I explained what happened to me to Megan. She told me that she would keep me safe, and decided to let me stay in her room until they find a way to grow me back to normal. She dropped me on her desk and went to go scold Rosie, and see if she found a way to turn me back. As I was waiting in Megan’s room, her door opened, and Mom and Sarah walked in.

               “There you are sweety! I’ve been looking for you. Mommy’s been worried sick” Mom said with concern in her voice. As usual, there she goes using those pet names.

               “I’ve been thinking about how we’re going to accommodate you at your new size. You can’t sleep on your bed because you might roll off, and if you sleep with someone else, they might roll over and squash you. We need something that has walls that can hold you in, is comfortable, and is warm. Something where you can’t accidentally get out of without our help.” Mom trailed off, trying to think of the perfect “bed” for me.

               “Oh! I have a pretty good idea.” Sarah said as she reached down to her foot and bent her knee upwards. Apparently in the few hours since the movie, she had taken off her socks and was walking around the house in a pair of fur-lined moccasins. “This seems like it matches all of the criteria.” Sarah said as she handed Mom the moccasin. I grew wide-eyed as I watched Mom’s face light up upon taking it. I watched in slow motion as Sarah had pulled it from her clearly sweaty foot. Her foot was slightly reddish from being trapped in that shoe, and there were bits of fuzz locked in between her toes, furthermore, there was an outline of dirt or grime of some kind on her sole, in the parts that take most of the brunt of walking.

               “Great idea Sarah! It’s warm, soft, and he can’t fall out of it, the walls are a high enough.” Mom said, ecstatically.

               I turned around to run away. I already knew where this was going. I didn’t care where I went, or if I fell of the desk, or even if I died, there was no way I was going to be put in that sweaty death trap. Sarah’s FOOT has been in there. It’s a freaking shoe. It’s meant for FEET not people. How could she think this was a good idea at all? I thought I was making great progress, when a hand landed right in front of me, blocking my path. I fell backwards in shock, awe, and fear. 

               “Now now sweety, I know you might be scared. But I’m trying to protect you. Mommy is always thinking about what’s best for you.” She said as she picked me up and held me over the moccasin.

               It felt like she was about to drop me in a steaming cauldron. I looked below and saw the disgusting shoe. The heat from the shoe rose up and bathed my body in its embrace, as if it were ready to swallow me, and make me a part of it forever. I could see the fur had been matted down after years of use, and it had clearly been tinged a dark color in the areas where the foot would press down. I always wondered what that dark stuff was. Was it some kind of disgusting ooze that came from feet? Some kind of foot grime, or all-encompassing toe jam that just grew from smelly shoes. I always noticed the mark specifically in girl’s shoes, as they always seem to over-wear shoes like flats, moccasins, TOMS, or really any kind of slip-on. And these were the shoes that always got the stinkiest. Speaking of the smell, it wafted up from the shoe along with the heat, further supporting the idea that the shoe was a living entity, and was excited to have me as its permanent guest.

               “MOM, Please don’t! Please Mom! NOT IN THERE! I CAN’T GO IN THERE!” I pleaded. The only option I had left was begging.

               Just then, Megan walked in the room, and was immediately shocked at what was transpiring.

               “Mom! What are you doing?!” She yelled.

               “I’m keeping Paul safe. Sarah so nicely offered to give up her comfy shoe so that Paul could have a nice home until he grows back to normal height.” She said, as if this completely made sense.

               “Mom that’s gross! You can’t put him in there!” Megan yelled back. I was so thankful she was defending me.

               “Oh relax Megan. It’s the perfect bedroom for him. It might smell a little bit, but he’ll get used to it.” Mom told her, almost nonchalantly.

               “But—“  

               “That’s the last I’ll hear of this Megan. And so help me god if you remove him, I will kick you out of this house! Is that clear!?” Mom told Megan, clearly getting a bit angry.

               “Fine.” Megan said, as she accepted defeat.

               Mom finally let go and I plummeted into the waiting maw that would swallow me whole, and force me to endure its heat and stench.

