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Steven was so stressed he could hardly sleep that night so it was no surprise that when he got out the next morning he was dead tired. How did he get into this situation at all? He truly felt like a prisoner in this house, trapped and attacked by the horrible warden that was his half-sister. And now he had to go and and try and hide his condition from his family while serving her like a slave on the side. It can't go on.

 

Speaking of serving, it was 6:30 Am which meant he had to go downstairs cook breakfast for the darling sister in question. Putting some morning clothes one with as little enthusiasm as possible, Steven continued thinking about his current predicament and tried to think of some ways out of it. Jade was quite thorough in explaining that he had no option but to serve her and even made the bold claim saying that he would one day accept being her shrinker. What a load of bull. Like he would ever willingly accept being her slave. She might have him now but he would soon escape her clutches and be free of this torment of a life. 

 

Maybe one of his friends could help. He had rejected the idea of having them take him the other day but that was before Jade had forced him into temporary servitude. Now the idea of swallowing his pride and accepting their charity seemed like a blessing ... Or was it? Was accepting someone to taking him in and letting them be his guardian any different to what was happening now? Did he really want to surrender and accept his fate? To become what every shrinker is destined to become- A slave to the people who help them? Isn't that what he'd become if he went to his friends, a slave? He'd be giving up one shackle for another. 

 

Steven pulled himself out of his room and forced his way downstairs, stumbling like a zombie fresh from the grave. To his little surprise he found that Megan was already fully awake and making breakfast for the entire family. Would she notice his shrinking? Trying to hide his condition he slumped down as low as possible in order to look like he just had bad posture.

 

"Hey Megan. How are you?" He said in the most casual way possible yet it came out as more of a semi yell then anything else. However she didn't appear to notice anything out of the ordinary as she responded.

"Okay, I guess. What are you doing up so early? I don't think I've seen you up at this time since we were kids. Don't you often sleep in late?"

"Oh, you know? 'Early bird gets the worm', and all that" What was that? That was a stupid answer!

"And what worm are you looking for, this morning?" Even though she was using his own metaphor he still couldn't come up with an answer. 

Finally he just said "I just thought ... I'd help cook?" He really didn't like her looking at him. Every second she stared was another second she risked discovering his secret. 

 

And with the way he's acting she must think something is already suspicious. And just as he feared her eyes immediately narrowed in doubt as she inspected him as if he had done a crime. Unknown to Steven, Megan was already fully aware of his condition and had chosen to keep it a secret. She wanted him to open up to her but didn't want to force him to do so. Was he that entrusting of her? She noticed that he was smaller than the last time she saw him. What happened? Was it Linda? or worse Jade? She'd hate to think what that evil girl would do if she found out about Steven's curse. It would their father all over again.

 

"Steven, you know if there's something wrong then you can tell me, right? I'm here for you and always will be, you can tell me anything!" This prompted a nervous laugh from Steven as he turned around and made coffee. 

"W-Why wold you say that? Why would there be something wrong? D-Does it looked like there might be something wrong?" Does she know? No, she can't. He couldn't bare it if his sister knew. She'd change! He'd no longer be her smart brother, he'd be a shrinker.

 

He went to tap on her head before he saw how far he'd have to raise his arm and immediately dropped it. Picking up a plate and a cup of coffee he left for Jade's room. It was now 7:00 AM, apparently he had to serve her breakfast at exactly 7 or face punishment. He refused to play her little game but still wanted to try and get there before the deadline.

 

Jade was laying on her stomach with a small puddle of drool pouring out of her mouth. She hadn't set her mechanical alarm clock but had instead set a different one. One that was more fun to use. There were several thuds at the door causing Jade to roll over in fright and fall off her bed. Groaning, she opened her eyes.

 

"Huh?" She asked groggily as she tried to access what was going on. There were several more thuds at the door bringing her back to her senses.

"Jade? ... Jade! Open up!"

