Gunfire snaps through the crisp December air. The sound of a tin can being punctured by a bullet, and then falling to the soil permeates the small, quiet clearing as Victor enjoys some target practice with his handgun. Melinda and Susan sit on the porch, a few yards away, and watch intently, Melinda shaking her legs nervously.

“Relax.” Susan says.  “It’s OK, he knows not to point that thing over here.” Susan explains.

“It’s not that.” Melinda bites her lip and shakes her head.

“What’s the matter?” Susan asks, scooting close to her friend and putting her arm around Melinda’s shoulders.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy.” Melinda admits, right before another three shots are fired.

“Is everything alright?” Susan asks worriedly.

“I...I keep seeing Josh.” Melinda admits.

“Oh honey...That is only natural.” Susan attempts to comfort the woman.

“No...Sue…you don’t understand.” Melinda’s voice becomes a bit more frantic.  Susan withdraws her hand from Melinda.  

“What are you saying?” Susan asks after a long pause, confusion in her voice.

“He was in the car with us...in my apartment the night of the funeral...he watched me shower yesterday.” The girl stammers on and on.

“Um…” Susan shakes her head rapidly.  “I am not following you.” She admits, raising an eyebrow. Have you been sleeping, eating?” Susan asks worriedly.

“Not really.” Melinda admits.  

“Alright well, we got something that is going to help you sleep, and eat.” Susan giggles.  “We’ll eat some lunch and then smoke a fatty, K?” Susan asks as she stands up.  “Victor!” She shouts, causing her boyfriend to turn around and walk towards the porch.  

“Yeah?” He responds.

“Give me a hand inside?” Susan motions with her head.  Victor smiles and pats Melinda on the shoulder as he walks up the three wooden stairs, his sneakers pounding against the dried out timber beneath them.  Susan opens the door and Victor walks inside.  

“Coming?” Susan asks Melinda.

“In a minute…” She responds, distantly.

“Ok, take your time…” Susan says calmly, closing the door as she walks inside.

“She’s losing it.” Susan says, leaning against the door and slipping off her black sneakers, to   reveal a pair of blue socks.  

“What do you mean?” Victor asks as he opens a cooler and withdraws a bottle of water, cracking it open. Victor puts the pistol back in its case and snaps it shut.

“I mean she thinks she is seeing Josh.” Susan whispers.

“She what?” Victor asks, confused as his jeans begin slipping off of his waist, causing him pause and look down.  Susan cannot help but giggle.

“Ever hear of a belt?” She asks, but a moment later her grey sweats are slipping from her own waist.

“I’m wearing one...what about you?” Victor asks, confusion creeping into his voice as his shirt starts ballooning out around him, covering his boxers, which sag on his waist.

“What’s happening?!” Susan calls out, fear permeating her tone as the world seems to expand around them both.

Melinda sits outside, looking down between her legs, her hands folded in her lap.  

“Josh...are you there Josh? Please talk to me.” She whispers silently.  A few seconds later she hears a shriek from inside.  Panicked she bolts up and opens the door, running inside, wide eyed. Susan and Victor both look up as Melinda appears over them, Susan’s head only coming up to her chin, and Victor’s her chest.  “What..?” Melinda asks, frantically as she takes a few nervous steps into the center of the living room.  “What…” She stammers as she looks down at their clothing, their pants, undergarments, and footwear pooled around their ankles, their shirts hanging loosely around them, a few sizes too large.

Victor exhales sharply and suddenly.  “She’s...she’s big…” he states, his voice frantic and slightly higher pitched than it had been moments before.  

“She’s not big Victor…” Susan chimes in.  “We...we...Shrunk!” She stares up at Melinda wide eyed.  

“How is this possible?!” Victor asks nervously.

“People just don’t shrink…” Melinda says, her eyes still wide.  Susan wobbles a bit on her feet before moaning a bit and fainting, her lifeless body hitting the ground with a soft thud.  

“Susan!” Victor screams, rushing over and bending down over his girlfriend.  “Help me.” Victor says, lifting Susan’s arms.  Melinda grabs the small girl’s legs and they carry her over to the couch.  Melinda begins placing all the bags and coolers on the floor as Victor climbs to the couch, holding his arm around his girlfriend’s back and cradling her close.  Melinda looks down on the moment and a sickening feeling rushes through her, without warning or explanation, causing her to stagger back.  Anger, fear, rejection, and jealousy all rush through her body, exploding in her mind, her sensibilities shaken like a city under bombardment.  Melinda staggers backwards.  

“What do we do?” Victor looks upwards.  Melinda blinks, trying to push the ill will down within her before answering.  

“I don’t know!” Melinda says frantically, sucking air through her teeth, sweat dripping from her forehead.

