watch beeped. ‘Fuck! Sorry, I’m falling behind, I gotta go.’ She pushed past him and jogged down the path, ‘I’m Sofia by the way, nice to meet you!’

It took all of his restraint not to watch her go. He was relying on an almost total stranger to look after him at his most vulnerable, it would not go well to be caught checking out her housemate on the first day.

Abi was studying when he knocked on her door, sat on her bed amongst a pile of books and papers.

She greeted him politely, a shy smile on her face.

The next hour was spent familiarising himself with his new living arrangement. He’d be sleeping on her floor unless she wanted some privacy, then he would be relegated to the sofa. He could go wherever he pleased and treat the house as his own. In her room, only her closet was off limits for obvious reasons. Sofia’s had the largest bedroom and was understandably out of bounds.

The top floor held those two bedrooms, a bathroom and a small utility closet. In the hallway was a side table and on that table.

‘Um, so I, err this is for you. I guess, you know,’ Abi trailed off as she gestured to the dollhouse, ‘when it happens.’

He had no idea how to react. ‘Thank you,’ he mumbled, lifting the house from its base. It was surreal. In his hands he held the space he would live his last years in. It settled back onto the table with a soft click. ‘It’s nice,’ he smiled weakly.

They had pasta for dinner. He made the sauce and poured the bottle of wine he had brought as a thank you gift.

‘Good sauce,’ Sofia smirked, ‘shame you can’t be our own personal chef forever.’

He mumbled something into his food by way of reply. Abi shot her housemate a look.

‘Well I suppose you could be, with a few modifications to our little kitchen here.’ Sofia continued, drinking deep from her wineglass before turning back to her meal. ‘Though you’d have to be careful not to fall in, wouldn’t you?’

She lowered her eyes to her meal, stabbing at a mound of spaghetti and twirling it around her fork. Sofia lifted it to her lips slowly, her bright blue eyes boring into him. ‘Oh no!’ she mocked, her voice squeaking, a wicked grin on her face, ‘I’ve fallen into dinner and can’t get out! Please don’t eat me; please, please, please!’

He flinched as she enveloped the morsel of food with her full, pink lips. Her eyes never left him as she chewed and swallowed.

‘For fuck’s sake Sof, can you not?’ Abi snapped, slamming her knife and fork into her plate.

‘I was joking!’ Sofia protested, flashing him a deadly wink, ‘He knows I was only joking don’t you hun?’

He mumbled a response again, desperately trying to avoid the confrontation. It was Abi who came to his rescue.

‘Come on,’ she huffed, standing and placing a hand on his shoulder, ‘we can go through the rest of the paperwork upstairs.’

‘Yes that’s right Fido,’ Sofia giggled as they left the room, ‘go and be a good little pet, run along now.’

Abi had apologise profusely when the door to her room had closed behind her. He insisted it was ok; he had been on social media, he knew how people treated those in his position. Hell, wasn’t that what the Guardian program was about?

Sofia would come around, Abi insisted, and nothing would happen to him while he was in her care. That she promised him.

He slept on the floor of her room that night. It was a strange situation for both of them. He couldn’t help but marvel at the fortitude of the young woman that put so much trust in him. He knew she had seen his test results but still, he couldn’t help but thank her for what she was going to do for him.

As he drifted off to sleep, Sofia’s words echoed in his head. ‘Fido’, she had called him. That was the real reason she didn’t fear his presence in her room, he was no longer a man in her eyes. He was something else, something lesser, something harmless.

He slept fitfully, his dreams filled with worry over the world he would soon enter.

They spoke at length the following morning. She would be his confidant, she promised, and would help him as best she could. They were going to be together a long time, she wanted him to be happy and comfortable.

It was to this end that therapy was first suggested. Abi had been researching online, she was dedicated to being the best Guardian possible, and had found a number of courses nearby. She was sure they would be of help and would assist with a smooth transition.

She had paused before mentioning the catch. Though it wasn’t expensive, even with the money he was paying her she couldn’t afford it. He had beamed at her and praised her for being such a good friend. He could afford it, he had a little money left and would pay.

Their first session came a week later. It was a mix of group, couples and then solo. The group was a cross section of society, the illness didn’t discriminate. There were siblings, partners, and parents with their children. There was even another Guardian, a young man who had signed up to look after his friend.

He came away thoughtful and with a new booklet to add to his small collection. Most of what had been discussed was to be expected though there were a few suggestions they had agreed to implement.

The main one was regarding perspective. For the affected, the biggest change was seeing the world from a new angle. Rooms were disorientating, seemingly stretching into the sky, as was the sight of common things; chairs, tables, TV remotes, everything blown out of proportion.

People though, that was by far the worst. Seeing other human beings, their former friends and family massive beyond belief was mind blowing. It was reported that a significant amount of infected, following the change, suffered panic attacks, heart attacks and complete meltdowns upon encountering normal humans for the first time.

It had been suggested that this is why so many Shrinkys were easily captured, they were literally struck dumb at the sight of a regular sized person towering over them. This had only been mentioned in passing though, the aim of the therapy was to help with the change, not scare the subjects unduly.

To combat this shift in worldview, he was encouraged to spend time lying on the floor. As absurd as it seemed, the mere action of looking up towards a distant ceiling fan or light fixing would help to prepare him for the inevitable.

The plan he had been set was simple. First he would spend a few hours alone each day, ideally when his housemates were at work, lying on the floor in different rooms. He should take in his surroundings, get used to seeing under refrigerators and couches.

It sounded silly but then so did a global pandemic that would reduce its victims to an inch in height.

He had been doing this for four days before he felt ready to go onto the next step. Abi had agreed straight away, whatever it took to help him adjust.

She was late from work on the first day they tried it. He was lying on the floor of her room, the door closed lest Sofia come home and catch him.

He could feel her footsteps as she walked down the hall, a gentle thump on the wooden floors. He closed his eyes as the door opened.

‘Hey,’ she said softly, ‘how’re you doing down there?’

She waved down at him, a foot either side of his head. The tops of her ankle boots were level with his eyes, her jean clad legs rising up above him.

‘How do I look?’ she blushed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, ‘you feeling ok?’

He shrugged as she sat onto the bed. Rolling onto his side, she was obscured by the bottom of her boots. ‘I don’t think its working’, he mumbled as she slipped off her boots, ‘I’m just lying on the floor.’

‘Give it a couple of days,’ Abi smiled. ‘I’m sure you’ll get it. I spoke to Sofia too, I hope you don’t mind. She is happy to support with this. You’ll be living with her too so we both want to make sure you’re comfortable.’

