In the few minutes before the alarm clock wrang there was a general lull in the activities. Carla and Dale had tired of their game after a while and were now sitting in little chairs next to the house. Sherri and Jerry were chatting them as well, Sherri remaining quarter-sized so Jerry didn’t have to feel like the little man out.

Paul and Vera had once again detached themselves from the group and took a little walk around the area. They engaged in conversation about things outside the shrinking game in an attempt to keep their mind of the continuing shrinking. They both knew that they could be the next to shrink, or even grow, but they decided not to think about it.

The question of the shrinking machine’s range had come up, however. Dale was adimant that the machine could not work in the yard and as long as they stayed outside they would be fine. Jerry argued against this, saying that Betty would have not permitted everyone to go in the yard if the machine did not work that far. The argument was ended when Sherri came in on Jerry’s side and explained that the range of the shrinking machine was great enough that there was nowhere in the yard you could go to be immune to it.

Though Dale kept checking his watch, the moment when the buzzer wrang hit everyone by surprise. Each person took a mental inventory of where everyone else was so they would know what had changed the instant they changed. In that ten-second span they realised that Marie and Andy were not in sight, but that did not significantly matter to anyone. Everyone was more concerned with maintaining their sizes.

There was a blinding flash and nobody could see for a moment. But it only took an instant before they realised that there was something there that wasn’t there before. Someone had grown—it was Vera.

Vera’s mouth dropped open as she looked around. Even though she was still small everything looked a lot less intimidating than when she was quarter-sized.

“Good going!” Said Sherri, running over to give Vera a hug. Vera bent down and picked up the quarter-sized Sherri, lifted her in the air and gave her a good steardy hug as if she was hugging a child. She turned to her right and saw Paul, now half her size. In a gesture that was halfway between concilation and celebration, Paul opened his arms to Vera. Vera picked him up and held her child-sized lover in a nice hug.

“Don’t worry, Paul,” Vera whispered into his ear. “This won’t change a thing between us.” Vera let Paul down. Hailey, the only person still larger than Vera, walked over to give her a congradulatory handshake.

“Good going,” Hailey said. “You all still don’t add up to the half of me, though!”

While the group laughed over the comment, the tiny figures of Marie and Andy came running from behind the house. They knew right away who the commotion was for.

“Vera!” Said Marie, running up to the woman who was four times her height. Vera bent down and picked up the tiny Marie hugging her.

“Wow, you’re little,” Vera said. This was the first time she had seen anyone two size brackets below herself. Vera was surprised how little and thin Marie’s legs and arms were, and how she weighed nearly nothing in her arms.

Vera put Marie down and saw little Andy there, smiling up at her. “Well, I guess I can pick up Andy too,” Vera smiled, and to Andy’s delight she lifted him up too. Just like Vera had never seen anyone a quarter her height, Andy had never been picked up by someone more than twice his height. Even more interesting, Andy had the sudden realization that his and Vera’s sizes had been the same throughout every part of the game up until an hour ago when Andy was shrunk, and now their sizes were even futher diverged. He was glad they diverged in this direction and at his size he only now appreciated what a perfectly toned athletic body Vera had. He could not help but be aroused by her as she pressed him against her before putting him down again. Damn, all the girls on this game were so attractive!

 “Well, what do we want to do now?” Vera said. “I don’t feel like going inside yet.”

“Let’s play a game of on-shoulders volleyball.” Carla said. “Half-sized and quarter-sized.”

“That’s a great idea.” Sherri said. “Paul can sit on Vera’s shoulders. Jerry, you can sit on Dale’s shoulders. And…”

“You’ll sit on mine?” Carla suggested to Sherri.

“Actually I have a a better idea.” Sherri said. “How about we give one of the eight-sizers a chance to enlarge for a bit and sit on Carla’s shoulders?”

Andy and Marie looked at each other, smiling. “You do it,” Andy told Marie. They both know what they wanted: Marie would spend a little bit of time bigger than she was, and Andy would finally be able to be the tiniest person!

“What will you do?” Vera asked Sherri.

“I’ll sit on Hailey’s shoulders and referee!” Sherri announced gleefully.

“Excellent, let’s do it!” Hailey said.

“Wait, what about Andy?” Dale asked.

“He could be the ball retriever!” Paul suggested. Everyone got a good laugh out of that. Andy shrugged and decided to go along with it.

“Ready to be enlarged, Marie?” Sherri asked.

