Then Mikaela put little Mark on the kitchen table and brought a chess board with a chess clock.

Mikaela: Now we are going to play against each other. Little Mark versus giant Mikaela. And I have a good news for you. I will help you slightly. I will press the chess clock for you. The only things you should do are to run over a surface of the chess board, think and move the pieces. The pieces are slightly bigger than you but you should be able to move them. Time control will be... probably... 5 minutes for you and 5 minutes for me. Blitz mode. Your exercise is to win or at least to achieve a draw. If you loose I will be forced to shrink you again. And I will do my best to win! Hahahaha!

Then Mikaela arranged the pieces and put Mark on the chessboard.

Mikaela: You will play with white. This is a present for you. Now I am going to launch the clock!

She pressed the clock button.

Mikaela: What are you waiting for? It is your move now! RUN!!!!!

Mark started running in the direction of e2 square. Then he began to move the pawn from e2 to e4 square. A height of the pawn was slightly bigger than that of Mark. Nevertheless, the piece was not so heavy and Mark was able to move it forward. However he had to put some efforts to do that. Immediately after he had made a move Mikaela pressed the clock button for him, made her own move and pressed the clock again. Next minute the game was continuing in the same spirit. Things went harder for Mark when he needed to move pieces like queen and king which were about 1.5 times taller than him.

Mikaela: It is so cute to see how you are running and trying to move pieces.

She smiled.

Mikaela: Oh... If you only knew... how much do I want to shrink you more right now!

She said it extremely playfully and tremendeously complacently.

Mikaela: But I am the fair player and will not violate the rules of our game. Hahahahahahaha!

Mikaela: I will wait several minutes. You have already spent the third part of your time but a number of moves we have made is less than 10! Hahahahahahaha!

Now let us show you what Mark thought about his situation while he was running. Of course he could not to have clear thoughts because of incredible stress. o we can only to show you scraps of his thoughts.

Mark (scraps of thoughts): I am running... Why am I doing it? She is so big... I have already spent so much time... How can I win this game? I am so small. What about... can I run away again? No... I will become even smaller... So shit... Master Yoda was small in size but very powerful... But this is fiction... May be I am simply sleeping now? It does not looks like this. It is not a dream... Is it really real reality? Or is it unreal reality? Will she shrink me again? While moving pieces I am getting tired and weaker...

That is enough to understand what was in Mark's mind. Chaos.

Mikaela: Do you know, Mark? Besides the fact that I enormously want to shrink you I also want to smash you on an intellectual field!! Hahahaha! And it looks like I will!! Both win and shrink! Hahahahahaha!

Mikaela's voice was not cruel and agressive but very coquettish.

Mikaela: You have 1 minute left! You have already spent almost all your time! But I have almost 5 minutes! Hahahahaha! Looks like your chances to pass the exercise now is even smaller than your size! Hahahahahahaha! You have the right to give up. Such a way you can retain your strengths for next exercises! If you give up I will shrink you of course. This is just the rules of the game. But I will shrink you anywhere because it is obvious now that you are not able to win this chess game! Hahahahaha! How are you feeling, Mark? Hahahahaha!

Mark was continuing to run and move pieces silently.

Mikaela: Your time is over, Mark! Hahahaha! During the game there was not even single capture of a piece! You was so slow! But now your time is over and... according to our rules... SHRINK, SHRINK, SHRINK!

Mikaela was very complacent. Very.

Mikaela: Oops! Who is that bug??? Hahahahahaha! It is you, Mark! Hahahahaha!

Mark: WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?? HOW TALL AM I NOW??

Mark screamed.

Mikaela: According to the rules you have the right to ask me about your size. Not another questions. Now you are 1cm tall! Bug-sized boy! You are so tiny and so funny! Although you are much bigger than you can be. The key word here is MUCH! Hahahahahahahahaha!

Mikaela said word "MUCH" so loudly this time... Mark's psychological condition became even worse.

Mikaela: Do you remember about the mountain with the human mind? Now you must be understanding what was I talking about! Hahahahahaha! But you are still sufficiently big for your journey. So, I will give you the next exercise... Your task is to place the pieces to their original positions! I give you 20 minutes to do that! And during work you must listen me and answer my questions! Moreover I let you to ask your own questions freely! Right to ask me is an unique chance for you! Although I doubt that I will hear you. You are so small now. START your exercise, little man!

Mark began running and moving the pieces again. Being 2 times smaller in height he felt that a complexity of the new exercise was much harder than when he was 2cm tall. Note that whereas height was reduced twice, Mark's weight and body volume were reduced by 8 times. It would be fair to say that the complexity of the exercise became 8 times more difficult for Mark now.

Mikaela: It is a great pleasure for me to see you trying to avoid your next shrinking. And your efforts are perfectly reasonable on the one hand. Next shrinking will turn your height to less than 1cm! Hahahahaha! Do you know the only way to avoid such a fate?? TO COPE WITH YOUR EXERCISE! NO OTHER WAYS! Hahahahahaha! What are you feelings, Mark?

Mark had heard Mikaela's question very well but he did not answer.

Mikaela: Maaark! Why are you so silent? Speak to me! What are you feelings now?

