*CLUNK NNNNNnnnnnnn*

A brilliant fluorescent light turns on and sears my eyes even from behind their lids. I squint my eyes as tight as I can to lessen the sudden and searing luminescence. The rest of my body feels pretty immobile since it doesn't seem to exist at the moment. I do know I am on my back, but all I feel, senses wise, is my head. I have all the bells and whistles; hearing, taste, and maybe even sight if this light wasn't so damn bright. 

Then I hear what sounds like a metal chair being moved on a hard tile followed by a very loud and yet natural speaking voice from a familiar sounding woman off to my left.

“Ok Beth, escort her in, in say, like 5 minutes please, I’ll need a moment with the little guy.”

Eyes fluttering still trying to adjust to the light, I try moving to the best of my current abilities but, no luck so far.

“Hagh! Hab e uh!” I say frustrated.

(What the fuck!?... Guess I can’t really talk either.) I think to myself as I try to stretch my jaw and lips.

(And what happened again….?) 

(Oh yeah, that Beth lady “tased me bro!”) 

The lovely memory of her pulling the trigger rushes back to me for a second. I probably would have winced if I wasn't currently paralyzed and being blinded from above.

I hear a rather large sounding, “Ok Mel!” followed by a door closing.

“Haaaaaagh!” I scream, my eyes finally focusing a bit better.

“Oh my God, will you just shut up.” I hear resonate loudly from my left. “The mic in there is broken and stuck powered on so no more sounds from you or else. Got it?” She asks with a sense of firm finality.

I nod my head yes to no one in particular and finally get my eyes to peel open a bit to take in my predicament. Staring at the ceiling I see a transparent teal hued ceiling with vents cut into it in a perfect pattern riming the edges that lead to see through walls.

(Wait a minute, is that a handle in the center on the ceiling? Plus another ceiling waaaaaaaaay up in the sky behind it?)

My nearly closed eyes follow the wall to my right, down, and it then curves into becoming the clear floor which I was now currently sprawled out on. I get a sudden memory from childhood out of the blue.

(Is this one of those hermit crab cages from those corny coastal county fairs…?)

The sound of papers rustling is heard followed by, “there we are. OK,” *Clears throat* 

“Hello there Mr. Soft,” 

*THUNK, THUNK, THUNK*

I wince my eyes as the cage is hit in rapid succession helping urge me along with the tedious process of opening them. Through a squint I sorta see through my transparent walls a gigantic hand with the pointer finger cocked back, ready to tap the wall again with its pink nail. In the distance behind it, a cute face, one belonging to the brunette P.E.D. Enforcer. 

Melissa I think I heard her name was or, I guess Mel for short.

Mel continues as she sees she has my attention, “Ok so, I am going to say this again so you understand the seriousness of the situation.” She says with a bit more sternness, “I really need you to keep your tiny mouth shut in there for this part... you got it?”

I stare back, probably looking dumbfounded by her size in my current state, mouth agape and drooling. Pins and needles could be felt in my head and neck, slowly working their way down my body in a painful telltale sign that I would be able to move again at some point in the nearish future.

*THUNK, THUNK* 

The finger smacks into the wall again.

(Oh, come on lady, will you stop rattling me! Now I get why fish hate it so much… Besides, I thought I was told not to speak right? Oh and uh... I’m fuckin paralyzed!)

“Mr. Soft? Please Nod if you can. Under. Stand. Me?” Melissa says a bit slow at the end with some extra enunciation making me feel even more belittled, like I cant speak english suddenly.

With all my willpower, I fight the spiky tingly sensations and force myself to nod my head YES at the ginormus woman on the other side of my clear cell wall.

Suddenly  the situation registers with me… like, fully sinks in… and well...