“Ready!” Marie announced. Sherri made a movement to fiddle with her shirt again and there was another flash. Now Andy was looking at Marie’s hips as she stood over him. This was it. Andy was now the smallest person.

The game was obviously not going to be a conventional one since there were three teams and it would be futile to try to play with a net. It was more like a freeform practice session than an actual game. Once the teams got together Sherri produced a whissle and blew it, indicating the start of the game.

The quarter-inch people had a blast being swung around by their half-sized hosts. Paul felt genuinely happy for Vera’s gained size and was greatful for the swift and powerful muscle he felt under him as she moved. Dale was hard to hold on to but Jerry managed the best he could. Marie enjoyed riding on Carla’s shoulders but had the feeling Carla wasn’t being as gentle as she could.

Hailey ran around the small people, Sherri shouting out commentary and rewarding points for random things, though not seriously keeping score. A few times the ball rolled away from them and little Andy was asked to go get it. He was awful as a ball retriever; the ball was as tall as he was and heavy to move. It was a great source of laughter for the rest of the group, but after a few retreivals Andy moved back into a watching mode.

He couldn’t believe how big everyone was and how tiny he was in comparison. To him, they were big people riding even bigger people with the biggest looking down on them. Andy tried focusing singularly on Hailey. God, she was so huge! Her legs were as wide as the trunks of large trees. Her waste was higher than the roofs of most houses. He simply could not believe it.

As Andy watched, mesmerised, a fantasy started floating through his mind. Hailey was watching the game with him from the sideline. He was standing right next to her leg, to the foot that was long as he was tall. Hailey looked down at him from her tremendous height. Bending down, Hailey picked Andy up with her long fingers and lifted him up to her face.

“Man you’re so cute,” Hailey said. “You’re such a tiny thing. I always wanted to try it with someone as small as you. Why don’t you come to my room tonight?I’ll give Jerry the night off. We’ll have so much fun. You know, I bet at your size I can slide you right up inside me…”

Snap out of it, Andy told himself. He couldn’t just go around having fantasies about every single woman on the game just because they were bigger than him. He had to stick with the one girl he pledged himself to and that was Carla. But then there was the tender kisses and loving glances he had exchanged with Marie. That was very tempting also. But Hailey was fairly dominating according to Jerry, she probably wouldn’t say no if he asked…

I’m getting away with myself said Andy. He decided just to focus on what was going on now and the bedtime situation could work itself out later.

The game went on for a while until the players started to get a bit tired. The taller people put down the smaller people and they all sat around the grass in a loosely organized circle. Smaller and taller people regained their breath as they looked around at each other, suprisingly happy.

“Hey,” Sherri said, looking at Hailey. “Want to make a people stack?”

“A people stack?” Hailey asked.

“Yeah,” Sherri said. “Like a totem pole, eight-sized on quarter-sized, quarter-sized on half-sized, and half-sized on full size!”

“That’s a neat idea.” Hailey said, standing up and casting many others into shadow.

“I’ll enlarge to full-size and be the second pole!” Sherri said, standing up. There was a flash and now Sherri too dominated the gathering. A few people looked to Hailey’s face to see if she minded another full-sized person sharing the glory with her, but she didn’t seem to mind seeing that it was just Sherri.

“I’m sorry Marie, but we’re going to have to put you back to eighth-size.” Sherr siad.

“That’s okay,” Said Marie, looking across at Andy. There was another flash and Marie was returned to her eighth-size stature.

“Okay, we each need a half-sized person.” Said Hailey. “There’s one too many though.”

“I’ll sit this one out,” Carla said. “Hey, maybe I’ll get us some drinks!”

“Good idea!” Said Sherri. Carla turned and walked back in the house.

“Come over here, Vera,” Hailey said. Vera walked over to Hailey, who lifted the smaller woman up and put her on top of her shoulders.

“Dale,” Said Sherri, motioning to the man she had been smaller than just a second ago. Dale walked over and allowed himself to be picked up by Sherri and placed on her shoulders.

“Here, Jerry!” Said Hailey. She picked up Jerry and handed her up to Vera, who put him on top of her own shoulders. It was a curious feeling, thought Jerry, to be on the shoulders of someone who was already on the shoulder of somebody else. The natural movements of both women’s shoulders was affecting his balance, not to mention the sheer distance from the ground.

