Clare sighed as she stepped out of her car, heels grinding against asphalt. She closed the door behind her and idly clicked the lock on her keychain, the car beeping once briefly to signal it had been locked. It was a sunny summer day, hot but not oppressively so. The parking lot of the mall was filled as always, people taking advantage of a nice day to go out with friends or to do some shopping like Clare. She shaded her eyes from the bright sun for a moment, eyes adjusting to the brightness before walking towards the entrance of a department store.

As she stepped inside the well air conditioned building she made a beeline out of the store and towards another one. Normally for what she generally looked for this place would be fine, she wasn’t much too usually care about what she wore. The thirty two year old lawyer was as comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt as she was in her current suit, skirt and stilettos. However tomorrow called for something with a little more… pop. A little more impressive that drew the eye. Wasn’t often she got invited to a rich client’s little shindig and she wasn’t going to just look like shit for it.

Clare herself filled out her suit nicely, her form curvy and athletic. Black hair was tied back into a ponytail, bangs framing her pretty face nicely. She was somewhat tall, the extra height of her heels letting her stand eye to eye with most men. No rings adorned her fingers, indicating she was unmarried. Her coffee brown skin was smooth and unblemished, few signs of aging having hit her just yet though if her mother was any indication that would be setting in soon enough.

She looked down at her phone and the old text her friend had sent her when suggesting a shoe place. Her brown eyes flicked back up at the sign to make sure she’d gotten it right. ‘The Perfect Fit.’ What a gaudy sounding name. Her friend had sworn up and down that the place was perfect and that she never got shoes from anywhere else. Considering her expensive and snooty tastes that was some high praise but still… well, books by their covers and all that she supposed. Then again, she’d sworn that one French restaurant had been the best and Clare had gotten food poisoning from it.

“Hope you’re right, Macy.” She muttered under her breath before stepping inside the well-lit little shop.

It wasn’t big by any stretch of the imagination. Probably the size of one department of the big chain stores. It was clearly a women’s store, heels, boots, and even some tennis shoes arrayed on displays. Her brows lifted at the shoes, looking rather out of place next to some fancy European brand boots. Still some of the heels looked pretty nice, though nothing hugely special compared to the store she just left. Some of the brands were the same so she didn’t see much difference.

One of the clerks noticed her and walked up to her, a perky smile upon her gently freckled face. “Hi there, miss, something I can help you with?”

Clare smiled at her in a genial manner, eyes flicking over her nametag. “Yeah, thanks, uh… Anna. I’m heading to a fancy dinner party tomorrow and I’m looking for something that might stand out. Heels. Preferably white in color.”

The petite red head nodded. “Sure! Come with me and we’ll see if we can’t get you set up.”

Clare followed after her, checking the young woman’s fingers. No ring, perky, and a red hair. If nothing else came of this maybe she could get a cup of coffee out of this. Assuming she swung that way of course. With that filed away for later she started looking over the displays Anna led her over to, brown eyes playing over the heels there. Most weren’t white but she was assuming they had the color in the back. Most of the display pieces were also just a little small for her feet. Eventually her eyes arrived at a rather odd piece and she picked it up. It was white and the bottom parts of the heel looked… hollow. Like they were a container. She looked along the inside of the sole and sure enough there was a little latch to open it up.

“Uhhh… so what is this thing? Most bizarre looking shoe I’ve ever seen.” Clare asked, turning the shoe this way and that in her hand.

Anna laughed. “Yeah, it’s fresh on the block and actually we got the first shipment of them into the country due to our shop’s unique services. They’re called tanks.”

What a perfectly hideous name, though it was accurate. It looked just like a fish tank only for one’s feet. Clear, white, open toed, looked like something that might draw the eye. Then again, strippers wore clear heels. Her eyes flicked over to Anna and she went over her previous words, frowning.

“Unique services? No offence, but looks like a normal shoe store.” She remarked.

The clerk’s smile didn’t diminish. “First time customer I take it? Take a closer look inside this one right here.”

The heel Anna was pointing too looked fairly normal but Clare shrugged and took a look inside. It was perfectly normal… except for the little indent on the insole. It looked vaguely human shaped and that was when understanding dawned on Clare and she actually chuckled.

“Ohhh, this is one of those Shrinkle Shoe stores! That’s why Macy was so crazy about it. Now it all makes sense.” Clare said with an amused smile and a shake of her head.

“Friend of yours?” The clerk asked by way of starting up some small talk.

“Yeah, known her since high school. Insanely rich parents. She’s all into the Shrinkle craze since it started up.” She remarked.

