I loitered outside at the back of the store where no one ever comes except for delivery trucks until it was time to get to work. In hindsight it's comical to think I was worried about my last shift, I'd much rather be the height I was then than now. I could barely concentrate on getting into a mental zen for my shift, I was too concerned about what Dr. Penne said. 2'7 was already ridiculously small and as things stand I may end up even shorter than that. I remember that old film “ The Incredible Shrinking Man.” that very well could be my life having to do battle with household pests that would look like science fiction monsters if I were as small as he was. What if this was Dana's goal all along? If I ask her directly, I'm sure she'll only laugh it off or give me some other roundabout answer.

Lost in thought, I hardly noticed when two young brunettes came to the back. I paused in thinking wondering what they were doing, since they should have no reason to be here. I tried to pay them more mind, but couldn't help being curious. Occasionally I looked to them chattering between themselves for the next few minutes. My apprehension grew since a couple of those times, I caught them both glancing at me.

“ I told you I wasn't seeing things. Look how short he is.” I think I heard one of them say. Fuck, why do I have to be the topic of there conversation. Unfortunately for me, the door back here was usually locked and I'd have to navigate passed the two girls to get back up front. My nerves were on full alert as I walked by, it would've been a smarter move to keep staring straight ahead, but I couldn't resist staring up at them. As short as I am now, it's hard to believe that I'm the same species as them. Much like they say not to stare at a dangerous predator in the eyes, the two ladies eyes met mine and that opened up the doors of interaction that I wanted to avoid.

“ Hey!” One of them said. “ You're super tiny, how tall are you?” God damn, this shit again!? Now at double capacity by these two twenty-something year olds. I couldn't even handle a 13 year old by herself let alone two grown adults!

“ Two foot seven . .look can I just go . .” Not wanting an encore of the waiting room, I tried to quickly be on my way.

“ Hold on wait!” I was forcibly stopped in my tracks, feeling a hand on my shoulder.

“ Lemme get a picture, this is way too good to pass up putting on my Instagram.

“ Oh my god! Great idea. Hurry I want to get a pic too.” Her friend said.

“ Alright, alright, take my phone so you can get the pic.”

I struggled to find my voice to tell them to stop, but they were in there own world, I watched helplessly as the girl who was holding me handed her phone over. I can't afford to let myself be seen online like this, I've got to get away at any cost, but my squirms were hardly phasing the much bigger woman who kneeled down to one knee and put her face side by side to mine. The obvious contrast in size that they were looking to highlight was ludicrous.

What to do, what to do!? I'm a sitting duck, I can't think straight and I feel . .hot. Oh no, does this mean. .crap!

“ Hey, you're burning up.” The young woman said, relinquishing her hold for the time being and staring at me. My body was shaking and I had the displeasure of seeing the too familiar sight of world growing around me, I'm losing track how many times this has happened. I looked downward at the ground that looked to be coming closer to me, while everything above sprouted upwards. I cursed to myself why I had to shrink at the most inopportune moment. If there's any positive to this, it stopped after 15 seconds, it was a quick shrink, but that didn't mean it wasn't noticeable.

“ Holy shit did you see that . .he . He .. .shrunk!” The woman beside me exclaimed, taking a few steps back to behold me and my miniature glory.

“ I got video of it!” Her friend said. God damn no, no, no! Pictures were bad enough, but she got video!?

“ No! Please delete it! Please!” I ran up to the woman who took the video and uselessly tried to jump up and try to retrieve the phone. She simply laughed and didn't have to move an inch to stop my efforts being that I was too small to reach it.

“ What is going on out here.” Both girls and myself turned our heads at the intruder ( in there minds). It was none other than Candace staring expectantly at the two women, seeming to instantly discern what was likely going on.

“ I don't appreciate you two harassing my employee, do I have to call the police and have you removed from the property?” Candace asked with authority. Both girls sighed in defeat, but there was still a twinkle in their eyes. What Candace didn't know was that both girls already got what they wanted and were more than willing to comply with her demand. Not saying another word they walked away, shallowly trying to keep themselves from snickering as they left.

“ Thanks for . . . .helping me out Miss Candace.” I shyly said, to be honest I was only half grateful, since the girls got away with video footage of me that will end up who knows where. But, she did stop things from going any further. Fuck me though, Candace looked like a freak of nature next to me. I felt like I can't assert myself at all. Especially the way she struts around so confident and powerfully, I just shied away from making any eye contact with her, it's like in my own mind I was making her out to be even bigger than she really was.

“ No problem. How about you come get to work.”I nodded fast, occupying my mind would be a good thing right now I thought as I made my way to the back to punch in. It's going to be harder than last time for sure, but I took some solace in at least if someone tries funny business there will be witnesses to deter them.

