Holly craned her head to look past the long line of people ahead of her. The counter seemed so far away, but she knew there were only a few people ahead of her. The problem was, some of those people were twice her size. "I can take the next omega over here!" boomed a voice next to Holly's line.

She watched as a woman with legs as long as her whole body strode past her to a countertop above her head. There, a barista loomed over it, speaking pleasantly with the giant who had approached her. Holly sighed. She watched as another omega in front of her crouched down on her knees to speak to the normal-sized barista at her own counter. 

Normal-sized. She caught herself there. It seemed like every day, the concept of normal was changing. At first, it was only a handful of women in town who were classified as omega. Then, it was one in 20. Then one in 10. Now it seemed like she was becoming a minority fast. The fact that her favorite coffee shop had just installed a separate omega counter only solidified that growing anxiety.

"I can help whoever's next." came the voice in front of her. Holly snapped out of it, and approached the man at the counter. Then, a pair of legs swooped over her. She froze, staring up at the omega who cut her to the front. She was on her phone, tapping absent-mindedly as she slowly lowered herself to speak to the barista. "Can I get a-"

"Sorry..." the barista tried nervously. "I think this lady was next."

The omega spun around and stared at Holly, her face only inches from her. Holly couldn't help but stare at the mountain of woman in front of her like an impassable obstacle. The woman's confused face turned to embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see... Oh, I don't mean it like that. I wasn't looking and..."

"It's fine." Holly giggled, now sharing the embarrassment as the 8 foot woman melted into an apology puddle in front of her. "You go ahead."

After several more apologies, and a couple orders, Holly found herself outside. She stared out at the long, tall cars in the omega lot as she made her way to her own car only some feet away. At least there were still some perks to being normal. She climbed into the passenger seat of a large SUV, and handed one of her coffees to Grant, in the passenger seat.

"Felt like you were in there forever." Grant said, taking his coffee appreciatively.

"It's hard enough getting noticed anymore. Plus, they get their own line now, but still can be served in the little line." Holly replied, nodding over to another omega sauntering out of the coffee shop.

"I've said it before, they need to add a couple steps to the omega line. Even things out for us." Grant nodded sagely.

"Would you even use it if they did?" Holly asked, mockingly.

"Sure, I'd be a little intimidated. But it's not like I don't talk to omegas at work." Grant replied.

"Some of my best friends are omegas." Holly joked, adding a thicker mock to her tone. Grant laughed.

"You know, you could always..." Grant tried. He knew Holly didn't want to talk about it. But he couldn't help himself. He watched her laugh curl down into a judgmental smirk.

"Shut up and drive." Holly leaned back into her carseat as she felt the SUV back out onto the road.

She looked out the window as the town passed her by. It seemed like there was a construction project on every other corner. Scaffolding everywhere. The whole world was being refitted to fit the growing population. And she didn't mean amount. She remembered being a young child when the virus hit, and the world changing only slightly. The average height of women went up a couple inches. You'd see a woman over 6 feet almost as often as you'd see a man at that height. There would be pictures online, news articles of women around the world over 8 feet tall. They were quickly classified as Omegas. Named after the last strain of the virus that caused their sudden growth before scientists were able to stop the spread once and for all. 

But there were only a few hundred of them around the world, even at the highest estimate. Accommodations were made for these special cases, and the women were treated like celebrities, but the fervor died down and people moved on, as they always do. Then they made the announcement. A scientist was able to isolate the compound that caused all that trouble to begin with. Trials were undergone. Women were selected to test the longterm effects of what they called Murf2. Holly never understood the name. She never really cared. She saw no merit to height, whether she was a giant or her own happy, normal, 5'1".

That was all well and good until two years ago, when they released Murf3. With that came a much wider rollout, with women lining up to take it. And suddenly Holly found herself surrounded by legs and hips. She sighed, watching as Grant pulled into their neighborhood. The house on the corner was raising the roof, literally. Natalie Greene must have taken the Murf. She hadn't seen her in a couple weeks. Must have chosen to isolate. Many of them did. Holly couldn't imagine being that self-conscious. She wondered how much she'd have to stare up next time Natalie came over to ask which day recycle bins went out. The woman could never remember anything.

"Something on your mind?" Grant nudged as he pulled into their driveway. Holly snapped back into focus.

"Brunch." she muttered.

"We just got home..." Grant replied, confused.

"I know. I told Sara I would do brunch with her today. I needed a coffee for that."

"Expecting a lot?"

"How could I not, these days?" Holly asked, climbing out of the tall car as she took a long sip of her coffee. She missed the guard step at the bottom and tumbled out, catching herself.

"Woah, there." Grant laughed.

"Damnit." came Holly's reply. Grant walked around the car to find his wife's white shirt covered in a dripping coffee stain.

"I'm sorry, baby." Grant said, stifling his laugh.

"That's what I get for being shitty." Holly sighed. "Let me go change. If Sara comes, try to entertain her."

"I guess I can show her... the yard." Grant replied, watching Holly storm into the house.

---

Holly stared at herself in the floor-length mirror. Her shirt was off, and she was wearing only her yoga pants and a scowl. She stared down at her small waist, and the perky breasts above them, obscured somewhat by her long tresses of midnight black hair. Only a few years ago, she would have drawn stares in any room. Her figure was tight and curvy, even for her small frame. Her eyes were like green fireworks behind her long, dark hair. Her lips were curved permanently into a cherry-red heart-shaped smirk. She was gorgeous, and still in her 20s. And now all she felt like was a bottom feeder. She heard Grant laugh outside, and she once again got back to business, throwing a simple blue top on as she raced out of the bedroom.

