The next morning Paul was again the first to wake, and like usual he started the day with his morning exercises. Marie also got up early and snuck out to watch him a little bit, hiding among a few bushes. She thought it was hilarious and cute that she was small enough to hide where she was. Not even a child would manage to hide here.

She watched as Paul, a magnificent colossus, did his jumping jacks in the morning sun. She was a little sad that she had entered a pact with Carla and Andy to shrink him—she didn’t have a problem with Paul and didn’t quite understand why Carla didn’t like him. Maybe she could back out of the alliance if the votes were secret. Thinking about it, however, she felt it more important to be friends with Carla than to help Paul.

Vera was the next person to emerge, and she decided to begin the day by exercises. She was still a little paranoid about someone seeing her, something she would never feel normally, and started to feel a little sheepish about it. While someone her size would see a muscular woman, a full-sized person would see a helpless person ripe for the taking. Her exercises didn’t last long before she went back inside.

Andy and Carla got up a short bit later, trying to sneak out separately so that nobody would guess they slept together last night. No one had been watching when they went into the room together, but they didn’t think it would be hard to figure out. Andy was beside himself with joy over the experience. He had slept with several girls but Carla was the absolute best. She was very passionate and strong, and there was a deeper quality to her personality that he just loved. Added on top of that was the unreality that being less than three feet tall brought to everything. Needless to say, the bed was more than big enough for both of them.

Carla was a bit surprised by herself. Although she had slept with men before, she would have never slept with a man she had only known three days, and not one she had only dated a few hours either. But this wasn’t real life, or at least it didn’t feel like it. She was three feet tall in a house of differently-sized strangers on a game show. Besides that, she liked Andy. He was a genuine, easygoing person who was very caring. That part of him had shown last night.

Hailey and Jerry were the next ones up. Hailey had had a wonderful time with Jerry, who was surprisingly more able to satisfy her than Dale had been. For Jerry it was quite an overwhelming experience being with the larger woman, but he had to admit that he enjoyed every minute of it. Hailey held him tight when she fell asleep, and well into the morning she continued to hold on to him, wanting to lie with Jerry for as long as she could. Jerry, who was somewhat pinned by Hailey, decided to let it be.

They did eventually get up, though. When they came out into the living room Paul was already preparing breakfast and Andy, Carla, and Marie were once again sitting together. Vera was sitting on the other side of the room, not talking to anybody. Jerry knew that Hailey didn’t like Vera very much, but he felt a need to talk to her.

“How’s it going?” Jerry asked her, approaching her chair.

“Oh, not bad.” Vera said in a way that would fool nobody.

“You don’t really think things are going well, do you?” Jerry asked.

“You’re blunt,” Said Vera. “But yeah, I don’t know, I guess they could be going better.”

“Are you upset that you’re shrunk?” Jerry asked.

“A little.” Vera said. “But it’s more of the other people. Those three,” She indicated Andy, Carla, and Marie. “Andy and Marie just don’t like me because they’re following Carla. Carla doesn’t like me because she knows I’ll stand in her way of overthrowing Paul and becoming the leader.”

“I never thought Carla was really ruthless,” Said Jerry.

“She’s subtle, but it works,” Said Vera. “You can’t support her, right?”

“I’m not taking sides with her,” Jerry said.

“But I know about you and Hailey.” Vera said. “I’m sure you would protect her and go against Paul.”

“It’s part of the game.” Jerry said. “Fundamentally we’re all in it to win. I don’t want to trod on toes or anything.”

“Yeah,” Said Vera. “I still feel like I made some mistakes very early on.”

“With Paul you mean?”

“Paul is a very compassionate person,” Said Vera. “He’s cared a lot about me ever since he saw that I was scared of shrinking. And we’ve got a lot in common too.”

“But there’s something.” Jerry said.

“I don’t know!” Said Vera. “I would certainly prefer Paul to Dale or anyone else. I’m just worried that he has no support with Carla and friends working against him.”

