The slice had crashed against the wall of the box, before Georgia could react the lid slammed shut sealing her inside. She felt the sudden movement as she was thrown back against the bed. A crust slammed into her stomach winding her. She yelped as the half eaten slice tumbled on top of her. It was upside down and dripping cheese. She found her legs trapped under one slice, and another slice had become her ceiling. She was in the dark and could hardly see her hand in front of her face. However she could feel the heat. The grease on the underside of the slice quickly soaked through her jeans. The hot melting cheese around her was creating an unbearable environment, she could feel the sweat beginning to drip down the back of her neck. Parts of cheese and sauce peeled themselves away from above and covered her top half. She had never found the scent of pizza so revolting. Outside she could hear voices chatting and laughing. She screamed out Claire’s name and thumped on the box but they just kept going.

‘What course are you studying?’ Candice asked

‘English Lit’

‘Oh cool, the same as Georgia then. I’m doing a foundation year in science, so I can do a full course of molecular biology. Yeah I didn’t do the right A-levels, I didn’t know what I wanted to do then.’

‘I’m only doing English Literature because I didn’t know what else to do. Better to do something you’re interested than nothing for a few years, I think it’s kind of expected of people to go to Uni now’

‘I know what you mean. My parents never went to Uni but they went on and on about me going, why didn’t they go it would have probably been free for them. I wanted to come anyway, I just find their logic a little annoying sometimes.’ Candice looked at the television, ‘oh I love this part, it’s one of my favourite songs now. Do you have any pizza left?’ she said eyeing the box behind her.

Claire paused lost for words, she realised that she must have left Georgia trapped in the box for more than fifteen minutes now.

‘Uuummm… no, I ate it all’ she patted her hand against her stomach.

Candice squinted her eyes in disbelief, she smirked and threw herself over Claire reaching for the box. Her hands gripped both sides and shook it. The rattling movement gave it away.

‘Just one slice. Pleeeeaaasssse?’ She lifted the lid and pressed her nose close taking in a deep inhale, ’mmm… it’s still warm’

Georgia was thrown about again as her room was shaken up and down. Her legs were freed from the crusts and she tumbled into the open. Claire wouldn’t do this, she knew something was wrong. The lid began to lift and a ray of light began filling the space. She didn’t think, she just acted. She threw herself into a slide rolling under a raised up edge of another slice that had landed tilted upwards from the quakes. There was a slight gap where Georgia could see out. A distorted vision of a nose hovered over her, as it breathed in Georgia could feel the suction, her hair raising and pulling away. The giant leaned back to give a full view of her face. She went to gasp but stopped and held her breath lying flat against the corrugated flooring.

The soft blonde hair swept down from the giant’s face, there was a thick purple streak running down the fringe. She had light skin that brought out the bright blue of her eyes. They circled the pizza as if searching for something. Georgia almost squealed when she thought they had locked on to her. To her relief they darted back to the right. A hand descended and gripped the crust of a slice, it struggle to tear it away and so shook it from side to side. The movement jostled Georgia from her position. In a ripping motion the slice was torn free and Candice looked away at her slice in victory. Georgia used this time to scramble back under her slice. She saw Candice lift the pizza to her mouth, her lips parted and her tongue reached out to the underside of the crust towing it towards the back of her mouth preparing to take an enormous bite.

Candice was still bent over, practically lying on Claire’s lap.

‘Mmm… this is delicious’ she spoke with a mouthful of food. Crumbs flew from between her lips and drummed to the floor near Georgia, ‘sorry, I’ll just close this. Don’t want to spoil the rest of your food.’ Candice shut the lid of the pizza box and brought herself back up to a sitting position.

Georgia breathed a sigh of relief as the top came back down and she was sealed in the dark again. She slid from out of her hiding place and slumped against the edge of the box. She was soaked through, damp but hot.

Candice crunched down the last bites. ‘Did Georgia tell you about tomorrow’ she wiped the crumbs from her mouth.

‘What about tomorrow?’

‘We’re going out, all of us. We’re going to have some pre-drinks here first and then head into town to check the place out. You’re coming right? Pre-drinks a must.’ Candice spoke as if Claire had already agreed. ‘I’m going food shopping tomorrow, but I’m going get some drink as well do you want to come with me?’

‘Well I need to get drink I…’

‘Yes yes!’ she cried, ‘It’s gonna be great, I’ve invited a couple of people from downstairs as well.’

‘I’ll just be a minute, gotta go to the bathroom’ Claire stood up, she had an adjoining en-suite, each room had a toilet, sink and shower. She went in and closed the door. She stood in front of the mirror above the sink and splashed cold water on her face, ‘I need to help Georgia’ she whispered to herself.

With Claire leaving Candice stretched across the bed kicking her feet in the air. She shifted back and felt something poke into her. She was sitting on something on. She pushed her hand underneath her bum and felt for the offending item. There were two, she pulled them out and brought the pair to her face hoping she hadn’t just sat on anything important. She was a little shocked when she opened her hand to see a tiny pair of matching boots. She looked closer, there was an odd resemblance to the pair she had seen Georgia wearing earlier. She poked and prodded them around the flat of her palm. It was odd, they were really well made and felt like real leather. She brought one up to nostrils to see if they smelled like real leather. She was about to sniff when the bathroom door opened. Candice closed her hand and hid it behind her back.

Claire came out ready to make excuses, she let out a faux yawn.

‘I think I’m going to get an early night’ Claire said ‘I’ve got nine am tomorrow, and then we’re going out and’

‘Yeah don’t worry about it I was just about to leave’ she clenched the shoes tightly behind her, ‘I’ll come knock for you though when I go to get drink okay’

‘Thanks’

Candice stood up she backed out of the room, ‘good night’ she called out before spinning on her heel and heading straight for her room.

‘Night’ Claire called back. She made sure her door was locked and headed straight for the box to check on Georgia. She had this horrible image of Candice choking her down with that first bite, there was no way though she tried to reason to herself, she would have noticed if she had a tiny woman in her mouth. She thrust the lid back and with relief spotted her right away. ‘Oh god, Georgia, are you alright?’

‘What the hell was that about!’ she yelled ‘Look at me! My clothes are ruined’

‘I’m sorry I couldn’t get rid of her. She wanted to talk and then started watching the movie, then she saw the pizza box’

‘I know! Why didn’t you stop her she almost saw me, I don’t want anyone to know yet’

‘I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. But would it be the worst thing if Candice found out, you said it yourself she’s sweet’

‘Claire, I know. It’s just really weird for me right now, the fewer the better’

‘Ok’ Claire gently placed her hand next to Georgia, ‘Let’s get you cleaned up’

Georgia climbed into Claire’s palm, she leant back and wriggled out of her jeans. She then pulled off her t-shirt and discarded it to the bed. Claire picked up both of the items of clothing with her other hand and then carried them and Georgia to the bathroom.