It came at me all at once. A shrill, contemptful voice, which reverberated off the courtroom walls and into my soul.

"We, the jury, find the defendant, Corey Elliot, guilty".

I knew it was coming, but it hit me by surprise all the same. 

"We recommend the maximum sentence; life: to be served under the victims' guardianship. We find Ms. Rebecca Ramirez should be awarded sole guardianship, with all the privileges and penalties afforded therein".

I can't even tell you what I felt; just that a wave of emotions washed over me. My high school sweetheart had managed to get me tried and convicted of sexual assault. I would be spending the rest of my life reduced and under her care.

The “trial” lasted all of an hour, which was typical these days.

Even her mother had taken the stand to testify against me. She’d never liked me, always telling Becca I was nothing compared to her. And as I was being prepared to be led out of the courtroom to be “resized”, it became apparent that she was right.

My heart skipped a beat when the judge interjected, "The jury's recommendation shall be carried out, but not before the victim herself comes of age".

The bailiff let go of my arm, and everyone in the courtroom looked back at the judge in confusion. Everything became a blur as my eyes began to water. I was saved!

"Until that time, the responsibility of guardianship shall be diverted to the victim's mother, Angela Ramirez.”

I could feel whatever blood and color I had left drain from my body as the bailiff’s grip on my arm tightened once more, pulling me to my inevitable fate. As I was led down the halls of the courthouse and to the resizing chamber, all I could do was reassure myself that it was just a formality. 

***

I woke with a jolt. I could feel heat and a rhythmic beating from beneath me. A cool breeze was pouring in from outside. The humming of the car and the sound of the news - on low - playing on the radio. I could see the titan that was once my girlfriend staring down at me with a look that almost appeared sympathetic. For a moment, I had the fleeting thought that she might have regretted what she had done and that she may actually, finally tell the truth.

Then I heard a booming voice in the distance that I immediately recognized as her mother.

"Feeling guilty?" It said. 

"I don't know.; he just seems so..."

 "Pathetic?" Her mom interrupted.

"Scared" Becca replied.

It was true. I was terrified, and my mind was already beginning to spiral as panicked thoughts poured into my head.

How could she have done this?! - Why would she ever accuse me of assaulting her?! - Ever since that damn technology was invented, the #BelieveAllWomen movement resulted in a 100% conviction rate for any man accused. - I've never laid a hand on her! - She knew they'd shrink me down to nothing. - Now she could do whatever she wanted with me. - What's going to happen to me?

"Oh, honey. Of course it's scared now. It's the size of a bug, probably scared of being squished.” She chuckled to herself. “Just wait. It's still a male. As soon as he realizes he can fit inside your..."

"Mom!"

The ground under me shifted, and the enormous tentacles surrounding me closed in at an unbelievable speed. Instinctively, I tried to protect myself.

Before I knew it, all I could see was black, and my every breath was labored as I struggled to draw in the increasingly hot air around me. I guess that was something I wasn’t supposed to hear. 

"Honey, I'm just saying you have nothing to feel guilty about. We're like gods to the little bug now; its whole world. It won't be long before he's kissing our feet and thanking us for even letting him."

"What do you mean 'our'?" - Becca chuckled under her breath, "I'm not sure he'd be so thankful for making him kiss your feet".

"Oh, like yours are roses; I do your laundry, you know. Your socks reek." Her mom replied.

"My feet are totally roses. He wishes I'd let him kiss them. Just wait." Becca laughed.

"We'll just see, I'll bet he'd rather be my pet." Her mom teased.

"Yeah right. He's going to love being my pet - I mean boyfr---"

"Nice, catch there, honey. So you're feeling better then?"

"Yeah. Thanks, mom."

Their voices were muffled, but seemed to come from all around me. What the fuck was I hearing!? First, she gets me shrunk down, and now Becca and her mother expect me to actually kiss their feet!? This is insane! How could they do this to me?

The air was stuffy and every breath grew more difficult. Here I am, trapped inside the palm of my girlfriend's hand, while she and her mom discussed how they were going to torment me! Is this my life now?

With the oxygen cut off, I unfortunately started to pass out. Maybe I'd just suffocate right here, in the car.

—

BOOOOOP 

I drifted back into consciousness to a loud, but distant electronic chime. Whatever I was in started to swing back and forth. It was still damp and dark, and the air was stuffy. As my enclosure swung, slivers of light came and went, I could faintly make out the creases and wrinkles in my leathery prison. I was, of course, in Becca’s hand as she headed down the hallway toward her apartment. 

A few moments later, Becca’s hand opened up and I was gently deposited on the vast, dark fabric of her loveseat. Damp from her sweaty palms, my naked form immediately began to shiver. Becca’s billboard-like face was level with the cushion I was on, while she stared down at me with a clear expression of pity and remorse. A sense of dread gripped me at a sudden realization, I nervously glanced in every direction.

“Mom’s out running errands, she just dropped us off downstairs. We’ve got a couple hours to ourselves.” Becca’s warm, stale breath wasn’t the only thing that flowed over me as her voice boomed; I also felt a wave of relief. This was the first time I’d been alone with her since she and her mother set me up. This was my chance to beg her to return me to normal.