 

Her mind quickly activated as she remembered everything and shot up to her feet. Picking up her clock she marched over to the door and yanked it open, pushing the clock in his face.

 

"You're late! I said to serve me at exactly 7, what sort of slave do you think you are. And you didn't call me Goddess either!" She was staring down at her now little brother Steven as he looked at the clock with narrow eyes. His hands filled with delicious breakfast. Steven Looked at the alarm clock; 7:01 AM.

 

"Well, if you had woken up sooner then I wouldn't have been late, now would I?"

"I am your Goddess you filthy little bug" She said, pulling the plate and coffee away from him and digging in. Her stomach groaning in happy response "I should not have to change my schedule for you. It is your duty to predict my movements and serve me accordingly"

"Is thank you too much to say?" Steven asked, an annoyed look on his face as he watched his selfish sister consume the food voraciously.

"Oh, you want a thanks?" She burped and pushed the now empty plate into his hands "How about this? When you're too small to have fun with, I'll do the kind thing and crush you quickly, rather than swallow you whole and leave you to die. Is that thank you enough?" She drank the coffee in one go and put the cup on the plate before shutting the door in his face.

 

The morning marched on as all the kids woke up one by one. Clara and Jake had their usual argument. Megan made Linda breakfast and Linda read a book on the couch. Megan noticed, However, that Jade didn't ask for any food in her usual demanding way. Why wasn't she hungry? Did she already have breakfast?

 

Finally everyone got dressed and got ready in the lounge room as they packed their bags and put their shoes on. Megan was helping Clara with her stuff when she looked over into the corner and saw Steven giving Jade a fifty dollar note before she kissed him on the cheek and walked away. Megan's eyes grew wide as her fear from earlier was realized. Jade knew about Steven's condition and was now blackmailing him, that bitch!

 

Jade walked upstairs to grab her car keys but before she could make it downstairs she was confronted by an angry Megan. This older woman really did look small next to Jade, another thing she would often mock her about. She walked up to the fuming step sister and held a dominant stance as she looked down on her.

 

"What the fuck's wrong with you?"

"I have something to say to you-"

"Well I'd love to hear it, But I actually couldn't care what someone like you has to say"

"I know you know"

"And now I know you know I know. But what I don't know is what exactly you know I know" She was playing games with her.

"Steven. You know about him" Megan's hands were in two tight fists as she stared at the much taller, stronger, and smarter person. Jade bent over and looked her in the eyes.

"So...?" One eye cocked, she had a wide smirked across her face "What does it matter that I know?"

"You're abusing him! Forcing him to shrink and using him as a slave!"

"I'm sorry we're not all as smart as you, my  dear older sister. Could you please explain to me why the fuck I should care about that. He's public property now. I'm just trying to make him mine before it's too late."

"He's your brother! He loves you-"

"Oh, shut up!" Jade pushed her aside causing her to hit the wall "He's a shrinker, nothing more and nothing less. But the sad thing is that even as a shrinker he's still better than someone like you. At least when he was normal he had dignity, he was worth something. But you've always been the same pathetic person you always will be. A slave to this house, the Cinderella without a ball. A shrinker without the disease. So don't you dare stand there and try to talk down to me. If I had a choice between you or a shrinker I would still choose them. that's how lowly you are to me"

 

Jade walked downstairs leaving a paralysed and sobbing Megan by herself. her legs gave out from underneath and and she fell on her butt against the wall sobbing into her shirt. The worst part was that she was right. She had accepted into becoming nothing more than a slave for this house in fear that she might be kicked out. But steven never gave into that. He showed a backbone and took charge of the situation. And now that he was a shrinker he was still trying. But she ... She never tried to resist and let herself be sucked into the void that was Linda's hands until she was completely dependant on her. She really was more pathetic than a shrinker. She failed in life and now failed her brother. it's the only thing she was good for.

