I count the dismal time by months and years,
Since last l felt the green sward under foot,
And the great breath of all things summer-mute
Met mine upon my lips. Now earth appears
As strange to me as dreams of distant spheres…

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “The Prisoner”

Out of the corner of her eye, Paige watched Alicia as she slowly slipped on the black shift dress. The garment, which was better suited for a heavier woman, was far too large for her slender friend and Alicia kept trying to pull the dress up, adjusting it self-consciously.

As much as Paige wanted to help her, she didn’t dare to move from her spot. Madame Nadine was in a particularly bad mood today and Paige was one of her favorite targets, especially since she wouldn’t cower before the older woman. More times than she could count, Paige had felt Nadine’s switch across her thighs, along her buttocks, on her lower back. The worst part was that she knew that Nadine enjoyed it, that it gave her a terrible satisfaction as the switch struck vulnerable flesh.

“You think that I’m bad, Paige?” Nadine had spat after one of these punishment sessions. “Wait until you are Selected. I’m nothing compared to what’s out there, girl.”

Paige had been always terrified of being Selected; all of the young women were. Just the mere thought of being taken from her home and given to a stranger was dreadful. And now those fears were becoming a reality. When Nadine had announced that both she and Alicia had been Selected, all that Paige could do was nod, feeling completely numb inside.

Poor Alicia. She had sobbed so pitifully that night, her face buried in her hands. Paige had tried her best to console her; after all, at least they would be together. But her friend had been desolate and even now, she could see how red and puffy Alicia’s eyes were, swollen from her constant crying.

Paige snuck another glance, then quickly averted her eyes as someone walked past her. At first, she thought it was Nadine, until she saw that the person was dressed in a plain gray robe, his shoulders hunched. It was one of the Nulls, she realized, discreetly watching him. She had always pitied them, the men born with the same genetic mutation as she had. As bad as the lives of women were, the Nulls had it a million times worse. Unlike their normal-sized brothers, they were castrated and silenced at a young age, their testicles and tongues removed. Nadine reminded all of the women that the Nulls were never be acknowledged. They were servants, beneath the notice of everyone.

But as the Null crept past her, she met his eyes, holding his gaze for a second. His eyes were large and soulful, a richer and darker brown than her own. There was a sad, suppressed intelligence lurking within them and Paige wished that she could talk to him. But he was mute and if Nadine caught one of her charges speaking to a Null, she would whip her until she bled. So she lowered her gaze back down to the floor, staring at her ugly yet practical black shoes.

Paige heard Nadine before she saw her. She always wore overly-elaborate dresses made of bright silks and brocades and velvets that were a stark contrast to the simple shifts that the other women wore. The rustling of cloth gave her away even before she opened her mouth to bark out commands. The Alpha was supposed to be arriving at any moment and it was evident that Nadine wanted everything to be in perfect order. After all, it was only by pleasing the giants that she could keep her own freedom. She marched past the line of black-clad women like a drill sergeant, pointing out non-existent flaws as she did.

Paige held her breath as Nadine paused in front of her.

“I can’t say that I’ll miss you, girl,” the older woman growled. “You’ve given me nothing but trouble. But I’ll give you this piece of advice: the world is a terrible place and it’s best to remember that. Keep your mouth shut and you may end up a free woman like me someday.”

Her words were met with silence. Paige lifted her head and glared at Nadine, her expression one of defiance. The other woman’s mouth twisted and she was obviously about to say more when the door swung open with a tremendous burst of noise. It was a normal-sized door, which meant that it was the size of a small skyscraper to them. All of the women looked up, their heads swinging around almost simultaneously. Except for Nadine, none of them had ever seen an Alpha before, not even their own fathers.

Paige was the most brazen, watching with intense interest as the man strode through the doorway. To an inch and a half tall woman, he was immense, colossal, more like a mountain that could move than a human being. It was difficult for her to imagine that at one time, women and Nulls and Alphas had all been the same size, before some crazy terrorist had decided to unleash a biologically-engineered super virus. Now most of the world’s population was tiny, except for the few Alphas. Like this one, towering high above them, his massive body blocking out the sunlight coming in through the open door.

