"And in this corner we have the incredible shrinking Susan."
Susan found herself on a tabletop surrounded by curious people. She estimated her height at nine inches. Worse she was getting smaller.
"I'm not a freak show attraction." Susan cried. But the people just laughed at her.
"How small will she get? Place your bets now."
"You're betting on my shrinking?"
"Bet's R Us places bets on everything and everyone." The crowd replied. They then placed her next to a ruler. Susan noticed she was eye level with the three-inch mark. As she watched, the two-inch mark went past her eyes, the one-inch level, then the half-inch level, the quarter inch level, the one-eighth inch level. She was so small that the giants' laughter was causing her to shake.
"Wake up your having a nightmare."
Susan then opened her eyes. Betty was shaking her.
"Must you shake me like that?"
"I hate to see a sexy, um I mean a dear friend like you suffer." Betty replied.
"That does it I'm going online to see if I got some useful advice."
"Don't you want some breakfast?"
"Maybe an apple or banana. Too bad I can't have growth potion for breakfast."
"Yeah FemaleGrow for breakfast."
"What's FemaleGrow?" Susan asked.
"It's a growth potion that only works on women. Read about it in the Gender war stories online. It doesn't really exist." Betty replied.
"That's too bad. I could really use some."
With Betty standing behind her, Susan surfed the net.
"Traveling in the Maritimes? Make Coastal Inns your hotel of choice. Visit us online at http://www.coastalinns.com"
"Darn pop up ad. Die!" Susan cried.
"Personally I like Coastal Inns. I have happy memories of Coastal Inn Fort Howe Hotel in Saint John, New Brunswick." Betty commented.
"Let's stick to business. Ah here are some comments to my query. One guy suggests using different sizes of netting and cutting it into strips to make ladders."
"Sounds like a good idea to me."
"Apparently some people think I'm joking, another guy writes. "Glad to see another girl on the board. I’m looking forward to more of your story."
" An SW writes "Why not try Sizechanger for hire" or making a wish at the Wishbone restaurant?" I would if I knew how to contact them as for Wishbone isn't that a legend?" Susan asked.
"How should I know?" Betty replied. "How about this? This guy suggests you find work as a table top dancer."
"Is there really such a thing?" Susan asked. "I rather die than place myself at the mercy of a room full of strange guys."
"I can't blame you there." Betty commented. " Here's some good advise, go to Catherine and beg for forgiveness."
"Me beg? Never!" Susan cried.
"Brave words from a woman who is only 18 inches tall and getting smaller ever day. Face it your becoming helpless."
"I'm not helpless."
Betty then picked Susan off the chair and held her tight.
"Try to break my grip on you." Susan tried but found that Betty was stronger than her. She thought about biting Betty but couldn't bring herself to bite her best friend.
"All right you win. Please put me down." Betty then gently placed Susan on the floor.
"Sigh! Please take me to the fair grounds."
Went they got to the fair grounds, they were surprised to see the tent gone.
"What the? Where did she go?" Susan asked.
"Hmm. There's a note tied to a pole."
"What does it say?"
"It's says that she's gone away and not to try to find her. And you have a lot more shrinking to do." Betty replied.
"Sigh! Guess the Sizechangers or the Wishbone restaurant are my only hope."
"Considering we don't know how to find either that's no hope. Let's go home. We got ladders to construct."
"Good idea. I feel like people are staring at me."
"They are! It's not every day they see a woman your size."
"Get me out of here before I'm drafted into the freak show."
They spent the afternoon making ladders. By suppertime their where ladders all over the house.
"Whew! That was hard work. But at least I can now reach everything." Susan explained.
"Look at the time. I'll order a medium pizza."
"Don't you mean pizza's?"
"I don't need a whole pizza. And your shrunken tummy can't handle a whole pizza."
"You don't have to rub in it. I hate being reminded how small I am."
"That's reminds me. You should be able to fit in the dollhouse shortly."
After eating a slice of pizza, Susan went back on line to search for information on the wishbone restaurant and Sizechanger for Hire. She was so engaged in the search that she didn't notice the sun had set until she began to shrink.
"Oh no! Not again." She cried as she shrank from 18 inches to 9 inches in height. To her dismay everything was now eight times bigger than normal. Even her computer towered over her. She was even smaller than the monitor now and she found the keys and mouse harder to use. Then a shadow fell over her.
"You look like the 50 foot woman." Susan told Betty.
"Actually I should appear 46 feet tall to you." Betty replied. "Having any luck?"
"Some. I think I found the phone number for Sizechanger for Hire. Want to get me the phone?"
"All right! Need helping dialling?"
"Think I can manage." Susan replied. With some effort she managed to phone Sizechanger for hire."
Max: "Sizechanger for Hire. Max speaking, how can I help you?"
Susan: "I was cursed by Catherine the Super witch. Every night my height is cut in half. I want to be six feet tall again. Can you help me?"
Max: "You must be the Susan, Katherine was talking about. She told us to have nothing to do with you."
Susan: "What!"
Max: "Sucks to be you don’t it? Personally I think your getting what you deserve."
Tracey: "Don't listen to Max. Most of us feel sorry for you. Unfortunately Katherine is a very powerful witch. She is too powerful for us Sizechangers to fight."
Susan: "Who are you?"
Tracey: "My name is Tracey. If I could restore your size I would. I would even wave our fees. "
Susan: "You charge fees?"
Max: "Did you think our services were free? We're a business, of course we charge fees you moron."
Tracey: "No need to be rude. Wish we could help. But Katherine told us not to help you or offer our serves to Betty."
Susan: "Then I'm screwed."
Tracey: "Not necessarily. I get the impression that she has long term plans for you."
Susan: "Her plans are to make me suffer." She waited for a reply but Sizechanger for hire had hung up.
"What happened?" Betty asked.
"Katherine had 'a talk' with Sizechanger for hire. Now they refuse to have anything to do with us."
"That sucks."
"You said it. Wonder what else can go wrong?"
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Were you expecting company?" Betty asked.
"Of course not." Susan replied.
Knock, knock.
"Whoever it is refuses to go away. Please answer the door."
"All right! I'll be right back."
Betty opened the door and saw a man standing there. He was white with black hair and stood about 5'8". Betty did recognize him.
"Hi Betty, is Susan home? He asked.
"No she isn't Clyde." Betty replied.
"How come her car is in the yard then?"
"She’s not up to taking visitors Clyde."
"We're concerned about her at the office. Say if she's sick why are you here?"
"Her condition is not contagious, but she confined to bed so she needs my help."
"What is her condition?"
"That's none of your business." Betty replied.
"All right. But tell Susan that if she doesn't get in contact with the office soon. She could find herself out of a job."
"She had bigger concerns that her job right now." Betty replied. She slammed the door in his face, before Clyde could protest.
"Who was that?" Susan asked.
"Clyde from your office." Betty replied. "They're wondering what happened to you."
"Great! The last thing I need is them people at work to discover I'm shrinking." Susan commented.
Suddenly Betty's cell phone rang.
"Excuse me a moment. Hello?"
"Where are you Betty?"
"Irma? Oh no! I forgot about our date. "
"Where are you?"
"I'm at Susan's place. I'm sorry Irma, but something has come up. I have to cancel."
"Why?"
"Susan needs me."
"And I need you. Let's make it a three some, you me and Susan."
"Really think that's a bad idea."
"Nonsense. Meet you in about 20."
"No! Don't come over here." Betty cried but Irma had already hung up.
"Who is Irma?" Susan asked.
To be continued