As she rounded the corner of her cozy home, she could hear the voices growing louder. They were having fun, and it made Holly smile even before she reached the door. She threw it open to see Grant standing with a wide grin next to Sara, who was seated comfortably on the grass, her long legs bent in twin arches over the lawn. She stared down at Holly, even in her seated position.

"Heard you had a little accident." Sara smirked.

"Very small." Holly replied. "And taken care of. You ready?"

Holly watched as Sara's arms moved in front of her, as she pulled herself up onto her feet. Holly was still getting used to staring up so high to see her oldest, dearest friend. She tried her best to hide her discomfort.

"Cool to take my car?" Sara joked.

"Very funny." Holly snapped, walking over to the tall car at the curb. 

"You kids have fun!" Grant called as he watched Holly struggle to open the huge door in front of her. Sara stepped over, easily opening the door for her smaller friend. Holly pulled an attached, collapsible stepladder out from the side of the door. "Thank you." she muttered as she stepped in.

Sara stepped daintily over to the driver's side, and stepped in. With the car on, she rolled down the window. Grant tried to wave, but only the top of Holly's head was visible through the window. "Don't wait up!" Sara laughed, and sped off.

---

"So there's this new guy at the gym." Sara went on. Holly stared up at her friend, watching her expression become more radiant as the story went on.

"Another one?" Holly asked.

"Don't be like that. Anyway, he says he's six-four... but he's like... right up to my elbow." Holly stared as Sara wiggled her elbow in demonstration. She couldn't help but watch as Sara's whole body shook beneath her baggy blouse. Even beneath the heavy clothes, it was obvious just how much Sara had filled out.

"So I think, you know, it's a gym. Let's take him over to the scale. They have a measurer... thing on there."

"Oh boy." Holly wound her up.

"Just BARELY five-eleven." Sara announced.

"Does it really matter?" Holly replied. "I mean, aren't they all mostly the same from your point of view at this point?"

"That's not my point, Holly. You know I don't care. I never cared." Sara said. "The point is, guys will never change. Even when a girl is three feet above them, they're still gonna lie about their height to try to get laid."

Sara laughed. Holly laughed with her. She closed her eyes and listened to their laughs intermingle. It was like it used to be, a few months ago, before Sara took the Murf. "So I've been putting off telling you something". Sara said, making Holly's eyes snap open.

"You're growing again." Holly joked.

Sara laughed, fakely. Holly knew something was up, then. "I wish. No, we're gonna be one more for brunch."

"Who." Holly said immediately. It was barely a question.

"Maggie." Sara sighed.

"I like Maggie." Holly shot back. She did like Maggie. In small doses.

"Holly, she took the Murf." Sara replied.

Holly's heart sank. She was going to be a minority again for brunch. This time with her friends. "How big is she?"

"I don't know. She only started last week, and we haven't been able to catch up."

"Well, so long as we're going somewhere with good mixed seating." Holly sighed back.

"Of course." Sara nodded apologetically.

"Because I don't want to be staring at your vajes while I eat." Holly snapped.

Sara laughed. Holly tried not to, but Sara's laugh was infectious even before it filled a room.

----

Holly stared up at the massive door in front of her. She felt Sara's huge presence behind her.

"Ok, full transparency: Maggie picked the place." Sara squeeked.

Holly sighed. She looked at the door handle just above her head. "It feels discriminatory."

"Imagine being us. The rest of the world too small for you to fit. Wouldn't you appreciate a place that treated you like YOU were the normal one?" Sara said, pulling the huge door open easily as she nodded for Holly to enter. Holly couldn't help but feel bested in that exchange as she walked into a beautiful outdoor patio lined with exotic plants, with a bubbling fountain at the center.

"My god. This is your normal?" Holly gasped. Sara chuckled. They walked up to the large podium where an omega hostess stood waiting for them. 

"Just you two? I have a few mixed tables available." the hostess chirped. Holly craned her neck to hear what she was saying. The hostess was speaking mostly to Sara, who was half a head taller than the hostess, herself.

"We're actually meeting someone here-" Sara began, before a loud call made them all spin around to the mixed section. Holly watched as a gigantic woman stood up and waved to the both of them. All the more unnerving was that Maggie's head was attached to the giant woman, now bouncing with excitement. Even from a distance Holly could tell, Maggie was already full omega.

Holly walked toward the table, watching Maggie get bigger with every step. She was wearing a skintight jumpsuit that seemed like she'd been poured into. Holly laughed to herself as every wave from Maggie made the suit look like it would burst.

"Maggie!" Sara cried, bringing her into a big hug. "You're huge!"

"Still not as big as you." Maggie beamed staring up at Sara's colossal form. She pulled away, staring down at Holly. "And Holly! How have you been?" 

Holly couldn't help but feel shy between two pairs of legs the same size as herself. Before she could even think, she found herself wrapped in another huge Maggie hug. She felt the wind escape her lungs as Maggie's long arms squeezed her.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Maggie gasped, releasing the wheezing Holly. "I'm still getting used to all this. You understand."

"Have you started any care classes?" Sara asked, hiding her judgment as she crouched down to inspect the winded Holly.

"I start my first on Monday. I thought I had some time, but i kind of had a pretty big spurt this morning." Maggie said, sheepishly.

"Oh really?" Holly choked, trying to join the conversation as best she could.

"Would you believe I was only 7'9" when I put on my stretchies today?" Maggie asked, showing off just how tight her jumpsuit had become. "Over the last 4 hours I've jumped up to 8'4"."

"Fuck, that's a lot." Sara said, sitting down at a raised chair at the mixed table. Holly sat down at a chair her own size, marveling at the table's unique design. The surrounding area swooped up, allowing Holly's chair to rise to the same place at the table as her larger brunch mate's chairs. The world was catching up quick, with style being factored in with function.

