Chapter 1 - I Shrunk Myself!

- Hurry Nick! You will miss your bus!
- I'm coming Mom!

Nick closed his suitcase, and checked that he was not forgetting anything. It was a Saturday morning and it was 10:20 am. The 11 years old boy was going to spend the weekend at the Science Fair with his father, who was already there at the Fair to present his machine able to shrink things. Nick, meanwhile, brought a pocket sized model of his dad's machine on which he had worked for several months while reproducing the process of his father's machine. He took it from his desk and put it in pocket of his jeans before grabbing his suitcase and running down the stairs.

- Have you forgotten anything? - asked Natalie, his mother.
- No, I think I have everything.
- Did you remember to take your prototype?
- Yes. It is here. - Nick replied, taking it out of his pocket.
- Perfect ! Can you give that to the neighbour when you leave? - said Natalie, showing with a gesture of her head, a plastic bag containing a lettuce inside.
- Lettuce?
- From the garden. Freshly picked this morning! You know, it's to thank her for taking care of the garden while we were on vacation.
- But why a lettuce?
- Well, I give her regularly a little of whatever we have. It depends on what grows.
- Why can't you do it yourself? - Nick asked with a groan.
- You pass right in front of her house! And she told me that she wanted to make a salad this afternoon, and she does not have any more left.
- Yeah ... - said Nick with a sigh.
- I'm going to make the most of you not being here and make a thorough cleaning of the house. - said his mother, looking motivated.

Flore, Nick's big sister, appeared on the stairs.

- Come on, you have to go if you do not want to miss your bus. - said Natalie clapping her hands.

Nick took the plastic bag containing the salad. His mother kissed him, saying:

- Have fun, and give a hug to your father from us. And do not forget to send us a text message to tell us that you have caught your train.
- See you on Sunday Nick! - says Flore.
- Bye! He replied.

Nick went through the door of the house, feeling a bit cranky. He was going to the Science Fair, an event he had been waiting for a long time, and he was sent to deliver a lettuce! He crossed the street to go to the house opposite continuing to grumble. As he got closer, he became a little nervous. Their neighbour's name was Alizée. She was a pretty girl, 27 years old, and Nick had always been a little uncomfortable around her. What would it look like bringing her some salad? And what would he be able to say to her? "Look, I bring you some salad."? He was going to sound ridiculous. Once in front of the door, he hesitated a little and knocked on the door reluctantly. Seconds later, the young woman opened.

- Hi Nick! - she said smiling. Did your mother send you?
- Yes, she wants to give you that.  - he said, holding out the plastic bag.
- Yes, she warned me. Thank you! - said the young woman taking the bag. So you're going to join your father at the Science Fair, is that it?
- Yeah. - Nick replied more enthusiastically.
- It's cool! Have fun. - she said, offering Nick a hug.
- Thank you. - stammered Nick and hugged her. Goodbye.
- Goodbye. - said Alizée, still smiling, before closing the door.

Nick returned to the pavement, wishing he didn't sound so shy. He began to walk to his bus stop, wondering what she really thought of him. Did she really think he was ridiculous? As his thoughts mingled in his head, he remembered he had forgotten to take new batteries for his prototype. He took it out of his pocket and lifted it to check the battery level. They were almost dead.

- I'm such an idiot!

The boy ran back as he retraced his steps. He had to hurry if he did not want to miss his bus! As he reached the front door, he tried to open the hood of his machine to remove the old batteries. But in a hurry, as he turned the device over, he accidentally pressed the power button. The machine sent out a beam that hit Nick right on the right foot. Then all of a sudden, everything started to change around him ...

To Be Continued …



Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 2 - The Troubles Begin

Nick looked around without much time to understand what had happened. He had just accidentally shrunk along with his prototype. Fortunately, as he held it in his hand as he pressed the button, so it was shrunk too. He pointed the device at himself and pressed the button again to reverse the process. Nothing happened.

- Oh no ...

He looked at the battery level, and his fears were confirmed: they were dead! He tried several times, but without success. Beginning to panic, Nick opened his suitcase and searched inside.

- It's not possible! Not that! Not now!

He emptied it almost of all its contents, before sitting on the ground, desperate. Not only, he was going to miss the Science Fair, but in addition, everyone thought he had already left. He thought and thought that if his father did not see him at 3:00 pm, when he was supposed to arrive at the event, he would call home and his mother and sister would look for him. In the meantime, he had to try to get their attention by himself. But reduced to a mere 5 millimetres in height, it was not going to be easy. He got up and made the decision to start by entering the house. He put his things and his prototype quickly in his suitcase. He was not going to carry it all over the house but he wanted to at least bring it back inside. He just had to leave it in a corner near the entrance and restore it back to its normal size once he was out of trouble.

Fortunately, Nick had shrunk close to the door, and it only took him a couple of minutes to reach it. Given his new size, he had no trouble passing under it. He entered the house, and looked all around him, rediscovering completely this place which was his home. The entrance led directly to the living room to the right, the stairs in front, and an opening on the left that reached the kitchen. For now, the room was empty. He walked a little to the left, and left his suitcase well against the wall next to the door so that nobody stepped on it.

Nick thought about his current situation as he began to walk slowly to the middle of the room. Apparently, there was no one on the ground floor. The boy continued his walk as he approached the stairs. He had no idea how to climb them, but if his mother and sister were upstairs, he had no reason to stay here. When he reached the middle of the room, he heard footsteps. After a few seconds, his desire was confirmed: someone was coming down the stairs. Finding hope, he saw Flore appear. As she descended, he realized how gigantic she was, or how tiny he was. As she approached, he raised his arms, shouting:

- Flore! Here! I'm here!

