Sara was sitting in her own room on the floor by the closet on top of her makeshift bed. A deck of cards box with a piece of fabric her mom had gotten her She had noticed a few things since she had shrunk, all of which were abnormal and unexplainable. For one, her strength was unbelievable. Every time she fell really hard or was smashed up against something, she did not feel anything. It was almost as if her molecular structure had changed. She had also found out that she seemed to flatten out whenever something heavy was on her. She would instantly reform when that heavy thing was off of her.
Sara got up and walked into the living room from her bedroom. Her mom, Maria was at work and likely would be there for 12-15 hours again, like she was most days. All of Sara’s schooling had been switched to online since she had shrunk. Since her laptop was still normal sized, her mother helped her load Dragon, Naturally speaking onto the laptop, which helped greatly with writing research papers for her general education courses.
“Open Internet!” Sara yelled.
The computer opened the internet and DuckDuckGo popped up. The curser was already flashing on the search bar. Sara looked at it with deep thought. She thought for a minute and then looked up jobs.
Kate had just gotten done posting a part time associate job for the many local Maurice’s in the Phoenix area. Almost right on que she had at least one application in the inbox already.
“How is that possible.” She asked in a stressed voice.
“Ahh Ill look at it later. I need to help stock.” She said to herself as she headed out to the floor.
Her brown shoulder length hair flowed gently as she walked. Her grey suit pants hugged Kate’s hips as they swayed. Her black pumps creaked every so often as she took a step, but they still made a muffled noise as they pounded across the carpeted floor. Kate’s white blouse under her grey suit jacket struggled to contain her cleavage as she already had the first 2 buttons undone as to not break the shirt.
“Looks like you might need me.” She said as her only employee right now was halfway though her cart of shoes to stock.
“Yea not busy right now so figured I would get too it.” She said with a tired look on her face.
“Hey I’m going to have an interview today.” We could use the extra help since the economy has been slowing down.
“Sounds great!” she said.
Kate walked back to her office to look at the number on the application.
Sara had been watching tv for only 30 minutes when she received a phone call. She did not recognize the number but she picked up anyways.
“Hello?” Sara said.
“Hey is this Sara?” the voice asked.
“Yes.” Sara said cautiously.
“Hey this is Maurice’s, I would like to interview you today if possible.” The voice said.
“Yea sure, I can be there by 4pm today does that work? “ Sara asked.
“Sure does. Ask for Kate when you come in.” the voice said before hanging up.
Sara was stoked. She sent a text to her mom and then thought of how she was going to get there. All of her friends had been non-existent in her life since she had the accident with shrinking. She then remembered Karen, her moms co-worker was off. She quickly dialed her number and put her phone up to her ear.
“hello??” Karen answered in a very tired voice.
“Karen, it’s Sara. Hey can you take me to a job interview today at 4pm?” She asked excitedly.
“Sure.. I’ll let you know when I am on my way this afternoon.” Karen said in a voice that faded off as she began to fall asleep.
“Sounds good!” Sara said gleefully.
Her day went by fast. She watched some tv shows, and read a book. She got on her best clothes which where sewn by her mother. They were just a few scraps of cloth that her mom had laying around. With black pants and a black shirt on, Sara was ready.
Karen got up and dressed into her scrubs. She grabbed for her socks and then thought of Sara, who she had to take to her job interview.
“She might like to be with my dirty socks.” She thought.
She quickly slipped on her socks that she had taken off after her workout that morning and slipped into her faded white musique III shoes for work. She spun around towards the door and off she went.
Sara waited for Karen to get to her place after she received her text saying that she was on her way. She busied herself with what she was going to say as she was nervous. She checker her phone to see if Karen had texted yet. Nothing. Not even a text from her mother letting her know that she wished her luck.
Finally after about 15 minutes Karen texted that she was outside.
DDDDDIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGG! The doorbell went!
The door opened and in walked Karen, which she was dressed for work. A cold breeze rolled in as she left the door open as she walked in.
“SARA!!!! I’M HERE!!!!” she shouted.
Sara watched as the front door swung open. She watched as Karen’s mammoth shoes slapped the floor on the way in. She remembered those shoes. She secretly loved them but had not had the courage to tell Karen yet. Sara watched in a daze for a second how Karen’s foot moved inside the old white Musique III shoes.