"Still not as big as you. You're an icon." Maggie complimented.

"Stop." Sara blushed. "It's not like I had any control."

"That's the scary part, huh?" Holly asked. The two huge women stared at her. "The lack of control?" Holly added, more self-conscious.

"i don't really find it scary." Maggie admitted. "It's more exhilarating than anything else. Every day you wake up a new woman."

"And that's not scary? To be someone different from what you always knew? Every day?" Holly asked, watching as tall glasses of water were handed to them by an omega waiter.

"I'll be back with your water in a sec." the waiter said, leaving Holly temporarily waterless.

"Well, I know it only lasts a couple weeks. They've built safeguards into this thing. And I'm technically on my last day. It's funny, this morning I was all ready to come to terms with being a short omega."

"8'4" is average." Sara said. She thought of the handful of 7-footers she'd seen here and there. Women who'd taken the Murf but responded less positively. It had become a running joke to call them short, even though they were well above all the men, and quite capable of comfortably using the omega amenities.

"So what made you want to do it?" Holly asked, knowing it was futile to try to talk about anything else, but wanting to steer away from the numbers talk.

"Oh, it was long overdue." Maggie sighed. "I was one of the last women in my office to not have taken it. My workplace is very trendy. I've been surrounded by hips for over a year."

Holly thought about her own experience at the coffee shop. She tried to shoo those thoughts away before they stuck.

"Finally, I got approved by my insurance for the procedure. I wanted to make sure I could go through my company. I don't want to be broke over this. I've heard a few stories about women who spend all their money on the Murf, and don't factor in how much their food bill is going to increase."

"The government offers a stipend based on your end to end growth. Did you fill out your form?" Sara shot back. Holly was impressed with how professional Sara was about all this. But Sara was professional about everything. Constantly researching, being meticulous, even when she was in high school. Even when she was still 5'4".

"Oh, I'm working on it. I'm still growing, after all." Maggie stretched out at that, letting her round breasts creak against the fabric of her stretchies. "Getting used to a lot of stuff." she whispered, blushing, as she tried to squish her flesh back into place.

"There's definitely an adjustment period." Sara replied. "You should retire those stretchies when you get home. They're technically not supposed to be worn after you break 8 feet."

"I didn't want to miss brunch! How have you been? Holly, what's new with you?"

"Oh, not much." Holly sighed. "Grant and I are still just plugging along on the house. Still a lot to do with the old fixer-upper. And we don't get any government help with our stuff." she joked.

"So when are you gonna do it, then?" Maggie asked. "What's the point in waiting? Losing money?"

"Well, I don't know if..." Holly trailed off, staring down at the long legs of Maggie's chair.

"Holly doesn't want to do it." Sara finished for her.

"And that's perfectly alright." Maggie replied immediately. "That's your right, and your decision."

A silence fell over the table. The omega waitress set the small glass of water in front of Holly. Even for a regular sized person, the glass seemed small.

"But I can't tell you how nice it's been. Everything's for me, now. Everything." Maggie beamed. "It's so nice to walk into a store and not have to duck around a bunch of people to get to a little counter in the corner you can barely see over some lady's big ass as she tries to swipe her card."

"Now you ARE the big ass." Sara laughed. 

"Damn straight." Maggie said, slapping her thigh. Holly watched as the skin rippled under the stretch fabric. "And I'll tell you, all the money I'm getting to reinvent myself. Work is finally listening to me again, my dating life is getting CRAZY. Oh, I'm sorry, Sara. I forgot..."

"It's totally fine." Sara huffed. "It happens to a lot of people."

Holly blushed for Sara. She thought back to 3 months ago, when her fiance Dylan broke it off with her. Sara had only just started to laugh again.

"They should make a Murf that shrinks women, so Dylan can date someone his own size." Holly tried.

Sara chuckled, appreciatively. It wasn't A-grade material. But Holly hoped the hokiness would work in her favor.

"Well that's why I swore off dating when I got approved. I want to be the full me before I start finding my soulmate." Maggie said.

"Lucky you." Sara rasped.

"Good to see that after everything, you're still the same you, Maggie." Holly smiled. Maggie smiled back, oblivious.

The waiter sidled up, through the thickening tension, pad at the ready.

"I think we're just about ready to order." Sara sighed.

-----

"Sixteen omelettes." Holly stated, staring out the front of Sara's car as it whizzed down the highway. "How can she afford that? Did you see those prices?"

"I paid those prices." Sara replied. "She didn't. She still gets a full meal refund every day she can show proof of growth."

"Christ, the bureaucracy of this thing. It really makes the whole miraculous aspect feel... not so much." Holly laughed.

"The government knows it will get more in the long-run by supporting this thing. Plus, it doesn't hurt that we have an omega in the White House."

"I voted for Ralston." Holly said.

"President Partridge has done a good job for everybody. You're just being a dick."

"I'm being a dick? What was all that shit with Maggie asking me when I was going to take the Murf?" Holly asked.

"I know." Sara rolled her eyes.

"You don't just ask someone that. It's a personal decision."

"Well, Holly... as your close personal friend... when are you?" Sara tried.

"Oh, fuck off." Holly sighed.

"No, really. I'm sick of the pity party here. There's only so long you can play coy. You live in a metropolitan area. You are upwardly mobile in your career. You know it's just a matter of time before you choose or the world chooses for you. And you would hate one of those little communities. I've seen the pictures."

"I know. I saw them too." Holly relented. "I just don't like the uncertainty. My whole adult life has been lived at five-foot-one. I don't know what life is at nine feet."

"It's very rare to get to nine feet." Sara replied.

