Sierra felt like she was flying high as she and her mom spent the next several hours with different departments getting everything straightened out for classes.  When they were finally done, they found a seat on a bench outside to sit at for a few moments, Sierra on Diane’s shoulder.

“Finally done!” Diane said, exhaling.

Sierra was still in shock, but even she was happy it was all over.  “I can’t believe I did it,” she squeaked.


“Told ya you’d do it, honey!”  Diane commented.

Sierra looked down, blushing slightly and swinging her legs idly over her mother’s shoulder.  “Bah.”

They heard a young female voice call out to them.  “Hey!  Oh my god, is that Sierra’s mother!?”

Feeling her body stiffen on Diane’s shoulder, Sierra’s heart felt like it dropped straight into her stomach.  Diane looked up at one of the two girls coming over and stood up.  “Samantha!” Diane greeted, “We haven’t seen you in years!  Not since high school, right?  And…?” Diane questioned, looking at Samantha’s friend.

Samantha was a chubby girl, with shoulder length raven hair.  She was dressed mostly in black.  Black jeans, black shirt, black lipstick and earrings.  Her nose was pierced.  Very much into the goth look.  She had her friend with her, Catherine, who was slightly less chubby but dressed a bit more conservatively, with brown khakis and a red blouse.  Catherine had her curly, light brown hair tied back into a ponytail.

Catherine turned to Diane with a polite smile in reply.  “I’m Cat!  Nice to meet you!”

“You too!” Diane replied, “I can’t believe we happened to run into you here, Samantha!  I didn’t think we’d even run into one of Sierra’s old high school friends here!”

“Yeah,” Samantha narrowed her eyes at Sierra, which took on a wicked gleam.  “Friends.  Haven’t seen you in so long, Sierra.  I see you have become one of the tiny ones?”

Sierra felt the color drain from her already pale face.  “Y-yeah,” she stammered nervously.

“Well,” Diane began, “I actually have to run to the restroom if you don’t mind?  I thought maybe I’d take Sierra with me-“

“Mooom…” Sierra cried embarrassingly.

“-but since you girls are here maybe you could keep an eye on her for me for a few?”  Diane was doing her best to resist her overprotective instincts.  ’It’s what she wants after all,’ Diane thought worriedly, ‘Being more independent.  I should respect it.  What could go wrong in five minutes, anyway?’

“Sure thing!” Samantha grinned. “We have sooo much to catch up on, after all!”

“Great!” Diane replied.  She gently picked up Sierra.  “It’ll be okay, honey, I’ll be back soon.  But have fun with your friends!  Maybe they can help you get to know the school, too!”

Sierra nodded nervously.  She felt an anxious sweat starting to form all over her body.  She didn’t want her mom to leave her alone with these two girls, but she had a feeling this might be something she has to deal with herself to be independent someday.  Besides, her mom would be back soon enough.  Right?

Samantha held out her hand as Sierra stepped nervously onto it.  Samantha giggled as she felt Sierra’s tiny feet walk onto her palm.  “Oh my god, she is so adorable!” Samantha said maybe a bit too enthusiastically.

Sierra looked up sheepishly and gave an awkward wave.  “Hey, there… Sam.”

“Well, don’t mind me girls, I’ll be right back!” Diane said, waving at the group and smiling cheerfully at Sierra as she hurried over into a nearby building.

Once Diane was out of view, Samantha looked down at Sierra.  The tiny girl couldn’t help but feel a chill go up her spine as Samantha eyes took on a deadened look, a complete disregard for Sierra’s life evident within them.  Samantha spoke, slowly enunciating her words.  “Hello, dearest friend.”

“Sam…” Sierra began, fearful tears forming in her eyes. “I’m so sorry for everything that happened.  I was young, and stupid, and-“

Samantha poked Sierra in her chest, cutting her off and pushing her onto her ass in the palm of the giant hand.  “Cat,” Samantha turned to her friend, “Remember that girl I told you about?  The bully who did all those terrible things to me?”  Samantha raised Sierra up meaningfully to Cat’s eyes.