“Well, if it’s encouraging to you, these alliances won’t last.” Jerry said. “Things will happen. People will betray people. Who knows.”

“We’ll see.” Said Vera.

Paul had brunch ready before long. Upon his call, they all arrived at the table and took their places around it, Marie once again in Carla’s lap. But Dale still hadn’t showed up. Was he still asleep?

“I’ll get him,” Suggested Marie, climbing off Carla and falling to the floor, far below table height. Marie figured that Dale would react better to somebody his own size finding him. Running down the hallway she came to the door to Dale’s room. It was open just a crack because the eighteen-inch man wasn’t tall enough to reach the doorknob to close it. Marie knocked on the door.

“Dale?” She called. There was no answer. She called again. Still nothing. Tentatively, she pushed open the door and entered the room. Dale was lying on his bed, half his body on his pillow, staring up blankly at the ceiling.

“Dale?” Marie hoisted herself up using the blankets and walked across the bed to him. “Come on, breakfast is ready! What’s wrong?”

“Do I want to go out there?” Dale said, as much to himself as Marie. “I don’t think I want to go out there.”

“But breakfast is ready, you have to eat!” Marie said. Dale stopped looking at the ceiling and started looking at her.

“I don’t think I want to.” Dale said. “Everyone’s so big out there. And Hailey, she’s out there.”

“Dale, I’m even smaller than you are!” Marie said, putting out her arms wide. “Trust me, no one’s going to hurt you.”

“I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” Dale said. “Paul hates me, Hailey hates me. They’re both full-sized. I don’t even come up to their knees, for God’s sakes!”

“They don’t really hate you.” Marie said. “Please get up!”

“What if I just stayed here?” Said Dale, morbidly.

“Come on,” Said Marie, grabbing one of his hands in an attempt to pull him up. Dale’s body lifted a little, but he did not support it and he slumped back to the pillow.

“Come on,” Marie said. “In just a couple of hours there’ll be a competition! You might be able to grow! Paul and Hailey might shrink! Come on!”

“Maybe I’ll just wait until Betty gets here.” Said Dale.

“No, don’t do that!” Marie said. “Listen. If you come with me now, I’ll help you grow if I can.”

“Would you do that?” Dale asked. “But aren’t you friends with Carla?”

“Yeah,” Marie said. “But if it doesn’t conflict with her, or Andy, I can help you! I promise!”

“Okay,” Dale said. He allowed Marie to help him to his feet, and for a moment they stood together on the mattress.

“Thanks.” Said Dale.

“No problem.” Said Marie. Dale felt a kind of outpouring of affection for the girl. He had always been an independent type, strong-willed and admittedly arrogant. But this experience turned him into the kind of person he never expected to be: the underdog. He was the little guy. Everyone around him was like the much taller kids on the playground. Not only was he smaller than them but they didn’t like him either. But Marie was the only person his size, and she had taken unnecessary efforts to help him when there could be nothing in it for her. It had been Jerry last night, and now Marie today. Maybe some of the people weren’t so bad after all.

The two of them walked down the hallway to the table where the big and bigger people sat. By this time lunch had almost been finished but Carla was patient, letting Marie and Dale use her lap until they had finished eating.

Paul did the dishes as the rest of the group relaxed. They knew an event of some kind was coming, but they weren’t as worried: Betty had said that no one would be going smaller than quarter-sized, so while individual people might become smaller than they had ever been no one was going to be smaller than any of them had ever been. This made Dale feel better: it was only uphill from here!

There was no need for anyone to discuss strategy because everyone in their mind knew who they wanted to help and who they wanted to hinder, and they couldn’t strategize any further because they didn’t know the nature of the competition that was to follow.

When one o’clock rolled around everyone was ready. They gathered themselves up and made their way over to the front door. Hailey opened it to find Betty smiling in on them.