"You're nine feet." Holly shot back.

"And I'm rare." Sara smiled, leaning back into her seat. It took some getting used to, but Sara couldn't help but love being considered tall even among omegas.

"But what if I stop being me?" Holly asked quietly.

The car skidded to a stop. Holly looked out at her house some feet away. She reached for the car door. The locks clicked shut dramatically.

"You don't think I'm me anymore?" Sara asked, a tinge of anger in her voice. Holly felt a strange fear as her best friend loomed over her.

"I didn't say..." Holly tried.

"You know who did say that?" Sara asked.

Holly shook her head.

"Dylan." Sara declared.

Holly felt smaller than ever. "I'm sorry, Sara. I didn't mean-"

"Don't start acting like you get to be shitty just because you're so small. We're all still us. If you can't see that, then maybe you should just stay low to the ground."

Holly nodded, ashamed.

"Now get the fuck out of my car." Sara demanded, clicking the locks back up. Holly opened the door, shoving her full weight against it as she awkwardly lowered the ladder herself. This time, Sara didn't move a finger to help.

------

Holly sat on the couch, resting her head against Grant's chest. Tears dried on her cheeks as they watched television together. Grant had listened quietly as she recounted the day, ending in the angry goodbye from her best friend. Holly wondered if this was the last she'd see of Sara. If the last words she'd say to her would be words taken as an insult. Maybe Sara would start to hang out with other omegas more, finally give up on Holly and her little life. She'd always acted like nothing had changed between them over the 6 months since she'd taken the Murf. Now it had all blown up in her face.

"I just..." Holly tried.

"It's ok, baby." Grant replied.

"I just want more time to think about it. Is that so wrong?"

"You take all the time you need."

"I like myself, though. I like us. Don't you like us?" Holly pleaded.

"I love us." Grant assured.

"But..." Holly felt a worm rise up in her thoughts. She didn't want to say it. But it couldn't help but be said. "But, you'd still love me if... if I took the Murf?"

"Baby, I'll love you no matter what you do." Grant said, kissing her sweetly. "Well, don't kill anybody.... Ok, you can kill one guy, and I'll still love you."

Holly laughed, kissing him wetly again. "Promise?"

He nodded.

"But you're only 6'2"."

"Six-two is tall for a man." Grant replied.

"So you'd be ok with me being 2 feet taller than you?" She nestled closer into his chest as she asked. She wanted to make it clear that these sorts of cuddles would be impossible were she to make this decision.

Grant took his thumb under Holly's chin. He brought her face to his and kissed her deeply. She closed her eyes, filling with passion. She felt his hands around her, moving her onto his lap. When she opened her eyes, she was staring down at him. He looked up at her with a wolfish grin. "Get as big as you want, baby."

Holly kissed him again, letting herself rise above him as their kiss became more intense. She felt his member swell beneath her yoga pants, as her hands found his zipper. She unsheathed him, running her small fingers along his shaft as she felt him moan inside their kiss. His hands caressed her ass as they writhed together on the couch. 

He picked her up, still kissing her, and carried her out of the room. Her thin legs wrapped around his torso as her fingers dug into his hair. Grant let his pants drop to the floor as he kicked them away, stepping into the bedroom. Grant threw her on the bed, watching as she peeled the yoga pants off her firm ass. Grant ran his hand down her neck, down her breasts, and tugged the hem of her shirt off her. Holly laughed as she sat naked on the bed, ripping Grant's own shirt off as she did.

He took her back in his hand and carefully dipped her down, kissing her from her belly button, up to her lips. 

"Wait." she stopped him, taking his face in her hands. She took her thigh against him and spun him around. She now sat on top of him, straddling his hips. Her long, onyx hair cascaded down around her naked, pale form. Her glittering smile shone through as Grant smiled up at her, feeling her hips begin to sway against his. Her hands found him again, guiding him into her wet sex as she continued to sway. Grant felt his passion rising as she swayed deeper into him. She grabbed his shoulders and lifted him up, not stopping. She moaned as his face rose closer to her's. 

From her perch, she stared down at him even as he stood up. This was what she wanted: to look down at him as she felt an orgasm rise in her. "Are you close?" she rasped through her shimmering teeth.

"Yes, fuck, yes." he wheezed back as he felt his penis swell even further against her writhing pussy.

She gasped, heavily, her whole body crumpling under the weight of her climax. Grant came with her, as they clutched one another in sweaty embrace. Holly stared down at him, now only an inch from his face. Even at 5'1", she seemed 100 feet tall to Grant at that moment. He kissed her in celebration and she laughed through her own kiss.

She dismounted, sliding next to him on the bed. Grant cuddled up next to her, as he pulled the sheets over both of them. She felt his heavy chest breathing against her. His whole body was wrapped around her. She felt small. She felt loved. She felt happy.

As she felt Grant fall asleep behind her, a contented smile formed on her face. She shut off the light, and her teeth glowed in the dark. She sighed and whsipered, "Okay."

Holly sat, anxiously thrumming the table with her fingers. Her eyes scanned the crowded coffee shop over and over. Surely she's spot Sara as soon as she arrived. Even among omegas, she was someone who stood out. And stand out Sara did, as she strode through the door with a tepid look on her face. She was wearing tight jeans with a loose, casual blouse. Simple, but far from the baggy set that had become her new style. Holly waved at her, ecstatically.

She was just thrilled she showed up at all. Holly worried it was too soon to send the *can we talk* text after their uncomfortable exchange. But Sara agreed to meet here, despite her cold response. She was like that. No matter what, she'd always have her friend's back. "I hope this is ok. There was a wait on a mixed table, and..."

