* * * * *
I invited Josh over to my apartment for Christmas Eve dinner. I even hinted that I had something special planned for him. In gratitude for all those truly exquisite foot massages he had given me, during our two months together!
Like all the rest of my intended victims, Josh accepted my offer without the slightest hesitation. This time, however, it was difficult keeping my voice from cracking with sadness as I uttered all those half-truths.
When he showed up at seven o'clock, that night, I was dressed in a red kimono with white floral printing and matching sash. I also had my hair pony-tailed, and draped downward over my left shoulder. The look of drop-jawed astonishment on his face made me half-smile with sadness.
I served steak tempura as the main course. When that was finished, I poured green tea into a pair of small, handle-less cups. We clinked them together, toasting each other's good health. Then, we drank.
* * * * *
JOSH BUCKLER'S P.O.V.
I had never seen Hana look so beautiful, as that night. She was absolutely captivating! Then, it happened. My vision started to blur. Followed by a brief case of vertigo.
When I reawoke, I found myself stripped of everything but my tighty-whities. I also found myself looking upward at what I initially thought was one of those giant Trinitronic billboards. You know; like the ones in Tokyo and Times Square? Only, for some reason, this one featured an image of Hana in tears.
Then, the "image" moved. Picking me up in the palm of "its" right hand!
"Are you alright, Josh?"
"Hana?!" I exclaimed: "What...? How...?"
That was when she explained it all. How she had only been half-truthful with me, when she said she was a biophysics teacher at Cal-Tech. How she was actually a "bio-logistician" for NASA. Using feng shui to design the interiors of next-generation spacecraft for them. More specifically; interplanetary colony ships!
"Through an obscure variant of feng shui, I discovered I could actually shrink both people and things! Which, you must admit, would certainly go a long way towards conserving limited resources during slower-than-light space travel. The only problem was, while I could easily re-enlarge inanimate objects, it proved much harder to do the same for living organisms (like white mice and guinea pigs). Mostly, because they tended to die of hyper-accelerated aging upon regaining normal size!"
That was when she had begun her side-line; professional abductress-for-hire. Using those people she kidnapped as test subjects in her (admittedly still-unsuccessful) efforts at improving the re-enlargement process.
"Up until now, I've been able to remain...scientifically detached...from them. But, you proved different, Josh. I actually fell in love with you!"
"Then, let me go, Hana," I pleaded with her: "Better yet, take me to the local field office of the FBI! They can help us nail these bastards!!"
She shook her head: "It's too late. I have to get my research funds back. But, I can't subject you to experimentation, either! So, I'm...going to give you up. Put you into someone else's...protective custody."
I tried to protest further. It was no use, though. Using Scotch tape, she bound and gagged me into a fetal position. Then, she gently lowered me into one of those pre-wrapped gift boxes certain department stores use. With the bow pre-tied, and adhered to the lid?
When that lid went on, all I saw for the next several hours was pitch-blackness.
* * * * *
LAX HILTON HOTEL,
CHRISTMAS DAY
Linda Chun had been born and raised in Taiwan, of Macauese parentage. So, the Portuguese she spoke as a second language had allowed her to converse with some of the Mexican-American staff members at the hotel. Making her feel less lonely during this, the second trip to the Unites States, in nine years, for the Taipei First Girls' High School Marching Band.
Linda was the drum major, and she had just returned from a rather arduous dress rehearsal for next week's Tournament of Roses Parade. Hence, her ensemble: white pleated skirt with matching boots; green shako with yellow plume; and orange-sleeved green tunic with yellow epaulettes and matching ribboned buttons.
As she approached the door of her hotel room, she noticed a small box on the floor in front of it. It was wrapped in red paper, dotted with white snowflakes, and it was topped with a green bow.
Leaning on her master baton like a crutch, she crouched down and picked it up in her left hand. The white card attached to it was unsigned. All that was written on it was the phrase:
"Feliz Navidad
y Prospero Ano
y Felicidad."
Unlocking the door, she entered the hotel room and went over to the bed. Leaning the master baton against the foot board, she sat down on the bed's lower left corner and removed the lid of the box.
Imagine her surprise at seeing a half-foot tall, almost-naked white man inside it.
tbc
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
DECEMBER 24, 2004
HANA NOZAMA'S P.O.V.
HANA NOZAMA'S P.O.V.