Her new master.

All the other women dropped their heads but she continued to study him. He wasn’t bad looking, almost boyish in his appearance, with a scattering of faint freckles and chestnut hair. The body beneath the carefully-tailored gray suit was powerful, with broad shoulders and a tapering waist. But what fascinated her most of all were his eyes, bright hazel eyes that were almost…kind. Most Alphas weren’t exactly known for their compassion. Quite the opposite, actually. Paige had heard horror stories about what some of the giants did to the tiny women in their care, treating them more like animals than people. It was one of those things that haunted her nightmares. Fortunately, this man didn’t seem to be much of a brute, although she kept her reservations.

A hard, sudden blow to the back of her head made her cry out. Her vision tunneled and for a second, she was afraid that she would pass out. As she realized that Nadine had just struck her, a voice hissed furiously into her ear, “Stop staring, you idiot!”

There was nothing more that Paige wanted to do more than to push the bitch away. But she held back, the throbbing in her head eventually fading away. Soon enough, Nadine left her alone, scurrying over to where the Alpha stood. He was frightfully gigantic, his legs like two massive pillars that rose up and up, his freckled face at an impossible distance. His eyes tracked Nadine as she stopped in front of his left foot, his ankle a head’s length above her. Much to Paige’s disgust, the woman transformed into a sycophant almost immediately, practically groveling before the Alpha.

“It’s so good to see you, sir,” Nadine said, an ingratiating smile appearing on her round face. The giant’s head tilted slightly, looking down at her. When he spoke, his deep voice sent vibrations rippling throughout Paige.

“Are they ready?” the Alpha asked and when he shifted slightly, she caught sight of the cage in his enormous hand. It was a beautiful thing, made of polished brass with ornate designs etched across the bottom, but it still made her heart sink.

“Of course, sir. Fifteen of my best girls.”

“Good,” he replied, glancing from Nadine to the group of women. The hazel eyes briefly lingered on Paige, then moved onto Alicia and the others. When he seemed satisfied that there were indeed fifteen women, he bent down, placing the cage in front of him. As he unlocked the cage door and slowly opened it, Paige hoped that her gut instinct about the giant was correct. If not…well, there wasn’t much that she could do at this point.

Nadine made a motion with her hand and the women trudged forward in a single-file line toward the cage. Alicia was three people ahead of Paige and her friend kept glancing over her shoulder, her face a mask of terror.

“It’ll be okay,” Paige mouthed to her friend in an attempt to reassure her. Alicia tried to grin but it was lopsided, the expression just underscoring her fear. What Paige wouldn’t give to rush over and hug her, like she had so many times when they were younger and Alicia had been terrified of something or another. But Nadine was glaring balefully at them, daring them to make a mistake. The Alpha was watching as well, like some titanic and judgmental god.

Once again, Paige allowed herself to stare up at him. In a way, he had won the genetic lottery; had circumstances been different, he may have been born female and tiny like her. Or he may have been a Null, forced to serve everyone in silence. Instead, he was a colossus compared to them, one of the members of the elite who ruled over everyone. It was terrible how Fate liked to play favorites.

The Alpha noticed that she was looking up at him and his lips moved slightly upwards in what may or may not have been a smile. She didn’t have time to make a decision about his expression because it was her turn to step into the cage. As soon as she was inside, she hurried over to Alicia, wrapping her arms around her.

“We’ll be fine,” Paige whispered, brushing aside a few stray strands of blonde hair from her friend’s forehead. Alicia nodded, nearly jumping when the cage door banged shut. The giant’s powerful fingers locked it and then withdrew from sight. All of the women inside were jostled as the Alpha lifted the cage up. The world seemed to drop away and as Paige peeked between the brass bars, she saw Nadine on the floor, a small and insignificant figure dressed in bright aquamarine and coral. As the giant began to walk away, carrying the women with him, she remembered Nadine’s parting words to her.

Keep your mouth shut and you may end up a free woman like me someday, she had said. Paige closed her eyes, feeling the fresh, warm air against her cheeks as they were brought outside. Oh, how very much she wanted to be free.