 

Steven left the house and travelled straight to the campus. He was still set on his desire to cure this disease and was going to devote the little life he had left to doing just that. He went to the biology labs and asked the teacher if they knew any about any reports or books on the shrinking virus but all said the same thing "Why would someone want to find a cure for the shrinker?" This mind set might explain why there wasn't much research being done on the subject and why the stuff that was being done was a joke at best. He gave them his email just in case they discovered something and avoided all their questions as to why he wanted this information.

 

His next best stop was the library. With old fashion manual labour He'd check out every book if he had to if it meant finding something, anything, on the damn virus. There was one thing he found out while being here for hours: He definitely felt more calmer and happier in the cold, quiet embrace of the library rather than the heated cesspool of his home.

 

He received a tonne of messages from Sandra all through his painful study period and each of them were about the same thing: "Where are you?", "Why aren't you in class?", "We're waiting for you", "Class has started better hurry", "You're really late now, what's wrong" And so on and so forth. Steven wondered how she was able to text so much in class without the teacher being aware of it. Finally he texted her back saying that he could meet her at midday in the library. She texted her agreement and finally left him alone to study in peace.

 

He was so focused and engrossed in all the information he was gaining about the virus that he completely forgot about the time. In what only seemed like a few minutes it was already midday and right on cue Sandra entered the library. Steven quickly noticed her and ducked, hiding his face behind his book; he was suddenly super nervous about seeing her.

She remained standing for several seconds before pulling out her phone. What's she doing.

 

Almost as if to answer that he felt his phone in his pocket vibrated. Pulling it out it read "I'm in the lib, where are u? ;("

Sandra was a fairly decent sized girl standing around 174cm. Now that might not be huge but it was bigger than his 170cm frame and since he used to be much taller than him she would notice instantly. In fact, everyone who knew him at school were shooting strange glances at him as if he had done something wrong. They probably knew about his secret simply because of his dramatic size decrease. It was official, he could no longer keep it a secret. He had simply lost too much height.

 

However, even though he had made up his mind to tell his friends now he was still scared about what their reactions were going to be. He didn't want to see their eyes change as they looked at him. Their once proud and respecting eyes being filled with pity, or sadness or, to his fear, disgust. What if they really did reject his very existence now? he would have lost everything if that happened.

 

He stood up and walked right behind her as she continued to regularly check her phone and browse the books on the shelf. She didn't notice him approaching her and he was standing right behind her before he spoke. "Hey, Sandra"

She turned around and looked at him. His head was down as he looked at the floor. He didn't want to see her eyes change. Didn't want to see her expression, her face, her emotions of pity. However.

 

"Who are you?" she asked in genuine curiosity. 

 

A shard of despair stabbed Steven straight in the heart. She didn't even recognize him anymore. To be honest it was slightly understandable. His head was down so she couldn't see his face and he had gone out and bought different clothes (Ones that actually fit) so she wouldn't have recognized him by his outfit. Plus she was so use to looking up at him that his hair style must look weird from above. But still, he had now reached that point where wasn't instantly recognizable to his friends anymore. And that killed him. He forced himself to raise his face and look into hers.

 

Another shard stabbed him in the heart as he watched her face go from happy about seeing her friend to realization about what was happening and finally ... sadness, followed closely behind by pity. her eyes were simply filled with them, along with her expected tears. He wanted to run out of that building right at that second. To leave and never look at another person ever again. He couldn't take this!

 

"I'm so sorry Steven" She said, her sadness choking Steven's very soul. He could feel her opinion about him change every second. No longer the smart handsome Steven. he was the poor, sad little Steven. Soon it would be the "Shrinker Steven" and later just the "Shrinker".  She leaned over and embraced him in a hug, maybe so that her pity would have a better chance at fatally impaling him. "I didn't know"

 

"Sandra ... Please ... Don't" He could barely speak as she squeezed him tightly. She couldn't hear him between the soft sobs she was giving out. "We're in a library, you shouldn't make so much noise"

 

She pushed away from him and looked at him with a face filled with love, kindness and pity. Stephen looked away from her and moved towards a chair. He wanted any excuse to not look into her face, to see the tears coming out of her eyes. Tears for him.

