The night was pitch black when the car pulled into the driveway. The headlights shined onto the small cottage giving it an eerie glow. The air was still and slightly warm with cicadas chirping in the silence. The car turns off leaving Connor and Amber in silence.

“Okay, we are here. Are you feeling okay?” Amber glances down at the small cashier worried he’s going to have a panic attack any minute.

His body remains curled into a tight ball and hiding in the farthest corner of the seat to avoid the giant girl. All he could think is, “What is going to happen to me now…”

She sighs slightly annoyed at the small cashier’s silence, “I’m Amber, what’s your name?” Quickly she extends her finger hoping to have a handshake. This gesture only makes things worse.

Connor violently flinches at the quick movement almost falls off the seat, “Leave me alone! Please don’t hurt me!” He curls into a ball again trying to hide from his fate.

Amber moves her hand around to his back and tries to rub it, “It’s okay… it’s not that bad, I mean I live alone and I’m pretty nice. Right?”

Immediately he recoils and runs from the ever looming hand, “Don’t Touch Me!” He runs to the cup holders looking back at the horrible hand, the distraction causes him to tumble down into the cup holder. Connor attempts to climb out, but they are just deep enough to trap him.

“You’re going to hurt yourself, now come here little guy,” Amber patronizes Connor due to his scared and childish attitude. Quickly she reaches for him and grips him around the waist and between her fingers. She grabs her purse and some groceries; unlocking the door and heading into the once lonely home puts a smile on her face, but only fear on his.

Connor looks up at his perceived kidnapper, “Put me down! I don't want to be your pet, I refuse to be your pet!” He yells at her refusing to submit.

Amber sighs, “You don’t have much of a choice, it’s the rules of the government sadly. You’ll just need to deal with it, Tiny.” Amber places him on the island in the kitchen in order to put her groceries away.

She hums to herself as she places the groceries in the fridge and pantry, peacefully and calmly she tries to forget how much her new pet hates her.

Connor looks at her as if he'd been insulted, “Screw the rules I am no one's pet and you will not keep me here!” He continues to yell at her not backing down.

He begins to pace on the island trying to find a way down despite his size. Peeking his head over the edge, the panic sets in and he crawls away from the side. The floor seemed miles away, how will he ever get out of the here?

“Tiny, calm down! You’re going to hurt yourself and no one wants that,” Amber rests on her elbows in front of him in an effort to become closer. Her hand slowly moves towards him in a hope to keep him safe from the edge.

He looks at her still clearly panicked but tries to act brave, “Don't call me that, that’s not my name!” He stands up trying to stand his ground against his kidnapper.

Amber starts to get sick of the tough guy act, “Alright tiny, then what’s your name?” A hand sneaks up and pushes him down to his knees. She quickly pins him on his back with one finger in an effort to get in control of her new pet.

Connor squirms, but is completely immobile in her grip, “Like you even care, you kidnapped me, how do I know you don't plan to turn me into some sort of slave?”

“I guess you just need to trust me,” She sighs and releases him from her trap,“I think you need to get some sleep, maybe the shock of everything will start to fade.” She puts her hand palm up in front of him, “Want to climb on? Or would you rather I grab you?”

Conner smacks at her hand and then spits at her, “Get your hands away from me!” He says still not submitting to her, “What I want is for you to let me go and bring me somewhere that can fix this!”

“Little jerk!” His rebelling finally sets her over the edge. Amber snatches him off of the table in a tight fist and storms to her room. “I’ve been nothing but nice to you, and you’ve only been rude to me. Time for bed.”

Amber clears out her top drawer leaving only a few tank tops and rolled up socks, “This will work for tonight, I’ll find you something better tomorrow.”

Placing Connor down in the dark cold bedside drawer leaves him in a sad and vulnerable state. He can’t escape. He can’t control where he is going. He can only try to rebel and get in trouble for it.

“Goodnight little guy, I’ll see you in the morning,” The drawer slowly closes, leaving him in complete darkness. Leaving him to his thoughts for the night.

Morning -----

In the morning, the drawer slowly begins to open up as Amber checks on her new pet. She notices that he is still asleep, but looks as though he'd been crying and for a long time as well.

Connor begins to stir as the sun beats down on him from the window near the side table, however, the light seems to disappear as Amber blocks it for him.

“Morning, how did you sleep?” She looks down at him in a concerned way, however, she is a towering giantess in Connor’s perspective.

He sighs, “Terrible, I dreamt that I was kidnapped by some random girl and she forced me to be her pet…. Oh, wait that wasn't a dream, that's still happening.” He says still not fully awake but clearly full of snarkiness and sarcasm.

Amber looks away, “I’m not forcing you to be my pet, but I am making you stay here with me until a cure is made… if it’s ever made. Do you want to stay here in the dark or come downstairs and eat something?”

He looks at her with a pleading gaze still not wanting to accept his fate, “Why can't you just take me home?”

“What will you do once you’re home? Sit on the floor unable to get food or go to work. Possibly be found by some weirdo who uses you like a sex slave?” Amber passionately tries to convince her little cashier that her place is the best place for him.

He starts crying, completely breaking down in front of her, “I don't know okay! I don't know, but I do know I don't want to be someone's pet; I just want to be normal again and live a normal life.”

Amber attempts to stroke his back to comfort him, “Oh hon, I wish I knew the answer but I don’t. Maybe they’ll figure out the cure, but until then you need to stay safe. Here. In my place.”

Despite her efforts to comfort Connor, he immediately slaps at her hand and tries to avoid her. He curls up in the dark corner hoping to avoid all touching and consoling.