(OH GOD OH GOD OH DEAR GOD, What in the fuck!? The FUCK, is going on right now! I’m small right now aren't I, I’m fucking tiny! Holy shit shit Shit SHIT! Is that a giant right there! Right now in front of me! A giant! Or well wait, a giantess... but still… A GIANTESS IS RIGHT FUCKING THERE! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING)!

As my brain screams at me, trying to cope with how the hell this is even possible right now, Mel regiards the sudden panic on my face and apparently takes it as the sign to continue her little spiel.

Mel, rustles through the papers in front of her till she finds what she’s after, “ Alrighty Mr. Soft, seems you’ve been a tardy employee these past few weeks and over the past few days…” She reads for a moment, “Wow, just down right deplorable... mmhmm.” She states very “matter of factly”.

Her eyes lift from the paper and offer me a steely gaze as she continues, “and well, we will not be putting up with that at all...” the gaze lifts and she's back to casual somber again,  “Here at C.G.T.S. we take our work seriously and, as you are one of us, it is then up to us to ensure you're the best that you can be,” Her face leans in, “so that we can of course, be sure that we are the best we can be.” pointing at the CGTS emblem on her jacket.

Mel leans back still locking eyes with me, hands resting on the papers and a look of “you get it right?” painted all over her face.

It soon disappears and she goes on, “I’m sure you understand, so,” her hands smack the table as she gets back into the papers before her.

“Looks like we have 3 work weeks including potential weekend watch if the peddy officer agrees so, it looks like 21 days or more depending on behavior Mr. Soft.” She writes a little note down while saying it aloud under her breath, “After personnel record review, my suggestion for handling category has you listed in the Troublemaker class...” 

“So, as I presume based on this signature of yours here,” She quickly lifts and sets down one of the papers, “that you’ve read the recent C.G.T.S. Colleague newsletter highlighting our latest P.E.D. enforcement procedures and I do not have to remind you of what is in store for you in the upcoming weeks.”

Her eyes back on me rest above a genuine smile, “Thanks for that by the way, saves me a bunch of time having to explain it all.”  She starts to laugh a little, “Like seriously, it's a good 2 hours of just boring law this, and human rights violation that, so really Mr. Soft, I do super appreciate it. Here, I’ll even write down a positive in column B for you just to show you're on the write step towards recovery.”

As Mel writes down my supposed positive in column “who gives a shit” I just stare at her trying to come up with something… some…. Sentence… some quip that could get me out of this. 

It can’t be hey, um, BTW I never read the stupid newsy thing cause I am sure that will add to my time doing whatever the hell this was… I could say like, 

The door to my right in the room my cage was in suddenly clicks open. This sudden unknown temporarily pulls me out of my internal meltdown and I see Bethany the blonde haired P.E.D. Enforcer (tasering bitch!) holding the door open and gesturing a “come on in” to another person.

In walks a red headed female in her early twenties that looked awfully familiar. 

Her red hair looking a bit rushed with dark eyeliner and makeup likely from the night before along with a few freckles competing with numerous flecks of glitter strewn across here smooth cheeks. She had on a thicker white, oversized button down top which masked most of her frame. From below the shirt flowed black form fitting jeans ending in plain black non slip shoes that were clearly a bit grungy from use and whatever her job was.

Light bulb! 

(Holy shit, this is the line cook girl from my memory turned dream turned nightmare this morning!)

(What the hell is she doing here?)

Mel stands as the cook enters, “Thanks Beth, I got it from here.”

“Ok Mel, text if you need me!” Beth replies a bit bubbly, closing the door as she leaves.

“Please, Ms. Stamper, have a seat.” Mel gestures towards the chair opposite hers.

“Oh um, ok cool, and uh, it’s Sarah.” The red head replies as she pulls back a chair and maneuvers to sit, “Miss Stamper sounds like my mom.” She finishes and her massive form comes to rest in the seat to my right. Melissa following suit, sits as well, and that's when Sarah's eyes lock onto my tiny self.

