Jumko bolted up as the door opened and his mother strolled in. She didn’t even look at him. She walked over to the shelves and started making something in a bowl. She was humming a tune. This unnerved Jumko. He was expecting her to instantly begin shouting at him. But her calm demeanour filled him with even more dread. He just continued to lay there. Waiting for the inevitable.

His mother continued to hum. Jumko heard the clinging and clanging of cutlery and such. She was making something. He heard stirring and pouring and shaking and whisking. He would occasionally lean his head forward and look at his mom; expecting to see her glaring back at him. But each time she had her back to him as she was busy at the shelves. He couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to get this over with.

“Mom?” he eventually croaked.

“Yes dear”, she replied without even stopping what she was doing or even turn around to face him. Jumko didn’t think this far ahead. He didn’t expect his mom to be so...nonchalant.

“What are you doing?” he asked. It was really the only thing he could think of saying.

“I’m just making the Catalyst Cream honey”, she sang back through her humming. “You know”, she continued, “I rub it on your body to start the shrinking process.”

“I see”, Jumko responded meekly.

“The shaman will be here soon dear, I need to finish this so he can bless it...else it won’t work dear...and we wouldn’t want that would we?” Jumko’s mother turned around to face him. Jumko was greeted with a smiling face as she continued to stir the bowl with a wooden spoon. She was staring at Jumko now. Constantly stirring, without skipping a beat. Slowly she began to saunter over to the table.

“You still want to shrink, don’t you honey?” she asked. Jumko’s heart started pounding. He was nervous. His mom was acting strange.

“..yeah...”, he stammered. Yuli’s smile widened.

“That’s good”, she responded. She turned around and placed the bowl on the counter.

“It’s all ready”, she piped. She then turned back around and placed herself beside Jumko’s body. She ran her index fingertip along the length of his left check, inspecting the hand mark left by Nadia’s slap.

“You know...”, she began, “Nadia’s really upset with you.”

“I know”, Jumko stammered back.

His mother stood up and shuffled further down the table, standing beside his hips. His flaccid dick lay deflated over his lower abdomen.

“When Nadia’s upset, I’m upset”, his mother continued. Jumko started to feel sick. His mother picked up his penis and began to inspect it.

“The shaman should be here any minute”, she mentioned casually, “and he’s going to cut off this pathetic little cock.” Jumko leaned up and looked at his mother with shock. She wasn’t even looking at him. She just continued to roll his penis around in her fingers and huff in disgust.

“Did you enjoy the last orgasm you’re ever going to have?” she asked.

“..aaahh, yeah”, Jumko lied.

“Don’t you wish you could have more?” she queried as she released his cock from her fingers and watched it flop back down onto his stomach. Jumko just continued to stare at his mother. He was getting freaked out by her questioning. She rolled her head sideways to look at him.

“Well...” she interrogated, “Don’t you?”

“Yes”, Jumko muttered as he swallowed hard.

“Well it’s not going to happen dear... does that upset you?”

Jumko swallowed again. He said what he thought his mother wanted to hear.

“A little bit”, he mumbled.

“Who do you think is more upset”, she interrogated again, “Nadia who thinks she doesn’t have a Gulaka right now, or you, who wants more orgasms?” Jumko didn’t like where this was going.

“Nadia...” he whispered.

“WHO!?” his mother shouted.

“Nadia”, he said more forcefully this time.

“I thought you liked Nadia?” his mom asked rhetorically, “I thought you’d like to see her happy, so I can’t for the life of me ... figure out why you would make her upset?” Yuli raised an eyebrow as she stared at her son. Jumko swallowed again. He wasn’t sure if it was a rhetorical question. He licked his dry lips.

“Mom...”, he croaked as he tried to explain himself but before he could continue, he felt a sharp pain shoot up his spine as his mother slapped his testicles with her hand.

“No more talking from you!” she shouted, “I only want you to listen. Do you understand?”

“Yes”, replied Jumko, which he instantly regretted when he felt another hard slap on his raw balls.

“What did I just say!?” his mother demanded.

Jumko just looked up at the ceiling. He was defeated. He was done. He just wanted this nightmare to end. If he could he would choose to be eaten right here, right now. Even by his sister if it meant this could all end.

“When Nadia is upset”, his mother continued, “I get upset.”

Jumko closed his eyes and wished he could be transported to a different time and place.

“Because now I have to take time out of my day to make her feel better.”

