This takes us to the following day, when Arthur, no less astonished than before, is being held in a separate room that is guarded from outside. He was still in the school, he knew that, but wondered why they’d be keeping him here. They hadn’t let him call his family, which was probably what upset him most. His wife must be terribly worried, even though he remembered that the lotto always stepped in and covered his salary for the rest of his life, payable to his wife and child. They would even set up a scholarship for his child…everything except allowing him to continue living as he once had. Every time he thought like this, he came close to tears.

His mind drifted back to when Beth had pointed at him. Shy, quiet Beth. Was there a trace of a smile on her face when she singled him out?

Then two women in white coats brought in ‘the machine’. Arthur had never seen a size reduction machine before, but had seen sketches of what it looked like in popular magazines. It was bigger than he thought it would be, twice the size of a car engine. It was wheeled in alone with the two women, both who tried their best to be pleasant about what they were about to do to him. Neither of them were very tall. In fact, Arthur towered over both of them. He thought of trying to overpower them, but then saw two men guarding the door.

The two women administered Arthur three injections, one at the base of his neck, the bottom of his spine and the third into his foot. He resisted at first. Arthur was strong. Far stronger than the two women. At Five foot ten and a half, he wasn’t a small man either. Gradually though, he realized the futility of it. There were two men outside looking in. He couldn’t possibly break past all of them. What bothered him about the whole procedure wasn’t that it hurt that much, but how matter of factly the two women went about it all, like they weren’t about to change his life, just administering a bit of medicine…

“How much will my size change exactly?” Arthur asked at one point. The two women looked at each other, but neither answered that particular question.

“Well, can you at least tell me when it’ll start? When I’ll start to get smaller?”

One of the women looked at him. “Should start in the next few days”

An announcement bellowed from outside the room.

“Due to the overwhelming attention our town is receiving at this moment, there will be a meeting of any concerned parties at noon today.”

Arthur knew he would be attending this meeting, whether he wanted to or not.

* * *

The assembly of people grew to over three hundred. It seemed like the room was completely full. Students and other professors. Media was there too, video cameras and journalists, all ready to go ‘live’ at any given moment.

The Dean of the school, stood near the microphone. Arthur knew her as Margaret. They had been friends. Things had changed now though. Margaret spoke to the people.

“In a few minutes, I’m going to bring out the Lotto winner and her chosen male, who I think you’ll recognize as being from right here in our own faculty!”

Arthur watched the Dean talk to the crowd. He hadn’t been able to change his clothes since yesterday when he heard the news. He had a headache from lack of sleep and he still hadn’t seen his wife or son.

But then, he saw Beth. The girl who had chosen him to serve at her side for the rest of his life. She was standing across the room and, like him, behind the curtains. Men stood on either side of her, waiting to escort her onto stage. Beth whispered to one of the men and then approached Arthur.

“Hi Mr. Spence” she said.

Arthur said nothing.

“Hi Mr. Spence” she said again.

This young woman’s choice was about to ruin his life and tear apart his family.

“I guess I understand why you’re mad” Beth said.

“Why me, Beth? Why did you pick me?”

Beth took a small step back from him.

“You’re upset, I can see that.”

Arthur looked to the ground, to Beth’s small feet as they nervously fidgeted on the floor. He wanted her to leave.

Just then her name was announced and Beth was escorted onto stage. When the crowd saw her, the clapped appreciatively, like she’s just traveled to the moon or something equally magnificent. Arthur watched Beth helplessly, trying hard to imagine how this small girl could possibly make such a selfish decision. How could this five foot five woman change my life like this? he wondered.

Beth talked with the Dean for a moment before Arthur was pulled onto stage. The clapping was even louder for him. Arthur looked out into the crowd and was trying to figure out why they were so happy…

Then it occurred to him. They were happy that it didn’t happen to them…

“So Beth, tell us how you decided on our very own Mr. Spence?” asked the Dean.