He remained on the floor as she drew her legs onto the bed and opened a book. She did not speak to him again.

His therapist had told them about this. Despite the best intentions of the Guardian, there would always be times when they had more pressing tasks to focus on leaving their Ward unattended. He would need to get used to his own company.

He was still dwelling on this two days later, lying in his spot on the kitchen floor. He must have dozed off as Sofia’s voice woke him.

‘Fido,’ she cooed, ‘wakey wakey.’

She was standing over him, her long bare legs disappearing into a pair of her signature shorts. She had curled one leg behind her and was stretching it out, her hand steadying herself on the counter.

‘Having fun down there?’ the athletic young woman asked, a dangerous smile on her face, ‘feelin’ like a bug yet?’

Before he could answer, she released her leg and slammed her foot down barely half an inch from his head. The sound clapped in his ear, causing him to flinch. He began to stammer a response, rising onto his elbows. His face was pink with embarrassment.

Sofia silenced him with a word, ‘No.’ Her gym shoe clad foot swung over him, resting on his chest before pushing him firmly back onto the floor.

‘What do you think you’re doing? I thought you were supposed to be in training?’ she chastised him, ‘Do you think once it happens you can just go back to your normal size to escape awkward situations? Forget about it. You need to get used to your new place in the world.’

She increased the pressure on his chest as she spoke, lifting her heel to focus her weight on the ball of her foot. He winced with pain but dared not to interrupt her.

‘Abi asked me to help get you ready for your new life and that’s what I’m gonna do. She might want to pretend to be happy families and treat you like a regular person but I’m here to set you straight. I’m not gonna lie to you or pretend everything will be rosy. For you, life will be tough but you will have to learn to accept it.’

She relaxed the pressure, her expression warming though her foot remained atop him.

‘You’ll rely on us for everything. You’ll have to get used to waiting your turn, to being patient, to being ignored, to not having a voice. When it happens, you won’t be a person anymore; at least not a person who gets autonomy. You’ll be more like a baby or a pet, maybe something in between, and you know what? I think you’ll adapt just fine.’

Sofia stepped off him, her voice full of sunshine. ‘That’s where I come in. From now on I’m gonna impose some new rules in this house. First of all, there will be no more backtalk or checking in with Abi when I tell you to do something. When she’s here, you’ll just do what I say, no matter what and with no complaints. When she isn’t here, you’re still gonna do as you’re told but you’ll confirm you understand by saying ‘Yes Miss Sofia’. Do you understand?’

Her face was a picture of sweetness, despite the angle at which he looked up at her, though her eyes were cold. He hesitated, afraid to give her this power over him but swayed by what she was saying. ‘Yes Miss Sofia,’ he mumbled.

‘Good,’ she clapped her hands together and stepped away from him, dropping into one of the wooden chairs stood waiting by the table. ‘Now, I want you to get up off the floor but remain on your hands and knees and with your head bowed. Can you do that for me?’

‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

‘Good boy, who’s a good boy?’ she reached over and ruffled his hair before kicking off her gym shoes. They landed beneath his face, the warm scent tickling his nostrils. ‘Now these are pretty much clean but I want you to get used to obeying commands, regardless of how you feel about them. So for the next hour, until Ab gets home, I want you to sit on these cold tiles and lick the dirt off the bottoms of these shoes.’

His mouth hung agape as she stood and walked past him. He tried to protest, to think of something, but she was too quick. She half turned to face him, a devilish look in her eyes.

‘Is there a problem Fido? I certainly wouldn’t have a problem if I were you. If I were you I want to do anything I could to please the woman who would be looking after me at my most helpless. The woman who in only a few weeks would have complete control over me and my life. I’d want to make sure she was as happy as she could be. I certainly wouldn’t want to do anything that would upset her. I’d want to be a good little pet. Do you want to be a good little pet for me Fido?’

He held off saying it for as long as he could, his teeth gritting as he replied, ‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

‘That’s so good to hear,’ she said warmly, ‘because you know you’re broke, that Abi already has all your money. You know that no matter what happens you aren’t going to risk leaving here and ending up lost and tiny somewhere out in the world. There’s going to come a day sometime real soon where it’s just me and a very, very small you.

I probably don’t have to tell you this but that day will not go well for you if you tell Abi about any of this. We’ve been friends for a long time, I’ll lie and she’ll believe me. She’ll be disgusted that I found you in here wanking over my sneakers. I’ll convince her to forgive you of course, I don’t want to see my little Fido left out in the rain, so you’ll still be here when it happens. After that, well maybe I come home one day and sit on the couch, forgetting to check if my tiny housemate is already sitting there? Accidents happen all the time so you had better keep your mouth shut.

Otherwise, this fine piece of art could very well be the last thing you ever see.’

She slapped herself on the ass and winked at him, both actions designed to drive the point home.

‘Go on then Fido, get to work. Clock is ticking.’

‘Yes Miss Sofia,’ he bowed, his voice low with defeat as she walked off down the hall leaving laughter in her wake.

Abi worked late for the rest of the week, leaving him at Sofia’s mercy.

She rose mid-morning each day and came into the kitchen. He would already have her breakfast waiting and would be kneeling on the floor.

Sofia would barely acknowledge him as she sat at the table and flicked through her phone. He would crawl over to her, standing was forbidden in her presence, shoes in hand. She would lift her foot, clad in a white ankle sock, as a signal that he may proceed. It was his job to put her freshly cleaned gym shoes on in the morning and ensure they were perfectly laced.

Unless otherwise instructed, he would then lie face down on the floor until she left for the day.

From Tuesday to Saturday she worked at the gym every afternoon. While she was gone he would do chores around the house, she demanded the place be made spotless each day. Once his tasks were done he would dutifully select a pair of her shoes and spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning the dirt and stains from them. She insisted on this last task, to remind him of his place. Each day she expected at least two pairs waiting for her. Some days she would direct him to clean a pair of Abi’s, always with his tongue.

Abi had insisted that doing all the housework and cooking was unnecessary, that he was paying to be here and didn’t need to clean up after them. She had no idea that the sandals she wore had been licked clean the day before.

He’d lied to her, of course. It was his pleasure, the least he could do. He couldn’t leave the house and there were only so many hours in the day that he could lie on the floor staring into empty space.

When Sofia returned home; she’d find him kneeling by the door, waiting for her. She would sit on the stairs, scrolling through her phone, as he unlaced her shoes and drew them from her feet. Without a second glance she’d turn her back on him and continue with the day, leaving him to await her further instructions.