Jumko wished he was a weapon smith.

“Because when Nadia tells me she doesn’t want to eat you, do you wonder what goes through my head?”

Jumko wished he was a labourer.

“I’m thinking, my goodness what would the council think if my son refused to become a Gulaka? What would they think? Would they think hmmm, he must be a confused boy? Or would they think well Yuli must be a terrible mother? She didn’t raise him properly? She’s the one who’s trying to not get him eaten because she doesn’t want to be alone? She’s the one who is making Nadia’s wedding incomplete? She’s the one who would rather see Nadia’s son be a failure just so she doesn’t have to live alone?”

Jumko wished he was alone in the jungle.

“What do you think the council would think dear?” Yuli asked. Jumko looked at her face. He wondered if he should answer or not. There was an uncomfortable silence. It appeared that Yuli was awaiting a response from her son.

“They’d think that...” Jumko responded only to be silenced in anguish as his mother slapped his balls hard.

“Did I say you could talk!?” she shouted.

Jumko placed his head back and started to breathe heavily to try to forget about the pain.

“I can’t have the council thinking I’m a terrible person honey can I?” Yuli continued.

Jumko didn’t dare answer.

“I’m going to have to come up with a way to save my reputation aren’t I dear?”

Jumko wished he was a slave to another tribe.

His mother strolled over to the shelves and picked up the jar of sleeping salts. She then slowly made her way back to the table.

“So I’ve come up with a solution”, she continued, “but it’s a solution that you get to choose dear.”

Jumko’s mother sat down on the table next to Jumko’s chest. She twisted her torso to the side and began stroking his forehead with her left arm. She placed the jar beside his head and began picking at it with her right hand. Lifting up grains of the salt and watching if fall from between her fingers back into the jar.

“Let me explain what’s going to happen dear”, she began, “I’m going to rub this sleeping salt on you before the shaman comes. I thought about having you awake while he castrates you.” A wicked smile crossed her lips. “But I have a headache from all this hard work I’ve been doing and I don’t think I really want to hear your screams.”

Jumko looked to the side to avoid his mother’s gaze.

“Jumko”, she said sternly, “look at me when I’m talking to you.”

Jumko rolled his head back and stared at his mother. She continued to stroke his forehead and smiled softly down at him. It was very unsettling.

“Anyway, after your useless little dick is gone, I’m going to rub the Catalyst Cream on you and you’re going to begin shrinking...and when you wake up...you’re going to be like this small.”

Jumko watched as his mother indicated with her index finger and thumb how big he would be.

“You going to be smaller than my hand.” she added. “And me? How big do you think I’ll be huh? How big would I look to you honey?” Yuli stroked Jumko’s face as she leaned in further. Was she waiting for a response Jumko wondered? He stayed silent. He didn’t want any more pain.

“Would I be as big as a tree?” she whispered, her face, just inches away from his, “as big as a temple? As big as a mountain?”

Jumko gulped.

“Think of how big I’m going to be honey. And when you wake up I’m going to ask you one question.” His mother rose back up again and returned to playing with the salt. “I’m going to ask if you are going to be a good Gulaka and please Nadia. And guess what would happen if you said no?” Yuli stopped everything she was doing and just stared down at her son. Jumko didn’t dare answer. He wasn’t going to get his balls slapped again.

“Seriously honey, guess ... you can answer, I’m not going to slap your little balls.”

Jumko just remained in silence. He watched as his mother frowned and twisted her body the other way. She glided her right hand over his testicles and slapped them hard, then twisted back to face him.

“Guess!?” she demanded.

“I don’t know”, Jumko cried out. His balls were slapped again.

“Just guess, I want to see if you can imagine what I would do.”

“You’d get Rachel to eat me?, Jumko blurted out.

He watched his mother smile as she returned to playing with the salt. I thought about that she said, but Rachel has her own Gulaka. A nice boy. One who WANTS to be eaten. Not a little bitch like you. Guess again.”

Jumko didn’t like this game. He couldn’t think he was so distraught.

“ummm....”, he muttered as his mind was reeling.

“Come on”, his mother teased, “think! What would your own mother do?”

“You’d eat me?” he mumbled in fear.

His mom raised her head and laughed.

“Oh Jumko...” she laughed, “I did think about that you know. You came out of my body, it only seems fitting that you should go back in.” She looked back down at her son and smiled. “But no dear, that’s a waste of a Gulaka. The God’s know I’m not having any more children. Guess again dear.”