"It's fine." Sara replied firmly, trying her best to figure out how to sit down at a table that barely came up to her knees. A barista appeared from behind her, almost like magic. Sara had gotten used to smaller people sneaking up on her by now. 

"I can get you a pad, if you'd prefer. And whatever you're drinking." the barista chirped.

"A pad would be great. And a latte." Sara said as she dropped to her knees, wincing against the hard tile floor.

"On one check!" Holly called as the barista trotted off.

"You don't have to do that." Sara said, adjusting herself into the most comfortable position she could.

"It's the least I could do. I was an ass." Holly apologized. Sara tried to jump in, but Holly stopped her. "No, I was. You don't have to try to make me feel better."

"I was going to agree with you." Sara smirked.

"Oh." Holly went red. "Well, then... thank you. I've just been feeling a lot of pressure lately, and I took it out on you. As much as I hate to admit it, you've become almost like... a gigantic reminder of how much the world has changed around me. Changed without me. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I'm not really mad. You're the only person who still treats me like I'm the same me. I guess when you said what you said, it triggered something."

"I never want our friendship to change. I value it as much as my own marriage. Which is why I wanted to get your advice on something." Holly sighed.

Sara leaned in. She had a good idea where this was going but she could hardly believe it.

"Did it hurt?" Holly squeaked. "Is it painful?"

Sara smiled. "Far from it. There's some discomfort when you go through a heavy spurt, and it can be disorienting, but honestly there's more pleasure than pain." She blushed as she remembered that long two weeks, growing almost 4 feet, the world shrinking around her.

"Ok. Okay." Holly psyched herself up. "So... I've been thinking of taking the Murf."

"Do it, Holly. You won't regret it. I promise you that." Sara beamed. The barista arrived with her latte and a plushy, round pad the size of tortoise. Sara stood to adjust herself on the new seat, but something else caught her fancy. She stood up straight, and stared down at Holly.

"What?" Holly asked, sheepishly.

Sara took her by the arm and pulled her into a hug. Holly found herself over a foot off the ground, dangling inside of Sara's large embrace. "What!?" she laughed as she felt the rumbling laugh of Sara's massive chest against her.

"You spent all this time acting like you were never going to do it. And now you make the decision in 24 hours." Sara stated, setting her friend carefully back on the ground. "I'm so excited for you. Now you get to start your life like the rest of us."

"I could have had a life without it." Holly said, plopping back into her chair.

"Listen," Sara replied, sliding onto her pad and putting her face close to Holly across the table. "Nobody likes to say it. It's not a very nice thing to think, but it's the truth. Omegas are becoming a new class fast. And they're not exactly second, if you know what I mean."

Holly didn't have to be told that. She lived it every day. The omegas were becoming a part of a ruling class without ever firing a shot. It felt natural. No matter how sweet and understanding an omega could be, they had a naturally commanding presence, and society was wrapping itself around them with no need for coercion.

"You could have had a happy life how you are. But now you can have a full life." Sara leaned back, letting her body stretch out against her top. Holly couldn't help but marvel at just how impressive a figure her best friend had been bestowed.

"I don't know if I need to be as... full as you. I wouldn't mind being one of those short omegas. Seven footers. I could get by like that, without making things too different for Grant."

"They're calling them lowmegas these days." Sara corrected.

"Lowmegas. Clever." Holly spat.

"And they're almost as rare as... well, me. You'll probably wind up somewhere a little above 8 feet like most of us." Sara said.

"Ooh, I just felt a chill. It's still so spooky to me." Holly said. "I like my body. People always called me a natural beauty. Well, they used to."

"Imagine what they'll call you now. Are you gonna get a subsidy from your work for the procedure?"

"I'm asking first thing Monday morning. Which is why I wanted to talk to you so soon." Holly replied.

"I'll send you all the literature. Best to be informed." Sara stated. "Make sure you take more of the Nektar than you think you'll need. You can always get refills, but best to start strong. And don't leave the doctor's office without at least a couple stretchies. You call me if you have any questions. I've been through all of this before."

"Really? I had no idea." Holly sneered.

Sara shoved her playfully, gasping when Holly flew out of her chair onto the floor. "Sorry! I-"

"That's the only one you get!" Holly laughed.

-----

The halogen light of the bright office buzzed above Holly's desk. She let it distract her. Even after all of Sara's coaching the night before, she was still nervous to talk to Davis. She added some lines to the design she was working at on her laptop. The logo was becoming too busy, and she knew it. But busy was what she needed right now.

"That looks too busy." came a voice from above. Holly stared up to see Morgan standing over her. She wore a loose, professional, white-striped dress cinched at the waist. Her short-cropped hair hung over her face as she stared down at Holly's computer screen.

"I know." Holly sighed. "I finished it hours ago."

"Are you asking for more logo work? Because I still have 6 due by-"

"How tall are you, Morgan?" Holly asked, standing up to speak to her.

Morgan blushed. It was more direct than she was used to. Omegas had become accustomed to smaller people not asking their exact height. "It's all tall to me." had become a running joke.

"Eight-five." she said, almost like it was a question.

Holly stared up at her, getting closer as if she was examining. She could see Morgan's face get redder behind the curve of her breast. "Everything ok?"

Holly sighed again. "I'm thinking of taking the Murf."

"Oh, that's great!" Morgan encouraged. "We've all been wondering when you'd finally do it."

Holly shot her a look. Were the office omegas talking about her behind her back? Or above her back, technically?

"I'm just working up the nerve to ask Davis to subsidize me."

"Yeah, he can be weird about that. Some of us decided to do it out of pocket, just so he couldn't hold it over us."

"Prick." Holly spat. "Any advice?"

Morgan leaned down at patted her on the back. "Walk in there and talk to him like you're already 8 feet tall." 