“Are you alright? Sit down!” Victor says forcefully.

“Don’t tell me...what...to...do!” Melinda says through gritted teeth.  Victor’s eyes go wide as Susan moans softly, stirring.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Victor says, shrinking back on the couch away from the now taller girl, whose visage was a scene straight out of a horror movie.  “Listen...we need to pull it together...figure this out, please Melinda!” Victor pleads.  

“OK...OK…” Melinda huffs, sitting on the couch and rubbing her temples.  

“Josh!” Melinda calls out.  “Josh! Come out you coward!” Melinda screams.

“Melinda!” Victor snaps, wide eyed.  “Josh is not here!” He pleads as Melinda stands up and begins pacing.  

“Be quiet Victor!” Melinda says as she stomps towards the front door and throws it open, running outside into the clearing.  “JOSH! Come out you son of a bitch!” She screams as the door slams shut.

“Susan!” Victor begins shaking his girlfriend, lightly smacking her cheek in a rapid manner.  “Holy shit wake up!” Victor’s voice cracks.

“Remember how I used to tell you how adorable you are when you’re angry?” Josh’s voice comes from behind Melinda as she stands on the soil near the porch.  She turns around to see Josh sitting on the porch, dressed in a straw hat, a plaid shirt, and dirty, ripped blue jeans, boots adorning his feet. “I lied, you are one...ugly bitch when you are pissed off.” Josh laughs.

“Fuck you asshole!  Turn them back, right now! Fix them!” She screams, bending down and scooping up a clump of dirt and rocks and flinging them at Josh, which pass right through him, scattering on the wood of the stairs.

“Now...now…” Josh chides.

“Who’s she talking to?” Susan asks warily as she comes to.

“I’m not sure...Josh I’d imagine.” Victor says as Susan sits up and stares at the door.

“So? Time to go?” He asks, his eyes still wide.

“I think so...let’s wait until she calms down.” Susan agrees.

“Josh! What do you want from me? I’m not going to hurt my friends, and I’m not going to let you either!” Melinda says defiantly.

“Here, c’mere, let me show you something.” Josh says, standing up and motioning for Melinda to look through the window overlooking the cabin’s living room.  Melinda hesitates but then climbs up the steps and looks through.  “You see them there? Look at them...Take a long look.” Josh orders as Melinda peers through at the couple, huddled fearfully on the couch.

“What am I looking at…they’re scared out of their minds.” Melinda’s voice cracks.  Josh places his hand lightly on Melinda’s shoulder.  

“Take another look.” Josh suggests.  An intense jealousy rages through Melinda and she narrows her eyes, taking a few deep breathes as the feeling twists her gut.  

“I don’t know if waiting is an option…” Victor says as he spots Melinda staring in the window, the nastiest of looks on her face.  

“What do you mean?” Susan asks, and Victor points to the window.  Susan looks over and gasps.  “What is wrong with her?!” Susan growls, anger rising within her.  “I’m going out there.” Susan inhales a deep breath through her nose and begins climbing from the couch.

“The hell you are!” Victor snaps, grabbing her arm, and with his free hand opening the pistol case.

“What are you going to do with that?!” Susan asks frantically.  

“Hopefully nothing…” Victor says as he pulls the gun and a magazine out, popping the empty from the gun and sliding the fresh one inside with a click.

“You’re not shooting Melinda!” Susan cries out.

“He has a gun...do you see that Melinda?” Josh asks in the calmest of tones.

“I see it.” Melinda responds, an intense calm settling over her like a warm blanket, her eyelids drooping down lazily over her pupils.  The agonizing emotions settle within her, gnawing at the bottom of her stomach in a dull, persistent manner.  

“Why do you think that is?” Josh asks.

“I...he…” Melinda stammers.  “He’s scared.” Melinda draws a deep breath.

“He is… of you.” Josh smiles.  “And how does that make you feel Melinda?” Josh continues his gentle interrogation.

“Terrib-” Melinda begins, interrupted by an intense feeling of pleasure, which causes her to toss her head back and moan.  

“What...the...fuck?!” Victor asks as he watches Melinda’s jaw fall open, her head being tossed back.  

“I don’t know…” Susan whimpers.  

“Look at the fear on their faces Mel.  How does it make you feel?” Josh whispers seductively in Melinda’s ear.

“Alive.” Melinda laughs.  “Powerful.” She moans as she begins to buck her hips, her vagina and panties slowly becoming saturated.  

“Good girl, what do you want to do to them? hmm?” Josh grins.

“I want to make them squirm…” Melinda moans.

“They’re going to want to leave.” Josh informs her.

“They’re not going anywhere…” Melinda whispers.