“Oh, holy crap! Wooooah” Sarah exclaims, leaning in, her face becoming even larger from my cage, showing me every little intricate wrinkle not usually visible to the normal eye. “What is that you have in here? Is that a,” Her head cocks to the side, “is that a tiny... person?”

“Sure is,” Melissa says looking into my cage from the other side causing two of my cell walls to become some massively beautiful yet also terrifyingly large pair of faces, “that is mister Nick Soft, our very first P.E.D. Policy Breaker.”

“Oh yeah, I think I had heard something about a PED thing taking effect a few days ago.” As Sarah says this my mind jumps to attention.

(A few days ago?? How long was I out for? It was friday I think when those bitches did this to me… so what then… it must be like what, Monday or Tuesday if this line cook lady Sarah is here… holy shit what are they planning on doing with me if I’ve been unconscious for a few days!? This has got to be illegal right? Someone's bound to come looking for me. I mean come on, family will at the least, what is C.G.T.S. thinking with this stupid Policy!!)

“That PED thingy sure did go into effect and we have you down as a volunteer for your department in thhhhheeeeee, Cafe I see.”

“You do??”

“Is that surprising Sarah?”

“Well uh, no… uh, maybe? I’m trying to remember when I volunteered for this and what it was exactly?” Sarah says a bit sheepishly while scratching her head in confusion. “Uuuummm… OH YEAH its… wait no… all I really can remember is that some big policy went into effect. I’m sorry Melissa”

“Oh call me Mel and don’t worry about it Sarah, we all get busy. So, you don’t recall signing up six months or so ago? I have the form right here, does this jog any memories?” Mel says as she hands Sarah a sheet of paper over my cage.

Sarah scans it for a second and then jumps a little with recognition. “Oh this was that sheet the crew drew straws over to see who would get stuck having to volunteer. I drew the short one so I signed up for i- oh my God!,” Sarah says followed by an embarrassed tired laugh, “I’m so sorry Mel, I’m not trying to belittle the work it just a… you know what, I totally should have read and paid attention to the policy, and thats completely on me.” Sarah continues apologetically as she realizes she just basically just told Mel that the cafe pretty much ignored her volunteer form and turned it into a game of whoevers wins, loses, “The cafe has gotten like a hundred of those “potential volunteer” things and so far, not a one has ever come up ya know.”

“Hey, honestly don’t sweat it Sarah, I get it,” Mel says almost as if she had anticipated people wouldn’t read the forms they signed. “Life in the Cafe is always stressful with all the prep work and sudden rushes of hungry customers, I’m sure it’s crazy.”

“Oh damn right it is.” Sarah says as her head slumps towards the table. 

Mel assuringly says, “I get it Sarah, I worked back of house for a year so I know how it can get.” 

Sarah's face acquires a relaxed grin as she looks up to Mel, “I appreciate you being so cool about this Mel, I’d feel bad if I wasn’t straight with you so, I’ll just come out and say it. If you haven't already noticed that is.”

“Noticed what Sarah?” Mel says leaning back a bit, looking ready for anything Sarah was about to say.

(Oh come on Mel, like you haven't noticed she looks like she was out last night at a rager and then just rolled out of bed an hour after getting home?)

Sarah takes a deep breath, “Well, lets just say if I had known something like this was going to happen I probably wouldn't have stayed out so late last night and drained all my brain power for today,” Sarah lifts up her right leg a bit to reveal her knee, “My makeup must look awful and I didn't even have time to change all the way.” Sarah pulls her loose pant leg up a bit, revealing what looks to be a thin sheer black pantyhose with a few silver spirals printed here and there on it faded with time. “I even tossed on my work shoes and pants over my party nylons since I was in such a rush this morning.”

“Was it fun at least?” Melissa asks intrigued as Sarah puts her leg back down.

“Oh it was just amazing, well the parts I can remember at least…” Sarah says with a coy and tired smile.