         Sandra knew that Stephen was destined to die. That if he was lucky he might live for about half a decade at most before shrinking away to nothing. However, with the amount of growth he'd lost so far she doubted that was the case. How long did he have left? As they sat she couldn't do anything but stare at him, trying not to cry too much. He seemed strangely distant from her for some reason and wouldn't even meet her gaze.

 

"How can I help?" She asked "There has to be something I can do"

 

And here it came. Now he wasn't even able to do anything and needed the help of other people. There has to be something I can do ? Like what? What would you do? What would be the point of it? However there was one thing that he wanted to know from her.

 

"Do you know anything about the shrinking virus? Any books or papers that have been done on it? I can't find any decent report on the subject"

"Why do you want that?"

"Because ... I've found my purpose in life. I'm going to bring an end to this suffering and rid the world of this virus"

 

Sandra looked at him with new tears filling her eyes. However, these weren't for pity or sadness but were tears of pride and happiness. This was the Stephen she knew; never back down, always going, refusing to accept defeat if it meant helping other people. She grabbed his hand and looked at him with a smile on her face.

 

"You truly are an amazing person. Not even the shrinking virus can change your pure heart." She let go of her hand and stood up, looking down at him "If that's the case then I shall join you!"

"What?" Stephen felt strange as he looked at her. The glistening shine of pity that was clouding her eyes was gone and replace with a sort of fire. She looked at him as if he was ... Steven. Just Steven. Not a shrinker or a top grade student. Just the normal friend Steven. He cracked a smile before leaning back on his chair. "You can't do that"

"Oh" She sat back down "And why's that"

"Because I'm devoting my entire life to this. I only have a few years left and I'm going to use it to change the world. I don't have to think about my future after that but you do. You have to stay in university and get you degree, otherwise you'd have wasted everything you have worked for"

 

She stared at him before lowering her head. "I just ... I don't want to see you go. I want to spend as much time with you before you disappear. I don't want to be at your funeral wishing I had asked you this one question, or said that one thing. I don't want to regret not using this time"

 

They left the library and continued down to the cafeteria. As they walked he really noticed just how big she looked (Compared to what he's use to seeing from her) but for some reason he didn't care. She was a good friend and he felt comfortable being next to her. More comfortable than he felt with most other people. She was just that kind of person, always making others feel better.

 

She was the one who would get the group moving, make everyone smile and create the memories that they all cherished. In fact she was actually the person who got Jessica and Brian"Together". She had known Jessica from middle school and when they met Brian for the first time she persuaded her to go out with him. Strangely enough their first and only ever date was reportedly the worst she had ever been on but ever since then the two had been inseparable. And it was because of Sandra. What was this feeling he was having? It was strangely light and happy, like a balloon lifting him up.

 

"So where are the two Not Dating couple? Having eye sex somewhere I presume?"

"Yeah. When I left them they were just staring at each other in some kind of weird staring competition so I said "Aw, you two make such a nice couple" and they jumped away from each other as if they were brother and sister." Stephen laughed at this. He missed their group antics.

 

"So how's it going with Max? you two seemed fairly serious"

 

Stephen was referring to the messages and posts he had seen on facebook and the texts he had got from Sandra updating all her friends about her social life. Apparently she met some guy when she went running a couple of weeks ago (She was a serious health nut and could outrun anyone) However this guy was actually able to keep up with her for a full several kilometres. After that he asked for her number and they'd been dating ever since. However-

 

"Ugh, don't even mention that creep to me. He sent me a dozen roses to my places with the message saying "I choose you over her - Alice" Alice! He was cheating on me with some other woman and then couldn't even send the flower right. Anyway, I heard you also had some lady troubles. broke it off with Amy?"

"Yeah, I didn't see much point going out with someone ... you know, now that I'm ..."