***

None of the fifteen women had ever been in a car before and this was a particularly impressive vehicle, a gleaming limousine that seemed to stretch on forever. The Alpha climbed inside and set the cage on his lap, giving the women a view of his mammoth abdomen, which slowly expanded and contracted as he breathed. If Paige glanced up at the right angle, she could see the thin strip of blue sky through the window far above. It transfixed her, that cloudless sky, and she would have gawked at it for the entire ride if Alicia hadn’t decided to cling onto her.

Her friend was trembling and she wouldn’t let Paige go, not even when Paige tried to gently pry her off. She ended up letting Alicia remain glued to her, listening to the soft murmurs of the other women and the sound of the giant’s exhalations. The Alpha didn’t say a word to them; in fact, he didn’t even move much, except to raise his right arm occasionally. The third instance that he did it, Paige saw his sleeve slip down and an immense watch gleamed as he checked the time.

She couldn’t help but wonder who he was. When Nadine had informed her that she had been Selected, she didn’t go into details about the Alpha who had chosen her. It wasn’t their place to ask, anyway. But Paige still tried to imagine who he was. A banker, perhaps? Or a lawyer, or a doctor? Someone with money and power, if the limousine was any indication.

When the vehicle finally reached its destination, she realized how wealthy and powerful he truly was.

Once again, the tiny women were bounced around the cage as the Alpha pushed open the car door and lifted them up. Fifteen sets of eyes stared at their new home. The mansion that stood before the circular driveway was a sprawling building, beautifully decorated in a way that reminded Paige of European castles. Tasteful rather than flashy, with an impressive water fountain and beds of multicolored flowers that she longed to explore. Like the others, she had never been outside and flowers were only something that she had read about in books. It was too dangerous to venture outside, Nadine had always told them. There were cats and other animals that could easily kill them. It was better to always stay inside, where it was safe.

Paige practically shoved her face between the bars of the cage, trying to take in everything that she could before they were carried inside. A song bird swooped by, bigger than an elephant to her, and she followed it until it disappeared into a copse of trees.

“Isn’t this amazing?” Paige’s voice quivered with excitement.

“No,” Alicia whimpered, still holding onto her. Sniffling, she buried her face deep into Paige’s dress as they were carried down the walkway and then through the gargantuan doors of the mansion. The hallway that they walked through seemed endless, oil paintings hung on the walls. Most of the paintings were of grave-looking men, either smiling stiffly or not smiling at all. To her surprise, there were a few paintings of women. These were clearly ancient; the women wore clothing that indicated that they were from a time when both sexes were the same size. It was astonishing for Paige to imagine being the size of an Alpha.

She didn’t have much time to dwell on the paintings because the giant had entered into a cavernous room, one filled with plush leather couches and chairs. There was a vast fireplace but the fire wasn’t currently lit. Two high-backed chairs were positioned near the fireplace and another Alpha sat in one, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He was around the same age as the giant carrying them, his hair sandy blond. He was also dressed in a suit, although this one was black with a scarlet tie, and it made her wonder if the Alphas all wore similar clothing. His face was handsome, made up of sharp angles, but the dark blue eyes sent chills down Paige’s spine.

“There you are, Will. I was wondering what was keeping you,” the blond Alpha said in a rich, melodic voice. The ice cubes in his glass clinked loudly as he moved his hand.

“My apologies, Gideon,” the giant holding their cage replied. Will, that was his name. Paige noted how deferentially he spoke to the other Alpha.

Gideon put down his drink on a side table and leaned forward eagerly in his leather chair. “Don’t just stand there. Bring them over here.”

Will obeyed, placing the cage on the expensive Oriental carpet in front of Gideon. Opening the door, he reached in and began to pluck out women, one after another. When it was Alicia’s turn, she howled in panic, trying to hold onto Paige. But the huge fingers coiled around her and tore her loose with ease, dragging her away. When the hand returned for Paige, she didn’t fight it. Never before had she been picked up and she found the experience unnerving. Like being wrapped in hot, living flesh that smelled like sweat and skin oil and a hundred other odors. Beneath the relatively soft skin, she could feel the hard tendons and powerful muscles, muscles that could squash her if the giant so chose.