Most days she would have him lie beneath her as she watched TV. The couch would hide her, her feet propped up on the glass table while her legs made a tan bridge above him. They always had an hour, maybe two, before Abi came home.

She would usually find him reading by then, or sat in the chair opposite listening to Sofia chat about her day. Abi loved how close they had become, he even enjoyed her teasing.

Sofia usually left them after dinner, he always volunteered to clean away. She had her own project, editing videos that would often have her working in her room until late into the night.

He heard her most nights, muffled sounds of her working bleeding through the walls. Abi didn’t seem to notice, she slept soundly through anything.

Almost two weeks had passed since he first entered the house and became Sofia’s pet. He lay in his usual position, silent as she binge watched Netflix.

Without a word she shifted position, slipping one foot from the coffee table. His eyes widened as she dropped it upon him; the warm, damp, socked foot landing on his face.

He began to protest but she pushed down firmly upon him, muffling his voice.

‘I’m sorry what was that?’ she asked with dangerous innocence, ‘did you just try to speak without my permission?’

The scent of her foot filled his nostrils. Her flesh covered his mouth, crushing harshly against his lips. She had been working out all day, the fragrant heat radiating from her body.

‘No?’ she questioned, leaning forwards to look down upon him, ‘No I didn’t think so.’

From that day on she didn’t pause before using him as her afternoon footrest. The two hours he spent every day with her foot on his face, the pungent scent of her post workout sweat burning his nose, were some of the most humiliating of his life.

He couldn’t help but worry what would happen if he shrank while she had her foot upon him. Would the weight of her leg alone be enough to end his life there and then, to reduce him to paste to be cleaned from her gym sock? The idea hadn’t been lost on Sofia, more than once she delighted herself by describing what would happen if he was accidentally stood on.

Apparently she had stepped on one poor unfortunate before, albeit by accident. She hadn’t even noticed until she finished her morning run and saw the half mangled torso dangling from the treads of her shoe.

She described how her victim must have felt in cruel detail, enjoying the idea of every bone cracking and popping in an instant as her uncaring foot fell upon them. She pushed her foot into his face as she spoke, enjoying the feeling of having him beneath it.

‘That won’t happen to you though, will it?’ she asked, not expecting an answer, ‘that person out there wasn’t a good pet like you Fido. They probably disobeyed their mistress and were banished outside. Pets like you don’t live long outside do they boy?’

‘No Miss Sofia,’ he responded, his voice muffled by her foot.

She lifted it off him to grin at the full grown man lying helpless at her feet. ‘You know why that is don’t you boy? That’s because there’s no difference between a bad pet and a bug. And you know what happens to bugs don’t you?’

Yes Miss Sofia,’ he answered obediently as her foot lowered back onto his face.

‘Bugs get stepped on.’

She slammed the ball of her foot into his face, almost bursting his lip before stepping off of him. He could only lie in silence, not daring to anger his mistress as she shut off the TV and climbed the stairs. She always showered before dinner.

He waited until the water began to run before the first sob escaped his bruised lip. What was his life becoming? He couldn’t live like this. He had to tell Abi, surely she would question why his face was swollen? But what could he tell her? Sofia was right, she’d lie her way out of it and then he’d either be out on the streets at the mercy of the elements or trapped here and tiny, at the mercy of the psychotic Barbie upstairs.

He got up quietly and walked into the kitchen, wiping his face with a damp towel before starting on dinner. He would speak to her soon, he would have to. If he explained properly she was sure to believe him. She promised to help him, to protect him. He just hadn’t expected to be needing it quite so soon.

In his head he made a plan. He would wait until he had Abi to himself, sometime over the coming weekend, and would come clean. It was the only way he would survive this.

Unfortunately, Sofia had other ideas.

The following evening found him at his usual station; on his back, beneath Sofia’s feet. Abi was working late on a project, leaving him at her housemate’s mercy.

He lay perfectly still, his eyes closed tightly. She had commanded him to take off her socks with his teeth, giggling as he growled and barked. She wanted him to be an obedient puppy.

Now she rested her bare foot upon his lips, her skin hot and sticky to the touch. He tried to pretend he was somewhere else, that his life had gone down a better path. He couldn’t accept that this, a grown man kept at the whim of some girl barely out of college, was what he had become.

As if she could read his mind, her weight adjusted atop him. Her foot lifted away, giving him a second to breath air free of her sweat. Without looking at him, she angled her toe downwards and pushed it against his lips.

He recoiled and was admonished immediately, ‘Ah ah, I didn’t give you permission to move did I?’

She pushed down onto his throat with her heel, the ball of her foot rising dangerously over his mouth, poised to break his nose with a single strike. Her right foot dropped heavily from its place upon the table to thud painfully into his crotch. Sofia immediately applied pressure, making him cry out with pain.

‘I said, did I give you permission to move?’ She pushed down harder, grinding his balls beneath the ball of her foot.

‘No, Miss Sofia,’ he choked against the pain.

She watched him suffer beneath her, lowering her foot to smother his gasps of agony.

‘And if I want my little puppy to kiss the foot of his mistress, he should do that shouldn’t he?’

Beneath her porcelain foot, his skin flushed red, ‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

She looked down on him, her face a picture of faux sadness, ‘It’s so disappointing. I thought we had already had this discussion, I thought you understood. All we want is a good little pet, an obedient little puppy. Why don’t you want us to be happy after all we are going to do for you?’

She gripped his face with her toes, clawing at him like the talons of an eagle. Her right foot owned his manhood, sending clouds of pain through his body.

Tears streamed down his face. ‘I’m sorry,’ he sobbed, ‘I’m sorry Miss Sofia, I’ll be good, I promise.’

His mistress watched him for another agonising minute, letting him squirm beneath her. He was beneath her and he needed to know this.

‘Ok’, she smiled sweetly, stepping off of him. He curled into a ball, clutching at his sore crotch. ‘I believe you, I’ll give you one more chance. Only one though, if I have to remind you of your place again you’ll be outta here. You hear me?’

She prodded him with her foot.

‘Y-yes Miss Sofia,’ he trembled, ‘thank you Miss Sofia.

‘Good boy, good boy Fido, now get back into position.’

He couldn’t have resisted even if he wanted to. He shivered as he lay back down, watching powerless as her foot lowered back onto his face. Her right returned to his crotch though much more gently this time.

Her foot rested softly upon his manhood, moving feather light across it.

