Felix sat there with his knees dug into chest. No one had said anything for nearly 20 minutes. Part of Felix thought he should ask what the hell was going on, but the rest of him prefered the silence. He didn’t know if he'd be ready for the answer anyway. A bunch of tiny people in a highschool girl’s bedroom, there wasn’t any good version of an answer that would make Felix feel better about what he just saw. 

From what he was able to gather, it seemed that Katie was shrinking people and training them to be slaves for the highest bidder. That fact alone was enough for Felix to keep his mouth shut, scared of what else they would tell him about her. The thought of being sold was scary, but what was even scarier was that Felix was under the impression that he’d belong to Kaite forever.

Felix banged the back of his head against the bars behind him. Katie went to eat dinner shortly after Emma finished cleaning her shoe. The floor was still stained, but Katie said that it could wait until after dinner. She didn’t trust any of us running around when she’s not there, that’s why she put them in this dusty old cage under her bed.

Emma had been crying since we were put in here. Another girl was comforting her, Felix remembered someone saying her name was Sofia. Connie and Elias were silent like Felix, but they sat close to each other. And then there was a boy who hadn't spoken up at all. He laid on the ground on the other side of the cage, sneezing his head off.

And who could blame him with all this dust. The cage was filthy. Even where he was, Felix sat next to a pile of dried up poop. It stunk, but it mixed with all the other scents. After spending who knows how long sitting in blood and guts, the stool didn’t bother him.

“That’s Mia’s, ya know.” Connie said. 

Felix looked at him, but didn’t say anything.

“That pile of crap you keep looking at. It's Mia’s. That’s all we have left of her: a pile of waste.”

Emma wailed even harder, having trouble keeping it quiet this time. 

“Well I guess we’ll get a little more of her if Emma decides to throw up again.”

“Watch yourself.” Sofia barks.

“What’s your problem, it was a compliment.” Connie remarks. “Emma ate her friend like a good little dog, now she gets to live another day.” 

“She did what she had to do.” Sofia said. “I don’t have to remind you of the things you’ve done.”

“I’m sorry.” Felix said, looking at no one in particular. 

“Ah, it speaks.” Connie turned to him. 

Emma calmed down her crying to look at Felix. “What are you sorry for?”

“She was right there in front of me. I could’ve saved her, but I didn’t. I was so focused on looking cool to her that I did nothing as she was crushed to death.” Felix buried his head into his knees.

“Sorry doesn’t bring Mia back.” Elias sat up. 

“That’s something Katie says.” Sofia said. “Leave it up to the teacher’s pet to really retain that lesson.”

“Call me what you want,” Elias shied away from everyone. “I’m getting out of this hell hole. You guys haven't been here as long as I have. Katie has only sold three of the last ten tinies before me. The rest ended up just like Mia, one way or another. I’m doing whatever it takes to get sold, anyone has to be nicer than Katie.” 

“Achoo!” The boy in the back sneezed. He quivered, staying to himself. Felix started to stand up to move towards him, but Sofia glared at him and shook her head. Felix sat back down. 

Felix reflected on what Elias said. Katie has only sold three in ten people. There were six people in here. The odds weren’t in any of their favor, except maybe Elias. But what about…

“What did you mean when you said I was going to be her personal tiny, Elias?” 

The man peered back at him. The hairs on his chin were so thick, and his eyes heavy. “Katie was tired of seeing all her best pets go, so she wanted to train one all for herself. And since I know why you’re asking—no, I don’t think she’ll kill you as easily as she’ll kill us. You’re her lucky 76, she won’t give up on you as easily as she does us lower beings.”

Felix would be lying if he said he wasn’t relieved to hear he probably wouldn’t die, but living as Katie’s personal slave sounded like a worse fate. Felix scanned the room. Everyone there looked like they were the living dead. Felix wondered what each of them had done. He already knew Emma had eaten her friend off Katie’s shoe, but what did the rest have to do? What kind of things would he have to do to meet Katie’s standards of the perfect slave? And did he have any hope of returning to normal size and escaping?