At first, Catherine was confused at the change of tone, but now it all made sense.  “I see,” she stated, and as she regarded Sierra in Samantha’s palm, her expression slowly began to match Samantha’s.

“What was one of the things you used to say to me?” Samantha wondered mockingly, “Oh yes!  How I couldn’t help but shove everything I get my hands on down my throat? Right?” she glared down at Sierra as she spoke, and Sierra shriveled against her powerful gaze and the implication of her words. 

“Sam, please!” Sierra yelled, “I’ve changed!  And ever since I’ve shrunk I’ve had the worst kind of life.  I suffered for everything I’ve ever done to you, and more!  Please!  I’m so sorry!” Sierra sobbed.

“Not as sorry as you’re gonna be,” Samantha said, “Isn’t it funny?  You used to make fun of how fat I am, and now?  Now I could eat you.  You could be a part of the fat you used to ridicule.”  Samantha’s lips curled slowly into an evil, hungry smirk.

Sierra became all too aware of Samantha’s teeth as she smirked down at her hungrily.  In that one quick moment, she felt like she could make out every detail of Samantha’s teeth and gums.  Sierra felt the wind rush by her as Samantha lifted her up right in front of her black lips.  A portion of Samantha’s tongue slithered out of her mouth and traced along her lips, leaving a noticeable trail of spit along them inches from Sierra’s dangling form. 

“Sam,” Sierra cried, “Don’t do this to me.”

Samantha smiled in full, showing off all her white teeth.  Her hot breath enveloped Sierra as she spoke.  “Actually, little Sierra, I myself am not doing a thing.  My bowels do it for me,” she giggled, enjoying the feeling of Sierra shuddering in her hand.

“Ew, haha!”  Cat giggled.  “Gross, Sam!”

Without another word, Samantha slowly started tilting her hand up and opened her mouth wide.  Sierra watched in horror as her black lips parted, revealing a deeper darkness toward the back of her throat.  Sierra scrambled and tried to hang onto Samantha’s palm, fighting against the steepening incline.  “No no no no!” Sierra cried.  She managed to grip one of Samantha’s fingers and hung for dear life with both hands, her legs swaying over the large, cavernous maw. 

Sierra looked down past her flailing legs into Samantha’s open mouth and screamed as loud as she could.  She saw Samantha’s tongue throbbing in anticipation of its tiny meal, strands of saliva were strung about all throughout in her mouth as Samantha’s glands started getting ready for the process of consuming Sierra. 

Samantha lowered her hand closer and closer to her mouth until Sierra’s body was now halfway within her lips.  She could feel Samantha’s breath blow up into her from deep within her quivering throat.  “HELP ME!  PLEASE!  SOMEONE!” Sierra screamed out, but nobody else seemed to be near enough to hear her pathetic cries. 

Sierra felt Samantha’s warm, soft lips wrap around her body as it closed over and engulfed her up to her chest.  Sierra started panicking, reliving another time she was almost eaten.  She tried pulling herself up, but the light sucking action Samantha was doing to her body easily overpowered her attempts.  She felt as the intense heat of Samantha’s mouth and her tongue as it attacked the lower half of her body, probing her and tasting her.  “MMM,” Samantha moaned, rattling Sierra’s body with the vibration.

“Oh my god, Sam!” Cat laughed, watching the display with increasingly morbid interest.  “Does she taste good, at least?”

Samantha was sucking on Sierra with increasing fervor.  Talking over her treat as her lips slurped, she said, “She tastes… mmm… pretty yummy.”  In fact, Sierra was even tastier than Samantha was expecting.  The plan was to only go this far… torture and terrorize her old bully a bit as a kind of hazing welcome to the school.  But she was getting into it now, and enjoying how much power she had over the tiny girl.  And most importantly, she now had a primal need to send little Sierra on a one way trip down her gullet.