She snapped out of it. She dialed Karen’s number and she picked up on the first ring.
“Hey down here on the floor in front of you a few yards.” Sara confidently.
“Ok sounds good. I don’t have pockets. Where do you want to ride at? Purse or Shoes?” Karen asked.
“Shoes. I am going to an interview at the Maurices near my house. “ Sara said.
“Ok. Sounds good I will look it up right now” She said.
Karen and Sara both hung up and Karen slipped off her shoe as she looked up the location of the Maurices.
Sara climbed up the side of the shoe and immediately Karen’s foot odor hit her. Instantly she fell in love with it. She dropped in. She could hear the squelching sound of the insole as she walked towards the toe end of Karen’s shoe.
“Ready??” Karen’s voice rang out from above.
Sara knew she did not have to respond, as her voice was not loud enough for Karen to hear. Everything went black as Karen shoved her foot back into her shoe. Sara felt Karen’s foot slide over her, the sock wiping its dampness onto her. Sara felt Karen’s weight settle on top of her as she felt her lungs burn as air was forced out of her.
Weightlessness then Sara felt herself hugging Karen’s foot, Slam! Sara felt Karen’s foot slam into her with a massive force. Again this process repeated. Over and over again. Karen’s shoe began to heat up in the Phoenix sun as it was low in the sky.
“Her foot can’t be this wet already can it?” Sara thought, as a drop of sweat splashed on her face.
What Karen had failed to mention as she was taking Sara to her interview was that she had put on the same socks she had worn to her workout earlier that day. This fact however had slipped Karen’s mind as she walked out to her car.
It did not take long for Karen to drive to the Maurices that Sara had told her to drive too. Karen paused for a moment before sliding her foot out of her shoe. She reached in with her hand and pulled Sara out and slid her shoe back on.
“Do you want me to go in with you?” Karen asked briefly before turning her head to look at her clock on her phone.
“Just drop me off, I should be fine.” Sara replied by yelling with hand gestures as she knew Karen most likely did not know what she just said.
Karen go out and started walking towards the door of the Maurices. She set Sara down right in front of the door, acting like she was tying her shoe.
“Hope it goes well!” Karen said.
With that Karen spun on her heel and the quakes in the ground from Karen’s footsteps died away. Sara turned back towards the door of the building. She looked at the heavy metal door with glass in it. Sara then looked around to see if there was anyone who could help her open the door. Of in the distance, she saw a car pull into a parking spot. Another direction had a few teenagers walking way from her. From the looks of it the women who got out of the car was walking towards her.
Before Sara was able to think of how she was going to run into the store while the lady who was walking towards her was going to open the door, the door opposite the door Sara was at swung open, A giant brown business like clog slammed down before Sara, knocking her off of her feet. Sara quickly got up off the ground and sprinted towards the open door. Luck was on her side.
The lady walking out of the store held the door open for the lady coming in which allowed enough time for Sara to slip into the doorway. As Sara cleared the door, A giant clog shook the ground. The black rubber of the side of the clog rolled over the outsole as Sara watched the lady proceed with taking another step. Her blue scrubs widened as the wind from her step blew the material. Sara watched for a moment. She knew that lady. Her black pony tail bobbed up and down with the slight curls fluttering in the breeze created as she walked. She was stopped by a lady in black leather office heels and a grey business suit that covered most of a white blouse.
The customer turned around and Sara was surprised to see that it was Misty, Her moms boss. The store employee and Misty walked toward another part of the store as they were most likely taking about another item in the store from what Sara could gather from how they reacted to each other.
Sara walked toward the front counter. Which was on the side wall but more in the middle of the store She gazed in amazement. Giant clothes hung on hangers, earrings and other small trinkets hung on a rack near the register. Then this reminded her of before the accident and how she took some of this for granted.
Sara moved closer to the counter yet and she still could see nobody behind it. But she was not surprised though. She was an inch tall. Ever since her accident at the airport she walked in and it seemed like nobody bothered her while shopping because they did not know she came in. This happened far too often.