“Come on, Paul,” Sherri said. Paul really wished he could sit on Vera’s shoulders instead of Dale’s. It was really humiliating the have to sit on the shoulders of his archrival like a child. But he didn’t want to appear to be a bad sport so he allowed Sherri to lift him up. He was greatful that Sherri did not hand him off to Dale but instead put him directly on top of Dale’s shoulders. Paul still didn’t like the feel of Dale’s overlarge muscles under his saddle but he tried to ignore it best he could.

 “Oh, Andy!” Said Hailey in a sing-songy voice. Andy could feel himself start to shake as he walked over to the towering Hailey. He was about to be picked up by a woman eight times his height. Hailey bent down slowly and carefully as to limit the disturbance of the people on her shoulders. Andy could see a cear smile on Hailey’s face as her hand came and curled entirely around him, causing a surge of exitemend to run through his body.

Hailey lifted Andy up very slowly, as if intentionally giving him time to soak in all the features of her humungous body. He admired her legs as she raised him past them, her perfect waste that was wider than he was tall. Her leen flat stomach. Her breasts, breathtakingly large orbs that he could get lost in. Past her neck and chin, then past her face that was looking at him with amusement. Hailey moved Andy up past Vera, who was still far bigger than Andy, and to Jerry, who set Andy on top of his shoulders. It was an astounding view from up there: he could see higher than even a full-sized person could see and with his perspective it was like being on top of an eight-story building.

“Marie, just you now.” Sherri said. Marie ran over to Sherri, who carefully picked Sherri up and lifted her nonchalontly to Dale. Dale passed Marie to Paul, who put her on his own shoulders. Being on Paul’s shoulders reminded Marie of the early days of the competition where Paul was full-sized and she would ride on his back as they did workouts. Like Andy, she was amazed by the view.

The door opened and Carla walked out onto the yard. Carrying a pitcher and glasses of different sizes, she turned the corner and saw the totem poles. “Oh wow,” She said.

“Isn’t this neat?” Sherri asked. Even though she knew she had three people riding on her shoulders it felt like virtually no weight.

“You could play chicken fight!” Suggested Carla, jokingly. The idea of having tiny Andy and Marie try to wrestle the other full-sized person over was ludacris, but Hailey felt like giving it a try.

“Here we go!” Said Hailey. Since Hailey was taller than Sherri she had to lean forward to get Andy and Marie.

“Wait, maybe this isn’t-” Sherri stated to say, but it was already too late. Hailey’s leaning forward destablized Vera, and while Vera managed to stay on Jerry came flying off Vera’s shoulders, Andy with her.

Marie saw this from the top of the stack and stuck her arms out to catch Andy. Andy made a grab for Marie and got her, Marie showing an extrodonary amount of strength by keeping Andy from falling. Jerry, however, fell hard into similarly-sized Paul, destabilizing him and throwing Marie and Andy backwards off his shoulders. Fortuanitely, Carla had seen what was going to happen and rushed behind Sherri just as Andy and Marie started to fall. For a split second Andy and Marie were in free fall before they landed in a heap in Carla’s arms and chest. Paul was able to keep from falling only by grabbing Dale’s head clumsily.

Daised, Andy and Marie held onto each other as they looked up into the eyes of their catcher, Carla. She was wearing a kind of scolding expression as if they themselves had been responsible for their fall.

“Hey, get off!” Dale said as Paul accidentally put a finger in his eye trying to stay on. Dale leaned back and shook violently and Paul slid off Dale’s back and fell towards the ground. Carla lazily raised a leg so that it would break Paul’s fall. His back hit Carla’s leg and he flipped around on his front, landing roughly on the ground.

“Jeez, Dale,” Sherri said, annoyed. She grabbed him roughly under the armpits and lifted him joltingly off her shoulder. She brought him forward and put him on the ground roughly, so the impact caused him to fall on his knees.

“Sorry,” Hailey said, covering her mouth. She bent over so Vera could dismount on her own.

“I was only kidding about the chicken fight!” Carla said, still clutching Andy and Marie in her arms.

“Let’s just calm down and get something to drink.” Said Sherri. Carla had thought ahead of time to put the serving plate with the pitcher and glasses down on the ground before anything happened.

“Okay,” Hailey said. She sat down and poured the soda from the pitcher into the differently-sized glasses. Hailey couldn’t help but be impressed at Carla’s thoughtfulness. She had brought a single large glass for Hailey, four smaller glasses for the half-sized people, and four shot glasses for the quarter-and-eighth-sized people.