Sierra squirmed and kicked at Samantha’s tongue from the humid prison trapping more than half of her body.  Samantha’s black lips made wet sloppy noises as she slurped and sucked on Sierra’s small body.  With a sudden violent motion, Samantha ripped her finger out of Sierra’s grasp and slurped more of Sierra into her mouth, her lips now pursed against Sierra’s head as it constricted around the tiny girl’s neck.  Drool started seeping into Sierra’s hair and face, and her hands started pushing futilely against the warm black lips trapping her.  “HELP ME!” she squealed, “I DON’T WANT TO DIE, PLEASE!  I’M SORRY SAM!  I’M SO SORR-” 

In one quick motion, Samantha slurped the rest of Sierra’s body into her mouth.  “Mmm!” she moaned over her prey once more, as she tilted her head upwards and Catherine watched as Samantha’s mouth worked on little Sierra.  She seemed to be working the small girl towards her throat.

“Uhh,” Catherine eventually spoke up as she watched the display, “You’re not going to actually swallow her, are you?  We were just scaring her, weren’t we?”


Samantha lowered her head and frowned at her friend for a moment.  She could feel Sierra towards the back of her throat.  Somehow, in all the chaos of being swished around Samantha’s mouth, she was now face to face with the opening of Samantha’s throat.  And despite being completely covered in Samantha’s slobber and having been choking on it, Sierra screamed and begged for her life as much as she could between fits of coughing.  She could even feel it as Sierra’s voice echoed off the soft wet flesh of the back of her throat.

Samantha felt amazingly powerful.  Like a goddess.  She opened her mouth wide to show her friend Sierra’s plight.  Thick strands of saliva here and there connected Samantha’s tongue to the roof of her mouth.  The tiny girl within was thoroughly soaked in Samantha’s sticky saliva, and Catherine watched as the tiny girl turned desperately toward the light.  As pretty and dressed up as she was before, a few moments in Samantha’s mouth completely changed that. 

Before Sierra could make much more than a desperate motion towards the exit, Samantha closed her mouth again, her mouth and jaw moving as she guided the tiny girl within back toward her throat, intent to swallow her prize and make it her own.  “Sam,” Catherine tried again, regretting having gone along with this for so long, “We shouldn’t-“

Samantha’s eyes widened as she saw Sierra’s mother exiting the nearby building in a hurry.  ‘Already!?’ she wondered in shock, as she felt Sierra’s body begin to slip into her esophagus. 

Sierra felt Samantha’s uvula rub against her body as she slid past it.  Her cries seemed to have no effect on Samantha, and she thought for sure she was about to slide into the dark pit below her where Samantha’s hot breath emanated from.  Just when she thought it was all over, she felt her whole world turn upside down as her body was pushed out and she was spat onto Samantha’s hand once more.

“SIERRA!?” shouted Diane as she witness what Samantha had done.  She broke into a run, grabbing Samantha’s arm and carefully picking up her daughter, placing Sierra in her hand. 

Sierra lay in her mother’s palm, gasping and wheezing as she tried to breathe.  Saliva dripped off of her and started forming a puddle in Diane’s hand.  Her hair was soaked through, and her makeup smudged all over her face.  “Hey mom,” she said weakly.  “Sorry, I… well, you know how I want to be a dentist.  Sam thought it’d be cool to check out a tooth she’d been having problems with.  Figured I could give her a…” she cut herself off, chuckling and coughing weakly, “…a ‘different perspective’ as they say.”

Samantha was dumbstruck by Sierra’s lie, but was quick to play along.  “Y-yes!  Sorry!” Samantha apologized, “I just wanted her to check out my tooth real quick.  I didn’t realize she’d get so messed up.  Ugh!  I’m so sorry!”

Catherine frowned, watching the back and forth unfold.  She wasn’t going to say anything, but she’d definitely have a talk with Samantha later.

“Well… if you say so, sweety,” Diane said, frowning down at her daughter.  “Let’s get you home and fixed up, and celebrate your big day.”  Diane had a worried tone as she spoke, and she wasn’t sure if she really believed Sierra.  But… surely if Samantha meant her daughter harm, Sierra wouldn’t have stuck up for her?  Why would she willingly go to a school where someone may have just almost ate her?  Seemingly on purpose, as well? 

‘Yeah, it’s silly,’ Diane thought.  ‘Must have been a huge misunderstanding.  Maybe I do just need to give Sierra her space now.’  Diane sighed. 

