Tina sat alone within the comforts of her apartment, freshly damp from a shower after her latest workout session at the gym. Her slight, sinewy form was reclined back into her couch, television providing background noise as she idly enjoyed her some handheld games. This was, in a sense, her happy place. The safe haven where nobody could ever bother or judge her and where she could reset her social energies for the coming week. The pinnacle of zen. 

So why didn’t it feel particularly safe or happy?

Oh certainly, Tina vaguely enjoyed mindlessly pushing the buttons on her game, but there was a...hollow quality about it. A sense of going through the motions without the same thrill. With a sigh the woman paused to tug at the collar of her baggy shirt, itself so oversized it fell to her thighs. Out of habit her toes scrunched together, Tina half expecting to hear tiny curses and boasts of defiance. There were none of course. Nor would there be. Evie was miles away and so small that nothing would ever find or hurt her. 

It had taken everything she had to maintain a strong face as she did what she did. It was but one of many ideas that had crossed her mind; but with Amy’s expert assurances it was the one she carried out. While she made a show of it seeming callous to Evie, the truth was anything but. Everything had been meticulously considered with Amy’s input, and even then it took assurances from her friend that it would be fine. The process could be undone and in this instance the limitations of the prototype worked in their favor. Even so, actually doing it and bearing witness to the sheer desperate despair on her pet’s face while she shrank into nothing was...not something Tina cared for. It was extreme. Intentionally so perhaps, but an extreme all the same. A temporary evil, she told herself; but that didn’t make it sit with her any better. 

Letting out a heavy sigh, now Tina understood why Amy insisted she not just shrink Evie in the apartment. With how much the guilt nagged at her she doubted she would’ve been able to resist undoing the reduction. Thankfully, for better or worse Evie was beyond Tina’s reach. It would all be undone on Monday and, hopefully, her plaything would be far more willing to play ball. If not...She didn’t know what else she could try. It remained a heavy concern; and for now all Tina could do was try and keep herself occupied and away from such thoughts. Something far easier said than done. 

Another half an hour of play and Tina accepted it was a futile effort. She flicked her console off and returned it to its charging station, collapsing back onto her couch in a listless heap. Messy brown hair draped itself across her face as she let out a frustrated groan and turned her eyes to the television. Depicted was an old sitcom she enjoyed growing up; though not even the wacky antics of J.D. and his friends could lift her spirits it seemed. Nonetheless, Tina allowed herself to absently watch it. Before long she reached aside for one of her nearby plush toys and hugged it against her body, the cute visage buried in the depths of her bosom.

How long had it been since this all had begun? A few months? Weeks? So much of it remained fresh in her mind and yet time had flown by. In her life’s story it remained a short, unfinished chapter. Funny to think, considering how much her life had changed in the midst of it. In many ways it was everything she could’ve dreamed of. Her career was blossoming. Her favorite shows had been greenlit for new seasons. She was coming out of her shell more with each passing day. And of course, a childhood fantasy had come true via her own personal little pet in Evie. Yet, for her wildest dreams things had also gotten so much more complicated than she ever would’ve expected. 

Tina had just wanted to put a bully in her place. Strange as it was now, that was how this nonsense had begun. All she wanted was to have her fun with Evie. Step on her a bit, maybe tease her some, then prop her feet up with a confident “Get to work.”. Exactly as it played out in so many of the scenarios she fantasized over the years. While she did indeed get that, she hadn’t anticipated nor signed on for such a prolonged battle of wills. To feel such guilt constantly assail her. Or to be so frustrated that reality had overcomplicated everything.

Despite whatever Evie may have thought, Tina didn’t enjoy seeing her miserable. She was someone who reveled in power and dominance - not in cruelty. That was always the key difference between her and the bullies she loathed. The same sorts of people who made her the uncertain, awkward mess of a person she was today. For the woman who was often looked down upon, there was nothing sweeter than reversing the tables. For her to look down upon them. It was that dream that saw her train her body, and that got her through the many hardships of life. 

And despite the impossibility of such a dream, it came true.

Fingers running across the head of her plush toy, Tina found herself missing her little pet. For all her difficulties, she was a soothing presence to the awkward young woman. Running her fingers across Evie’s body or teasing her had become regular recurring comforts. Things she looked forward to and that got her through the day as much as fantasizing about them once had. Now, without them, it felt oddly lonely. Was this the first day she’d had to herself since she had shrunken Eva? It seemed so. Ironic that she held all the power and yet without her plaything she lacked the drive to even play her games. All she wanted was to feel Evie’s squirms once again. To feel the comfort that only a smaller presence could provide. 

This is all because of her anyway. Tina mused.

She had met a great many bullies across her life, but only one pushed her to the brink as Eva had. She was the one who broke the last straw. The one who was quite possibly the cruelest, most self-centered, vapid person Tina had ever met. Though in a strange way, Tina owed her for that. It was being spurred to action that caused her life to change. It was in toying with Evie that she began to gain the confidence to take meaningful steps in her life. 

Perhaps she owed Eva more than she realized.

Her thoughts went to the woman still trapped somewhere on the break room floors. Reduced to such a pitiful scale she likely wouldn’t even move a single millimeter out of place. It must’ve been agony. Here Tina couldn’t stand being idle for a couple hours, but days? She couldn’t begin to imagine what that was like. Really, she couldn’t imagine most of what Evie had been going through. It was the greater kindness, she reminded herself. So long as Evie fought her it was just dragging out the misery. For both of them.

