“Wakey wakey!” said a familiar voice. The resonance shook Mason’s entire being.

Mason stirred, taking a second to remember where he was. He couldn’t do so, however, before Ishani’s colossal face came into focus. His jaw dropped as the events of the day so far came flooding back. He couldn’t believe this was real. How small was he? Half an inch? Maybe even a little less?

Quite some time had obviously passed as Ishani had had time to dry and tie back her hair. “How are you feeling?”

Mason was warmed by her breath. “I, uh…” he murmured as he began to stand, quickly losing his balance. He did not expect the landing to be so soft- the floor felt almost like that of an inflatable castle. It didn’t take long for him to realise that he was being held- a discovery he found somewhat emasculating, and yet the support of her immense palm against his naked flesh deeply comforting, the ridges of her skin providing grip without disturbing his comfort. He could easily have gone back to sleep right where he lay.

A finger lifted into view above him before rapidly closing in, gently pressing his naked body deeper into Ishani’s soft flesh as she giggled uncharacteristically. Mason was entirely consumed, her fingertip alone several times that of his body. He truly felt like an insect, only less mobile.

Ishani lifted her finger, taking Mason with it, his body stuck firmly to its pad.

“Look at you!” she boomed, bringing Mason right up to her hazel eyes- himself not even the size of a pupil.

Her entire demeanour had shifted. “I almost thought you wouldn’t wake up there for a minute! That would have been such a waste. I can’t wait to test out these new improvements!”

“Wait, you mean you’re not just going to return me to normal now?” squeaked Mason, slightly worried. As novel as the experience was, he was eager to just get his compensation and get the hell out. At that moment he felt utterly powerless.

“Of course not! Don’t you realise how ground-breaking this is? The first improvement is durability. Elissa- my flatmate- is always terrified of being crushed.”

Without warning, Mason was slammed by Ishani’s thumb as she squeezed him tightly for a moment between her two fingers.

“How did that feel?” she asked, relaxing her grip.

“Uh… actually fine,” he responded, slightly dazed. “Though it did make breathing slightly difficult.”

“Second feature! No pain response to heavy pressure. Goes together perfectly, right?”

“Yeah… right.”

“Let’s see how you deal with a heavier load!” said Ishani, tilting her finger- again without warning.

Mason instinctively clung to the ridges of her fingerprints, but it was no use. He scrambled for purchase as he began to slide before being plunged into a sudden drop.

In the split second he had to examine Ishani as he fell, he noticed her resembling more of a skyscraper than a person. Specifically, he caught a wry smile- she was very much enjoying this, and not just from a scientific standpoint.

Mason coughed as his body impacted the ground, but still no pain. Ishani stared down from miles above, but Mason soon discovered a more interesting view as he lowered his gaze.

“I suppose I don’t need this anymore,” Ishani said bemusedly as she dropped her bathrobe, now exposing her entire body from below. Mason was hit by a gust of wind as the white linen crumpled on the ground.

Ishani’s breasts were on the small side but perky, the proud tilt of her dark brown nipples accentuating their firmness.

“Hey! No looking!” she boomed playfully, raising her foot above his pathetic frame. His expression turned from that of begrudging appreciation to abject horror as the immaculately clean sole lowered towards him. Like her palm, it was slightly paler than the rest of her skin. It was average sized, slightly wrinkled with even toes which seemed poised to encase him.

Ishani hit her target squarely, completely obscuring Mason under the soft flesh just left of the next to the ball of her foot. Underneath, Mason’s movement was completely restricted, his face pressed firmly into her sole. He could not help but inhale the intense smell, which was not unpleasant, but rather citrusy with a hint of mango. He really needed to ask what body lotion she used.

The pressure increased once as Ishani shifted her balance onto the him, again when she stood on one leg, and a third time when she raised her heel off the ground, adopting a mock yoga tree pose to her own amusement.

Mason felt he might pop as his breathing was completely restricted. Just as he was about to pass out, the pressure lifted and Ishani seated herself, peeling her foot from the floor and bending her leg into her lap, sole upturned.

“How did that feel?” she asked to no response, which struck her with a tinge of concern.

“Are you okay?”

He still didn’t move, only his back visible to her. He looked okay- as far as she could tell. She flexed her foot a couple of times, dislodging him from the human-shaped crevice he had created around him by encasing him completely within a wrinkle with one flex and stretching her skin back out with the next.

Slowly, he began to unpeel himself- much to Ishani’s relief. “You had me worried there for a second!”

Mason finally rolled onto his back, panting heavily.

“Please… can you turn me… back to normal… now?” he gasped.

“I am sorry little one, but you are just too small for me to hear!” she lied, “but I will let you rest for now.”

Using the same technique as earlier, she pressed him firmly, sealing him to her fingerprint before taking a brief walk to her room.

“This,” she said, “is my bedroom.”

She walked towards her bedside table.

“And this,” she said, pulling out a small drawer “is yours!”