“Let’s go!” Victor says as he steps down from the couch, holding his gun.  A few seconds later the front door opens and Melinda shuts it, leaning her back against it and glaring down at the two shorter individuals before her. Victor and Susan stand there, their shirts the only clothing left on their small bodies.

“Melinda?” Susan asks nervously.

“You guys should really sit down.” Melinda suggests.

“We’re...We’re going to head back.” Victor stammers.

“No we’re not.” Melinda begs to differ.

“Melinda pleas-” Susan begins.

“Sit down, and put the gun down, are you crazy?” Melinda asks as she takes a few steps forward.  Victor holds the gun upright, pointing it towards Melinda.

“Victor! What in the fuck man?!” Melinda asks, her eyes wide as she takes a step back.

“Victor!” Susan snaps.  

“I said...we’re gonna head...back…” Victor says, his tone shaken as he attempts to take full control of the situation.  

“And what? What happens if you keep getting smaller? Hmm?” Melinda asks as she casually strolls towards Victor.  “You end up in some lab…” She shakes her head.  “Getting poked with giant needles for the rest of your miserable little life.” She explains as she reaches out and casually removes the firearm from Victor’s small hand.  “Sit down, and let’s figure this out!” Melinda commands.  Victor, dumbfounded at being so casually disarmed staggers back a little bit, and hesitantly obeys, sitting on the couch, Susan follows suit, cuddling close to her boyfriend.  

“You were gonna fucking shoot me?” Melinda sighs.  “What is wrong with you?” She asks as she snatches the pistol case from the couch and walks over to the small kitchen table with it.  She stows the pistol inside and walks to the fridge, standing on her tippy toes, she slides the steel grey case on top of the fridge before walking back into the living room.

“There…” Melinda says as she carries a chair back with her, sitting on it and facing the couch.  She slips off her sneakers and sighs, wiggling her toes in her clean white socks and stretching her legs before the couple.  Victor cannot help but look down, but only for the briefest of moments.

“Now...Suggestions…” Melinda inquires.

“I say we go back.” Victor says.  

“Yeah.” Susan agrees.

“Not happening, you can’t drive like that, and I don’t have my license. And besides, up here I can keep you a secret, in the city, you’ll be lab rats for sure.” Melinda says calmly.

“What if we don’t shrink anymore?” Susan asks.

“What if you do? What if you do when we are driving, and we are all wrapped around a telephone poll?” Melinda sighs.

“She makes a good point.” Susan admits.  “What were you doing outside? Who were you talking to?” Susan asks.

“I wasn’t talking to anyone, if you must know I was crying over Josh, OK?” Melinda half snaps.

“OK. OK.” Susan says, holding up a small palm.

“I just wish he was here.” Melinda breaks out into tears.  “He’d know exactly what to do.” She sobs as she holds a hand to her face.

“Aww, don’t…” Susan says, standing up and walking towards Melinda. The small girl embraces Melinda and they rock back in forth in each other’s arms.

“We’re still here for you, no matter how small we get.” Susan assures.

“And I am here for you, even though Victor was going to shoot me.” Melinda reciprocates, forcing a small laugh through her tears.

“I wasn’t going to shoot you…” Victor says dumbly from the couch.

“I know, you were just scared, but you have to trust me...in fact, I’m going to go get help… I’m going to see if there is a doctor in town, and I’m going to bring him back with me.” Melinda explains.  “Give me your keys.” She demands as she looks towards the couch.  Susan bends down and digs through Victor’s pocket.

“I think that’s a great idea.” Susan agrees.

“I don’t… She doesn't have a licen-” Victor begins only to be interrupted.

“I have a permit, and this constitutes an emergency, don’t you think?” Melinda asks as she takes the keys from Susan’s hand.  She slips her sneakers back on and stands up.  “I’ll be back, you two just hang tight.  Eat something…” She suggests as she walks through the door, closing it behind her.  Melinda unlocks the van, climbs inside and starts it.  She pulls away and heads down the dirt road.

“I really don’t like this.” Victor says to Susan, who bends down over a cooler, opening it and pulling out two sandwiches, one of which she tosses to her boyfriend.

“I don’t see any other option either, she’s right. We just have to trust her.” Susan says calmly as she unwraps her sandwich.  Victor stands up and walks towards the fridge, looking upward.  

“Leave it…” Susan narrows her eyes.

“But…She’s arguing with her dead boyfriend...” Victor sighs.

“So let’s shoot her! You insensitive prick! God!” Susan rolls her eyes and growls. “Now sit the hell down, and eat your goddamned sandwich. You’re not shooting our best friend!” Susan snaps.  

“Fine.  I’m not going to shoot her though! Stop saying that!” Victor huffs, stomping back over to the couch.

“Good, then you don’t need a gun.” Susan explains around a mouthful of ham and bread.