As this conversation about Sarah's rager goes on above me I just lay there unable to do anything. Looking between the two goddess sized women as they took turns speaking. Still totally unsure what in the fuck was going on and why I had to be tiny to hear this absolutely useless banter.

Sarah leans onto the brightly lit table my cage rests on, “So, from one girl to another, is it maybe possible just to pass on this volunteer work for today?” She says a little desperately to Mel. “The cafe still needs to lunch prep and I don't think they can do it without me today.”

Mel leans back, arms now folding, “Oh, no need to worry about that Sarah, this will not impede your daily work at all. I promise.” she says assuringly. “As a matter of fact, from some of our initial beta testing the volunteer work actually improved the colleagues demeanor while on shift by at least 90%.”

“Pff, oh come on Mel, what could possibly make my job “happier” , you know what I do all day here right?” Sarah says a bit skeptical yet a little intrigued.

“Well seeing as you only signed up and didn't read anything about this, let me give you a little run down of what we need from you Sarah.” Mel continues, “If you don’t like the sound of it when I am done, you can pass on it and go about your day, how's that sound?”

Sarah now leans back as well, crossing her legs “Ok, i’m game. What's this all about? I assume it has something to do with this little toy person, McSoft, here.” she shakes her head towards me. 

“Absolutely is Sarah, his name is actually Nick Soft and he is definitely not a toy.” Mel says with a smile. “That is in fact, one of your office colleagues who has decided to break our recently enacted P.E.D. Policy as I mentioned earlier.” Mel straightens up and pulls out a pamphlet, handing it over to a surprised and suddenly very intrigued Sarah.

“Having broken P.E.D. Mr. Soft here has forfeited his normal natural freedoms until a later, to be determined, date. That way he can be counseled and trained to be a better worker by having to spend some time in another colleague's shoes for once.”

“Wow wait so, that is really a tiny person, holy crap, I really thought it was a toy. So like, can it move and stuff? Does it speak?” Sarah says talking faster now with curiosity.

(It? I am a “Him” thank you very much, what am I an object to this ditz?)

“Oh yes of course, he is just recovering from the treatment used to get him that small. It can take a bit out of you from what we’ve seen.”

“Crazy, so ok, it sounds as if he will be like, riding with me on my person, watching me work and do my day to day so he can see the nonsense the cafe staff has to deal with?” Sarah continues inquisitively,  “Oh and what did he do by the way, to deserve this odd predicament he’s in.” Sarah says this last part looking at me with a judging stare.

Mel replies, “Well, almost right on the being with you part and, as for what he did.” Mel flips open a folder and begins looking through it.

“The 3 strikes against him, from the most recent to earliest strike; he seems to have stolen from the cafe, been late numerous occasions to his own position causing other colleagues to over work and lastly, harassed a fellow employee to the point of massively disrupting their workflow.” Mel finishes, shooting me a nasty look. Sarah’s cutely freckled yet tired mug doing the same.

(Holy shit… seriously? That rap sheet makes me sound like a total asshole! When did I steal from the cafe? I know I put money down on the registar. The late part isn't really that bad right? And that last one is total BS that somebody made up! I need to talk to a person in HR about this and fast.)

“He stole from the cafe! What a little butthead! From the sound of it, you need A LOT of counseling little dude.” Sarah says sternly at me through my plastic cage.

Mel follows that with an, “I know right!” and continuing on with,  “what's worse is all the complaints were filed by women. It’s like he has no regard for the opposite sex, or at least that's my take on him from what I have here.” She says tapping the folder. “I even made sure each volunteer for this little troublemaker was a female just to spite him.”

(Holy shit, is she really trying to make Sarah hate me? These lies she keeps spilling are way off base for a normal corporate HR person. Fuck P.E.D. I say… Fuck’em to the moon damnit!)

“Ok, no way then, I don't want this little bug anywhere near me while I am on shift, I may just outright step on him at this point.” I hear one of Sarah's shoes stomp down as she says that, leaning away from my cage in disgust.

