Stephanie reacted on instinct to her fiancés swoon. She rushed to his side, and knelt down by him, rolling him over and calling to him.
Adam. Adam! she called, as she debated whether to get some water to pour on him, wake him up. The weirdness of the previous seconds was gone in that instant, replaced by concern. She didnt know what was wrong. But she didnt want to lose him.
His eyelids fluttered after a second, and he looked up at her. His eyes grew wide for just a split-second, as if he was trying to get his bearings, as if he was half-wondering if he was seeing his fiancée kneeling over him because she was simply to big to do anything else. But he seemed to gather himself, as he stuttered, What happened?
You fainted, Stephanie sighed in relief, as she stroked his hair absently.
I had a weird dream, said Adam, struggling to his elbows.
It wasnt a dream, Stephanie said, helping him up. Youre smaller than I am.
Adam sat by the dying embers of the fire, staring beyond her. He didnt say anything, and neither did she; she didnt know what to say. If it was cancer, or heart disease, or
well, she didnt want any of those for him, not ever, but those were real diseases, ones she knew about. She could talk to him about those, offer hope, support him.
But this this was something else. It chewed her stomach up as she looked at him.
Finally, after a long time, she broke the silence; she felt like someone had to.
Should we hike out of the woods? Go to a doctor?
Adam looked over at her, and gave a rueful chuckle. And tell them what? That Im shrinking?
Well
yeah.
And what are they gonna do for me?
I dont know, more than I can do, right?
Adam looked at her, looked at her a long time. She felt almost uncomfortable, he looked so long.
And then he burst into tears.
* * *
Took him longer than I would have thought to notice it, said Hephaestus, over lamb at a corner restaurant. Not a very observant lad, is he.
Oh, come now. Dont insult the volitionals. This is a very unusual thing for one of them to have happen the Gods dont go meddling that often anymore.
True, I suppose. Wonder how long it would have taken him to figure out he had the head of an ass.
Heph, said Aphrodite, if I didnt know better, Id think youd soured on this mortal. If hes not worthy of you
.
Never said that. She didnt notice either, did she? Course, he said, knocking back some ouzo, they sure as Hades noticed it now, didnt they?
Yes, said Aphrodite, sighing, and shes being supportive, you saw. Or were you trying to ignore that?
Long time left in this bet, said the God of Smiths. Shell crack. Youll see.
* * *
This should be impossible, the doctor said, keeping Adam at arms length. People dont shrink. At least, not until they get older and thats due to osteoporosis. This
doesnt seem possible.
They hadnt left the woods until morning. No point, really they both figured hed fainted from the shock, not the shrinking itself. And the woods were more passable by day anyhow.
Its possible, said Adam, as he looked up at the woman going over his vitals. Ive been 511 since I was 17. Im 54 now. Thats real.
Theyd simply lay in their tent; they didnt have sex neither was in the mood. Theyd just held on to each other, through the night. Adam had felt a bit self-conscious at first, as he could tell she was a bit bigger than he, feel that her feet were now below his, not vice-versa. But he grew accustomed to it in time, and eventually he had drifted to sleep.
I know, Mr. White. But Im baffled as to how. With the exception of your height, you appear to be in exceptional health better than you were when we last saw you, actually. Your blood pressures down, reflexes are sharp
this doesnt seem possible.
It had almost been okay, until he woke in the morning, still holding onto Stephanie who was even bigger than she had been the night before.
Look, said Stephanie, exasperated, I dont care whether its possible or not, its happening to Adam. My fiancé is three inches shorter than me. A month ago he was taller than me. You need to do something for him.
I need to call in a specialist, she said.
Theres a specialist in shrinking? Adam asked.
No
but I want an endocrinologist to look at you. Maybe theyll see something
.
The doctor didnt really say goodbye as she left the room, but sort of kept muttering about impossibility.
Stephanie put her arm around Adams shoulders. They were narrower, she realized; this used to be a stretch for her, but now he fit nicely into her embrace. She hoped she didnt feel too big to him. Hoped this didnt make things worse.
How small do you think Ill get? asked Adam, quietly, staring after the doctor.
I cant imagine itll be that small, said Stephanie. I mean, physics makes it kind of impossible for you to get too small, right?
I dont know, said Adam. What if its like that one movie, with the guy who shrinks and ends up fighting the spider?
What?
Some movie from the fifties, guys married, ends up shrinking so small he can live in a dollhouse. The Incredible Shrinking Man. What if Im the incredible shrinking man?
Thats not going to happen, said Stephanie. Its not possible, she said, echoing the doctors quasi-assurance.