He didn’t crush her, although his hand moved too quickly and her stomach roiled in protest. Even after he put her down on the thick carpet, her head still swam with vertigo. Especially when she glanced up and up at the giant seated in front of her, his smiling face cocked slightly to one side. His sheer size made her dizzy.

“Are these all of them?” Gideon addressed Will, rather than the women at the foot of his chair. When the other Alpha nodded, he rubbed his chin and studied them. His intense gaze made her feel incredibly exposed, like being on the slide of a microscope, and it gradually began to occur to her that Will wasn’t her new owner at all. Gideon’s next words confirmed this.

“My name is Gideon Clarke and I’ll be your new master,” he told them, and Paige swallowed hard. Perhaps she was coming to conclusions too quickly. There was no reason to mistrust him, yet she felt a terrible dread when she gazed up at the face looming high above her.

He continued on in a matter-of-fact tone, “There is something that you should all know.”

Paige’s heart thundered painfully in her chest.

“I won’t permit disobedience. Ever. And if any of you ever try to run away, well…” Gideon paused, all fifteen women staring up at him in abject fear. He reached down into the pocket of his trousers and withdrew something. When his fingers uncurled, Paige saw that it was a tiny woman, naked except for a ruby necklace around her graceful neck. She was breathing rapidly, her little breasts bobbing up and down in time with her heaving chest. Gideon smiled down at the woman in his outstretched palm like some benevolent deity, but his eyes were predatory.

“Stacy, tell these fine women what happens to those who try to run away,” he said almost gently.

The woman in his hand made a desperate noise and began to plead frantically with him. “P-please, Master! I’m sorry! I won’t run away again!”

“Stacy, I gave you a command.” Gideon’s thumb was rubbing at her breasts, hard enough to make her squeal in pain. “I told you to tell them what happens to those who try to run away. I suppose I’ll just have to show them.”

“No, Master! Please, don’t!” Stacy begged but he was already lowering her to the floor between his feet. Wailing, she tried to hold onto his fingers but he tipped his hand, her body rolling off. The other women watched, aghast, as she sat up, her arms stretched out in a gesture of supplication.

“Go. Run,” Gideon ordered.

“B-b-but Master…”

“Now, now, Stacy. Do I have to break your arm?” The giant questioned with a smirk. She uttered a low, dismal cry and then obeyed, dashing across the carpet as fast as she could. The Alphas and the other women watched her sprint toward the doorway, nimbly avoiding obstacles in her path. Just when Paige was beginning to think that she would escape, that she would actually make it through the doorway, Gideon rose from his chair. The cluster of women looked up as he stepped over them, his foot landing so dangerously close that they felt the floorboards tremble and quake.

Stacy froze, her entire body stiffening, as she glanced over her shoulder at the approaching giant. He wasn’t running; instead, he casually strolled toward her, each of his strides equal to dozens and dozens of her own. When he was only a few feet away, she tried to dart toward the doorway. But Gideon grabbed the doorknob with astonishing speed and slammed the door shut, sealing off the exit.

“Oh, you were so close, too,” he teased. “It’s a pity that you were too slow.”

As he towered above her, his mouth stretched in a cruel grin, Stacy dropped down to her hands and knees and crawled toward him. Her curly auburn hair hung down in front of her face, obscuring it as she alternated between hysterical pleas and frightened sobs.

“I-I promise that I won’t do it again,” she choked out. “I-I’ll m-make you so happy, just give me a—,”

Stacy’s sentence was cut short when he raised his dress boot over her, giving her an ominous view of the immense sole. The shriek that followed was inhumanly shrill, a keening cry that made Paige grit her teeth. Beside her, Alicia cringed and covered her eyes. But Paige didn’t look away, witnessing the hellish drama as it unfolded before her.

With excruciating slowness, Gideon began to lower his foot, allowing Stacy a chance to try to scramble away. She seized the opportunity with desperate determination, her breath coming out in panting bursts. As the massive shadow descended over her, she wiggled faster, her eyes bulging with primal fear.  Ever so slightly, the sole brushed up against her back and shoulders and she began to scream anew. Then she simply disappeared as Gideon’s boot came down on her. There was a sickening crunch and blood squirted out across the floor.