———

Time moved fast for little Sierra as she prepared for her first semester, getting small versions of books and supplies she’d be needing for her classes.  It was exciting for her… and for now this was probably the happiest she’d been in years, even before being shrunk.  Still, at the base of her mind, she remembered her encounter with Samantha, and couldn’t help but feel an increasing unease as the days loomed closer and closer to when she’d begin her coursework.

Sierra thought back on that moment every so often, even had dreams where Samantha succeeded in swallowing her alive.  Dreams where she burned alive in her acid seemingly forever before finally waking up, covered in sweat and panting in her little bed.  Despite how fearful she was of it all, she felt another set of more complicated feelings rise up in stark contrast to the fear. 

Sierra pushed aside any other thoughts she had on that matter other than the fear.  I mean, what else could she possibly be feeling, anyway?  Besides, this was a good time for her now, and she wanted to enjoy herself for once instead of feeling sorry for herself, or being afraid. 

As much as Sierra would’ve enjoyed getting a dorm room on campus, there was no way Diane would allow it.  After several arguments between the two women, it was decided that Sierra would be driven by her mom to and from campus each day, at least for now.  Sierra was disappointed, but at least it sounded like her mom would seriously think about letting her stay over at the school if everything worked out.  ‘She’s finally starting to back off some,’ Sierra thought, ‘…Wow!’

Before she knew it, Sierra was anxiously in her very first class for the semester.  She did well on her math entrance tests, so she ended up taking Calculus right off the bat.  ‘Yay me,’ Sierra thought sarcastically. 

Sierra was perched up on a whole desk that she had to herself, which once was meant for normal sized students.  It felt odd being on it, almost as if she was being forced into some spotlight for everyone to realize how small she really was.  She looked around the classroom as people settled in.  Her classmates were likely all sophomores or higher, and aside from one other shrunken girl and another shrunken young man, everyone else was normal sized. 

Sierra couldn’t help but feel like she was the center of attention as people noticed her, and whispered quietly amongst themselves as they regarded her and the other tinies.  She felt on edge as people brushed up beside her desk to take a seat nearby, worried that someone might show ill intent.  Or worse, not notice her at all and end up crushing her with books or sitting on her. 

As independent as she wanted to become, Sierra felt herself yearning now more than ever for the sheltered life she led in her dollhouse.  ’This is just how it is now,’ she told herself, ‘I have to get used to this.’

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone come over and ask, “Hey, is this seat taken?”

Sierra looked up at the young, normal-sized young woman bending over at the desk beside her own, gesturing towards the desk beside hers, and was immediately enraptured by what she saw.  This girl was in her early twenties, and very pretty, but that wasn’t quite what took Sierra by surprise.  The array of bright colors she wore is what did it.  “Oh.  Sorry!  No, I haven’t seen anyone take it yet!”

“Oh.  Well, cheers!”  The young woman smiled pleasantly enough as she sat down, though she herself looked pretty nervous.  She crossed her legs, and Sierra could now easily see her entire outfit.  She wore bright blue and white sandals, tight pink leggings, denim shorts, a blue blouse filled with butterflies of varying size and color.  She wore a red and white polkadot bandana in her brunette hair, pulled tightly toward the back of her head in a tight bun, and purple feather earrings adorned her ears.  Her lipstick was a sparkling ruby red, and around her neck was a necklace of turquoise beads.

‘My god,’ Sierra thought in something between utter astonishment and awe, ‘What am I even looking at!?’

“Ugh!  I hate maths.  I’m Daphne, by the way.”  She held out her hand to Sierra before realization hit.  “Oh, uh… sorry, bit out of sorts.”

“No, it’s totally okay!”  Sierra giggled.  She grabbed Daphne’s pinky with both hands and shook it up and down.  “I’m Sierra!”

Daphne laughed.  “Oh god, that was adorable!  So sorry, though!  Dunno what I was thinkin’.  Force of habit, I guess.”  She gave a nervous half-smile and scoffed.