You heard the doctor this isnt possible. People dont shrink. I mean, if Im doll-sized, what kind of husband will I be?
Stephanie would be lying if she told Adam that the thought had not crossed her mind. Not that hed be doll-sized, but that he might end up a midget. (Midget? Is that the right term? She wasnt sure. Shed have to find out.) What would that mean for them? Shed fallen in love with a man who could go hiking with her, go camping with her. What if he became frail?
And now he asked her what would happen if a spider could attack him? What could she do to save him then? Shed have to baby-sit him. Would that be good for her? For him?
These thoughts whirled through her head, and it took her a second to realize that Adam had said something.
She paused; she had a good memory, and while her mind was given to drifting, she could usually play back the last sentence or two that was said in the absence of her conscious attention. She did so with Adams sentence, and quickly turned him to look at her. (It was easy. He was smaller than she.)
Dont even talk about that, she said, staring him in the eyes. Were getting married. The better or worse, sickness in health stuff? Im gonna mean that.
You havent said it yet, said Adam. I cant hold you to it. If Im going to be a burden
.
Adam, said Stephanie, sounding as assured as if she was truly sure, I made that promise to you when I said yes to you; I put on this ring because I wanted to make that promise. If I had
uh
lets say Id gotten in a car accident, and I was paralyzed. Would you leave me?
What? Never! Adam said. I love you.
And I love you. And
well
this is like that, isnt it? Except better I mean, lets say you end up three feet tall.
Adam hung his head.
Well, so what if you do? If youre three feet tall, but still healthy, then you can still get around, still take care of yourself; youd need less help than a quadriplegic, right? And I wouldnt leave you if you were paralyzed, so why would I leave you now?
What if I end up three inches tall? asked Adam.
I love you, Adam, said Stephanie, not exactly eliding the question. Well make it through this. I promise.
The doctor returned with three other doctors in tow. Mr. White, I think we need to run some tests, one of them said.
* * *
Tests were run.
Dozens of tests. Glucose tests. MRIs. PET scans. Biopsies. Adam White was poked and prodded every which way.
And all he had to show for it were the seven inches he had lost.
The doctors were baffled; there was no reason he should be shrinking. He just was. He was admitted for observation overnight, but by the next day he was released; everything seemed to show he was in perfect health.
Just smaller.
He was put on human growth hormone; the doctors werent sure it would do anything, but it was all they had for him. They were going to check with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota; maybe theyd have something more for him later in the week.
Stephanie knew it was hell for Adam. It was hell for her.
I dont want you to go to Philly tomorrow, she said as she drove them home. I dont think you should be traveling in
uh
.
In my condition? said Adam. No, no, you heard them; Im healthy, anyhow. Just shorter.
Still, we dont know how this works. I mean, what if this
.
She trailed off, chiding herself; this wasnt helping, this was just going to scare him. Not that she wasnt terrified. But hed only lost seven inches in the last month, or so he thought. Even if hed lost it all in the last week, hed only lose a couple more inches before he got home. They could handle it. Maybe.
Steph, I dont want to stop working, he said. I already feel less like me
I dont want to give up.
Were not giving up, she said. Were not. Im sorry, Im just scared. You go to Philadelphia, you just
be aware of whats going on. Okay?
She felt his hand on her thigh as she weaved through traffic; she shot him a half-smile that she hoped was reassuring.
Thanks for being scared, Adam said, at last. I sure am.
They drove the rest of the way in silence.
* * *
Thats insane, said Rob.
Adam was already chafing in his too-big suit, talking to a too-big Rob. He had become hyper-aware of his surroundings since Stephanie turned out to be six feet tall. (He preferred to think of it that way. It made more sense.)
Thats the deal, said Adam. Ive shrunk about half a foot so far.
Well, do they think itll be more? I mean, how far does this go?
I dont know, Adam said.
So why didnt you say anything before you flew out here?
Well
I mean, its not really anything I wanted to worry you with.
Right, said Rob, as he downed a scotch. Adam had been out here two days; he knew why Rob had flown out to meet him. Hed been off his game, out of sorts. He didnt seem to have his mojo working, thats for sure.
Look, Adam, sales is a simple game, all about psychology.
Rob, I know sales.
Do you? Do you really? Then you know about the relationship between height and success in this business, right?
Adam had made a living reading people, and he could tell that Rob was in full panic mode right now.
Rob, calm down; I mean, yeah, thats an old standby, but Im not screwing this sale up because Im shorter, Im screwing it up because my heads not in the game. I probably shouldve taken some time
.