‘It really shouldn’t be this hard you know,’ Sofia chuckled as she felt his cock stiffen at her touch, ‘your training I mean, not this little guy.’ She gave him a playful squeeze, ripples of pleasure replacing the pain.

‘You are super lucky, you know. How many people in your situation get to live with such super-hot babes?’

Her foot moved rhythmically, massaging his now hard member through his pants, ‘I see the way you look at her and well,’ she pushed down hard, drawing another moan of ecstasy from her human toy, ‘it’s clear what you think of me. You’re gonna be with us a while and all I want is for you to know the pecking order around here. There’s going to be a world of difference for you after it happens and it can go one of two ways; if you’re good you’ll live the life you wanted, if you’re bad right now, you’ll live the life you deserve.

It’s the difference between getting to eat at the table or being dropped into a gym sock and left beneath the sink for a week.’

His eyes snapped open, a protest rising from his lips.

‘Shh,’ she commanded, radiating power. Her left foot moved down to the top of his chest, pinning him in place while the ball of her right worked pleasingly upon his throbbing dick, ‘it’s the difference between getting to spend your evening in the bath with me, rubbing soap on my wet glistening tits or screaming uselessly as I break your teeny tiny limbs for fun.

It’s the difference between me standing up now and smashing your stupid face and pathetic cock beneath my feet or letting you take it out and cum. That’s the power I have over you, that’s why you need to be a good little pet for us.’ She was working him harder, smirking as he shivered with pleasure, ‘do you understand?’

He was breathing heavily, knowing that to say the words was to let her own him forever. He fought it for barely a second, his mental fortitude lost beneath a haze of arousal, ‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

‘Ok Fido, unbutton your pants. If you ask nicely, if you beg me and kiss my foot like a good little puppy, I’ll even let you cum. Isn’t that nice of me, aren’t I good to my pet?’

She watched with glee as his fingers rushed to his buttons, exposing his blood engorged member. Her bare foot fell upon it as his greedy lips pressed against her skin, his mouth and tongue working against the sole of her foot still warm and sticky from her workout.

‘Go on,’ she nudged, ‘beg little puppy. Tell me how much you want to be my pet. Only a good pet gets to cum so let me hear you beg for it.’

‘Please Miss Sofia,’ he breathed, disgusted in himself as his tongue lapped at the salty flesh between her toes, ‘please let me be your puppy, please let me be your pet. Please let me cum.’

She worked him furiously, the man helpless as he sweated through his shirt, his breathing now shallow gasps against her foot as he drew nearer and nearer to orgasm. It was delicious to watch how pathetic he had become. Her new housemate was only seconds from bursting his load, she had to keep him going just a little longer.

‘Louder Fido! Make me believe you mean it!’

‘Please Miss Sofia,’ he reached up and grabbed her ankle, forcing it down harder on his face. His tongue slobbered against her skin, ‘Please Miss Sofia, let me be your pet, let me be your puppy. I’ll be a good puppy I promise!’

‘Does good puppy want to cum?’ she giggled.

‘Yes! Yes Miss Sofia, please! Good puppy wants to cum, good puppy wants to cum! Oh God!’

She lifted her foot away as a burst of boiling ejaculate splashed against his exposed stomach.

‘Oh god, fuck,’ he burbled, eyes closed and shivering on the floor beneath her, ‘thank you Miss Sofia, thank you.’

Sofia could have left him there, basking in post orgasmic bliss for a lifetime should she so wish. Instead she let loose her three magic words, the three word’s she had been waiting to use for half an hour.

‘Oh Hi Ab’

‘What the fuck?’ Abi’s voice rang through the room, shock and horror lifting the tone.

He scrambled in place, desperately trying to button his pants, to hide the cum stain across his shirt, to explain.

Sofia beat him to it, ‘What’s a matter babe? He said this was part of that therapy thing you keep going to. He told me you do this for him every night to develop your bond. I just wanted to support you. Oh god, you bastard!’

She struck him with her foot, knocking him against the coffee table, ‘You perverted fuck!’

Crocodile tears filled her eyes, ‘Abi I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise.’

‘You fucking prick!’ Abi hissed at him as he struggled to rise for the second time, ‘How fucking dare you? I’m calling the agency right now!’

He called after her as she stormed upstairs. Scrambling he staggered forwards.

‘Somebody’s in trouble,’ Sofia sang after him as he ascended the stairs, ‘bad dog Fido, bad puppy!’

‘Abi wait!’

‘Fuck you!’ He caught the door as it slammed painfully into him. A ceramic mug exploded against the wall as he poked his head around the corner.

‘Get the fuck out!’

‘No please, I can explain.’

She stormed up to him with enough force to back him out into the hallway. Abi brimmed with fury, her cheeks flushed pink behind her glasses. Tears of rage prickled across her eyes. Her fists were balled at her side.

‘You can explain? You fucking creep, what the fuck is wrong with you?’

She paused, realisation dawning across her face, ‘What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you even afflicted? Fuck, did you fake this, did you fake this whole thing to get in here? You fucking prick. Come here!’

She grabbed him forcefully by the arm, dragging him into her room. She ignored his protests as she drew a home test kit and forced it onto his finger. Abi trembled with anger as they waited for the result. The silence was terrifying.

A beep broke it, the machine showing green for positive. Abi scrutinised it, weighing up her response.

‘Ok,’ she said softly, her words razor sharp. ‘Ok. So the Agency will be closed until tomorrow and I need time to think.’

She shushed him as he tried to speak.

‘Not a fucking word, do you understand me? If you say a single thing you are fucking out of here. Just nod if you understand.’

He did as he was bid.

‘Tonight you are going to stay in the utility room, ok? I don’t want to see you, I don’t want to speak to you. I’m going to speak to Sofia and we are going to work something out. Tomorrow I am calling the Agency, until then take your shit and stay put.’

She glared at him, her arms hugging about her waist, as he rolled up his sleeping bag and grabbed his back pack. The door slammed behind him, leaving him alone on in the hallway. He stood, sullen and broken. Downstairs Sofia was still binge watching Netflix, the sounds of her show filtering up the stairs.

For the second time that evening he felt powerless, his fate in the hands of a woman ten years his junior. He trudged towards the closet, painfully aware of how badly it would go if Abi opened her door and found him lurking outside.

His new home was between the dryer and a row of shelves. There was barely space for him to lie down, his pack forming a pillow, his knees tucked up to his chest. It was cramped, it was uncomfortable and it was the best he could hope for.

Eventually fatigue drowned his worries and he slipped into a fitful sleep. He didn’t hear Abi leave her room and go downstairs. He didn’t hear her talk to Sofia for an hour. He slept through her returning to her room and he was still asleep when Sofia opened his door.