“I guess I’m meant to be half-sized for this,” Sherri said, winking at Carla. Once again she fiddled with something on her shirt, and one flash later she was the same size as Carla.

Vera rushed over to Paul, who was still sprawled out on the ground. “Are you okay?” She asked, kneeling down and extending a hand to help him up.

“I’m alright.” Paul said as Vera easily helped him to his feet. “Just that I got humiliated by Dale and Carla in the same second.”

“Did her leg hurt you much?” Vera asked.

“No, but it probably saved me from greater hurt,” Paul said. “That’s just as embarrasing, though.”

“Don’t feel bad.” Vera said. “It was Hailey’s fault for being stupid, and every time Dale does something like that he’s just shooting himself in the foot.”

“Yeah,” Paul said. “I’ll be fine. I just hope one of them gets shrunk at two.”

“Come and get something to drink,” Vera said, taking Paul’s hand in hers. “It’ll make you feel better.”

Carla and Jerry had joined Hailey and Sherri around the drink area. Carla sat cross-legged and kept Andy and Marie strictly in her lap. She reached over and brought them both shot glasses of soda before picking up one of the medium small glasses for herself. Andy didn’t like the vibe he was getting from Carla; maybe the rendevous under the bush wasn’t as acceptable as he had thought.

Vera and Paul joined the group as well, but there was still one glass untouched. Dale was standing a few feet away looking away from the group. He felt like kicking himself. He had done it again! He had been aggressive against Paul and was caught in the act. It wasn’t quite as big of an offense as the fight before but it was enough to set back his efforts to repair ties with the group.

Most of the others didn’t pay Dale any attention, though Carla kept flicking her eyes over to him every few moments. Finally, Sherri called out, “Dale, do you want something to drink?”

“No, I’m fine,” Dale responded. Sherri was trying to reach out to him as it was her job as co-host, but he still detected a hint of anger in her voice. Sherri’s rough treatment of him after he had commited his offense was insult to injury, just like Marie’s spanking had been yesterday. He’d just assume stay away from the others for a while.

The mood was still slightly tense as the others sipped the juice. Carla kept looking down at Andy and Vera as if checking to see if they were behaving. Paul and Vera were small-talking with Hailey and Jerry, and Sherri was uncharictaristicly quiet.

“Is anybody hungry?” Hailey asked. “I think it’s getting on lunchtime.”

“What time is it?” Vera asked. Paul was the closest person with a watch, so he checked.

“One fifty-four,” Paul said.

“Wow, only a few more minutes!” Hailey said. “We can wait here until it happens.”

“Alright,” Said Sherri, giving a little smile. “I’ll just carry these glasses in.” Sherri picked up the pitcher and walked back into the house.

“Well, who do you think it’s going to be?” Hailey asked, looking around.

“Hopefully not me again, I’m getting to like this,” Vera said.

“I don’t want to get any smaller than this!” Said Marie from Carla’s lap.

“There could be another enlarging,” Jerry pointed out.

“I don’t think so,” Carla said. “Betty said there would be two shrinkings for every enlargement, and since we have had one already I’m pretty sure the next two are going to both be shrinings.”

Carla decided she wanted to stretch. She put Marie and Andy off her lap and stood up, pacing slowly around the yard. She never went very far from them, however, and Andy had the impression that she was still watching them, closely.

Hailey decided to sit back and watch the others as the minutes ticked by. It was almost like noon again with everyone so uptight and untalkative. Unlike the first time though, Hailey didn’t try to interject and suggestions for betting.

The buzzer sounded. The contestants looked at each other, all scattered around the yard. Sherri came running out of the house to watch. What was going to happen?

A flash went off and for the third time that afternoon each of the seven players that weren’t Hailey frantically tried to figure out if it was them who had changed.

Carla looked around her—the house, the garden, Hailey…they were all larger than she had ever seen them before. She had been shrunk to quarter-size.

“Wow, Carla!” Hailey exclaimed. Vera turned to see her competitor shorter than her for the first time since early on in the game. Paul felt a sense of relife seeing that Carla was no longer larger than him. Carla herself shrugged as if to say “Oh well”.

“Carla!” Exclaimed Marie as she ran over to her friend, who was now merely twice her size instead of four. Oddly enough Carla didn’t even acknowlege Marie, she only glanced at her briefly before looking away. A hurt look appeared on Marie’s face.

“Now that it’s done, let’s go inside,” Said Hailey. She stood up to her full height and walked into the house. Vera, Paul, and Jerry followed her. Carla followed at a distance but did not acknowelege either Andy nor Marie.