“ Matthew, where are you going? You need to be in here.” Candace said as she noticed me about to walk away. What the heck is that about? I don't have any office related responsibilities. Still, I listened and stepped into Candace's office. My suspicion meter rose seeing Candace waiting by the door, and she made sure to close and lock it after I entered. Once she did that Candace took a seat in her chair and kicked her shoes off. I still was trying to connect the dots of what was going on here.

“ Any time you're ready.” Candace expectantly said.

“ . . . .What exactly am I supposed to be doing now?”

“ Come on now little Matthew, my feet aren't going to rub themselves.” She said wiggling her toes a few times.

“ . . . . . .Since when in the blue hell did my job include rubbing your fucking feet!? Hell no!” Just saying the words were nearly enough to trigger a gag reflex.

“ If I do recall you were the one who begged me to find you a suitable job that you could manage.” Candace replied, she stared at me quizzically, I know that look. The look that I was the one acting weirdly, and not everyone else. “ Lets face it, there's no way it's safe nor can you be all that productive on the floor at your size. So being my personal assistant is the next best thing for you.”

In theory that all made sense, still I had a hard time believing I agreed to something so degrading and for Candace of all people.

My title maybe assistant, but rubbing someone's feet and Candace towering like a building over me, I felt more like a servant. It took all my willpower to take her foot into my hand and to begin massaging it. It's hard to describe what it's like having a foot that was roughly ¼ of your entire size in your hands. There's no way to say it other than it felt really . .huge. I had to use the majority of my force to be sure Candace even felt anything.

“ Mmmm, that's the spot. My husbands were never as good as you.” She moaned. Way to make an impossible to make more awkward scene more awkward. Originally Candace made sure to keep her foot in steady position for me to rub, but as she became more relaxed she started to impose much more, forcing her foot downward without regard of my position. I tried to keep it at bay as long as I could but the laws of physics dictated otherwise.

“ Hey Miss Candace wait!” I tried to warn her, but she was too into her relaxation to notice or care for that matter. Now I have to say something I never thought I'd say. I'm trapped underneath my boss's foot! I tried to lift it up enough so I could squeeze out, but her weight and gravity were both conspiring to keep me down.

“ You're exactly what I need. . “ Candace said, not addressing my problem at all, she's purposely ignoring me. “ My husbands never could satisfy me.”

She sat up and took a look at my pathetic form that couldn't get itself out from underneath her, she didn't look worried once soever and in no hurry to help me. She lightly laughed. “ You used to be such a difficult employee, to be honest I was about ready to fire you.”

I paused wondering why she was tell me this all of a sudden, her usually tone at times like this were just lecturing me like a mentor to pupil right now though this was utter seriousness adult to adult. “ . . .Miss Candace.” I said nervously. She only smiled smugly in response.

“ You never called me Miss Candace before.” She chuckled to herself. “ Tell me what brought that change about?”

I thought back and it's true I rarely used any sort of etiquette when referring to her and when I did it was laced with a fine bow of sarcasm. I wondered if it was subconsciously what happened with that brat Taylor at the doctor today. She managed to completely humiliate me and treat me like a child who didn't belong in the same social standing with her. Now here I was with Candace who in all ways eclipsed me. She was more successful than I, more powerful than I, richer than I, and oh so so much bigger.

“ Are you finally seeing how much better I am than you?” I flinched as she said those words. I never seen this side of Candace and she seems far more aware of my attitude and disdain I had towards her than she lets on, and right now she's showing the feeling is mutual.

“ I think I like you better this way.” She added. “ My ex-husbands could never handle how much woman I was. None of there alpha-male nonsense could change that.” Candace smiled down at me and rubbed her foot into my chest a little, and god damn did it hurt, my groans of pain only made her smile wider. “ You though, you're nice and subservient and submissive. A nice little man who has to do everything I say, don't you Matthew?” She pressed down again wanting compliance out of me.

“ Candace! P-please stop it hurts!” I begged.

“ Go ahead, beg me some more little man.” She pressed harder trying to see how much she can make me plead.

“ Stoooop! You'll break something!” I coughed, her foot expelling most of the air from my lungs. “ What do you want! I'll do it! Anything!” I managed to eek out.

“ Anything?” Candace repeated. “ Stand up.” She ordered, at last moving her foot off of me.

Slowly I got up after getting some proper air into my body. It didn't take a psychologist to see that I was nervous and afraid. Candace surely sensed it and she was loving it. I felt like a peasant about to be judged by the queen herself.

“ I want to see you shrink.” She demanded.