‘Wakey wakey,’ she whispered, shaking him with her foot.

His eyes opened slowly, his vision blurring as she stood over him; framed by the hall light. She had her fingers on her lips.

‘No talking Fido, just listen. I’ve spoken to Abi and I’ve calmed her down. I’ve said it was a misunderstanding, that I started flirting with you first. I think she buys it so you’re safe for now. She was so mad you know, she was going to demand they remove you from her contract and send you back onto the street. They can do that, if you break the terms of the agreement. She keeps everything and you get to shrink down in the gutter.’

She smirked down at him, letting her words sink in.

‘But that’s not going to happen to you Fido, don’t you worry about that. I’m going to look after my little puppy. What do you say?’

Bitch. Fucking bitch. That’s what he wanted to say. ‘Yes Miss Sofia’, he spat through gritted teeth.

‘Good boy Fido,’ she knelt and ruffled his hair, ‘so this is what is going to happen. Tomorrow you are going to get up at 4am and clean the whole house, top to bottom, nice and tidy. You’re going to make sure breakfast is ready for me when I come downstairs at 6am. If I’m happy then you can come back up to your little room here while I go for my run. During this time, I don’t want to hear a sound from you, nothing. All your chores, everything in total silence. You don’t get to speak anymore.

When I get back I will fix everything with Abi and you will nod and agree with everything I say. From now on you are no longer our housemate, you are our servant. You’re here all day and you’re going to earn your keep. There will be no more sneaking around following my orders, from now on it’s out in the open. You’ll do whatever I tell you, whenever I tell you and the same will apply for Abi. She is your owner just as much as I am and you’ll treat her as such.

This is going to continue until you finally shrink, no disobedience, no issues, no warnings. If at any point I suspect you are even thinking of saying something to Abi, of disrupting our nice little arrangement then I will tell her you forced yourself on me.

I’ll scream in the middle of the night and she’ll find me sobbing and hysterical in my room. She’ll believe you came in while I was sleeping and touched me, tried to have your way with me. The cops will come, you’ll go to jail and that’s where you’ll shrink. Sound fun to you, do you want to be an inch tall in some gross all men’s prison?’

She waited for his answer, ‘No Miss Sofia.’

‘No, you certainly don’t. Don’t drop the soap gets way worse when you are the soap. Still, that’s not gonna happen to you is it? You’re going to obey me now aren’t you? You’re my property, I control you, don’t I?’

‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

‘Yes Miss Sofia,’ she mocked, ‘you have no idea how many times you are gonna say that in the coming months. Would you like to know the best part of my plan? I know you do.

Everything I’ve said, all your new duties, they only last until you shrink. After you shrink, well that’s when things get much, much simpler. You know that little house she has for you? Yeah, that’s going in the trash, you’ll never be in there.

You see, I love Abi but I hate the way she is so pious, the way she gets so worked up trying to save and help Shrinkys. It’s boring, it’s annoying and its gonna stop with you. When you shrink, and you will any day now, we’ll both be super nice and supportive. That’s what you paid for after all. Don’t get comfortable though, you won’t be living free for long.

I’ll be whispering into her ear every day, commenting on how you look at her, how you scuttle around and take oh so much looking after. Wouldn’t it be easier just to lock him away, to treat him like the animal he is? I could keep him some nights, it would be no trouble. He just needs feeding and watering, that’s basic. There’s no need to do all this extra work, just put him in his box and forget about him.

Hell, didn’t they say human contact helps them? Use a shoe then, that’s safe and he can’t escape. Let’s just try it once, he doesn’t mind, look he is nodding. You know he doesn’t talk anymore so let him live in your shoe for a while. It smells like you, it’ll comfort him. He can stay in my sneaker if you want? He can’t get out and we’ll know where he is.

Maybe once or twice we forget to feed you. See he is fine, they don’t need to eat every day. They aren’t people, they don’t matter. The whole time you’ll agree with me, nodding along like a good little pet.

If you don’t, you’ll die. You know it’ll only take a single footstep and done, no more you. It won’t be me though, that’s too easy. If you disobey I’ll drop you in Abi’s laundry, bundle you up in a pair of her panties, all nice and snug. He’s doing it again the gross little pervert, you shouldn’t have to tolerate that Abi, you shouldn’t have to feel violated.

Eventually she’ll change her mind, eventually she’ll see you as the dirty little bug you are, and when that day comes it’ll be game over. You can run, you can plead but one way or another she’s going to step down on you and kill you. It might even be slow, she might even draw it out. It would be her first kill after all, why not enjoy it?

Even if she doesn’t decide to kill you, there could always be an accident. Maybe I swap the pair of shoes you’re in? What kind of state do you think you’d be in if she slipped her foot into one of her boots and didn’t feel you until she stepped down. Maybe she still wouldn’t feel you. I’m not gonna lie, I’m enjoying the idea of her walking around all day, not realising her stupid little project is getting pulped beneath her foot.

Again, as I keep saying, that won’t happen will it? You’re going to be a good little pet, you’re going to living in my sneaker, you’re going to ask to clean our shoes as a thank you for letting you stay here. You’re going to be the perfect little toy for us to use in any way we like aren’t you?’

He sat in silence, he had nothing to say.

‘Aren’t you? I asked you a question Fido. Remember, your life is mine, don’t make me hurt you. Say it; you’re our toy, you belong to us, say it!’

‘Yes Miss Sofia.’

She stretched her leg towards him, angling her foot before his face, ‘Kiss my foot and say it.’

His lips brushed against her skin, ‘Yes Miss Sofia.

‘Good boy, now get some sleep. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.’

She closed the door behind her with a click, leaving him to think on his future.

He woke to the sound of his own heartbeat. Shit, what time was it?

He scrambled for his watch but couldn’t find it, he’d taken his clothes off in the night. His head swam, how was he this disorientated? A huge yawn split his face. He rose to a sitting position, cradling his head in his hands.

Sofia’s promises rang in his head, his new life stretching out endlessly before him. How could this be happening? How could this be real? The thumping feeling answered him.

It pounded like a drum, the sound of his heart physically shaking him. He felt hungover, though that was impossible, he hadn’t drank in weeks.

He looked to the door, standing wearily. It was lost in the grey of the room, everything so grey and muddled. His head was like soup, the drumming pulsing through him.

Standing, he reached out for the dryer and missed, landing heavily on the wooden floor. He groaned with pain, quickly silencing the noise lest Sofia hear it and punish him for it. Lying on his side he looked across the room.