               I landed with a sickening bounce. The second I touched the floor of the moccasin I could tell it was soaked in sweat. The landing caused me to roll a bit, causing sweat to ooze up and completely coat me in its thick, slimy embrace. Every part of me was soaked in it. Even my face. I tried wiping it off with my hands but that didn’t do anything because my face was coated in it as well. The smell was horribly cheesy, thick, and rotten. I also tried putting my hands on my nose, but that was also useless as my hands smelled just like feet.

               Each step I took caused more sweat to ooze up from the ground. Which also seemed to activate the smell more, or maybe it was the fact that I was getting closer to the toe area. I immediately turned around and stayed as far away from that section as possible. It looked like the smell would get really bad down there.

               I looked towards the walls to see if I could climb out. Unfortunately, they really were too high. I tried to see if maybe I could climb the fur, but it was too slippery with foot sweat. The air in this place was heavy, it almost felt like it was trying to attack me.

               “Sarah, why don’t you take your brother to your room, make sure he stays safe Ok?” - Mom

               “Yes mom” Sarah replied.

               “And Megan, I hope we understood each other well.” –Mom said as she walked out of the room.

               Sarah carried me and the shoe into her room.

               “Mom said to keep you safe, AKA don’t let you out of that shoe. So wait here” Sarah said as she placed the shoe on the floor and went to go get something.

               “This one is only 3 days old, so it shouldn’t be too bad” Sarah said as she held up a thick black sock. It looked crusty, like she had sweat in it and then let it dry.

               Then she held it a little close to her nose and took a small whiff. She immediately crinkled her nose and held it back.

               “Actually, I take that back, you’re in for a doozie little guy. I’d run further in if I were you, you do NOT want to get trapped under this ol’ thing. Come to think of it, you keep ending up at my feet. Guess it sucks to be you.” Sarah said as chuckled and began balling up the sock and brought it closer to the shoe.

               I panicked. There’s no way this is happening. This all has to be a nightmare. It CAN’T be real. IT JUST CAN’T. I pinched myself, even slapped myself really hard in the face. Nothing. That giant crusty sock was still coming my way, to seal me into this wet, cheesy, disgusting, foot-smelling tomb. There was no option left. I had to run. So I did.

               I ran further into the shoe, towards the toe section, where the disgusting grime increased. It oozed profusely out of the dark areas where her sole had been. The stench increased exponentially. It almost felt like it got harder to run as the air grew denser and denser, more humid, and more acrid. I got winded very quickly, I just couldn’t handle this scent. It was too much. Sarah had finally shoved the sock into the opening of the shoe, sealing the exit, and the fresh air. Before the light was gone, I crawled to the only area that wasn’t coated in dark foot dirt, the area where the underside of her toes would be. I’d rather be here than actually touching that stuff.

               The air was truly something remarkable. How could something this stinky exist? And to think, I wasn’t even smelling anyone’s foot. This was just the potent odor of the after-effect of feet, not even the real thing. I laid there, and prayed to God that I’d never have to experience the real thing. But within this dark, stinky cave, I had a sickening feeling that God couldn’t hear me.

               The burning in my lungs became very painful, and the smell didn’t just go away, nor was I getting used to it. I started tearing up again, from the smell, and the fear. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. After a few minutes, I got very light-headed. I really just couldn’t handle this stench. The situation was just too disgusting, and I simply….passed out.

Next Morning

               I was jolted awake by a loud voice.

               “Crap! I’m late! I’m so late!” I couldn’t tell who it was right away. Whoever it was sounded like she was in a huge rush.

               “Oh hey! These look cute” they said.

               Suddenly, a huge beam of light invaded my space. The sock was pulled out. My immediate instinct was to get up and run, but I felt restricted for some reason. It felt like the sludge-like foot sweat from yesterday had dried all over my body and formed some kind of foot sweat glue cocoon. I peered up as far as I could from my angle, and briefly saw a face before being lowered back to the ground….It was Julie. Where was Sarah? Why was Julie messing with Sarah’s shoes?

               The reality of what was about to happen set in. Oh God. No. No. Julie. Please do not do what I think you’re about to do. Just then, 5 shadows loomed over my only source of light….