“Well, funny you should mention that.” Mel retorts. “Remember how I said the “spend time in other colleagues shoes” bit no long ago.” Mel asks.

Sarah's head tilts to the side quizzically, “Oh uh, yeah I do.”

“Well, that is exactly what I meant Sarah.” Mel says with confidence.

Both Sarah and I look at Mel with shock. My brain kicks into panic mode again,

(OH GOD, My nightmare...its real, way different but like, still so real. What's going on, am I still asleep, did I never wake up? Is this the wrong reality!?)

“Wait now, hold up a second,” Sarah responds, repositioning herself in her chair, a bit confused she continues, “So, you're telling me that this little guy here is going to have to be trapped in another colleague's shoe?”

“Yep.” Mel says with a smile. “and not just anyone's shoe Sarah, your shoe.”

“All day?” Sarah asks a bit distraught at the thought, looking down at her old beat up non slips..

“A counselor's guardianship is 24 hours a day, 5 with up to 7 days per week depending on potential weekend sign on, all of course spent with the volunteer as they see fit. Oh also as an fyi, it's spent with a single volunteer from each department he wronged with them being allowed to include others if they deem it acceptable annnnnnnd,” Mel pulls out a stack of papers and pushes them over to Sarah, “if they sign these non-disclosure agreements.” 

(WHAT! I’m like, good, with feet but, come on now… really, is this some kind of sick joke!? How could I ever survive something like that, it would kill me for sure, if not the weight, the heat and humidity would cook me, not to mention the smell! Sounds so good and so bad at the same time, please brain, WAKE UP!)

“How would he even survive something like that? Wouldn't he just get squished or suffocated in there?” Sarah asks while looking at her grungy kicks under the table.

(YES SARAH! That question, exactly that question Sarah, thank you!)

“C.G.T.S. has perfected a shrinking technology that actually reduces and enhances an object's particles, hence, P.E.D. - Particle Enhancement Division.” Mel explains.

“Ooook, interesting,” Sarah now leaning forward in her seat, eyes darting to me every now and then with more and more curiosity. “So is Enhancement meaning he can't really be squished to death?”

“Precisely Sarah,” Mel says beaming with false pride that Sarah followed along, “a good example I like to use is like a little stress ball in human form.”

(Ok lady, this is just crazy. I can’t die by squishing!? A STRESS BALL!)

“A stress ball?... Well, I mean. I guess I could use a little stress relief. Especially with this internship I’m waiting to hear back on. If I get it I'll be another step closer to becoming a paramedic and I’d be gone by the end of next week.” Sarah says proudly.

“Oh no way, congratulations Sarah! We’ll miss you for sure when you get it,” Mel says, clearly laying on the happy shtick, “and what a send off it would be to help us out with this little policy breaker here.” Mel says as her hands rest on the teal hued lid of my cage.

Still pensive and yet intrigued Sarah, looking at me and back to Mel, really starts to think over the prospect of forcing a colleague to, what sounds like, literally live in her shoe for a week totally under her control with no apparent downside.

I lay there struggling to move, staring up in desperate hope and wishing that this Sarah girl decides to pass on having me as a roommate for her toes. I get so focused on it I accidentally slip up and think aloud.

“Please say no Sar...” I clam up halfway through the last word dropping, knowing I fucked up. I can see through the teal tinted plastic, a now very angry Mel, staring at me between her massive fingers resting on the lid. 

“Sounds like someone got their voice back.” Mel says with a bit of contempt through a well trained smile.

Sarah, surprised by the clear outburst from the seemingly unconscious 1 inch man in a cage in front of her, quickly shifts into her chair a bit unnerved knowing she was contemplating a conscious man's foot filled fate right over his very small head.

I wonder what she’ll do now, I think to myself… did I somehow manage to accidentally say the right thing to get off of this weeks counseling?