"Oh, yeah ... Sorry"

"Well, there was that and the fact that she was a little too open minded with other people if you know what I mean"

"Jezz, she cheated on you with some other guy? Who was it?"

"Funnily enough her name was Alice as well"

"Wait ... She cheated on you with another woman? ... Kinky"

"Yeah, that's totally what it is. Not a betrayal or anything"

"Oh, come one. Don't act like you've never done anything like that when you were younger. Hormones racing around, you never juggled two chicks?"

"No, in fact I haven't. I can barely juggle one and not drop her. What, do I look like the guy who'd do that?"

"What? the smart, handsome, kind, caring, athletic guy not cheating on someone? That's never happened before"

"O.k, 1) That's a long list of character traits that better describe you rather than me. And 2), yeah, I've never cheated on a person. I guess I'm just not cool enough" Stephen joked. However he noticed a slight blush coming from Sandra at the compliment he gave her. "Well, it's good you broke it off with him, he obviously wasn't your perfect guy" Stephen was referring to the long list of traits that Sandra had told him a while ago. It was the things she wanted in her perfect guy.

"Geez, it's been forever since I thought about that. Now I just go for any guy who's nice and smart. Maybe I should take my list a bit more seriously.

 

The way that she talked, with a sort of casual elegance made Stephen feel very strange once again. Her entire demeanor radiated comfort and kindness, like the perfect armchair that you just couldn't part with. As she ran through her list of perfect traits he found himself trying to mentally connect them with himself.

 

"-Oh, and he has to be smart, I can't stand it when the guy can't hold a decent conversation. he has to be athletic, with a good body and a tall frame. Patient and caring, always willing to listen and help and never too shy to stand up for what he believes in. he has to be funny and cool and it wouldn't hurt if he had a bit of a tan as well. Don't like super pale people too much."

 

There were so many things on that list that he had already forgotten about half of them. He was funny, right? And smart? People always say he's smart. How many of those traits did he match up with! Before he could think Sandra asked him a question. Pulling him out of his erratic thoughts.

 

"So what's your perfect girl? Since I spilled what sort of guy I wanted I want to know what sort of girls you're into. Lesbians maybe, judging by your previous track record."

 

"Oh, my kind of girl? Well ..." He tried to think of the sort of traits he wanted in a girl but couldn't come up with any. He then looked at Sandra and started thinking of her traits and found that he agreed with every single one of them. "Well, she has to be strong willed, able to jab someone when they jab her. Good sense of humour. Kind and smart. Someone who radiates an aura of casualness."

 

There was now a deep blush coming from Sandra's cheeks and spreading all the way to her neck turning her entire head into a red tomato. 

 

"Oh, and most importantly, she has to have the name Sandra. It's such a nice name."

 

They stopped walking as Sandra stared at him. It would have been more romantic if she wasn’t looking down at him but it was close enough.

 

"I said to list your perfect girl. I'm far from perfect"

"Just like beauty, perfection is very subjective. And you're both" His face colour now matched her own "Sandra I lo-" 

 

Before he could finish she launched herself onto him and embraced him with a passionate kiss. It was the most passionate kiss he ever got. It felt amazing. He liked how it was her tongue who dominated the kiss. Gosh he had wanted her in the past. How dumb he was not having dared to get her before? Such an amazing girl. It was a full 30 seconds before their lips parted and she walked away. Her lipstick now slightly messy and her cheeks a deeper shade of red.

 

He simply stood still for a few minutes thinking about what had just happened. Now his life seemed a thousand times more precious because if he died it meant losing her as well. He had to develop a cure now and fast because there was one thing he wanted more than anything in his life; To spend it with that woman. He was pulled away from his day dream from a hand grabbing onto his shoulder. Jumping out of his skin, he turned around a saw the face of Mrs. Willes far above him.