It was actually kind of a good business idea. Make products catered to Shrinkle use. Most department stores hadn’t adapted them because they didn’t think there would be cash in it but that left room for little places like this to start carrying them. Take a slice of the pie before the big fish started getting in. Clare wasn’t a business or economics’ major but it seemed pretty clever to her.

“The product specialization won’t be a problem for you, will it miss?” The clerk asked.

Clare chuckled and waved a hand. “No problem at all. I’ve got a few myself. My niece and sister turned out to have it as a dominant gene when it started going wild. Fortunately, turned out to be recessive for me. Plus my neighbor and her husband turned a month back, late bloomers.”

“Sounds like me! My brother got it but I’ve got no risk.” Anna pipped up.

“Brother eh?”

Anna nodded and slipped her foot from her own heels. Clare peered down at the bottom and saw a naked red headed young man far below, taking in great gasps of sweat scented air. Looked like he was stuck into the little indent some of these other shoes had. No worries about being crushed through considering his sister spent most of her day on her feet; he probably wished he had been. Anna gestured down.

“I don’t just sell the stuff, I try it on myself. Still need to get a second one for the other shoe but for now he does alright.” Anna explained.

Her titanic red painted toes started moving back into the shoe, the tiny man inside managing a cry for help but Clare was giving Anna her full attention at that point. His moments of relatively fresh air were stolen as he was once more sealed in a coffin of flesh and leather. Anna wriggled her toes in delight before looking back up at Clare with a wide and winning smile.

“So, interested in that are you? I bet those would look great with your sister and niece in them!” The clerk pipped up.

Brown eyes roved over the tank heel and she hummed. That would certainly be a sight and if they were new on the market than she could bet she’d get some eyes drawn at the party. They would go well with her dress as well. The other stuff looked pretty standard but she could envision her niece and sister in them. That would look pretty cute she had to admit, pity she didn’t think to bring them in her purse.

“So these aren’t glass are they? Like if I stomped around they wouldn’t break?” Clare asked.

“Nope, they are made a little like car windshields but treated in a way so they won’t crack or break. There’s a month warranty on them for scratches and cracks, full refund.” The red head responded.

Clare lifted a brow. “Really? Huh. So what about air? I don’t want my Shrinkles dying on me.”

“There are very tiny slits along where the base meets the insole where air can get in. There is some danger of bruises or broken bones for the Shrinkles inside but…” Anna shrugged in a ‘what can you do’ sort of way.

Probably not her sister and niece then, they were still family after all. She ran her fingers along the smooth and clear surface. It was very tempting she had to admit, though she could bet the pricing on them was outrageous. Not that money was tight for Clare. That and the look on Macy’s face alone would be worth it when she showed them off. She’d probably get so jealous her head would pop right off.

“Alright, mind if I try a pair on?”

Anna’s grin widened. “Sure thing! We’ve also got some Shrinkles on hand for fitting purposes if you want the full effect.”

“Sounds good to me.”

After giving Anna her shoe size and sending the red haired woman off to the backroom, Clare seated herself down. She kicked off her stilettos, lightly massaging at her sore feet. When she got home she’d have to set her Shrinkles to work, today had been killer. She curled her toes against the floor, feeling relief when her joints let out little gentle pops. Her phone buzzed inside her purse and Clare picked it up. It was a text from Macy of course.

Macy >So, ya make it around to the place yet?

Clare rolled her eyes. They were having dinner at her place tonight and she couldn’t wait to know. Impatient as always.

Clare >Yeah, yeah, I’m in the middle of trying on a pair.

Macy >The shoes or the Shrinkles?

Clare >The two aren’t mutually exclusive lol

Macy >’Mutually Exclusive’, yur such a nerd

Clare >Its ‘you are’ or ‘you’re’.

Macy >lol, watever. Send me a pic when yur done.

Clare >We’re going to see each other tonight, you can wait until then.

Macy >Spoilsport :(

With a sigh Clare shoved her phone back into her purse. Her friend certainly was all about the craze. Then again, she’d inherited all of her parent’s money, property, and business when they went Shrinkle. So the lawyer supposed there was something there. She smirked a bit as she remembered as a girl being intimidated by Macy’s parents. They’d been a more severe case so they barely reached Clare’s littlest toe. Was kind of funny how the world balanced itself out really.

Anna returned from the backroom with a box and a container holding two half inch tall people in them. They tumbled over, the clerk’s steps easily upsetting their balance and rocking their world. She set down the container and opened up the box, taking out the heels. The clerk carefully opened up the little hatch, the entrance accommodatingly wide. They were four inch heels, their base naturally rather tall to fit occupants inside. Clare was more of a three inch heels sort of woman but four wasn’t too bad she supposed. Not that she needed the extra height really.

