[POV: Sophie]
Almost a full year had passed since Sophie and her daddy were mercilessly shrunk to an inch. Sophie had always believed growing up that the world revolved around her, but she wondered if she was a product of bad luck. Nobody had come to save her. Stephanie and her cronies had made sure of that. The only ones who seemed to show sympathy were Brian and Veronica, but they were slaves to their own fantasies of being shrunken.
Sophie and her daddy spent day after day being a slave to Xue, the old Ching-Chong. Sophie was going to get her revenge – she swore it.
“Stop staring in space, bug girl! Finish my pedicure!”
Sophie got out of her train of thought. The old Ching-Chong was even taking that away from her.
Sophie stared at the old tanned bare feet of the middle-aged Asian woman. She hated those fat and flat feet. At least Sophie wasn’t using her own hair to paint the bitch’s toenails anymore.
“Get going”, said Xue, “whole year pass and you still don’t get your place.”
Sophie said nothing. She wasn’t going to give the old Ching-Chong the satisfaction.
Sophie dipped the brush in the red polish and began painting Xue’s toenails. Sophie knew it was demeaning but she knew that if she didn’t do her job that she would go in the PedEgg again.
Sophie watched as the toes shamelessly wiggled and occasionally grabbed her body. Just another day in the life of a tiny.
Sophie tried to look at the bright side. She could have been Stephanie’s tiny – that would have been so much worse to end up with that oversensitive bitch. At least Xue let Sophie insult her and Xue just ignored it.
“Fucking ching chong”, grumbled Sophie as she continued working.
At the other foot was her daddy. He was an amazing father who didn’t deserve any of this – just because he fired a man confused about his gender out of all things.
“Ronald, why don’t you work tonight”, barked Xue.
“Old bitch, my arms are tired and I am tired of you being nasty to me and my daughter.”
Sophie admired that about her daddy – he never gave up.
“I’m younger than you.”
“Yeah but you’ve given up on your appearance – typical of an old China woman, I guess.”
Sophie could only watch as Xue raised her foot on Daddy and put it down.
“Get back to work”, said Xue to Sophie, “or you underfoot too. Maybe Ronald go in PedEgg tomorrow.”
Sophie continued working on Xue’s toenails. She painted each toenail meticulously and made sure the work was flawless. Sophie had gotten incredibly good at painting nails. Xue would even have Sophie paint nails for customers on occasion. What, why the hell was she feeling satisfaction about that? It’s been way too long and she couldn’t go back in the PedEgg.
“You do good when you focus. You avoid PedEgg again. As for your father, he’s not so fortunate.”
[POV: Stephanie]
Stephanie Zhao was in a good place in life. She just graduated from NYU and got a nice job in Human Resources at the Hornblower Foundation. Stephanie also received an amazing gift last year in the shrinking machine. And it was almost her one-year anniversary with Roger, the most amazing boyfriend ever and her favorite tiny person ever!
But unfortunately, Roger’s snooty parents insisted that Roger go to Venice with them and without her. Roger promised he would back by her birthday, June 1, no matter what. Stephanie knew Roger would put in all efforts to get home.
Stephanie checked her phone and saw two texts.
Roger: My sexy Stephanie, I am missing you so much. Venice is so boring in comparison <3
Julie: Your latest mission – if you should choose to accept.
Stephanie missed Roger but she had an interesting night ahead.
To Roger
Stephanie: My little cutie, I miss you sooooooo much and believe me – Venice would be more exciting if I was there 😉
Roger: *kissy face* 😉
To Julie
Stephanie: Who needs tiny playtime tonight?
Julie: You must get there fast. Mulligan’s on West 109th Street. Some Wall Street jerk is attempting date rape based on my surveillance.
Stephanie: Of course but I’m really far – in my apartment at the East Village a85;
Julie: Mauricio is getting a helicopter now.
There was nothing Julie couldn’t do. Stephanie was on it. She looked at herself in the mirror – tanktop, short-shorts, and flip-flops with toenails painted pink. She was ready with the shrinking machine in her pocketbook.