 

Jeez, she looked more intimidating now that he had shrunk since he last saw her. Standing over 2 metres tall, she was the definition of intimidating for a man his size, he was almost at her breast level now.

 

"Steven, why have you been skipping out on my classes. If this continues then you will fail the course. It doesn't matter how smart you are you won't be able to make up the hours required."

"Well, I'm going through a few life changes at the moment. In fact, you can probably remove me from the entire course, I don't think I'll be finishing it" Maybe it was the kiss he just had but he suddenly felt way more confident than he should have. Mrs Willes seemed to be taken aback by this sudden outburst and Steven hoped she didn't take his confidence for rudeness.

"Is there a reason why You're leaving my course"

"Not really" He still didn't want people to know about his condition. Better to be safe than sorry. However, this plan was ruined when Mrs. Willes spoke.

"Steven, I know you're a shrinker. You don't have to hide it from me."

"... Oh..." He turned away from her "Crap, it was because of what I told you last time we talked, wasn't it. Damn it!"

"Steven, you shouldn't act like that. Being a shrinker isn't something to be ashamed of"

"Not something to be ashamed of, true. However, in this society it's not very smart to announce it to the general public. Even if you don't see shrinkers as lower people you should at least understand that others do"

 

She sighed, "Unfortunately that's true. I do wish it was different but what can you do? Well there's something you can do, isn't there Steven?"

"Uh" Steven had no idea what she was talking about.

"A Strange student going around to all the teacher asking for research papers and books on the shrinking virus. that's what is being said by the teachers, that is. There'd be only one reason a person would go that far and there's only one person I know with the virus smart enough to do it"

Steven was shocked. She had figured him out and he didn't even have to say anything.

"Can I tell you something? Many years ago I had a husband who contracted the virus. Before that we were the happiest people who had our whole lives a head of us. But because of the disease he changed. He poured all of his business money into any ridiculous shrinking program he could find in hopes that one of them would produce a cure. But of course none of them did. Because of that stress he shrunk much faster than if he had not done anything and it ultimately ended halfing his remaining life"

"What happened to him?"

"Oh, I forced him to calm down and live an easy life. Of course he didn't really have a choice in the matter since I was kind of the head of the household at that point. But the damage was already done and because he was desperate he threw away the remaining years he could have spent with me. I guess the point I'm trying to make is: Don't waste your life in hopes of extending it. Live your life for what it is now"

 

Steven looked at her before speaking "But I'm not doing this to extend my life. I want to do it to extend the life of others. Anyone who might be cursed with this fate, I want to help them all."

 

After looking at each other for a few seconds Mrs. Willes spoke.

 

"That was the answer I was looking for." She handed him a stack of paper that was under her arms "These are all the papers that I have collected about the shrinking virus. I've weeded out all the ridiculous ones so what remains should help you." She placed her hand on Steven's shoulder "You truly are a genius Steven. If anyone can stop this then it's you. You might be the one to create a break through that could lead to the end of this nightmare."

 

Steven looked at the papers with excitement. These are exactly what he needed.

 

"If you're really going to pursue this then I should tell you some pointers that might help you. Firstly you can drop out of school. Unnecessary stress at this point. But I recommend you stick close to friends and family. Isolation breeds depression and with depression comes the virus. You have to stay positive or the disease will kill you quicker. You might also like to try taking up a sport. Something that will keep your muscle strength up. It'll be useful for when you're inches tall. And lastly, you should take up meditation. It truly does help with anxiety and depression which a common symptoms to the virus. You should start as soon as possible and train every day.

 

After her miniature lesson the kind hearted teacher gave Stephen her phone number.

"If you ever need help then you must call me. It doesn't matter what the occasion is or what the situation is you find yourself in. Call me at the first sign of trouble."

"You're giving me your phone number? Are teacher's allowed to do that?"

She put her hand on his shoulder one last time "I'm not your teacher, remember. Think of me as your coach. Helping you through this. Coach Vivian ...hmm, has a nice ring to it"

 

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