“I don’t know”, Jumko begged. He stared at his mother with pleading eyes. She just stared back coldly. There was a long uncomfortable silence. She continued to play with the salt. Eventually, she stopped, looked at his face and stroked it with the back of her hand.

“You’re not thinking hard enough honey”, she cooed. “Let me explain to you what I plan.” She leaned her face in. “Like I said, when you wake up, you’re going to be very small and I’m going to be very large. I’m going to ask you a simple question. Do you want to be a good Gulaka and please Nadia? If you convince me that you want to be a good Gulaka and please Nadia, then we’ll continue with the ritual and you’ll become her Gulaka. And you’ll make her happy and you’ll smile when she eats you. But...”, Jumko felt his mothers hands clamp down on both sides of his face and she stared at him.

“If I’m not convinced, if I think you’re lying or you tell me you don’t want to be a good Gulaka...well...then...”, she leaned even closer. Her face just inches from his. Her eyes staring into his. She was trying to make her point crystal clear. “I’m going to put you on the floor of this room and squash you with my foot.” Jumko’s eyes flared in shock. Yuli smiled slightly as she saw the panic in his eyes. “Yes dear”, she continued, “I’ll step on you and turn you into a stain on this floor...and I’ll leave your remains there with a sign that says: Here lies Jumko, the Gulaka who refused to get eaten, squashed by his own mother. What do you think the council will say when they see that?”

Jumko tried to close his eyes. He would re-open them, half hoping that this was all just a nightmare, half hoping that his mother was playing a sick joke. She released her grip on his head and rose back up. She picked up some salt from the jar and rubbed it onto his upper lip. His mouth was agape in horror. He was at a loss for words.

“Go to sleep dear”, his mom requested, “think about what I’ve said and decide what you want to do when you wake up. Either you be a good Gulaka or you be a stain on the bottom of my foot. The decision is yours dear.” She jumped off the table. Turned around to grab the jar and bent down to place a gentle kiss on Jumko’s forehead. “Think very hard about it.”, she whispered. Jumko just continued to stare at the ceiling as his mother’s face disappeared from view and he heard the door close. He thought about everything that had just happened. But the thoughts were brief as the salt was powerful and he fell asleep very quickly.

---

Jumko awoke with a panic. He jumped up and brought his knees to his chest and held them tightly. He was breathing heavily and sweating. He suddenly realized he was no longer strapped down. He could move his limbs. He also realized he was in a room he’d never seen. There were wooden walls all around him and the ceiling seemed impossibly high. He looked down and it hit him with hard cold recognition. He was on the floor of the dining room. He was surrounded by 4 wooden planks. He was tiny. Maybe a few inches tall. He wasn’t sure. The ceiling was miles above his head. He was alone. He was naked. He looked down. His penis and testicles were missing. In their place was one long thin scar. He felt no pain.

He stroked across his loins, feeling the scar as he sulked at the loss of his manhood. He was one step closer to being eaten. He suddenly realized his mother’s ultimatum. He didn’t want to be squashed. He didn’t want to die under his mother’s foot. That was too much. He’d rather get eaten by Nadia. Beautiful Nadia. He missed her. How much we wanted her right now. How could he have been so cruel to her. He wished he could take back the things he said. He crawled to a corner and sat there. Waiting. Shivering. Accepting his fate.

Jumko heard the front door open and he felt the ground shudder with footfalls. He heard his mother’s voice, she was talking to someone. He jumped to his feet and walked to the middle of the room. He looked up. His heart was racing. He heard the door open and the ground shook slightly with each step that the giants were taking. He craned his neck up to see the face of his mother approaching. She was impossibly tall. She seemed like a mountain to him. See burst into a huge smile as she noticed her son was awake.

“Good morning dear”, she beamed as she stepped right up to the box containing a tiny Jumko within it. “You remember Becka don’t you honey?”

Jumko’s mother motioned towards the woman standing beside her. It was the next door neighbour, a woman only slightly older than Yuli. She and Yuli were good friends and often conversed together when carrying out common chores. Jumko just stared up at his mother. He wondered if she had just came back from the beauty palace since her hair was done up, she was wearing makeup and she smelled of lilacs and lavender. She was wearing a purple dress and it looked like she had picked up a small red flower and placed it in her hair. It made sense, since today was the Night of Marriages, the Festival of Love. Rachel was getting married and Jumko was sure that she and Nadia were spending the whole morning at the palace getting beautified. Jumko was jarred back to reality as his mother spoke. Her voice was loud and menacing but still feminine.