Paige didn’t fully accept that he had just murdered someone until the giant nonchalantly ground what was left of Stacy into the floorboards, her remains squelching wetly. After he was satisfied that she was thoroughly mashed, he headed back in their direction, once again stomping perilously close to the group of petrified women. He sat back down on the chair and retrieved his glass from the side table. Paige was thankful that Alicia still had her hands over her eyes when he crossed one leg over the other, revealing Stacy’s flattened corpse on the bottom of his shoe. She didn’t even look like a person anymore, more like a gruesome mockery of one. Her limbs were spread wide, a glistening pinkish-red tangle of organs rupturing from her abdomen.

Gideon’s eyes were on them, shining almost feverishly. He had enjoyed killing the tiny woman, that much was certain. Never in her worst dreams had she imagined ending up with an Alpha like this one. Fear and hatred filled her, but all that she could do was ball her hands up into tight fists. Gideon finally looked away, taking a sip of his drink.

“Now you know what happens to those who disobey,” he said, Stacy’s blood slowly dribbling from the sole of his boot onto the carpet below.

***

For his eighteenth birthday, Gideon’s father had purchased him his first pet, a voluptuous woman with olive skin and large, doe-like eyes. He had been so excited to get away from the party and bring her up to his bedroom, where he had eagerly torn off her silk dress. The woman had been well-trained, not skittish at all as he admired her soft skin, turning her over in his palm. Even when he had pinched one of her minuscule breasts, the flesh purpling between his fingers, she hadn’t protested. In the back of his mind, it had fascinated him to know that someone as small as this woman had given him life, that his own beginning had been so…insignificant. Of course, he would never know his female parent. To him, she was just another Breeder, one of the women whose only job was to produce offspring until her body failed her.

He had continued to prod at his new toy until his interest had waned. Gideon had been considering going to bed when, by accident, he had pulled too hard at one of his pet’s arms and she had screeched in response. The sound had been high and awful and had given him a raging erection instantly. His fingers had constricted around the tiny woman, tighter and tighter until she hadn’t been able to draw a breath. Slowly, so to savor it, he had raised her up to his eyes, examining her darkening face. To his amusement, her minute tongue had slipped from her mouth as she had suffocated. Just before she had passed out, he had squeezed hard. The soft little body in his hand had simply imploded, her fragile bones shattering loudly.

The subsequent orgasm had been shockingly intense. As the feeling of euphoria had gradually passed, he had glanced down at the broken body in his hand, her head thrown back, her dark red intestines forced from her anus. That was when he had realized what he wanted: this unfettered power, to take life whenever he chose. It was more exhilarating than any drug.

So here he was, years later, sipping scotch and inspecting his newest acquisitions. Gideon reached down and picked them up one at a time, peeling off the black shift dresses and scrutinizing their tiny naked bodies while the others waited on the floor. One of them, a skinny blonde, had her hands over her eyes and her friend was hugging her tightly, gazing up at him boldly. He pretended not to notice the brunette, but he watched her as he stroked the woman in his hand. That one’s boldness excited him. It would make their relationship so much more interesting. Especially when he broke her spirit along with her body.

“Was that really necessary, Gideon?” Will asked, interrupting his thoughts. He looked over at his personal assistant, who was standing by the fireplace.

“Of course it was necessary. I don’t want them getting out of line, do I?” In his hand, the small woman shivered and Gideon experienced that familiar jolt of pleasure. “You’re just jealous that you can’t afford any yourself, Will.”

The other Alpha just nodded politely, although Gideon noted the way that the muscles around his mouth tightened into taut cords. Oh, that comment had to have hurt. In a way, he felt sorry for Will, who was fortunate enough to be normal-sized but who was still at the bottom of the Alpha social hierarchy. Well, at least he could find some solace in the fact that he wasn’t a Null. What utterly repulsive creatures they were.

