She pressed down - as hard as she could, on the record button on the reel-to-reel player. "Testing ... one, two, three. Testing ... testing."

"Attention, Doctor Theresa Wilson, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, State University. This is Jane Richardson, Research Fellow in Pathology, speaking."

"At the moment I am seated on the tape recorder that is recording this message to you. As a point of fact, by the yard stick on my desk, I stand slightly less than twelve inches and I am steadily decreasing in size."

"I am on top of my desk; I climbed up here before I should shrink to a point where I would be physically unable to get from the floor to the chair and thus to the desk top, and the telephone."

"It is a very strange experience to find one's desk an insurmountable object, like a mountain, to climb. However, the phone is by my side now and since it is my last contact with the outside world, it is imperative that I do not become separated from it."

"I calculate, if I continue to shrink at the present rate of speed, it is possible that I will become invisible to the human eye sometime before midnight."

"I have been trying to reach you by phone since eight this morning. But you are not at home, and have not yet arrived at your office."

"Since you are the only person with an adequate scientific background and technical knowledge to save me, it is imperative that my last whereabouts is known to you in the event I cannot contact you by phone. Thus, the precaution of this recording."

"As you will have discovered by now, I have gone against your orders and pursued my theory of cancer cell growth by working in the lab at night after my regular duties."

"This is the same theory I proposed in publication December 1, 2007, and which you publicly ridiculed in the Scientific American Journal, September 3, 2008. Unfortunately, you were wrong, Doctor Wilson."

"I have been trying to prove that the bio-chemical agent not only stops abnormal cell division, but reduces the existing cells in physical size until the neutralizer is induced. The fact that I have shrunk from five and one half feet to one foot should be proof beyond refutation, though my condition is the result of an accident."

"While trying to introduce a more powerful catalyst in the laboratory last night, I inadvertently created an uncontrolled reaction which manifested itself as a white mist which filled the entire lab. The mist lasted no more than a few seconds and, as I observed no effects other than this, I continued working. When I got home, I descended into one of the deepest and blackest sleeps I have ever experienced. I awoke this morning to discover myself literally lost in a sea of blankets."

"I had shrunk four feet, eight inches during the night. Naturally, my first reaction was one of panic, but I soon realized that my only salvation was to remain calm until I contacted you. You'll find a more complete report of my theory, and the experiments which I've conducted to prove it, in the uncompleted thesis here on my desk. This thesis, Doctor Wilson, will open the door to a cure for man's worst disease -- cancer."

"As for myself, you'll find detailed instructions on how to reverse the action which I've accidentally initiated. You'll find this on pages seventy-nine, eighty and eighty-one. No matter how small I shall become, even microscopic, you will be able to reverse the process if you follow the instructions on those pages."

With a supreme effort, the tiny woman levered the massive book open, the air split with immense thud and the swish of papers settling into place.

'To think that the cover of my thesis, the manuscript I used to carry easily in one hand, has become as difficult for me to move as the cover to my grave." She shuddered slightly. "Here now, no time for morbidity."

"I had better place another telephone call to your office, Doctor Wilson, while I'm still big enough to dial the phone."

She crossed the expanse of the desk, winding her away through the papers and pencils, her footsteps barely audible.

"It is just possible that your 'efficient' secretary forgot to tell you that I called. The phone has grown almost half as tall as I am. A strange sensation."

Leaning into the receiver resting in it's cradle, she shoves with all her might. Slowly, the receiver lifts and clatters to the desk with a mighty sound. Putting her back into it, she depresses the buttons on after another.

"Who would think the . . . tensor springs on these . . . buttons would be so strong? And who would think I would have to use both hands to . . . dial a telephone. "Steady - now is not the  time to misdial."

She is rewarded with a series of clicks and a ringing on the other end. She scurries to the receiver

"Pathology, Doctor Wilson's office. Miss Pritchart speaking."

"Miss Pritchart, has Doctor Wilson come in yet?"

"Whom shall I say is calling?"

"This is Jane Richardson, Miss Pritchart. It's urgent."

"It doesn't sound like you, doctor Richardson."

"It - it - it's me, all right."

"I'm sorry, doctor Wilson isn't in. I have your number ..."

"Are you sure?"

Yes, I am sure. Doctor Wilson is not, at this moment, in her office.

"Now look, Miss Pritchart, don't pull that doctor Wilson-isn't-in stuff to me. You tell doctor Wilson I have to talk to her."

"I'm sorry, doctor Richardson, doctor Wilson is not in."


"Look, this is a matter of life and death!"

"doctor Richardson ..."

"Tell him to answer her damn telephone."

"Doctor Richardson, I assure you Doctor Wilson is not in her office. I will have her call you as soon as she comes in. I'll tell her when she comes in. In the meantime, is there anything I can do?"

"There's nothing anyone can do but doctor Wilson. She's the only one in the world that can help me. Do you understand that?"

"Well, I'll tell her as soon as she comes in."

"Yeah, you do that, Miss Pritchart."

The conversation is interrupted by a click on the far end. Slowly, wearily, she struggles returning the giant receiver to it's cradle.

"Why, Doctor Wilson? Why, of all days, did you have to pick today to change your routine? For the last ten years you've been in your office from nine until twelve. Why in hell did you have to pick this morning to change?!"