Still, after this maybe she could take it easy for a while. No more mean games. She could treat Evie to some nice food and maybe level with her. Talk this out like adults instead of the cat and mouse game they’d been playing at. Tina smiled envisioning it, much preferring the mental image of both of them together lounging on her couch. Her watching TV and Evie lounging atop her abs doing the same. 

Yeah, think I’ll do that.

THUNK THUNK!

“Hmm?” Tina lifted her head as loud knocks came from her door. A visitor? Odd. Nobody ever visited her. 

Lest she be rude, Tina stood and hastily adjusted her hair and glasses. Alas, there was no time to swap out of her slobbish sweatpants and oversized t-shirt so whoever her guest was would have to deal. 

“Coming!”

She hurried towards the door, undoing the lock and opening it. Never in a thousand years would she have predicted what lay on the other side.

“Hello ma’am, Tina Martin right? Do you mind if I come in and ask you a few questions?” Said the police officer. 

“......Hah…?”

-----

Thus, Tina soon found herself back inside her apartment. Once again sitting on her couch and now stiff as a board as this stranger gave her room a surveying glance. A police officer? Here?! Why on earth would they ever come to her?! 

Tina’s eyes flicked towards her vacant change jar and she knew all at once why, the truth of the matter making her heart pound. They’d found her out. This was it. She was going to go to jail and- Oh god she was gonna go to jail!!! 

She was...coping with the situation about as well as one could expect of her.  

After a moment the officer, a heavyset black woman, looked her way with a professional expression. “Thank you ma’am, I’ll try not to waste your time. Are you familiar with a Miss Eva Rhodes?”

Yep, this was it. She was done for. 

“Yes, she’s my boss- Er...She was my boss.” Tina answered, every one of her unfortunate social tics manifesting all at once. God she must’ve looked like such a liar. Constantly fidgeting in place and toying with her glasses. “Did something happen to her?”

The officer frowned, her eyes seemingly piercing through Tina’s soul. “I’m afraid she is missing.” She said candidly. “We received a Missing Persons report from a friend of hers. Do you know anywhere Eva might have gone? Did she mention any trips or vacation homes or family?”

Tina’s nails dug into her shirt as she shook her head. “No, never.” 

“I see.” The cop seemed to make a mental note of that. “Do you know of anyone who may’ve wanted to harm her? Or anyone she might’ve wanted to harm?”

“God, who didn’t?” Tina found herself saying with an exasperated chuckle. “Evie- Miss Rhodes...wasn’t well liked.” That much was absolutely true. The list of people who would see harm come to her former boss was as vast as...Well, Tina was to Eva she supposed. “She could be really harsh on people, and when she got let go a while back she was...not happy.”

“So I’ve gathered.” The officer muttered. “Does that include you?”

It was a natural if not blunt follow-up, and yet it surprised Tina. A bit unprofessional perhaps, but the weary, overworked eyes of the police officer suggested she didn’t much care. Tina blinked, vaguely aware her ill-fitting glasses were sliding down her nose and yet not making any move to fix them. “I...No, not harm. God knows I was always upset with her. Wished karma would come her way more than once, but harm? No. Never.” She said quietly at length. Perhaps she had here or there since Eva’s reduction, but did she ever set out wanting to do it? No. 

The distinction made the other woman arch an eyebrow, though she let it slide. “Were there any signs that she might hurt herself?”

“No, never.”

It would’ve likely been in Tina’s best interests to lie. This was a chance to weave a story and get any suspicion off of her but...She couldn’t. Not just because this terrified her, but because if she did then...Well. She’d be no different from those she wanted to see punished. If this was how it would end, the least she could do was accept it. Once she realized that, she found herself calming down considerably. 

“Alright then. That checks out.” The officer sighed. “Well, thank you for your time ma’am. Sorry to bother you like this. Just needed to check all our bases.”

Huh?

“That’s it?” Tina balked.

“That’s it.” 

They weren’t going to arrest her? They didn’t have a squad surrounding the place ready to bring her in? Where was the punishment for daring to shrink Eva? The evidence that she must’ve missed somewhere that they found? Did...Did they really have no idea? No leads? She rose to her feet, her chest pounding relentlessly as she helped lead her guest to the door. Was it really just a formal visit?

Evidently so, as in a few moments Tina was ushering the cop out the door. In a surreal scene the dark-skinned woman let out a breath and turned, giving Tina a grateful nod. She could just let her go and that would be that. Another crisis narrowly averted. However, something weighed heavy on Tina’s mind. Something she couldn’t just ignore. 

“Hey…” She called out to the officer, the other woman turning back in response. “You guys will...find her right?”

“I’m not allowed to talk too much about that ma’am.” The officer replied professionally. “But...I wouldn’t worry.” She allowed herself a slight smirk. “I’ve seen a lot of rich folks ‘go missing’ and turn up months or even years later. You’d be surprised how often it happens.”

Ahh...that explained it. This officer was merely following procedure. She might’ve not even seen it as much more than another wealthy woman throwing  a sudden tantrum. That was...relieving in its own strange way. 

Bidding the woman farewell, Tina closed and locked the door once more, instantly turning and collapsing onto the floor. “God that was close…” She breathed. An investigation. That was...not ideal for her. They had no leads and presumably would simply give up after a couple weeks, but in the meantime she needed to be careful. She held a hand over her chest and took several slow, steadying breaths. 

Perhaps this was a relief in disguise. There was an investigation, but one that seemed half hearted at best. They had no evidence to go off of at the moment and the woman clearly didn’t consider Tina any sort of suspect. It was a good thing. Just...Tina was in no state to consider it as such.

On the bright side, Evie wasn’t on the mind anymore.