Connor looks her dead in the eye, “Don't touch me. I don't want any of your pity!” He yells at her still refusing to accept what’s happened to him and the position he's now in.

Amber refuses to coddle him anymore, “Fine. I won’t touch you. Let me know when you get hungry, Tiny.” She quickly slams the drawer shut and storms out.

Connor thinks to himself about his situation, “There has to be a way out of this situation. I won't be this girl's pet, I refuse to degrade myself to that.” His stomach growls and he groans a bit.

A Few Hours Later -----

Amber starts to open up the the drawer having cooled off some, but still mad at her new pet.

As she opens it she places some cut up cheese and some cut up strawberries next to him, “I thought you may be hungry.”

She stays quiet not wanting to anger him anymore than he probably is.

The light from the opening blinds Connor temporarily and causes him to flinch away. He shields his eyes a bit, “N-no I'm not hungry j-just leave me alone,” he says still trying to rebel, but his stomach growls and he groans a bit having not eaten in almost 12 hours.

“Well then I should probably eat this so it doesn't go to waste,” Amber starts to slowly eat the cheese in order to tease him.

Connor looks at her doing this, “W-wait I was only joking please.” He stomach growls again and he groans again. Amber looks at him wondering if she should prolong this as a punishment.

“I don't know I'm pretty hungry,” she starts to eat the strawberries.

He begins pleading with her, “Please Amber I'm so hungry please!”

“Well how about we go downstairs and make you something to eat? Maybe get out of that drawer?” She smiles gently.

He looks up at her considering his options, and decides his hunger is more important than his pride, “Okay fine, you win I'll go with you…” He says feeling defeated.

She smiles big, “Awesome!” She reaches for Connor forgetting how scary the gesture is.

Connor panics and tries running but Amber gets ahold of his leg as he runs, “Ahh! No! Please don't hurt me! He starts squirming out of panic.

“Oh relax, you'll be okay.” She gently pulls him into her palm and lifts it up so he can't escape.

He's absolutely shaking right now absolutely terrified being as high up as he is, “P-please don't drop me please!”

She smiles at his small and fragile figure, “I promise I won't hon. Just don't fall off.” A quick wink is sent his way.

He blushes a bit, “Y-yeah whatever,” he closes his eyes not wanting to see how high he is.

They make their way to the kitchen island and she places her hand down on the table. She nudges him off and smirks down at him.

He quickly climbs off, “I'm getting off jeez, no need to patronize me.” He blushes a bit again.

“What are you hungry for little guy?”

“I don't know surprise me i guess?”

She rolls her eyes, “How about while I make you some food you tell me your name?” She looks in the fridge for something good.

He looks at her surprised, “I was wearing a nametag at the store did you not see it?”

“No… I barely had my head up when I was talking to you,” she blushes a bit and turns away to hide it.

Connor smirks, “Well then it seems like it’s your fault you don't know my name, wouldn't you say?”

“Whatever. If you want me to stop calling you little guy, then you would tell me. Want some fruit and cheese for real this time?” She stays looking into the fridge slightly embarrassed.

He sighs feeling annoyed, “Fine, it's Connor. Sure any sort of food sounds good right now honestly.”

Amber smiles a bit and starts cutting up the cheese and fruit, “Here you go. Hope it's cut up small enough for you.” She gently sets the plate down next to him.

“I'm sure I can make do, like I said I'm hungry I just want some food.” He starts eating slowly.

Connor starts to feel better getting some sort of food in his stomach.

Amber frowns a little, “Hey, I know you don't want to hear this, but I need to register you into the system so people know what happened.”

Connor glares at her, “No way I refuse to be registered as property.”

“Your boss will start to worry when you're gone for so long. It looks like everyone is learning to look at the website first before jumping to conclusions,” she sighs, “I have to register you.”

Connor stands up feeling angry, “No there has to be a way for me to be normal again, I don't want to be someone’s pet!”

Amber signs and turns on the news in the living room.

NEWS365:

Breaking news on the virus named H1S1. After months of searching for a cure all attempts have come up short and all funding that went into finding a cure has been cut. It looks as though shrinkies won't be returning to their old lives as many had hoped they would. Just as before any shrinkie found is yours to keep or to be delivered to the nearest shelter if you aren't able or wanting to keep it.

Connor hearing this is completely shocked, “N-no this can't be…”

Amber looks at him concerned, “I'm sorry, but you needed to realize that you can't return to normal.”

Connor, clearly upset over this development, starts crying, “No this can't be true, I don't want to be someone's pet I'm a human being!”

Amber reaches down and scoops him up carefully bringing him close to her body in an awkward hug in an attempt to comfort the sad shrinkie.

Connor cries into her shirt not caring anymore, “What am I supposed to do now?”

“Your welcome to stay here with me hon,” Amber gently strokes his back.

Connor tries to dry his eyes, “But you'll just treat me like a pet not like a human…”

“Why do you think that will happen? I'm going to treat you like a friend and a ‘pet’ when necessary. I'm not going to walk you like a dog,” Amber quietly laughs a bit.

Connor tries to argue, “Well, how am I supposed to trust you? I barely know you.” He wipes his face a bit, “For all i know you're just saying that.”

She continues to rub his back, “Well, I guess you'll just have to trust me.” She smiles gently, “Please stay, you'll be safe here, Connor.”

Connor laughs nervously, “I feel like I don't have much of a choice, but fine you win just no collars please?”

“We will see about that,” Amber winks and smiles.

Despite Connors constant refusing and rebelling, he came up short in the end and succumbed to Ambers request. However, even though the original argument is over, more are to come in the future. That is guaranteed.