Holly smiled back at her. "Thanks."

"See you on the upper level." Morgan smiled back.

Holly marched along the open floor plan to the small office at the far end of her floor. She passed half a dozen omegas as she did, as if cutting through the thick underbrush of possibility on her way to salvation. She would be one of them soon. All it took was a rubber stamp from the man behind that door.

She knocked. "Yeah!" came a voice behind it. Holly opened it to find Davis scrolling through a long list of forms on his desktop. 

"Holly!" he shouted with mock enthusiasm. "Loved the Brandwise logo you sent this morning. When can we expect the full packet?"

"I have it all ready." Holly said, shutting the door behind her. Davis cocked an eyebrow as she sat in the chair across from his desk. "I just wanted to-"

"Something wrong with the brief?" he interrupted.

"No, it was actually really easy. I wanted to ask you about something else."

Davis sighed. "Look, I know you're gunning for something more leadershippy here, but we're fully staffed up with people more..."

"I wanted to ask about taking the Murf. What's the company's process for sponsorship?" Holly shot back.

Davis swallowed his humor. His face turned into a light grimace. "I'm really happy for you that you decided to do this for yourself, Holly. But we've already sponsored three girls this year alone."

"Is there a quota?" Holly asked, confused.

"Not exactly. But it becomes substantially more difficult without spreading these subsidies out."

"When's the last time you sponsored someone?"

"Four months ago. Anna. And you saw how..." he stopped himself, dropping his hands down from the crude swooping gestures he began to make.

"So how soon can you sponsor someone else? I'm not against waiting a bit." Holly tried.

"The thing is... I just approved a subsidy last week." Davis squirmed.

Holly's heart sank. "Who?" Her mind raced, thinking of the handful of women in the office she still saw eye to eye.

"Laurie." Davis spat. 

Laurie. She'd only been working here for 3 months. But Davis always had a weird look on his face when she passed by. And Holly noticed that she passed by quite a lot. She wasn't sure what else there was to say.

"Look, I love where your head's at. Let's table this Murf talk for a couple months, then circle back when we're fresh again. I love your ambition. Nothing's better than ambition. But for now, why don't you just send me that packet?"

The door slammed behind her. Holly didn't even remember standing up. She walked over to the break room, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Morgan as she passed. It wasn't hard. All she had to do was stare straight ahead.

She pulled a coffee mug out of the cabinet and began to shovel grounds into the coffeemaker. Her senses were beginning to readjust. The humiliation was subsiding. Then Laurie walked in.

"Oh! Hey, Holly!" she said, quite chipper.

"Hi, Laurie." Holly replied, warmly. She looked over at the average height women, her thick red hair cascading down in a messy bunch. She was wearing a blue, stretchie jumpsuit that fit her quite poorly. It was rumpled in places, baggy in others. Her naturally appealing figure was given no favors by this new look. "I heard you were approved to take the Murf."

"I just did it this morning." Laurie beamed. "Got back a couple minutes ago."

Holly observed her carefully, then. Apart from the fashion choice, she didn't look much different from her normal 5'6" height. "How was it?"

"Surreal, honestly. They give you this big infodump, pump you full of the catalyzer, hand off some smoothies and one of these bad boys..." At that, Laurie, tugged on her stretchies and watched them snap back against her body. "And... we're off."

"Do you feel different?"

"Not yet. They say it can take a minute for it to really kick in. But it picks up the pace the longer it goes, and-"

Holly watched Laurie continue her ramble. The woman could never keep a statement concise. But what really caught her attention was the realization that her eyes were slowly moving up as she stared up at Laurie. It was starting.

"Woah." Laurie breathed, taking a coffee in her hands. "I guess, here we go."

Holly had begun staring directly at Laurie's neck. Now she was looking at her shoulders. It must have been a couple inches over the course of a few seconds.  "Here we go." she croaked.

"Well, see you around." Laurie said, turning around and heading toward the door. "Just.. you know, lower."

Holly leaned against the counter, holding her own coffee in her hands. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and pulled it out. A text from Sara.

*how did it go?*

*bad. he said they can't afford it, since they just gave one to someone else.*

Typing. Furious little dots bouncing at the bottom of the conversation. Holly couldn't help but feel invigorated by her friend's textual enthusiasm.

*bullshit. there's no reason he can't give it to you. the government is still fully funding all corporate subsidies.*

*i wondered if he just didn't want another omega gunning for his job* Holly wrote back, feeling suddenly empowered.

*get back in there and tell him he's paying for your murf, or you're calling the ACLU on his ass.*

*do you think that'll work?*

*if it doesn't, i'm coming down there and talking it through with him myself*

Holly smiled. She put her phone back in her pocket, slurped her coffee down in two quick gulps, and stormed back into Davis's office.

-----

"I'm just surprised you were able to see me so quickly." Holly told the doctor. She sat on a bench in a white examining room, surrounded by the standard medical doo dads. Tongue depressors, cotton swabs, upsetting diagrams of the body.

"We don't get nearly as many appointments for this as we used to." Doctor Hastings replied. He was a thin man, almost six and a half feet tall, and seemingly in his 60s. He had a gentle way about him that made Holly feel at ease. "Most of the women who were interested in this sort of thing had taken it months ago. You missed the boom."

Hastings unwrapped the compression pump from Holly's arm. "All good?" she asked, nervously.

"Vitals are perfect. I'd say you're the healthiest you'll ever be, but I'd be lying." Hastings smiled.

"You've done a lot of these?" Holly queried. She still needed some assurance.

"Oh, dozens. There are never any complications, really. Some women get cold feet, but that's their own business." Hastings pulled a cotton swab from a jar and dabbed it with numbing solution. He saw Holly wince as he did. He smiled, and rubbed the crook of her arm carefully with the swab.