And when youve taken time, and youre a foot shorter, what then? Oh, Christ and the insurance. Youre gonna kill us on insurance. How many million dollars is this gonna cost to get fixed?
Rob
youre not going where I think youre going, are you?
Look, Adam, I need my salespeople on their game. Youve been a rock until now. But now....
If I had cancer, would you be saying the same thing?
Rob was quiet. Youre right. Ive already said too much; EEOC would cream me. I cant fire you because youre sick.
Thank God, said Adam. Look, Ill get it together.
I can fire you for cause, though, said Rob. You havent destroyed this sale, but you came close. Youre fired for that. Ill get you a ticket home.
Adam sat with his jaw open, staring at his former boss. When he picked his jaw up, he said, Youll be hearing from my attorney tomorrow.
No, I wont, because well offer you a generous buyout not to sue. Ill keep you on the payroll until we can draw something up. Itll include insurance for a while. Itll make it okay.
Nothing can make this okay, said Adam.
He walked out of the hotel bar, and headed for his room, to gather his stuff. He didnt want to admit it to Rob, but he had tanked this because he was shorter. Not because of some bullshit argument about smaller people being less effective.
No, it was because he was smaller now than hed been two days ago, when hed kissed Stephanie goodbye.
Hed realized it not long into the first days meeting, when he was looking the female buyer he was selling in her chin. He was smaller.
The loss of the job was a relief. He couldnt function exactly after that; he felt weakened beyond measure.
He just wanted to go home.
* * *
Four feet, nine inches, said Stephanie, marking the wall.
Jesus, said Adam. Just a week ago, hed been in Philadelphia; two days before, hed received the generous settlement Rob had promised, a full years salary plus three months of insurance.
He stared straight into her breasts, not wanting to look up to catch her eye.
Its going faster, isnt it?
Well
you were 54 before you went to Philly, 51 when you got home. Youve lost five inches in the past six days, but thats a slower pace than before. Maybe its slowing down?
Maybe, he said. Maybe it just doesnt matter.
He walked away from her. The wedding was in five weeks. He was losing six inches a week. Five times six, that was what, 30? Yeah, by the wedding hed be eighteen inches tall
.
Maybe we should call off the wedding, he said, hopping up onto the couch.
Were not calling off the wedding, said Stephanie. This is going to stop.
Is it? The doctors dont know shit. Ill be the size of a baby at our wedding, and its not like you love me anymore.
The last line came out of his mouth without conscious thought.
Stephanie was quiet for a long time as she walked over to the couch. Why do you think, she said, that I dont love you?
You havent
we havent done anything since the morning before we went camping. I dont blame you Im a freak. A tiny little freak. Why would you want to be with me? I dont
I dont want you to tie yourself down to me.
Stephanie came over to the couch, and sat down next to her diminutive fiancé. She was quiet, as if mulling things through. And then she tackled him.
He was stunned by how forceful she was; she pushed him back on the couch and held him there as she pulled her shirt off, exposing breasts that were bigger and fuller than they had been before he had shrunk, she left them at his heads lever for a moment, letting them lay on him. Then she slid her enormous body down his, and kissed him, hard.
The fit wasnt what he was used to. She was bigger and stronger and more unwieldy. And yet he found himself becoming aroused in spite of his grief and anger. And then, to his surprise, she picked him up carefully, yes, as he was still a heavy load to her and carried him into the bedroom.
She pulled his clothes off quickly as she disrobed herself; and then she slid onto the bed beside him, and spread her legs.
Just because youre smaller, that doesnt mean you get out of paying the toll, she said to him. He smiled in spite of himself, and fairly dove between her legs, licking and sucking on her nether regions, until she spasmed in orgasmic ecstasy. A brief refractory period, and then he was on top of her. Again, the fit was different looser, mainly but he was so full of pent-up ardor that it didnt take very long at all.
And then they were together, naked and alive, on the bed, resting in each others arms as they had so many nights since their second date three years before.
Im sorry, he said. I just
.
Youre scared, said Stephanie, kissing his forehead. I am too. I didnt do anything because
well, this will sound silly, but I was afraid of hurting you.
Probably not a bad thing to be afraid of, he said, but Id rather die than live without you. I definitely will risk a few bruises.
So do you still think we should call off the wedding?
I want to marry you so bad it hurts, Stephanie. But I really dont want you to be stuck with me.
Youre not getting rid of me that easily, Stephanie smiled.
I hope not, said Adam. I hope not.
Giantess World