Mark (thoughts): What to do? What should I do? What should I answer? My breathing is bad...

Mikaela: MARK!!!!!!!

Mikaela said sharply.

Mikaela: Do not break the rules again! I told you that you must answer me during the exercise! Do not fail your task so stupidly! If you shrink, next exercises will be much harder to cope with being less than 1cm tall! It will be almost unreal! Simply answer! What are you feelings? Ten, nine, eight, seven, ...

Mark stopped running to take few big breaths. Then he cried out

Mark: I am tired!

Then Mark continued to run and move the chess pieces to their places.

Mikaela: Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!! You are so cute at this size! But you will be even more cute!! Hahahahaha! In the case you fail the exercise! You are so weak and helpless... You are not able to stop even a 5 years old girl if she want to step on you! Hahahaha!!! What a tiny man! Hahahahahahaha! 1cm tall!!! You still can defeat ants and fight versus bugs... After next shrinking you will not be able to fight bugs... But do not worry. There are not insects in my home. Of course apart from you! Hahahahaha! You will not fight against insects! YOU WILL FIGHT AGAINST ME!!!

Mark was so frightened by Mikaela's last phrase that his legs had got weak and he fell.

Mikaela: Hahahahahaha! It was a joke, Mark! It was simply the joke! Do not be so frightened. Hahahaha. You will not fight against me. It is because the word "fight" can not be applied here! Hahahahahaha! You are smaller than my big toe! There will be no any fight at all if I want! Hahahahahaha! But do not worry! I am simply joking! I remember the rules of the game. I do not want to break them. And it is you who decide your fate! I just follow the rules of the game. Note that I am very condescending to you now. According to the exercise, I could ask you any questions including those that you guaranteed would not be able to answer. And then I could declare that the exercise had been failed and shrink you! But I do not do this! You have to thank me for this! Hahahahaha! It is so cool to understand that I am able to make you as BIG as an ant! Hahahahahaha! The key word here is "big"!!!! I can make you even smaller! Hahahahaha! Mark! Dear Mark! Are you offended at me for joking about you and your size?

Mikaela asked question extremely playfully. Again Mark stopped running, took a big breath and shouted as loud as he could

Mark: WHY ARE YOU HUMILATING ME SO MUCH! FOR WHAT? I AM A PERSON! NOT AN INSECT!

There was distinct despair in his voice.

Mikaela: Hahahahahaha! You are so small and silent! But I have heard you. I consider your counterquestions as an answer. Intonation of your voice was fantastic! It extremely clearly answered my question! Much better than would do words "yes" or "no"! Hahahahahahaha! Now let me answer your questions! BECAUSE I CAN! BECAUSE I WANT! THAT IS ALL! WHY ARE YOU STILL STAYING? CONTINUE TO RUN! IT IS IN YOUR INTERESTS TO COPE WITH THE EXERCISE! CONTINUE TO RUN AS RESTLESS BUG! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Mark: I have no more strengths! I am very tired!

Mikaela: This is Ok, Mark. The exercise does not imply that you have to be running all the time. You can not run at all. This does not break the rules. But remember that I gave you 20 minutes to complete the exercise. And if at the end of your time the exercise is not complete I will immediately shrink you! Hahahahahahahaha!

Then Mikaela blew at him slightly. But wind was sufficient for Mark to fall. Then he remained lying on his back.

Mikaela: Looks like you are really tired. Cool! It does mean that we will have more time to talk to each other in a dialogue mode. I extremely want to talk with your tiny weak figure! Have you already thought about help from other people?

Mark was silent and breathing very quickly.

Mikaela: While you are breathing like a steam locomotive... Hahahahaha! Sorry, I can not to restrain laughter! I am going to explain you why there is no chance to get help from outside. Firstly, it looks like you will fail this exercise and get tinier. No one will be able to hear you. Secondly, I can easily shrink any helper or helpers. Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!

Mark: PLEASE!!!!

Mikaela: Hahahahaha! Your voice is so silent but cool! Intonation is cool! It allows me to easily decipher your emotions!!!! Hahahahahahahaha!

Mikaela sent an air kiss to Mark.

Mikaela: You feels humiliated! But you are even not sufficiently small for real... Hahahahahahaha! Now it is your turn to speak! Say something that I will laugh at!

Mark: Why are you mocking me? Please! Stop it! Let me go!

Mikaela: Thanks! You have just fully satisfied my request! I am laughing! Hahahahahahaha! How can I let you go? You do not cope with your exercises! You know the rules of our game! I will shrink you MORE AND MORE! After each failed exercise you will be SMALLER and SMALLER! WEAKER AND WEAKDER! And you can do nothing to stop me simply follow the rules! The rules that I declared! The rules of my game, tiny boy! Hahahahahahaha! Now your 20 minutes are over!

Mark: NOOOOO!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!! PLEASE!!!! DO NOT SHRINK ME! I AM ALREADY FUCKING SMALL!

Mikaela: What??? Why do you think you can use a foul language? Did you hear me to use such dirty words? I am very polite to you! Yes, I am laughing! But you are so funny and so tiny! No one could have stopped laughing at you! Now SHRINK!