“Well, I see you’re all ready!” Betty said, noting the attentive looks on all the faces. “Well, follow me!” Once again they made their way across the yard to the compound. Dale and Marie, who had been carried the reverse journey after being shrunk, struggled to keep up with the larger people.

Betty lead them directly into the pre-shrinking room. This obviously meant that whatever was going to happen involved simple decisions or votes. Or else their sizes had to be altered before they played a particular game. Everyone thought the latter option was unlikely, however.

Once everyone was inside, Betty began. “This is what I like to call the challenge game.” She said. “In this game everyone is eligible to change sizes, and it is theoretically possible for every person to change in this game, however it is very unlikely.”

“What will happen is this: a smaller person will have the opportunity to challenge a larger person for their height. There will then be a vote, and the rest of the group will decide if the challenger will switch sizes with the defendant or if they will keep their sizes. If the vote is a tie than the defendant shall win.”

“The only catch is that you can only issue a challenge against someone in the next direct size bracket. As such, four challenges will take place. Marie and Dale, you will each get a chance to challenge one of the half-sized people. They, in turn, will get a chance to challenge the full-sized people. Do you understand all of that?”

The players nodded in understanding. Betty passed a piece of paper and a pencil to all but Paul and Hailey, who obviously had no one to challenge. “Write down your name, the word ‘challenges’, and the name of the person you wish to challenge.” Said Betty. “Be mindful that when the vote comes, it will be an open vote, so act wisely.”

This made the players tense up a little bit. Paul was grimacing inside. This was exactly the kind of game he hated, where it was only a matter of who-liked-who that would determine what size everyone would turn out. If it was a game of skill or anything else he would have a very good chance. But this would certainly spell disaster. He was going to shrink; he just knew it.

“I will collect your papers.” Betty said, walking to each person and collecting the slips in their hands. Some of the contestants let go of their papers very hesitantly. Obviously, some very hard choices had been made.

Betty kept the piles separate, so that there was one pile of two and one of four. She mixed the piles up so she wouldn’t know which one she was picking first. She reached for one of the two smallest ones, and picked the one of the top up. The handwriting was very small as the contestant had not made efforts to make it more visible, but Betty could still read it.

“First contest: Dale challenges Vera.” Betty read. Vera felt a kind of coldness penetrate her. She knew one of them would challenge her. Perhaps both of them. She was pretty confident Dale wouldn’t win. But if Marie did, she might be in trouble.

The choice wasn’t too hard for Dale to make. Due to his pseudo-alliance with Marie he didn’t want to target Carla or Andy. It was between Jerry and Vera then, and Jerry had done a favor by getting his clothes from Hailey. It was that favor that put Jerry ahead, so he voted for Vera.

“Okay,” Betty said. “Since it is obvious what you two will chose, it is up to the other six of you to decide this. First, all votes in favor of the defendant, Vera.”

Paul raised his hand, followed by Hailey. Jerry’s hand rose too, a little bit more hesitantly. The vote was going to be a tie.

“Okay, all votes in favor of the challenger?” Betty said. The alliance of Carla, Marie, and Andy all raised their hands. It was a tie, so the win went to the defendant.

“Vera wins.” Betty said. “You will both retain your size.”

Dale suddenly found himself spitting mad at Jerry. Jerry had no more reason to vote for Vera then him! What had Dale ever done to him? He understood Paul and Hailey’s votes, and was unexpectedly glad with Carla and Andy’s support. But to be so close to growing and to have only Jerry—of all people—get in his way was beyond frustrating. Now he was stuck small until at least 8 o’clock.

“Next: Marie challenges Jerry.” Betty announced. Carla was a little surprised about this—they were supposed to be taking down Vera! Marie had known this, but for some reason Marie had opted to replace Jerry instead of Vera. What was it. Sympathy for Vera? Dislike of Jerry?”

“Okay, votes in favor of the defendant?” Betty asked. Hailey raised her hand but Paul did not. Paul saw something in Jerry, a potential that had not been yet realized, that he felt was better kept under wraps. Vera also defended Jerry. It did not look too good for the little delivery man.