“What do you think’s wrong with Carla?” Andy asked, hanging back with Marie for a minute.

“I’m not quite sure.” Marie said. “She’s never been smaller than half-size before. She’s been used to being larger than everyone.”

“That can’t be it in itself,” Andy said. “You’ve always gotten along with her.”

“She must be mad about us.” Marie said. “I think she feels betrayed.”

“But she was the one who put us together sexually last night.” Andy said. “I thought she was writing you into our thing, a three-way relationship, you know.”

“Yeah, but that was when she was in complete control of the situation, and now she isn’t.” Marie said.

“Are you sure?” Andy said. “That sounds a little petty, if I can be exused for saying that.”

“Andy, you need to know something about the female mind,” Marie said. “We don’t do three-way relationships. We’re too competitive. Carla brought me in last night because she knew she could control me and she didn’t think you’d be interested in a girl smaller than yourself. No, I’m serious!” Marie added when Andy gained a skeptical look.

“Anyway, now that we’re the same size we’re naturally compatable, and Carla’s kicking herself for giving us this opertunity to move as a duo right under her nose.” Andy finished.

“So what should we do?” Andy asked.

“I don’t know,” Marie said, distress coming to her voice. “I like Carla a lot and I won’t want to hurt her. But I also don’t want to loose you, even to her. I don’t know what I want to do.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Andy said.

“She’s too mad right now, give her a chance to calm down.” Marie said. “Besides, nothing is constant around here. In a few hours I might be bigger than you again. Or you might be bigger than me. Or Carla could be eight inches tall with us. You never know.”

“Yeah, you have a good point,” Andy said. “I won’t do anything for now, just give her a little bit of room.”

“Okay, good.” Said Marie. They exchanged a brief hug, then ran inside to sit with the others.

Back inside, everyone was having a tough time figuring out how to situate themselves at the table. Vera and Sherri were both half-sized and were the only ones that could provide their laps, seeing that Hailey was busy preparing the lunch. Vera took Paul on one leg and Jerry on the other as Sherri took a reluctant Carla. When Andy and Marie arrived Sherri patted her other leg, indicating they were to share. Andy and Marie allowed themselves to be lifted up. Now they were in close proximity to Sherri, the one powerful alliance now amoung the smallest people at the competition. Carla was still not speeking to either Marie or Andy, but Sherri remained ignorant of that fact.

After a short preparation of the food, Hailey served everyone at the table. At long last, Dale arrived from outside and took his place at the end of the table. No one talked very much except Hailey and Sherri, who really had no reason to worry about the shrinking.

It was clear that the playful mood shown earlier in the day had diminished in favor of a moodier atomsphere. Nearly everyone had some kind of drama; some kind of problem with another player that was giving them great grief. Sherri knew full well that her own competition went through periods like this as well, but they still weren’t fun to go through.

After lunch Vera and Paul went into the living room to watch TV. Carla slunk off Sherri’s lap and followed. Andy and Marie hung back, standing near the divider waiting to see what would happen.

“So Sherri,” Said Hailey, now drying the last of the plates, “Betty said you can answer our requests for size changes.”

“I could, she gave me permission,” Sherri said noncommitally.

“I want you to shrink Jerry for me,” Said Hailey. Jerry looked up in alarm but Hailey took no notice. “It doesn’t have to be much, just half of what he is now. Could you do that?”

Sherri only had to look at the expression of sudden panic on Jerry’s face to know her answer: “I’m sorry, I’m not going to do that.”

“You’re not?” Hailey asked. “Why not? Betty said you could.”

“It’s still up to my judgement.” Sherri said. “I don’t want to do it.”

“Well you’re no fun.” Hailey said grumpily. She put the last of the plates back in the cabinet. Finished with the job, she grabbed Jerry roughly and walked off to the living room with him.

“Jeez,” Sherri muttered to herself. She didn’t say anything to Andy and Marie by the wall, and it was dowbtful she even knew they were there. Sherri stretched her arms and said, “I could use a break from this for a while.”

One flash later Sherri was full-sized. Andy and Marie watched as she left the kitchen and walked to the door. They heard the door open and shut.

“I wonder how long she’ll be gone,” Andy said.

“I don’t know,” Marie said. “But I think we should be getting to the living room. If we don’t show up soon Carla might get more upset.”

“Okay,” Agreed Andy, and they made their way to join the others.