“So...” she began as she started to shake her right leg, trying to dislodge her sandal from her right foot. “Have you made your decision?” Jumko heard a loud thud to his left as his mother’s sandal feel to the floor and he craned his neck to watch her raise her right foot high into the air. She was holding onto the table edge with her right hand for balance. He was frozen with shock as he watched his mother’s sole rise. It was enormous. He wasn’t prepared for this. Despite the fact that it appeared to decrease in size as it rose, he was fully aware of just how insignificant he was compared to it. It was freshly washed, the sole a pale white, while the ball, heels and toes were glowing red as blood rushed back to fill the capillaries that were now open since his mother’s weight had been removed. She positioned it in such a way that it cast a shadow over her tiny son. She tilted her neck just slightly to the left to maintain eye contact with him. Jumko stared at the sole and then noticed his mother’s face smiling down at him just slightly to the right.

Her grin widened and she bared all her teeth. “Well honey...” she continued, “did you think about our little conversation last night? Are you going to be a good Gulaka or is mommy just going to have to squish you?” Jumko took a step back. His neck hurt staring up at her. He was sweating. He watched as her toes wiggled. Waiting for a response. Small wrinkles appeared and disappeared along her sole as she flexed her foot.

“Come on dear...” his mother insisted, “what’s your decision?” Jumko was too mesmerized by what was happening to even think, let alone speak. He watched as his mother brushed the hair out of her face and cast it to the side of her neck. She regripped the table and slightly shifted her foot around to re-establish her balance. She scrunched her toes and then released them as she waited. “I don’t have all day dear”, she threatened, “I need you to make a decision soon or I’ll make it for you ... and I don’t think you’re going to like my decision.”

“I’ll be a good Gulaka”, Jumko answered meekly.

“Sorry honey, I didn’t hear what you said”, his mother responded, “you need to shout it out, you’re very small dear.” Jumko continued to stare at her face as she smirked. She tilted her head awaiting the response. Her toes wiggled once more, creating ripples down the length of her huge sole. He noticed the ball of her foot turn white as it creased then flushed back to red as they disappeared and she relaxed her toes.

“I’LL BE A GOOD GULAKA!” he shouted.

He watched as his mother’s smiled disappeared. It was replaced with a slight scowl. She curled her toes and kept them there for a second before releasing them. Jumko was scared. He thought that perhaps his mother didn’t believe him. Perhaps she somehow expected him to ask to be crushed. There was an uncomfortable silence. He just continued to stare up. His gaze shifted from staring at the unbelievable large sole of his mother to her face and back. She would curl her toes and hold them like that for a few moments, creating white creases along her sole and then release them, creating a flush surface. It appeared as though she was contemplating just squishing him. She continued to stare down at him emotionless. The only thing that moved was her scrunching toes. He wasn’t sure if she was doing it on purpose or subconsciously as she pondered. He raised his hands and showed his palms. He was pleading.

“I’LL BE A GOOD GULAKA!” he repeated.

With horror, he watched as his mother’s foot began to fall. Its size grew enormously large very quickly. This was it. He was going to be squished. He closed his eyes, fell to his knees and instinctively raised his arms. Somehow hoping he had the strength to avoid being crushed. He consciously knew it was impossible, but instinctive behaviour is hard to control. He flew a few inches into the air and landed on his stomach as he heard an enormous thud. He opened his eyes and crawled back onto his hind legs. He looked to his left and was a greeted with the side of his mother’s enormous foot. It was only a few feet away. Her arch was right beside him and he could see the veins through the skin. He glanced to see the bottom of her heel was white as it was compressed to the ground by her weight. He looked up, to see her bending down. Her face placed close to her knee.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” she boomed. Jumko stood back up and craned his neck to look at her. Her eyes were scanning him. She was not smiling anymore. Jumko looked back down. He surveyed his surroundings. He was naked, cold and alone in a box with his mother’s right foot as his only company. He realized he was either going to be eaten or be squished. Either way he was going to die and strangely, he was okay with that. He wanted to see Nadia’s beautiful face one last time before he died. But he was also exhausted. Mentally drained, physically fatigued, and emotionally sick. He honestly just didn’t care anymore. He heard some rhythmic thuds and turned to see his mother’s right foot raise slighty, her toes pointing upwards and then fall back down, creating a slapping sound as it hit the ground. She was tapping her foot with impatience.