Sara almost had made it to the front desk when she felt a rumbling in the ground. She turned around and she saw a cart being pushed by another employee. Sara dove out of the way of the cart wheel as it began to turn towards the back storage area.
Lacy headed to the front desk area to stock the key chains. She just had to push though the last few hours of what she was scheduled for. She stopped the cart. She walked to the side of the car and picked up a few key chains. As she did this 4 of them got tangled and fell to the floor.
Sara watched as the giantess walked around the cart. Her heeled plain predictions boots showed her toes on their sides from years of wear. The salesladies black suit pants flowed over the tops of the boots so that Sara could not see how tall they were. The blouse from what Sara could see was white and she could not see anything else from there as the ladies cleavage blocked most of her face. Sara only realized she was in trouble when all of a sudden 4 keychains crashed to the floor around her.
The chain of the last key chain knocked her forward. Sara extended her arms to break her fall, and that’s when she felt cold metal around her wrist.
Lacy went to pick up the key chains and noticed that one of them had picked up a passenger.
“What’s this?” she said quietly.
Sara looked at the giantess and yelled.
“I’m here for my interview!!” while trying to hang on as the giantess looked at her.
“Interesting key chain. I’ll have to repair it in the back.” Lacy said as she tossed Sara onto the cart with her stocking paperwork.
“No, You have to listen to me!! I’m here for an interview!! “ Sara yelled, but it was cut short as the giantess shoved the cart forward.
Sara laid there for a hot second before she tried to stand again. She saw the sales lady in the grey business suit walking towards the cash register.
“Ma’am!!!! Over here I’m here for my interview!!!” Sara shouted.
Her hopes however were dashed as Sara watched as her head turned towards Misty her moms boss. The scenery changed to a dimly lit storage area. The cart still moved and then stopped at a desk with a bright light. Sara was picked up and placed in the center of the table which was lit up brightly. She shielded her eyes as the saleslady pushed the cart off to the side and sat down.
“Let’s see here…. Ahhhh, the flexible guy keychain.” She said to what she thought was herself.
“No!!!!! Don’t do this to me!!!” Sara shouted.
Her words and demands went unheard and fell on deaf ears as the sales lady grabbed extra parts for the specific keychain.
While she did this her hand laid flat on Sara, preventing her from moving. Sara also was so concentrated on moving that she failed to notice the white Apple Air Pods in the ears of the sales lady. However they were only visible briefly as her jet black hair flowed back over them.
It was fairly quick but the sales lady instantly snapped what felt like a brass ring around Sara’s neck and immediately Sara felt the weight of a chain. She glanced up and noticed how big the clasp was for say a key ring. Sara then struggled again as the sales lady slid a piece of colorful cardboard under her.
The sales lady grabbed for something that Sara could not see. But soon Sara felt cold metal around all of her limbs and the sales lady began to let go. Sara began to move and see if she could move her limbs from being tied down. As she began to move the cardboard was picked up and moved to another part of the desk. But this time Sara felt her weight compress on the cardboard as it felt like it was over a hole.
“Hey!!!! I’m a person!!! No!!! I’m not a toy!!!” Sara screamed.
This was the last thing Sara said before she felt all of her limbs go taught and flat against the card board. The employee stood up and did a little shake to the music she was listening too, which was unknown to Sara. Sara had a sense of vertigo as the employee picked up the carboard and it raced upwards but Sara felt like she was flying upside-down going upwards. Then the motion of flying though the air and then freefall. Sara opened her eyes. She was staring upwards. She tried to move but she felt the metal twist-ties firmly holding her limbs in place. The ceiling of the storage area for the Maurices was black and it had lots of can lights. She could hear the distant music coming from the shop floor filter back to where she was.
A conversation made Sara perk up a little.
“Hey, this is Kate, I was calling to see if you are still going to show up to our interview scheduled today at 4pm. I know traffic is busy. I am a pretty understanding manager. Thanks!” clack went the receiver.
Kate had just finished with a customer when she saw Lacy pushing her stocking cart into the back stocking area. Kate also thought it was strange that her interviewee had not shown up yet.
“I’ll give her a few more minutes before calling.” She thought as she wandered around making sure some shirts were folded properly.