“Votes in favor of the challenger,” Betty said. Paul raised his hand as did Carla and Andy. Dale voted for Marie too. Before Jerry backstabbed him he would have considered this a hard choice, but now it was clear as day.

“Very well, then.” Betty said. “Jerry, you will walk forward into the shrinking machine to be reduced to one-quarter size.”

Jerry smiled, walking off to the machine. He tried to be as jovial as always as he went to be reduced to quarter-size. He knew that dispite his good attitude the others still mistrusted him somewhat. It eluded him exactly why that was, but he wasn’t too worried. He hadn’t made any enemies, and if it came down to it Hailey was still going to be large to protect him, since he figured everyone would go after Paul, not her.

Jerry dissappered into the machine, and a few second later the light came on. Everybody knew he had been shrunk.

“Marie, you will enter the machine to be enlarged to half-size.” Betty said. Marie was smiling broadly from ear to ear. She enjoyed being small, but now she wasn’t going to be the smallest anymore! Other than that brief brush with Sherri the first day, Marie had never seen anyone smaller than herself. She imagined Jerry would be the first person she would see. Big old Jerry. She laughed to herself.

She entered the machine and waited for the flash to came. It came, and she found the room to be quite a bit smaller afterwords. It was still pretty large, and she thought it funny how she could ever think being two-and-a-half feet tall would be big.

She stepped out of the room and into the post-shrinking room, which was the size it had been after that first randomized shrinking round. Immediately, her eyes fell on Jerry. The man was standing there looking up at her with a hesistant smile, which was just too cute. He only came up to her waste and looked like a child.

Jerry was stunned by the size of Marie. He had always thought of Marie as such a little thing, expecially when she was smaller than him. She had always acted very young and childlike as well, and seeing her stand over him with her features exagerrated by scale he understand that she indeed was a woman.

“You’re so cute,” Cooed Marie in a high voice. “Can I pick you up?” Marie didn’t wait for an answer, she just scooped right down and lifted up the child-sized man. She held him in her arms, her head upon her shoulder.

“Wow, you weight nearly nothing!” Marie said. Jerry didn’t know whether this was a compliment or not, so he just stayed quiet.

“Well, Betty wants us back.” Marie said. “Here, I’ll carry you.” And even though Jerry was fully capable of walking, Marie carried him back into the main room. The other contestants watched as they emerged, the switcheroo very obviously showing itself.

“Here you are,” Said Marie, depositing Jerry at Hailey’s feet. While Marie came up to Hailey’s waste, Jerry only came up to her knee. She gaped in awe at how tall this woman was; her legs were wider than he was, leading up to a waste wich was so high as to be out of reach. Far above two sensuous orbs hung on her chest, and above that was a gigantic face that was smiling down.

Maire ran to join Carla and Andy. For the moment all three members of the alliance were the same size, but now Carla and Andy, as well as Vera, had a chance to increase their size.

“Okay,” Betty said. “Now it is time for the challenges of the half-sized people against the full-sized people. Since Jerry has been shrunk his challenge shall be removed.” Betty too, one of the papers out of the group and crumpled it. Now there were only three challenges.

“The first challenge.” Betty said, “Carla challenges Paul.”

Paul nodded his acknowlegement. He knew this was going to come. He looked his little challanger in the eye, trying to intimidate her. Carla stared directly back at Paul, unafraid.

“Okay,” Betty said. “Votes in favor of the defendant.” Vera raised her hand, but she was alone. It was obvious how this vote was going to turn out to be.

“Now votes in favor of the challanger,” Betty said. Hailey, Andy, Marie, Jerry, and Dale all raised their hands. A smile creeped over Carla’s face. She had finally done it: she had defeated Paul.

Paul had a stiff look on his face. He had known this was coming sooner or later. He knew he really didn’t have any support beyond Vera. He was just about to be the last of the group of eight to have been shrunk. Well, better last than first he thought. He knew his military training would keep his control in the face of giants.