It was wrong.

He scrambled to his knees. Everything was wrong.

The door was behind him, that was wrong. It was also a thousand feet tall.

Fuck. It had happened, it had finally happened.

He looked around, his vision finally clearing. He was in the hallway, an endless massive hallway.

His mind raced, his heart beating ever louder within him. What was he going to do, what should he do? He tried to remember what the pamphlet said, what the first steps were? He couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe, he was starting to panic.

All the while there was the endless throbbing. Boom, boom, Boom!

It exploded like a bomb beside him, falling out of the sky in a mass of darkness. He was thrown from his position, skidding across the wooden floorboard. There was pressure all around him, the world buzzing as though a thunderstorm had broken out above him.

Bells rang in his ears, his teeth chattering as he pushed himself up with his hands. In front of him was an impossible wall of rubber and fabric, a Nike swish the length of a yacht.

Sofia had paused outside the closet door, debating whether to open it. No, he wasn’t stupid. If her breakfast was ready downstairs, her pet would be on the other side of the door as instructed.

He looked up, his lips trembling, a scream in his throat as she stood over him.

Her foot was the size of a transport vessel, easily fifteen or more car lengths long. The grips were deep and industrial, easily capable of turning the earth beneath her weight and obliterating any life unfortunate enough to be caught by them.

His wide eyes tracked upwards; across laces that were thicker than he would be wide, even with his arms outstretched. In the gloom, the brilliant white of her gym sock shone out like a beacon. Beside it the pale pink of her skin rose smoothly into the sky before disappearing into the leg of a pair of black lycra shorts. To see that high, just to the top of her legs, required him to angle his head so far backwards he fall backwards onto his ass.

What little sound that made was lost on the vast titaness that filled the world above him.

Only now could he fully understand why so many of his fellow affected, the ‘Shrinkys’, were struck dumb the first time they saw another person. His thoughts were like fog, his brain trying to take in how such a massive creature could possibly exist. Not for a second could he fully appreciate that it was he that was smaller, that the gigantic woman above was just Sofia at her normal height.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to piss himself with fear. He wanted someone to take him away from this. Despite the terror that rocked his bones, he kept quiet. Never had he ever considered he would be so small.

In his mind, he had always thought he would be the size of a doll, of a mouse maybe. Four, five inches tall. Ridiculous of course but able to function somewhat in the new world. At this size though, how could he survive? He must be barely half an inch tall, this was madness.

He forced himself to keep quiet, to keep still. In Sofia’s mind he was already a toy to torment, at this current size he would be no more than a bug to her. What were the odds she would help him, if noticed? More likely she would just flash him that smirk, that fuck you smile and wave him goodbye.

If that’s what she decided, there would be nothing he could do to stop her. He’d be unable to outrun her, to fight her, to resist her. Those terrifying treads would fill the sky above him and start to descend, with the deliberate slowness she spoke of, until they caught him. Then it would be all over.

He knew she would draw it out, to make him suffer as a hundred tonnes of her flesh pushed down, compressing him between wood and rubber. There was no doubt he would die slowly, each bone breaking as first his legs were liquefied, then his hips and finally his torso bursting like a grape.

He could picture her twisting her foot gently, snuffing him out, removing all trace of him beyond a faint stain. Above it all she’d be smug, in control, all powerful. That bitch.

He wrapped his arms around himself to stop the shakes. Sitting in place, he didn’t dare move or make a sound even as her foot began to lift. The ground rumbled as she moved, shuddering through his naked body.

The huge toe of the running shoe moved towards him as it sailed up into the air. He watched with eyes dark with mad terror as the rubber sole swept over him. Each detail, the huge rubber grips with their vicious treads, was seared into his mind. He saw stones pitted into it, larger than his head. Scuff marks, grey with dirt, dotted the surface. Clearly here was a pair his tongue had not yet caressed, Sofia would have punished him if she found such imperfections in a shoe he had already attended.

The idea almost made him laugh aloud. It was ludicrous, insane. The woman, this unfathomably huge being, which stood above him, whose shoe he cowered beneath, would no longer see him worthy of punishment. At his current size, shrunken down to insect proportions he knew the cold hearted creature would treat him as such. Extinguish, extermination, annihilation, obliteration; these were the words that entered his head as Sofia’s massive foot passed overhead.

He scrunched his eyes shut, trying to block out the image and the madness it roused as she stepped over him, the rush of her movement tearing at his hair. The boom of her foot connecting to the floor almost deafened him, shaking him in place as she moved further down the hall. The effect of her simply walking was like a metrological event, a vast unstoppable storm passing through the heavens as she made for the stairs.

He stayed still for what felt like forever, though likely no more than half an hour. Below he heard the gigantic creature navigate the house, call him a mother fucker as she found his tasks undone and her breakfast unmade. Only then did he move, running for his life towards the skirting board.

He dreaded her returning, coming the stairs buoyed by rage, tearing open the door to find him gone. If she worked it out, if she started looking for him, it would be all over.

Fortunately, her desire to maintain her goddess like body outweighed any punishment she had planned and after a tense ten minutes she left the house, the door slamming loudly behind her.

Alone, he was left to think. 

He would have to get to Abi, that much was clear. At normal size her door was only ten feet away from him, a matter of steps. At his current height the journey would take longer but it was far from gruelling.

He ran through what he was going to say to her as he walked, replaying the scenario over and over in his head, mouthing the words.

The door was in front of him sooner than he realised, stretching up into the sky. It was closed, the gap beneath it and the carpet too narrow for him to crawl through; even small as he was. The tiny man paused, thinking carefully.

It was nearly 6.45, Abi would be leaving her room for the bathroom at 7.10am. When she did, he would have to be noticeable, he would need to be out in the open.

He had stood in place, right in the centre of the door for about ten minutes before realisation dawned on him. Idiot.

He raced back towards the door frame, the scenario clear in his mind. Abi would leave her room, expecting him to still be in the utility closest. Would she notice a tiny human, waving at her from the carpet? Would she instinctively look down or would she walk through the middle of the opening, her unknowing foot sweeping forwards?

If that were to happen he would be finished as easily as if Sofia had caught him earlier. Abi’s single step would push him instantly into the wooden floor, destroying him instantly and completely beneath her weight.

He tried to remember the training, the tips on the pamphlet. Stick to the corners of rooms, stand against pale colours, try to stand out, try to be heard, try not to be crushed underfoot.