Kate made it back to her office and picked up the phone, a late 2000’s style wireless black and silver phone and charging dock station.
“Hey, this is Kate, I was calling to see if you are still going to show up to our interview scheduled today at 4pm. I know traffic is busy. I am a pretty understanding manager. Thanks!” Kate said as she placed the phone back in its cradle.
She walked out of her office and looked at the new in stock boxes of blouses and jeans. She also noticed that the gray plastic box of things that needed to be restocked stacked on top of another pile of clothes that needed to be restocked as well. She saw Lacy just beyond that who was going over the shipping orders. Kate saw the slight shake and wiggle of Lacy as she was doing this and knew she had her earbuds in instantly.
“That girl… When will she learn.” Kate said quietly, as she looked at her watch.
The rest of the night went by quickly for Kate as she went back out to the floor. Closing time came and soon went and Kate went back to her office. She grabbed her layout sheet and walked over to the grey plastic tub for restocking. Lacy walked into the storage area and over to the locker area.
“Hey thanks for staying late. I know you needed to be home a little earlier, but I appreciate it.” Kate said.
“No problem.” Lacy responded promptly.
Sara was in a mindless daze for the last few hours as all she could look at was the ceiling. What got Sara out of her daze was the sound of heels clacking in the storage area of the store. And then to Sara’s surprise, she saw Kate appear in her vision. She however did not pay attention to what she was saying. Sara struggled to get free but the metal wire holding her in place was firm. Sara was just about to call out to Kate but she vanished again.
Kate walked back into her office and grabbed her phone and slid it into her one and only pocket on her blazer jacket. She grabbed her price gun as well and the last thing she did was turn the volume of the music way up inside the store. The store was closed and no one else would hear it.
Sara listened for Kate to come back. She heard shuffling. Then she heard the music way better than she could originally. Sara tried to concentrate but the Music began to become a little loud for her. She barely heard Lacy’s boots clacking by as she made her way out.
Her hopes of being recognized were dashed when Sara felt a giant lurching. Then bright lights and very loud music enveloped Sara inside the grey bin. It felt like forever until the cart stopped. Then Sara felt the carboard she was on lift up. She saw Kate’s face.
“Kate!!!!! I’m on the cardboard!!!” Sara yelled with all her might.
As luck would have it, she yelled when the music in the store blasted with a guitar solo, drowning out her cries for help as Kate fiddled with the price gun in her other hand. Kates hand glided over Sara and a the gun stuck a sticker on the cardboard. The price gun was out of sight before Sara knew it and everything was a blur until the hook on the cardboard was hooked on the small bar on the shelf. Sara looked up as far as she could. All she could see was Kate’s waistline. Sara looked down again and she saw Kate’s giant shoes. They pivoted back to the cart.
“Kate!!! Right Here!!! Don’t Leave Me!!!” Sara yelled again. This time her voice seemed soar.
All her response was Kate pushing the cart towards another part of the store. Sara watched as Kate’s business pants flexed with her butt as it swayed back and forth. She ended up stopping in the clothes section. Sara noticed that she was enjoying herself as she did a little shake with her hips.
Maria walked to the time clock in the break room. It was near 8pm. She needed to get home to cook supper. Even though Sara did not eat much she still liked to have excess food. She took her phone out of her locker and looked at a text from Sara. She smiled.
“At least she is getting out and doing something.” She thought.
She zipped up her light sweater and walked out of work looking forward to conversing with her daughter when she got home.
Sara watched as the legs of Kate passed by her repeatedly, putting way new arrivals and refolding a couple of shirts and blouses. Sara could only hope she would get noticed but as far as Kate was concerned, Sara looked like a keychain being sold on a small piece of carboard. She was hoping to meet a full size human for an interview today.
Every time Kate walked passed the front counter, she heard something, but she could not place her hand on it. Eventually she just passed it off as part of the music she was playing and eventually she was tone deaf to it.