“Paul, please step inside the machine to be reduced to half-size.” Betty said. There was something behind that smile Paul wasn’t sure he really liked, but he knew there was no turning back now. Head held high he marched forward into the shrinking booth and let the door close on him.

A second later there was a flash, and Paul was shrunk. Carla turned first to Marie then to Andy, smiling, then walked forward to the shrinking machine before Betty could even talk.

“Well I see you’re ready!” Said Betty. Carla just nodded. “Well, go ahead and enter!” Carla entered the shrinking booth, looking once again at it’s high celing and wide walls. Now it was time for her to grow.

The flash of light came and Carla found herself in the smallish phone booth. She had done it. She was full-sized once again. Carla walked out into the next room, which she found to be even smaller than she thought it would be. But of course she looked at nothing but Paul.

The little solgier was standing almost at attention, looking resolutely away from Carla and the shrinking machine. Carla giggled at this—before he had been a tall, super-masculine guy, but now he really just looked like a kid imitating a military stance.

“Well there,” Said Carla, stepping directly in front of him not a foot away. “How do you like being shrunk?”

Paul could not help but notice that the fly of Carla’s jeans was directly level with his nose and his eyes were pointed directly at her crotch. Embarrassed he looked away, breaking his military posture.

“It’s not scary.” Said Paul.

“Before we go out there, I want to tell you that you were a great partner in the egg hunt yesterday.” Carla said. “It’s because of us you’re just half-sized, not quarter-sized.”

Paul wasn’t sure what to say to that. It was obvious that Carla was at a bit of a high from being enlarged, and she took great pleasure to see him shrunk. Maybe Vera was right about her—she was a bitch. Paul had thought Carla was a nice girl, but now he was starting to realise this side of her. Oh well, at least if she keeps this up her allies might turn against her.

The two of them returned to the main room to rejoin the group. Carla was astonished at how small everyone looked. Only Hailey and Betty were her size, everyone else was smaller. Marie seemed to change in proportion to her, and now her little lover Andy was staring at her with awestruck eyes. Three was no dowbt what was on his mind. Carla smiled internally, considering how long she would make him wait before he got what he wanted.

Paul noticed Vera and he were now the same size. Paul felt good about this—when Vera was smaller she almost seemed weak and less appealing to her. But now she was the curvy, muscular woman he had made out with behind the house yesterday afternoon, and that is what he liked.

There were two more challenges to go. Betty reached into the paper and pulled out the second slip: “Challenge two: Vera challenges Hailey.”

Everyone knew this was going to come up, since Vera would never challenge Paul. Hailey looked down at Vera, giving her a caucious smile.

“Votes in favor if the defendant.” Betty said. Carla, Marie, and Andy all raised their hands. It was obvious they were going to do this, and it effectively blocked any chance Vera had of regaining her size.

“Votes in favor of the challanger,” Said Betty. Paul raised his hand immediately. He was followed by Jerry and Dale. Jerry still felt some degree of sympathy for Vera, and Dale felt he could kill two birds with one stone; embarrass Paul by enlarging Vera, and depriving Hailey of full-sized. But it wasn’t going to be enough.

“No size change this round.” Betty said. She picked up the final piece of paper. “Now for our final challenge…oh, that’s odd. It’s another ‘Carla challenges Paul’!”

Carla’s mouth dropped open in surprise, but her expression quickly changed to anger as she looked down at Andy. The look on his lovely giantess’s face sent shivers down Andy’s spine. All eyes were on Andy, and he felt himself going red in the face.

“My my, someone obviously doesn’t care about winning,” Said Betty, looking around as if she didn’t already know who had written that challenge. “Well, at any rate, this concludes our challenge, and you may return to the house. I will come again at eight o’clock, so be ready for the second challenge.”

“Any hints?” Asked Hailey hopefully.

“Nope!” Betty said. “It’ll just have to be a surprise. Anyway, off with you!”