Beth wouldn’t look at Arthur. “Well, I’ve always liked Mr. Spence. For over two years now. The choice was obvious.”

Beth was smiling at the crowd, still living in dreamland, not fully having accepted that this had happened to her, that she was one of fifteen in the entire world that had won the Lotto. He saw her smile and wanted to strangle her.

That’s when Arthur grabbed the microphone from the Dean.

“Beth, let me ask you something while we’re on live television…did it occur to you that you’re going to tear my family apart? Did it?”

Beth looked frightened by Arthur’s display. Meanwhile, two men on stage advanced towards Arthur and tried to pry the microphone from his hand. He struggled a bit. He was still strong. One of them had to grab him in a bear hug from behind. Arthur kicked and tried to release himself from the man’s grip. That’s when Arthur’s left shoe slid from his foot and dropped to the floor.

The crowd was silent for a moment.

The shrinking had begun.

Beth looked down at the shoe, as did everyone on stage.

Arthur’s first thought was that he hadn’t tied it properly, that’s all. The shrinking wouldn’t have started so soon. Would it?

The man lowered Arthur down to his feet. Beth was still staring at Arthur’s shoe. Her eyes danced, as if her dream had commenced. Then she looked to Arthur.

“Maybe you’ll eventually like me like I like you, Mr. Spence”

The crowd clapped, while Arthur stared at Beth, unable to have imagined these words coming from such an innocent looking woman. He wanted to grab her and shake her until she changed her mind, but as he looked through the room, he knew it was too late.

* * *

Arthur was back in his room, alone. He looked down to his shoe. How had it fallen off of his foot so easily? He couldn’t have started shrinking already, could he? He didn’t feel any different.

Arthur tied both his shoes extra tight.

Two women entered the room. One Arthur recognized as the Dean of the school. She was Margaret and in her early forties. The other was a young woman who looked more like a student.

Margaret looked a bit uncomfortable as she approached Arthur. She and Arthur’s wife had been friends years ago. This was going to be awkward.

“Arthur, this is my assistant Shawna”

Arthur nodded towards both of them, but couldn’t help notice how they stared at him, almost as if he was going to shrink before their eyes.

“Okay, here’s how it’s going to be. Beth is letting you stay at the college, so you’ll be allowed to continue teaching”

“What? That’s absurd! I can’t keep teaching if I’m…if I’m going to get smaller!”

“Beth may eventually move you to her home, but remember, it’s her decision. Not ours. You’ll stay here, teach as you normally would. Food will be provided and clothing. The school will be your home”

Margaret turned to her assistant.

“Go ahead. Measure him”

“What for?” Arthur shot.

“We need to know your exact height. The men outside thought you’d be more comfortable if I did it then them”

“They just measured me last night” he said.

Shawna uncoiled the tape measure. She was fairly good looking and in her late twenties.

“Yes, but things may have changed”

Arthur glared at her.

What could he do but stand there as this woman measured him. Shawna crouched and held the tape measure to Arthur’s feet. Then she stood and raised her arm to bring it to the tip of his head”

Arthur stared straight at Shawna and couldn’t help detect a slight smirk on her face.

“He’s five nine and a half”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m five 10”

Margaret’s smiled at Arthur’s astonishment, but then quickly erased the smile from her face.

“That’s an inch already, isn’t it? The shrinking has started”

Arthur stared angrily at Shawna as she rolled the tape measure back together, then knocked it from her hand. Both women looked a bit surprised. Shawna knelt to pick it up.

She slowly stood up, looking Arthur in the face.

“You can be angry if you like, she said under her breath, but remember…things will change in the next few weeks…”

“Don’t tease him” said Margaret.

Arthur watched as the two women left the room, once again locking the door.

So this is how it’s going to be, he thought. It’s not bad enough that she’s about to ruin my life, but she’s got to humiliate me too? Arthur’s mind raced through the possibilities. How much would he shrink while he stayed at the school? How would he students react? What about the other teachers?

How small will she let me get?