These words were repeated like a mantra until the huge door opened, revealing the titaness that dwelled within. For the second time that morning he had to steel himself against madness.

Abi was barefoot, each toenail painted with black varnish. Her legs stretched upwards into the heavens before disappearing into the pair of black shorts she slept in. Yawning, the sound like thunder, she stretched; drawing up the HIM t shirt she wore and revealing her flat stomach. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, a fist rubbing sleep from one eye.

He screamed her name louder than any word he had shouted before, jumping and waving his hands.

She stepped forwards, the impact of her bare foot almost knocking him from his feet. As expected it collided with the floorboards in almost exactly the spot in which he had once stood. She ware barely awake, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.

‘Abi,’ he screamed, ‘Abi, I’m down here!’

She had to notice him, he prayed to any god that was listening, she had to.

Abi took their therapy sessions incredibly seriously. She had read the pamphlet a million times, whenever he came into her room she’d have a tab open with instructions to help new Guardians.

It was her dedication to her role, to making sure he was safe, that ultimately saved him.

The studies showed that the majority of Shrinkys that died in the home were killed by accident by those they lived with. A Guardian needed to be aware at all times, to take steps literally and figuratively to keep their Ward safe.

One such measure was to look down whenever you enter a room. Too many Shrinkys had died underfoot because their housemate or partner was distracted by their cell phone.

Her eyes widened as she saw him, matching the smile on his face as he leapt in place.

He was saved!

‘Oh fuck,’ she said, startled. The ground shook beneath her weight as she stepped backwards. ‘Oh wow, shit, man you’re small.’

He laughed at the absurdity of it, his new position seemingly absolving him of his previous night’s ‘crimes’. ‘Yeah, well I did say!’ he shouted up at her, unsure if she could even hear him clearly. He threw his hands up in exasperation.

She echoed his laugh, ‘Yeah, shit I mean I knew you were going to be small but dude, you are tiny. Let me look at you.’

A cold knot of fear swept over him as she crouched and reached out her hand. Her fingers were everywhere, a web that spread through the sky to close down upon him. He suppressed a yelp of fear as he was knocked roughly against the soft, warm skin of her hand.

Darkness engulfed him as she held him in her fist, the G force causing his stomach to flip. The feeling was so surreal, he had to stop himself screaming with madness. All around him was a prison of female flesh, a living creature large enough to hold him in her hand. He was pale and trembling by the time the light fell upon him.

He face filled his vision, her dark eyes pouring over him. That sweet smile was everywhere, her pink lips pulled into an innocent smirk. Even expanded to such monstrous size her bookish beauty was breath taking.

‘Um hi’ he said, standing uneasily on her palm.

‘Hi,’ she replied, ‘Sorry, I’m just, wow, you really are smaller than I was expecting.’

‘That going to be a problem?’ he asked, trying to remain calm and casual.

‘No, no,’ she assured him, her eyes never leaving him. She walked back into her room, closing the door behind her, ‘Not at all, I can work with this, no problem. I just need to think.’

She crossed the room quickly, cradling him in her hand. With a smooth motion, she lowered him to the top of her dressing table and deposited him in front of a mound of make-up brushes, jars and bottles. He stood, blinking with wonder at the mundane items blown up to such crazy proportions. A mirror rose above him though he was too short to see his reflection.

Abi’s mattress squeaked as she sat upon it. She flipped open her laptop and began to type. She had a file on what to do on day one, day two etc.

‘Find anything good?’ he shouted, cupping his hands to carry the sound, ‘Don’t tell me, I’m one of the lucky ones and this only lasts an hour?’

She chuckled at his joke, ‘I can check but I wouldn’t count on it dude. You’d be the first for sure.’

‘Bummer,’ he groaned theatrically, ‘so what does it say?’

‘No idea,’ she beamed, enjoying the joviality, ‘I’m just updating my Guardian profile.’

‘Glad to see you’ve got your priorities in order!’ he called back. He waited while she typed, the light from her screen illuminating her slender frame. She sat cross legged, a strand of hair tucked behind her ear. Her glasses sat on her nose, reflecting back the white rectangle of the computer screen.

‘And done,’ she smiled, ‘Open for Business again. Now, let’s get you sorted out.’

Open for business seemed an odd thing to say.

He pondered on it before speaking up, ‘Moving on already?’ He tried to sound cool and relaxed though was hurt that she would immediately take on another Ward even before they had come to terms with what had happened here. He was her first, he thought it might be special. Maybe he was just being stupid.

‘Or are you trying to find me a friend?’

Abi smiled back at him, ‘The more the merrier, no? You never know who is scrolling through, I don’t want to miss someone, do I?’

He replied with a shrug, watching as she bent over to take something out of her drawer. It was a camera, one of those SLR digitals. Abi swept up to him, dropping the camera to his right. Its weight sent a rumble through the wooden desk top causing him to stagger as she dropped heavily into her swivel chair. It creaked beneath her weight.

‘So,’ she began in her sing song voice, ‘first things first, let’s get a picture of you.’

For the first time, it dawned on him how completely naked he was. Nervously he covered himself with his hands, raising a giggle from the massive woman above him. ‘Err ok, could I have some pants first?’

They had purchased a grab bag for new Shrinkys though he struggled to remember if it contained pants small enough to fit him.

‘Aww, why so shy all of a sudden? Don’t worry, I’m not judging you. We just need to get a picture for your profile. Trust me, this is all normal. Everyone does it naked, it’s part of the process.’

‘Profile?’ he asked. He admitted that recently Abi had done a lot more research than he had managed, though Sofia was to blame for some of that. Had he heard of this before, it seemed familiar. The Agency matched Guardians and Wards, did they track this data? It seemed likely that they would.

She had opened another drawer as he thought on this and pulled out a white backdrop. It was a simple construction of card folded three times to stand behind him. In the middle there was a measuring bar. It was this part she asked him to stand beside. For the profile, she insisted again.

‘Are you sure I have to do this naked?’ he asked, raising an eyebrow, ‘I’m not going to lie, it seems a bit suspicious.’

‘Trust me,’ she replied earnestly, ‘it’s what everyone has to do. You need a front, a back and a side image next to the measure and you need to be naked for it. People need to see clearly how tall you are and that you’re healthy.’

‘People?’ he asked, his voice quivering before breaking into a shout, ‘What people? What the fuck is this, what’s going on?’

‘Calm down dude,’ she shushed him, ‘I promise you, this is all part of it. Everyone that shrinks goes through this, it’s normal to be scared or confused. Fuck, I know if I was going through what you’re going through I’d be shitting myself. Just relax and we can get it over with, ok?’