“Well?” she asked again. Jumko turned and looked up at her.

“You don’t!” he shouted. “There’s nothing I can do to convince you.” Her tapping stopped and her eyebrows furrowed. She slightly closed her eyelids and focused her gaze. “Honestly”, he continued, “I really, really do want to see Nadia’s face before I die ... I would rather be eaten by her than squished by you ... but I just don’t care anymore.” Jumko lay down on his back and stared up the length of his mother’s lower leg towards her face. “If you want to”, he finished, “just go ahead and squish me.” He then closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable.  There was a long, uncomfortable silence. Not a sound was made.

Eventually he heard a rustling and when he opened his eyes, he saw his mothers foot disappear beyond the top of the walls of his prison and he saw her reach down to put her sandal back on.

“You know”, she began, “I want to believe you’re telling the truth ... but honestly, I just don’t know.” She stood back up to her full height, straightened her dress and stared back down at her son. “The only reason I didn’t squish you”, she added, “is because I just came back from a pedicure and I really don’t feel like washing your remains off my foot. Call it lucky timing if you will but you better not let me down.” Yuli then turned towards Becka. “Let’s go help with the preparations, I just need to get something from a room and then we’ll go.” She then glanced back down at her son. “As for you, you still have some more shrinking to do, so when I get back, I’ll start preparing you for Nadia.” She then bent down to get closer to her son. “...And you better fucking mean what you said, you better fucking have a smile on your face when I give you to Nadia... the day’s not over, I can still change my mind and end you.” Jumko just stared back in fear.

She rose back up, cast a beaming smile, lifted her hand and waved down to her son. “See you later sweetie”, she chimed and left the room. Jumko then realized that Becka was staring down at him.

She shifted closer to the box he was lying in. She bent down slightly. “You know “, she began, “I don’t know if you’re mother is telling the truth or not. I think she didn’t squish you because she couldn’t really do it. No mother wants to step on their son...but as for me... well, I couldn’t care less about you...let me just say that if you hurt your mother again, well, I’ll have no qualms just squishing you ... in fact, I’d love nothing more than to feel you pop under my foot... think of it as payback for all those times you destroyed my roses as a little shit.” She licked her lips and then rose back up to her feet. Snorted in disgust and left the room. Jumko was naked, cold and alone once more. Waiting.

---

Jumko wasn’t sure how long he had been waiting. What he was sure of though, is that he had shrunk further. He had stopped shrinking about an hour ago and right now he guessed he was about 2 inches in height. The ‘room’ he was in had increased in size too. The walls expanded outwards, the ceiling rose and tiles on the floor enlarged. The shadows had moved across the room indicating that the sun had moved through the sky. Jumko had tried to sleep, but he was too troubled to rest. He was still reeling from the actions of his mother. He tried to figure out if she would really squash him, but he didn’t want to find out. Given the hopelessness of his situation, he wanted to be eaten by Nadia. He wanted to die that way more than any other way. Having been shrunk, he was more willing to accept his role as a Gulaka. He knew there was no possible way of being enlarged back to his old height.

The front door clicked open and Jumko jumped to his feet. His heart started pounding. What if it was Becka come to squish him? What if it is Xanthe to steal him? What if Nadia told his mother she didn’t want him and she had decided to just squish him? Jumko heard the footsteps enter the dining room. He stood on his tippy-toes to try and see over the incredibly high walls of his prison. But he didn’t have good vantage point. He heard pots clank, jars open, spoons clink, liquids poured and then eventually humming. It was his mother. He moved about in his cell trying to see her. All he could ever make out was just the top of her head before she disappeared to another part of the room.  Eventually, her full body appeared as she approached the box on the floor. Jumko stared up at her smiling face as she was stirring a pot in her hands.

“Still want to be a good Gulaka right honey?” she asked.

“YES!” Jumko shouted up.

“Okay sweetie, just making sure, I’m almost done making the Gulaka honey and then we can get you all prepped for Nadia”, she informed him. “I just came back from the Beauty palace, she looks absolutely stunning dear. She is really the most beautiful girl. You are very lucky you get to be her Gulaka...oh, and don’t tell Rachel I said that, as far as she knows, she’s the most beautiful.” Yuli disappeard from view again as she continued her chores.