The Shrinkles in the container, a man and a woman, were battered a bruised little things. Ragged and tired, their mannerisms skittish and fearful. Clare had no doubt they had been under the feet of countless women. Once they’d had jobs, families, and lives. All were stripped from them once they turned. Now their job was to rest under the feet of whatever women came in here, tried on and tested out like they were just another part of the shoes. Only thing Clare thought of them was that she was glad she was at no risk.

“Are these the only two the store owns?” Clare inquired.

“Not at all, we’ve got ones up to two inches here. We’ve also got some micro ones as well, those are nerve wracking to handle let me tell you!” Anna said with an easy laugh.

The lawyer lifted a brow. “Mircos? I can imagine, only seen a few of those. My friend’s parents classify for the high end of the Micro scale.”

“Yeah, they are really fragile. This new one we got in is the squirmiest little thing! I was trying to do a fitting for a toe strap on this one girl’s sandal and she just wouldn’t stop fighting! Super frustrating.” The clerk said, blowing a strand of hair from her face.

Anna lifted the lid on the container and reached down, her thumb and index finger carefully grabbing the tiny woman easily twenty years her senior. She cheerfully dropped the lightly squirming woman inside the heel, sealing the latch. After repeating the process with the second one she pushed the heels over to Clare, offering a winning smile.

Clare slipped her foot into one, the vibrations shaking the tiny man inside off his feet and onto his ass. She worked her foot in full, trying to move her toes experimentally. Not too little room but not too much, just right. After fixing the strap on it she set her foot in the other and stood, the extra inch the heels gave her just barely noticeable though still had her towering over the red headed clerk.

With a bit of hesitation she started walking softly around, the tiny people within the base of her heel sliding along their floor. Anna stopped her with a laugh. “Don’t worry about hurting them; we’ve got plenty of half inchers. Just walk normally, it’s okay!”

A bit of relief washed over Clare and she started walking with a bit more of a natural stride. Inside the heels, this was tantamount to pure hell. They were tossed about, smacking into the clear surfaces with little cries no one on the outside could hear. Each rumbling step was felt in their very bones, each rise of her foot sending their stomach’s doing flip flops. A simple step for Clare was easily the wildest ride of their lives. Above the woman was getting a feel for the shoes and she actually found herself liking them.

She could actually feel the impacts they made against the inside. Not a lot but it was there. A little like being able to feel a bug hitting against a jar when holding it. One of her particularly heavy steps made the impact felt a little more and she found she liked the sensation. Inside, the tiny man in her left heel was howling in pain due to the broken arm that step had given him. He whimpered and let out a cry of agony as the broken limb hit the floor with her next step of that foot.

Clare walked over to one of the mirrors and took in the look upon her feet. They looked good; the addition of the Shrinkles brought something out in them she thought. Made them look less like stripper heels and more like another way to stand above the sub-human sect of society. Hell she was tempted to wear them next time she was at a Shrinkle custody hearing, would be quite apt.

She walked back over to Anna and slipped them off. “I’ll take them. I could get used to that. Might have to come here for my shoe shopping more often.” Clare said with a smile.

The young clerk looked delighted. “We’re Always happy to have another regular costumer.”

Anna quickly shook out the Shrinkles inside the footwear into her open palm. The tiny man let out another yelp as he landed upon his arm. The clerk didn’t pay him any mind as she set both back in their container. After all, he was still alive and still shaped like a person so he could still be used. Had to run them into the ground before getting new ones. As was usually the case, he’d be serving until he expired.

When the time came to check out Clare looked passingly at the price, shrugging as she brought out her card. Money wasn’t much of an issue for her anymore. As she got her bag and set her purse back over her shoulder she cleared her throat and gave Anna look. Well, here went nothing she supposed.

“Hey, uh, I. Are you doing anything once you get off of work? Want to maybe grab a cup of coffee?” She asked, a tad uncomfortable.

Anna blinked in surprise and Clare got a sinking feeling in her gut. Struck out again looked like. Then the clerk smiled.

“Sure! I get off in a couple of hours. Want to meet up in the food court?” She asked, leaning over the counter just enough to make Clare aware her shirt gave a rather nice view of her generous bust.

Internally she practically jumped for joy. “Sounds good to me, see you then.”

With a bit of a swell in her chest Clare walked out of the shoe store, purchase in hand. A couple of hours eh? Gave her plenty of time to run right home. Maybe even take these heels out for a spin on the date. Win a few points right off the bat. Only question was the neighbors or the family? Well, she did want to keep her sister and niece alive, the neighbors on the other hand. Well. Needed to break a couple eggs to make an omelet. Or in this case, score some points.