Sara watched as Kate passed her heading toward the back office. Expecting her to come out again with an armful of more stuff Sara was surprised she didn’t. Sara noticed her phone vibrating in her pocket. She wondered if it was her mom or Karen who was calling and texting her. She knew that would have to wait. Sara saw Kate come out from the back, however this time she had a coat on and her purse was slung over her shoulder. She stopped just outside of the a display on the back wall and all of a sudden Sara was surrounded by a dimly lit store. Sara saw Kate turn back into the back area once again, and everything was quiet. She heard faint clacking of heels start to get louder until she saw Kate walking faster towards the door.
“Kate!!!! Right Here!!!” Sara yelled with all of her might.
Kate kept walking past her. To her Sara was just another item on the rack and her tired brain was indulging itself in classical music coming from her wireless ear buds in her ears.
Sara watched as she opened the door and closed it and with a few rattling clicks from the door she watched as Kate disappeared into the darkness. Sara was stuck. At least until morning.
Maria arrive home to a dark house. She slipped off her reebok princess shoes and she was sure Sara her daughter would be around the corner but there was not a light on in the house. She then dialed her number again, and again, no answer. She set her phone on the charger and thought where she could be. Then she picked up her phone again and then looked at her texts.
“Ahh!! She might still be at Maurices!” she exclaimed.
With that Maria headed off to Maurices. Unbeknownst to her though, she would not make it in time before they closed.
Sara was in a daze. Time could not go any slower. Her wrists were chaffing as the wire dug into her slightly. Eventually Sara found rest. She awoke to the sunlight streaming in. The store however was still empty. Nobody was in sight. One hour went by. Nothing still Sara was staring off into space again when she heard the rattling of keys at the door. She looked over at the door.
A plump lady with curly shoulder length red hair wearing a black business suit slacks and jacket with a blue blouse underneath opened the door and walked in. Her heeled boots pounded on the carpeted floor. Sara felt the floor shake as she walked past and towards the back storage area and office.
The traditional Maurices music turned on but was immediately turned down. It took another hour and a half for the lady to re-appear from the back room. She lumbered toward the front door. She opened it and unlocked it and then she spun around and walked to behind the front counter. Sara knew she was back there but could not see her.
Karen was pulled aside by Maria as her shift was ending at the hospital.
“Have you heard from Sara?” Maria asked frantically to Karen.
“No. I have not and in fact the last time I saw her was when I dropped her off for her interview.” She replied with compassion.
“Ok, can you go to Maurices for me this morning to see if they know anything?” Maria asked
“Of course girl! I’ll text you if I can find anything out.” Karen said as she walked out the door.
Sara noticed a lady with black hair walk though the door of the store.
“Hey there how may I help you today!?” the lady behind the desk asked in excitement.
“I’m looking for some blouses and some trinkets for my daughter.” The lady responded.
“Blouses are over here and the trinkets are over there by the front desk. Look at them at any time.” The sales lady responded.
The floor shook as she got closer. The saleslady stopped and looked over the rack. She noticed Sara on the cardboard and with a puzzled look on her face reached down and removed Sara from the rack.
“Interesting keychain. Hmm.” She said to herself.
Sara was too in shock to start yelling but as the sales lady put her back she did so much higher up. This time she was about waist level instead of feet level. Sara struggled again to get free of the cardboard but it was no use. The wires holding her limbs were too strong. Suddenly, a shadow fell over Sara. Blocking out some of the light was the customer that had just walked in. Her arms held some clothes. Sara made eye contact with the customer and then her world became a blur.
“Did you find everything alright?” asked the sales lady.
“Yes. My daughter will like this keychain. And the blouses as well.” The lady with black hair responded.
Sara was not listening to their conversation, more or less but she was struggling to get away. However, Sara felt the cardboard move again this time under the scanner,
“Beep!” went the scanner.
“$97.34!” the saleslady exclaimed.
“Hey!! I’m not a product!” Sara finally managed to yell.
Her response was being tossed into the bag with the other blouses with an uncaring effort by the sales lady. Sara felt the swaying of the bag as the two women said their goodbyes from a customer and business standpoint. The door beeped as the customer walked outside in the warm Phoenix sunlight. The bag swayed lightly but then Sara felt the bag really swing and then a Slam!
Sara looked and saw she was in the trunk of what looked like either a van or an SUV type of vehicle. Moments later, the car backed up and then was jolted into drive as the women drove to her next destination.