Eventually, she was done and she returned to the box lying on the floor. She bent down to retrieve her tiny son from his little cage. Jumko just stood motionless as his mother’s enormous hand approached him. She gently pinched him between her thumb and index finger. Jumko instantly felt the warmth of her finger tips. It felt reassuring. He felt his legs lift off the floor as he was raised unbelievably high. He once again saw the familiar surroundings on the room before him as he was lifted out of the box and brought to face level with his mother. Her giant eyes staring at him. He stared back. She moved him about to inspect his body all over. Jumko gasped as he felt his mothers finger tip rub gently between his legs. She was inspecting the scar that marked the location of where his genitals once were.

“The shaman did an excellent job”, she commented, “you can’t even really see the scar.”

Jumko was repositioned to face his mother as she was done inspecting him.

“Ready for the next step dear?” she asked.

Jumko nodded. He wasn’t sure what the next step was, but given the recent hostility between himself and his mother, he was careful not to piss her off. Yuli smile as she rose to her feet and proceed to place Jumko down on the dining room table. As she took a seat, Jumko looked around and noticed a square shaped plate made of bamboo and a jar with a brush in it. Of course, all of these objects where massive to him. He faced up at his mother’s smiling face as she sat down. She tapped her finger onto the square plate.

“Come lay down here”, she instructed.

Jumko was hesitant. He didn’t know what was happening. Yuli could sense her son’s confusion.

“Sweetie”, she began, “here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to lie on this plate here. I’m going to douse you with the Gulaka honey from this jar here and then fix you into position. This is how Gulakas are prepared dear. I’m sorry I didn’t explain this before, but you know ... we’ve had some differences to work through.”

Jumko stared up at the giant jar to his left. The top of the brush sticking out of it.

“Oh honey ...” his mom giggled, “...I just realized it’s quite funny to call you honey.” Yuli covered her laughing mouth. “Anyway ...” she continued, “the honey is to make you taste sweet dear...it’s so that Nadia enjoys eating you, it’s a traditional recipe. They honey also contains some special ingredients to ensure that your spirit is passed on to her offspring... would you like to try some?”

Without even bothering to notice Jumko’s reply, his mother dipped her fingertip into the jar, collected a small drop on her finger and then placing it pad up in front of her tiny son’s face.

“Try some”, she suggested, “tell me what you think?”

Jumko approached his mother’s finger and reached out with his hands to take a small amount of the honey. As he was about to dip his fingers into the large droplet of honey, his mother retreated her finger.

“Don’t put your hands in it”, she scolded, “bend down and lick it.”

Jumko sighed and stepped forward. He bent down and licked from his mother’s giant fingertip. The honey tasted incredibly sweet. It was the most delicious, sweetest tasting food he had ever tried.

He jumped back up to speak to his mother.

“WOW”, he shouted, “THIS IS AMAZING.”

“Thanks sweetie”, she replied.

Jumko bent back down to get another tasting, only to watch in despair as his mother’s finger jolted away and was quickly inserted into her huge mouth. She clamped her lips around it and moaned in delight as she sucked the honey off her finger. Yuli smacked her lips in satisfaction as her finger popped out of her mouth, clean of any honey.

“Sorry dear”, she teased, “I can’t have you eating all the honey, it’s for Nadia, not for you.” Jumko stamped his foot in frustration. From his perspective, it appeared as though there was a boatload of honey. In fact, the drop on his mother’s fingertip was almost as big as his face. It was the most incredible thing he had ever tasted. He really wanted to try more.

“Can I have some more?” he asked.

“No dear”, his mom replied, “now come lie down on this plate, let’s get you prepped.”

Jumko stamped his foot in frustration. “COME ON!” he cried out.

His mother raised an eyebrow and her smile instantly disappeared.

“Jumko”, she said calmly, “don’t make me put my foot down.”

He lowered his head down in defeat and walked over to the plate. It was as high as his hips. He climbed up onto the surface and positioned himself on his back in the middle. He stared up at his mother’s smiling face. She looked very pleased. She reached over and picked up the brush. The end was covered in a thick ball of honey that dragged a long thing thread as it was lifted out of the jar. Yuli pressed the end down onto Jumko’s stomach and he instantly felt the sticky liquid completely cover his body. She dabbed lightly, letting blobs of honey cover his abdomen, chest and lower legs. He reached down with his left hand to scoop up some of the delicious honey from his body. Before he could lick the goodness off his fingers, his face was rudely jabbed with the end of the brush. It felt like a gallon of honey was dumped onto his face.