‘I don’t understand,’ he stammered. She was right, he was genuinely afraid. How had he missed this step, had they told him, was it in one of the pamphlets? He felt stupid, as though his brain still hadn’t adjusted. Abi smiled down at him, calm and collected. She told him to trust her, did he have any other choice? ‘I don’t understand,’ he repeated, ‘what people, the Agency?’

‘It’s ok,’ she said soothingly, ‘it’s a lot to take in. Just relax and we’ll get this over and done with then you can rest.’

He moved almost automatically, obeying her direction. The camera flashed, blinding him three times.

‘Perfect, good job,’ she cooed, ‘nice and easy. Sometimes it takes ages to get the right picture but you’re a natural. I’ll show you the pictures later if you like, they’re really clear, I’m sure you’ll get picked in no time even if you’re on the small side.’

She grinned down at him, ‘you had me worried for a second when I saw you, I thought you’d get chucked in with a multi pack but no, you’re just big enough to go out solo.’

Picked, multi pack, solo? ‘What the fuck are you talking about?’ he yelled up at her, his mind racing, ‘What the fuck is going on?’

Abi sighed, taking the screen away before looking down at him. Disappointment dwelled on her gentle features.

‘Still got some fight in you huh? That’s not too bad, some people like that, I’ll put ‘strong minded’ on your bio. You always get someone looking for a Shrinky that needs breaking. In fact, I don’t think we have many like you at the moment, Sofia normally finds a way to break our newbies before sale, she’s getting really good.

What did you think to the whole, ‘me walking in on you two’ thing? She told me about it the day before and I thought it was so funny I just couldn’t resist. Still, I hadn’t expected you to shrink quite so soon after. We’d figure you’d need another week before she got to you.’

Abi looked at the images again, ‘She still might yet, I think you’ll sell pretty well but if not I bet she’ll have space for you in one of her videos.’

‘You’re going to sell me?’ he cried, rage and fear catching in his throat, ‘but you can’t do this! You’re a Guardian, the Agency, they vetted you, this can’t happen.’

She laughed as though he was joking, ‘The Agency don’t give a fuck. They do one home visit once then take 10% of the transferral fee. Surely you can’t be surprised that they fell for my sweet as pie routine, you certainly did.’

He stood opened mouthed, his heart beating through his chest.

‘After that,’ she continued, ’they just trust us to do our jobs. Don’t get me wrong I bet most of the other Guardians do a great job but that’s not my style. There’s loads of money to be made selling you guys to bored housewives, spoiled teens, for crazy sorority parties. You wouldn’t believe how much of my client base is women, it’s like 90%. I guess for men it’s just too close to home since they make up what 70% of the afflicted?’

‘But your ad, you said this was your first time?’ he stammered, ‘You said you cared about people like me?’

‘Yeah,’ Abi chuckled patronisingly at him, ‘that was a lie, obviously dumbass. You’re like my sixteenth one this year, probably more if you count the micro Shrinkys that go into the packs of five. How do you think Sofia and I pay for this house?

I lure the afflicted in, wait until they’re about to shrink then agree to be their Guardian. Sofia works them over, gets to know them, gets into their mind and ensures they stick around. Once it happens, poof, I collect them and put them for sale on my website. You get two months, maybe three to sell at your size. Usually everyone sells but if not Sofia runs one of those fetish cam girl profiles where they torture and crush tiny people for money. Either way we get income so it’s all good.

Don’t worry though, as I said, I’m sure you’ll sell so maybe your new owner will want to keep you as a pet?’

She frowned at him, ‘Though if I’m being honest you are a bit small for that. Usually the three to six inch guys get the pet gigs and your lot get the ‘entertainment’ purchases. Still, who knows, maybe you’ll get lucky?’

Abi produced a glass jar and unscrewed the lid. ‘Anyway, I am going to get to work finding a new Ward, I’ll let you know when you sell.’

She dropped the jar onto its side, ‘Get in.’

‘No,’ he shouted, ‘no way, you fucking bitch, you can’t fucking do this! You-‘

The impact of her fist on the desktop silenced him. It knocked him from his feet, leaving him on his knees when she spoke down at him. The warmth had left her eyes, replaced by sheer dominance.

‘Listen dude, sorry to break this to you but I’ve already made my money. At your size, you aren’t a big ticket item for me but that’s the risk I take. Even if you don’t sell, I’m just shy of three grand up. Now either get into this fucking jar or I’ll crush you right here, right now. Is that what you want?’

She moved her thumb towards him, causing him to scuttle backwards, squeaking with fear, ‘Seriously, I don’t need this shit from you so you can either behave or die, I don’t care which one. I’m going to count to three then take that choice from you, ok?’

He had already scrambled over the glass threshold before she made it to ‘two’.

She tipped the jar vertically, sending him crashing into its base. There was a sound above him as the cap was screwed into place, the light shining like stars through the pin pricked breathing holes.

He sat helpless as she crossed the room and took out an engraved key. He could only watch as she inserted it into the lock and turned. The closet door opened wide, revealing rows of shelving. Each shelf was crammed full of similar glass jars, each varying in size. In every one cowered a shrunken person.

There was a buzz of fear as she beamed into the space, twenty or more voices gasping with surprise at the return of their massive captor.

Abi pushed the jar containing her newest acquisition into place between two others. To his left a woman five times his height sat with her knees tucked up to her chest. She was battered and bruised and sobbed quietly. To his left an older man, twice his height bristled as Abi smiled down at them.

‘Hi everyone, we have a new addition to the team. Please make him feel welcome. I’ll be back later to clean you out and bring food.’

Her hands gripped the huge door as she prepared to lock them away, ‘Laters.’

‘No, Abi, please, wait!’ he cried, one last ditch attempt.

She groaned, ‘What now? I’ve got shit to do little guy.’

He paused for half a heartbeat, ‘Please, you can’t do this, your brother, remember what happened to your brother. Please I’m begging you, don’t make the same mistakes. Don’t do to us what happened to him, it won’t fix it, it won’t bring him back. Please, think about what you’re doing, have mercy.’

Abi snorted with laughter, ‘My brother? Who the fuck do you think my first sale was? I got the bug from him. Yeah, try better next time.’

With that she closed the door, sealing them in darkness. He could still hear her laughter on the other side as she walked away, the sound fading until only the whimpers and sobs of his fellow captives remained.

He sat down on the cold glass, his head in his hands. This wasn’t possible, this couldn’t be happening.

He was now property of Abi, twenty, from Colorado.