"I'm just going to start with the catalyzer. Now, that's the MRPF_3 injection that gets the ball rolling. There will be a little pinch here." He pulled out a needle filled with amber liquid. "If you're squeamish, just relax and look away."

Holly nodded. She never had a problem with needles, but this particular one was very auspicious. She felt the pinch, and then it felt like her blood thickened ever so slightly. It was done. She took the Murf.

Hastings put a bandage over the injection point and squeezed her shoulder like a grandfather would. "Now, the rest is on you. We'll set you up on your way out with 5 cases of Nektar, that's the high-protein solution that will help your growth stay stable, and keep you from any hunger pains or soreness. Comfort is key here. Now, we recommend one serving of Nektar with every meal, no matter how many meals your body feels it needs on your... journey."

Holly blushed. She suddenly felt hungry already. She thought of Laurie, how quickly it started for her. Would it be even quicker in her case?

"The bottles are portioned by the serving, so don't worry about measuring anything. It's all been thought out for you. We're around if you experience any complications. But it's very rare for women undergoing the procedure to feel anything more than the occasional anxiety attack. It's a big change, after all."

"Big change." Holly repeated. She looked down at herself. She was still wearing the same loose black slacks and white t-shirt she'd brought to work. 

"Last thing is, we have some stretchies here for you." Hastings announced, pulling a small garment out from a cabinet. "They come in blue, green, yellow, pink, purple..."

"How many can I have?" Holly asked.

"I can give you one of each, if you like. We're not in high demand, like I said. And the government is footing the bill." 

"The green and purple are fine." Holly said, taking one out of Dr. Hastings' hands. "And the blue."

"Some women like to wear them out, just in case. I can step out if you'd like to change."

"No, that's alright." Holly said, collecting her new set of stretchies. "Thank you, doctor."

-----

Holly rounded the winding hallway back into the lobby. It was still only 2pm, and the place was practically deserted. The nurse behind the counter flagged her down. She was young, and from Holly's estimate about 8'2". "I just need your signature on some forms, and then you're good to grow."

Holly smiled. The nurse seemed very proud of that joke. Who was she to judge? She scribbled her name on the forms, one by one, trying her best to ignore the vibrating feeling along her arms. "All set?"

"We have your Nektar here." the nurse replied, hoisting a pallet of plastic-wrapped shake bottles up from the counter with ease. Holly looked at the impressive stack with concern. The nurse took notice.

"I can help you out to your car if you don't have anyone with you..."

"I, um..."

The door swung open then, and Grant appeared as if on cue. "Holly!" he burst forward, pulling her into his arms. Holly hugged him tightly. He felt, somehow, smaller. She must be imagining things. Her brain was already resetting its expectations for the future.

"Sorry I'm late. I didn't realize you were already headed here."

"It's ok." Holly replied. "Do you mind helping me with my supplements?"

Grant turned to the large pallet on the counter. The nurse smiled down at him, challenging him to say yes.

-----

Holly tugged at her shirt as she sat in the SUV next to Grant. The bottles of Nektar bounced in the backseat behind them. She felt stifled in her clothes, but refused to believe she was already growing.

"I just can't believe you did this so soon." Grant exclaimed, eyes still fixed on the road. "You only told me you were ready last night."

"Well, it just sort of aligned this way." Holly replied.

"And work was cool with you taking the rest of the day off?"

"The way I left things, work would be cool if I threw my desk at Davis." Holly laughed

Grant laughed. "You laugh, but that's not going to be outside the realm of possibility in a couple weeks."

Holly calmed down at that. "Well, no going back now. Ugh..." she tugged harder on her blouse.

Grant pulled to the side of the road, trying to get a better look at his struggling wife. His eyes immediately caught the problem. "Baby, you're off and running."

"No fucking way. I just got the injection 20 minutes ago." Holly debated.

"Holly, I'm pretty familiar with your body. And I know how big your boobs are."

Holly looked down as he said that. Her chest seemed to have swollen noticeably. "No way. You're just messing with me."

"Is your shirt messing with you?" Grant asked. He tugged at the bottom of her white tee. She slapped his hand away playfully before realizing what exactly he had done. She felt the bottom hem of her shirt. It was riding up above her waist. She felt the bare skin of her midriff beneath her undeniably larger chest. Her heartbeat quickened. Fear, but also excitement made her body tingle all the more. Grant pulled back onto the road.

"Have you had any lunch?"

"No, and I'm starving." Holly groaned.

"Growing girl." Grant smiled.

They pulled off into a diner not far from their house. It was one of Holly's favorites and Grant knew it. He wanted to put some normalcy back into the day as soon as possible. He stepped out of the SUV and, as a form of habit, walked to the other side to help his wife out. When he got there, she was already standing on the pavement, beaming up at him. "Easier than it looked."

He looked at her, her tee shirt riding up past her bellybutton. Her loose slacks were showing the shape of her leg more than he remembered. Holly smiled back, staring straight at his collarbone. It was a new feeling, and surprisingly fun for her.

"Let me grab a shake." she said, whipping open the backdoor and snapping a bottle off the stack. "One per meal. Doctor's orders." she cooed, sashaying into the diner. Grant smiled, following her in.

They were sat at a booth near the back. The lunch rush had already petered out, so they had the place mostly to themselves. Grant looked over at the tall tables on the other side of the dining area. So they'd already started upgrading the seating even here. His mind wandered, wondering how soon he'd have to sit at one of those tables with his wife, every time they went out together. He was brought back to Earth by the sound of their plates hitting the table. He looked down at his club sandwich, made to perfection as usual. Then he saw Holly's plate.