Jumko couldn’t open his eyes and he rushed to smear away globs of it from in front of his nostrils so he could breathe. He felt his mother pinch his right wrist to pull his right arm away and pinch it down onto the plate. Seconds later, the brush was smearing honey across his right arm. Still blinded, Jumko was able to breathe again before the action was repeated on his left arm.

“Now roll over”, he heard his mother say. Jumko was trying to rub away the sticky mess from his eyes so he could open then.

“I’m not going to ask again, roll over”, he heard his mother demand.

Jumko tried to roll over. He didn’t have the strength to overcome the stickiness of the honey that prevented him from raising his back. He tried harder. He heard his mother sigh heavily. He still hadn’t opened his eyes. He could only imagine the look on her face. He started to breath heavily.

“Seriously..., he heard his mother sigh.

Jumko was struggling now.

“I’M TRYING!” he cried. Seconds later he felt his mother’s fingers pinch is left ankle and before he could fathom what she intended to do, he was flipped over onto his stomach. Jumko placed his hands out to prevent his head from smashing onto the plate. He was dragged slightly backwards and then sideways as his mother repositioned him. Jumko arched his back to allow his hands to wipe away the last of the honey from his eyes. He felt the brush smearing more of the sticky goodness on his bum and lower legs. Just as he opened his eyes to see the plate before him, he was forcefully pushed face down onto it as the brush rubbed heavily on his back and neck. Next his arms were forcefully frayed out to cover them too.

“Now roll back”, his mother demanded.

Once again, Jumko struggled to roll over. The honey was so incredibly sticky he could barely free his arms and legs, let alone lift his stomach to roll over. His mother sighed again.

“You really are weak”, she commented, “no wonder you didn’t become a warrior.”

Once again, Jumko felt his mother pinch is ankle and he was flung violently onto his back. He lifted his head to look at her as she pulled him towards the center of the plate by his leg and then repositioned him. Jumko’s mother smiled softly as she placed the brush back into the jar and picked up a U-shaped nail.

“Place your legs together dear”, she asked. Jumko complied and his mother pushed the nail down onto his ankles, securing he’s legs down. She then picked up another smaller nail.

“Put your arms out dear.”

Jumko once again obeyed her instructions and one after the other his arms were fastened into position as his mother pushed the nails down into the bamboo board.

“There we go!” she cheered as she picked up the brush once again and gently placed a few more drops of honey to areas of Jumko’s body. The brush dropped with a clang into the jar and his mother picked up the bamboo board and held up Jumko in front of her giant face. She tenderly smiled as her eyes surveyed his entire body.

“Jumko...” she whispered, “I know we’ve had our ... differences lately but I want you to know that I’m going to miss you dear.” Jumko noticed as a single tear began to pool in the duct of her left eye. “I’m sorry I had to be so ... harsh with you dear”, she continued, “but I have a reputation I need to maintain. You understand don’t you honey?” His mother raised an eyebrow as she awaited a response. Jumko just nodded his head.

“You see dear, I’m going to be all alone after tonight and I need the respect of the village to keep me going ... else I’d lose everything.” Yuli continued to study her son. He was securely fastened onto the plate and covered in a thick film of honey. He seemed more at peace with himself lately.

She sighed and then continued speaking. “I’m glad I didn’t have to squish you ... and honey ... I’m really, really proud of you, don’t forget that.” Jumko’s mother took one last look over her son before pressing his tiny body into her pursed lips. Jumko felt the warm, wetness of his mothers lips press gently onto his chest. His mother than lifted him away and Jumko watched as her tongue unravelled itself from between her lips and scooped up the thin film of honey that had been deposited onto them.

“Mmmmmm”, his mother cooed, “you are absolutely delicious, compliments to the chef.” Yuli giggled at her joke as she lowered Jumko back down onto the table. She then rose up. “I’m going to go get ready dear”, she said down to Jumko, “Nadia will be here soon.”

Jumko heard his mother leave the room and once again, he was fastened down onto a hard surface. Unable to move his limbs. His arms flayed out. However, this time, he was covered in delicious honey. Prepped and ready to be eaten. He thought about Nadia to pass the time. He tried to imagine an alternate reality where he was getting married to her, rather than being eaten by her.