Stephanie heard the helicopter and rushed to it. She waved hello to Mauricio and the two were off.
In an instant, Stephanie was in front of Mulligan’s and ready.
She entered the bar and could see a tall white guy, probably in his mid 20’s, sneaking some powder inside a woman’s drink.
Stephanie approached the guy.
“Hey! Don’t I know you from somewhere?”
“Uhh”, said the man, “do you work at Goldman? Sorry, all you Asians look the same to me.”
“Oh, all you bros look the same to me. So, I might be mistaken.”
“Stick around”, said the man, “my name is Parker.”
“Stephanie. You have two drinks?”
“Yeah. Met this total hottie blonde. She’s just in the bathroom now but we’ll have a grand old time.”
“Is that why you put that stuff in her drink? For a grand old time?”
Parker looked nervous.
“I..umm..I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie to me”, said Stephanie, “I saw you.”
Stephanie took the roofied drink and poured the contents on the floor.
“Ready for a grand old time”, asked Stephanie with a wink.
Parker looked scared – good.
Stephanie stealthily pulled out the shrinking machine and shrunk Parker down 1/60 of his size.
She saw the tiny Parker on the barstool.
“I’m leaving but while your lady is away, you can keep her seat warm!”
Stephanie got a piece of tape keeping him stuck to the blonde’s seat.
[POV: Xue]
Xue was living the dream. The man whose negligence caused her husband to die was now her bug brat forever.
Xue kept Ronald under her foot feeling his body stupidly try to fight her weight.
Sophie was doing a good job today painting Xue’s nails.
“You make Xue proud.”
“So you won’t put me in the PedEgg?”
“Definitely not, you’re good bug today”, responded Xue with a laugh.
“I don’t want you to hurt Daddy.”
“I tell you what your Daddy did to me?”
“Yes”, responded Sophie with a roll of her eyes, “unfortunate accident – but he has done so much good for America.”
“So delusional. You act like he’s President?”
“70 million people would agree with me.”
“I think less.”
Xue twisted her foot on Ronald letting him feel her power.
“Sophie, give my foot a little kiss.”
Sophie didn’t object and put her lips on Xue’s big toe.
Xue would never find the feeling of a tiny caressing her foot to be old.
“You good bug. Now, we prepare for tomorrow.”
Sophie stared at Xue knowing the answer.
“You help with customers. Ronald help with PedEgg.”
Xue enjoyed having Sophie pamper her customers’ and their feet.
“Umm”, said Sophie, “what sort of tasks will I be doing tomorrow?”
“Customers seem to like when I bring you out for show – as long as people keep you secret.”
Xue had been taking risks the past few months by showing her customers the tiny Sophie. She hadn’t done that with Ronald but he was ugly and would scare customers away. Sophie was a brat but had a natural beauty to her which was hard to ignore. Xue had been only showing Sophie off to her VIP customers who could be trusted to keep a secret.
Xue still had Ronald under her foot. But she knew that it was time for sleep – tomorrow would be a busy day at the nail salon. Xue was also busily planning a surprise for Stephanie whose birthday was coming up in a week. Her daughter only deserved the best – she was first in family to graduate from college.
“What do you think I should do for Stephanie for her birthday”, Xue asked Sophie.
“Maybe you should grow me back, I shrink Stephanie and I have my own tiny playtime with her”, Sophie was getting more comfortable around her after a year.
“I do opposite of that”, said Xue with a laugh.
Sophie looked worried.
“You be good girl. And I protect you from Stephanie. Sleep time.”
Xue pulled out a piece of tape and taped Ronald to her foot.
“Ching chong bitch”, grumbled Ronald.
Xue could care less.
“You sleep well now”, said Xue to Ronald, “since there will be PedEgg taking care of you.”
“Sophie”, continued Xue, “you paint nails well and get a reward. You can sleep in tiny bed.”
Xue picked up Sophie and placed the tiny onto a bed made of tissues.
Xue smiled, tomorrow would be a great day.