"A caesar salad?" Grant questioned.

"I love the salad here." Holly protested.

"Holly, you're gonna get sick if you don't eat enough protein."

"But I don't want to get too big, Grant. It's my first day. Can't I go slow?"

"Ma'am, can we add a few things to this order?" Grant asked, grabbing the waitress before she could leave. At least she was smaller than him, or else she would have been long gone.

Holly grimaced as she watched a double cheeseburger plop in front of her, with two baskets of fries. "Will you finish what I can't eat?"

"At least try." Grant pleaded.

Holly picked up the burger, and stared at it. She took a bite, and felt her whole body quiver. In that moment, she became addicted to that burger. She gobbled it up so fast, Grant had barely finished the first half of his sandwich before she dove into the fries. Grant was stunned as he watched his tiny wife wolf down what had to be at least 5000 calories, barely coming up for air.

In due time, the plate was clean. Holly came to out of her fugue state and looked at the damage. "That was almost orgasmic." she wheezed. She patted her full stomach, feeling just how tight her shirt had become as it rippled against her expanded flesh. She looked down, and her tits stared back at her. "Jesus."

"Not so fast." Grant admonished.

"What? Do you want me to lick the plate?"

Grant pointed animatedly to the shake sitting next to her on the table.

"Grant, I'm so full." Holly begged.

"Doctor's orders." Grant joked.

Holly sighed. She unscrewed the top of the Nektar and stared down at the thick, milky contents inside. The bottle itself had to be at least a liter. Not exactly a quick sip. She brought it to her lips and drank. It was almost like a malted soup, like she was drinking a 3 course meal in a bottle. She choked a bit after the first few glugs. "Think that's enough?"

"Don't be mad when you wake up with pains tonight." Grant said.

Holly sighed. She brought the shake back up to her mouth and chugged, feeling the contents slide slowly down her throat as it distended to take the load. She felt her whole body fill as she drank, as if every inch of her was becoming thicker, more powerful, bigger. Her heart quivered. Her nipples perked up. She even felt her sex grow warm and wet as she imagined what was happening to her body. She'd heard euphoria was a symptom, but she didn't imagine it would be this potent.

Grant finished off his last bite and stared at his wife as she slammed the empty shake bottle on the table. She must have gone from a small B to a CC over the course of the day. The shirt had become a second skin on her body. "Maybe you should put on one of the stretchies now." he offered.

"I'll do it when I get home." she replied. She didn't want to admit that she thought the stretchies looked hideous. She was holding off that stage of the process for as long as she could.

"Are you sure?" Grant asked.

Holly smiled. "I'm very sure." She grabbed his hand in mock solemnity, and in doing so, heard a loud rip from behind her back. Her eyes shot open wide. Grant's face told her everything. Her arms reached behind her back, and felt a long gash down her spine.

"Ok, it's fine. I'll just..." Grant stood up slowly and backed over to her side of the booth. "Just stand up slowly..." he held out his hand and helped her to her feet. As she stood, he spun her quickly, bringing her back to his front. 'You ok?"

"Uh huh." Holly whispered, embarrassed.

"We're just gonna... walk over..." He took her arm and walked her, pressing up close to her to cover her exposed back. He walked her gently to the ladies room on the other side of the dining room. Past the tall omega tables, he nodded at a couple who winked knowingly at them. Holly turned bright red, mortified. Grant saw the ladies room only a few feet away. He realized then that he had to crane his head slightly to see. The top of Holly's head was now just below his eyesight. Before, he had been well over a head taller than her. The change was happening faster than he could have ever anticipated.

Finally, they made it to the door, and Holly rocketed in. "I'll grab a pair from the car. Just... wait a second."

Holly leaned against the wall of the diner's ladies room. She stared at herself in the long mirror across from her. Her shirt was ruined. Her pants clung to her so tight, she could practically see cellulite. And her nipples were poking through the ruined front of her tee. She prayed no one would come into the room in the seeming eternity it took for Grant to return.

Then, a knock. She opened the door a crack, and a hand slipped through holding a folded pair of stretchies. "Thank you." she chirped, as she snatched them from the hand. She set them on the sink, and stared at herself. She slowly pulled the shirt from her shoulders, watching her new chest bounce as she did. She tried with some effort to slide the tight slacks around her expanded thighs. She'd wished Sara was there to help. In more ways than one.

Finally she stood naked, unfurling the rubber-esque garment in full. Grant chose blue. How safe.

He stood outside, waiting for his wife to emerge. When she finally did, he covered his mouth with his hand. He was able to play it off as awe, as thankfully his laugh was too quiet to hear. Holly stood in front of him, dressed in her matte-shiny jumpsuit. Her hair was a mess from the quick change, and her piercing eyes stared at him, one brow cocked.

That look was imposing even when she was a foot shorter than him. Now she was staring at his lips. She kissed him, letting her hands run through his hair, pressing her new body against him, letting her long legs curl around him. She took his breath away. "Ready to go?" she smoldered.

Grant nodded dumbly as he rushed toward the car. Holly chuckled as she followed. She stopped at the door of the diner. Her eyes caught a height chart right next to it. Obviously for the occasional stick-up, the chart rose all the way to 10 feet now. She couldn't help but feel curious when she looked at it. She sidled up, bringing her hand to the top of her head. She stuck it on the chart and stepped back. Her eyes shot open again.

5'9". Eight whole inches. She felt herself, taking in the new perspective she had gained. She couldn't help but feel content. She loved the look Grant gave her when he looked down ever so slightly to see her. She could be happy at 5'9". If this was all the procedure did for her, that was no big loss.

But deep down she knew, it had only been a couple hours. And it had only just begun.