“It’s fine!”  Sierra felt better already.  This girl seemed so happy and easygoing, and for once Sierra felt like she was being treated like a fellow human being rather than an oddity or a toy.  “This is my first class at this school, by the way,” Sierra mentioned, giggling nervously.

“Really!?  Did you transfer?”  Daphne unzipped her colorful pink backpack and started ruffling through for her books.

“Nope.  I’m a freshman,” Sierra replied.

“Get out!” Daphne exclaimed, surprised yet cheerful.

“Yep!”  Sierra felt a bubble of pride well up in her chest.

“That’s amazing!  I’m actually a junior, and I… might be retaking this class after failing last year.  Right prat I am.”

“That’s okay!”  Sierra took a deep breath to calm her social anxiety before continuing.  “We can totally study together, if you’d like!  I mean, I’ve never taken calculus before, but everyone says it’s a nightmare, so… the more the merrier?”  Sierra trailed off nervously, giggling.  ‘God, I’m such a dweeb, she’s not going to want to hang out with-‘

“Brilliant!  That sounds lovely!  Because trust me, I need all the help I can get.”  She giggled, grinning wide. 

Sierra laughed uneasily in response, but said nothing. Daphne didn’t notice the effect her grin had on the small girl as she turned away, her attention caught by their professor starting class.  ‘I’m so stupid,’ Sierra thought self-consciously, ‘I need to get over that time with Sam already.  I can’t go around being afraid of people smiling at me.’

Class started soon after, and thankfully for Sierra the next several hours had her focused on taking notes and working out math problems as opposed to her own personal fears.

———

Robyn strode into the bar late in the evening.  It was mostly empty, save a few people here and there and the workers.  She sighed when she saw the man who had asked her over.  He waved and motioned for her to join him with his drink.

Robyn had her curly blonde hair tied back, her form dressed in the bodyguard uniform she wore when on the job at The Eye.  She sat down beside the older man.  “Hello, cowboy.  How are you doing?”

“It’s over, Robyn.  It’s all coming to an end soon.”

“Wait, what!?” Robyn asked, concerned.  “What do you mean?”

Harvey took a sip of his drink, and sighed, leaning back.  “I’m declaring war on The Eye.”

“Wha-wh… what!?”

“Valerie’s gonna pay for what she did to my little girl.”  He looked down into his glass before turning back to Robyn.  “This is the calm before the storm.  Once today’s over we’re gonna be enemies, you and I.  I’m only here saying all of this as a kind of courtesy.  Guess I wanted to have one last drink with a comrade.”  He slammed his empty glass on the bar.  “You should have some with me.”

“Harvey, Valerie didn’t-“

“I know what happened to Crystal, Robyn.  I know… I know,” he nodded to himself, “There’s nothing you can say that will change my mind.”  The bartender brought a drink for each of them.  “What I don’t get is why you keep defending her?  You know what she is.  How she chooses to be.  And you just… sit back and let it happen.”

“Well, if you’re paying,” Robyn sipped her drink, “Anyway.  I just believe there’s good in her.  And for her to not only choose the right path, but more importantly to STAY on the right path… that’s something she has to find out herself.  With some guidance.”

“Guidance.  Hm.”  Harvey downed his drink quickly.  “And how many people will she kill between now and then?  Go ahead.  Ask me what my little girl thinks bout that, too, while you’re at it.”

They sat in silence a while, and eventually Robyn downed her drink.  “Harvey, I know you and Valerie have had your differences,” Robyn frowned, “But-“

“Wait,” Harvey said, holding his hand up before pointing at the time.  Robyn’s eyes widened as she saw it was just after midnight.  “Sorry, Robyn.  I have to.  You’re a key strategic advantage that I need out of my way.”

‘How is it this late already?’ she wondered in her shock, ‘Wasn’t I only here a few minutes?’  Robyn gritted her teeth as she realized too late that she had made another fatal mistake.  How empty the bar was, and how the few people in it were likely Harvey’s allies. 

“You…!” Robyn cried out, standing up to… get away, to fight, to beg.  Even she wasn’t sure what she was going to do herself.  But Harvey was much quicker.  In a blur he raised a gun and pulled the trigger.