Gideon refocused his attention, putting down the woman in his hand and selecting the frightened blonde. The second that she felt his fingers around her, she shuddered and removed her hands from her face, panic written all over her delicate features. This one was absolutely terrified of him. Good. He loved the blind, animalistic fear that he inspired in these tiny creatures.

On the floor, the blonde’s friend was staring up at him boldly, almost defiantly. Aware that she was watching, he roughly tugged off the blonde’s clothes, making her yelp when he pulled too hard. As he plucked off her ugly little shoes, she continued to whimper and cry. Gideon lightly flicked her on the side of her face with just enough force to whip her head back but not enough to snap her spine.

“Enough,” he ordered and with a loud gasp, she managed to control herself. Which was disappointing, because he was mildly aroused from stomping on Stacy and he would have pounced upon an excuse to punish another pet. He inspected her with the same detachment of a farmer examining newly-purchased livestock. When he was satisfied that she wasn’t diseased, he dumped her back on the ground and snatched up her friend.

To his surprise, she started to strip herself, pulling down her dress. Gideon frowned at this small act of independence. He briefly considered giving her a good flick as well, then decided against it. No, he would bide his time. Give her a chance to screw up badly and then punish her for her behavior. Inside his pants, his cock stirred and hardened.

He looked her over, like he had with the others, but he didn’t set her back down on the floor. Instead, he forced apart her legs, his pinkie bumping up against his minuscule vagina. Horrified, the woman tried to squirm away, her body twisting and turning, but he kept his finger firmly placed against her sex. The action’s meaning was clear: You belong to me.

Her brow furrowed and her mouth became a straight gash across the length of her lower face, rage and fright apparent. Gideon lifted her up to his lips, enjoying her discomfort as she saw how close she was to his mouth.

“Remember what happens to those who disobey me,” he reminded her in a whisper.

The woman nodded, although her dark eyes remained fiercely defiant. He’d definitely enjoy breaking this one.

Gideon finally put her down and finished examining his new playthings. As soon as he had put down the last woman, he snapped his fingers and pointed to the cage. They filed back in, most of them drooping their heads. Except for her. He’d ask Will for a list of their names later; for now, she was simply Her. The one who was strong-willed, but not for long.

He slammed the cage door shut after the last woman had stepped inside and then lifted it up, noting how light the cage was. Then again, each of the women weighed close to nothing. Even fifteen of them was hardly noticeable.

“I need you to reschedule my two o’clock appointment,” Gideon told Will as he headed toward the door. He wanted this whole afternoon open to play with his latest acquisitions. Will said something, although he had already opened the door and strode into the hallway.

“Oh, and have the Nulls clean up that spot on the floor. I don’t want her blood damaging my carpet,” he called back. Whistling, he carried the women down the hall, already planning out what he wanted to do to them in minute detail.

The mansion was gigantic, with dozens of rooms, so it took him awhile to reach the east wing. After his father had died, he had lived here alone. Well, alone except for the women and the Nulls, although he didn’t really consider to be people. Only Alphas were people.

The east wing was where he kept his collection of women. Four whole rooms were dedicated to his collection, cages placed from floor to ceiling. Not just any cages, either. Gideon adored beautiful things and so he chose the most exquisitely-crafted cages, ones with gold and silver bars and velvet lining. One time, another Alpha had commented on the extravagance of these cages, saying that he must truly care for his pets. That wasn’t the reason, though. The cages were there to please him.

And how they did! Just seeing the hundreds of women in their cages brought a wide smile to his lips. The smile broadened as the women spotted him and ran to the opposite side of their cages, cowering. They were too familiar with their Master’s monstrous appetites and just the sight of him sent them into a wild panic.

But fortunately for them, his attention was on his new acquisitions. Gideon began placing them into the cages mounted on the wall, still whistling cheerfully. When he grabbed Her, the defiant one, he held her in his hand longer than the others. She was silent but still glared at him stubbornly, her eyes betraying far too much. With a wink, he tossed her into the cage, delighted when she struck the opposite bars and ricocheted off.

Gideon didn’t even bother to see if she was hurt. He had already turned away, whistling cheerfully.