Nick paused when he saw his sister's enormous feet coming towards him.

- Flore …- he said shyly, noticing that she could not hear him.

The boy became afraid and started running. That's when Flore's huge shoe fell right next to him with a terrible crash. Nick screamed and lost his balance. The giantess continued on her way and settled on the couch. As he stood up, Nick realized that it was going to be more challenging than expected. Not only did she not even see him, but she almost crushed him! He realized that at this size, a simple gesture for a person of normal size could be a real danger of death for him! He was barely five minutes into the house, and he had almost been killed. A little hesitant, Nick approached the sofa while Flore took a magazine on the coffee table in front of her before reading it. Once at her feet, he tried again to shout :

- FLOOORE! I'm here! Help me!!!

But his sister did not hear him at all. Nick looked at her huge legs. He wondered if he could climb her jeans and then her top, to reach one of her ears. So he could be heard. But it was dangerous. The slightest gesture of the giantess could cause him to fall or worse. As he pondered, Flore lifted her legs and laid them on the coffee table to be in a more comfortable position. He could not think of climbing her anymore. Nick suddenly heard a noise coming from the table, which for him was the height of a building. He raised his head and saw a huge pen fall. It landed right next to him with a thud and started to roll.

- NO!

Nick ran to avoid being flattened, but luckily the pen only rolled a few inches behind him. He hardly had time to stop to see that the pen was still when he saw a huge hand plunge towards him.

- FLORE!

He found himself suddenly trapped between one of her fingers and the pen, and felt himself take off.

- Aaaaaah! Help!!

She lifted him to, what was at the boy's scale, a massive vertigo inducing height. Then she put the pen back on the table and went back to her magazine. Nick found himself laid on the coffee table next to the pen. He stood up and thought for several seconds trying to understand what had happened, then he became frightened. He had realized that even leaning towards him, Flore had still not noticed him. At least here, he was more visible and safer than on the ground. He tried again to call his sister but without success. He then heard his mother shouting from upstairs:

- Flore, can you come here please?

With a sigh, Flore stood up and placed the magazine on the table. Nick saw it falling towards him dangerously close to his position.

- No! Wait!!

He was then plunged into the darkness, expecting to be crushed by the weight of the numerous pages, but he felt nothing. He was right next to the spine of the magazine, in a place where the paper was not touching the table. He heard Flore leave the room and came out of his improvised hiding place. He then noticed the impressive surface of the magazine, which appeared to him as big as two football fields. He had an idea then. If he got on the magazine, Flore might see him as she read it! On the other hand, if she took the magazine into her hands, it would become dangerous. But he was willing to take the risk! He began to walk on it, trying to choose a place that would attract the attention of his sister and on which he would be clearly visible. He did not really have time to decide when Flore came down the stairs. Nick was expecting her to come to him, but he saw her heading for the kitchen before returning a few seconds later with a cup of coffee in her hand. Even without being on the ground, to see her coming closer to him was very disturbing. She sat down on the couch and stuck the cup between her legs. Nick screamed at the top of his voice, waving his arms.

- Flore!!! Looook down here!!!

She bent over him and grabbed the magazine. Nick started to lose his balance:

- No! Flore! Stop!!

She moved the magazine closer, which she leaned towards her to read. The tiny boy began sliding.

- NO! FLOOOORE! I AM HEEEERE!!

He desperately looked for something to cling to but the paper was too smooth and very quickly he reached the edge of the magazine and began to fall.

- AAAAAAAAAAH! * Splash *

He lands in a hot and rather thick liquid. He surfaced and found himself looking up at his gigantic sister. He now realised that he had fallen into her coffee cup!

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 3 - That Sinking Feeling

Nick started to panic:

- Help!! Help!!!

He had fallen in the coffee that Flore had just prepared. He was going to be swallowed by his sister! How could he have gotten into this dire situation only a few minutes after being shrunk? Nick started swimming but he was a prisoner! The rim of the cup was all around him and it was way too tall for him to hang on. Unfortunately, it was not long before she did what he feared: Flore put the magazine down and grabbed the cup.

- HAVE MERCY! NOOOOOO!!

Nick felt himself lifted as Flore brought the cup to her mouth. He saw her face grow larger and soon cover his entire field of vision.

- HELP ME!!

She removed the spoon and blew on the beverage to cool it. Nick felt a violent gust of hot wind and was swept away by the waves caused by the giantess's breath.

- Aaaah! - he shouted as he was submerged by the waves of coffee.

He rose to the surface, and saw Flore's lips land on the cup, which she began to tilt.

- NOOOOOOO!

He swam while fighting against the current, but his meagre strength could not prevent him from getting closer to the huge lips of his sister, who drank without suspecting a single second of what was going on under her nose. Flore finished her sip and put the cup down. Nick was relieved to see the liquid return to being calm, and looked up again at the giantess.

- Please Flore! Look!!!

She did not know for a moment that he was there. She had no reason to suspect it! He was trapped. He swam to the side of the cup farthest from where Flore had been drinking to have the maximum leeway during each sip. He had not yet reached the edge of the cup as Flore plunged the huge spoon into her coffee, right next to the tiny boy.

- Look out!!

The collision of the spoon into the liquid caused waves. Waves that forced Nick to drink some of the cup's contents. It was horrible: he hated coffee! As she read her magazine, Flore began to stir the contents of the cup with her spoon. The boy was swept away in a substantial whirlpool!

- Nooooo! ... FLOO .... FLORE! .... STOP!! - Nick shouted, trying to keep his head above the surface.

The slightest act she did put Nick in danger! And he could do nothing to stop it! Flore removed the spoon again and brought the cup back to her lips. Nick did not even have the strength to scream anymore. He swam with all his strength to avoid being swallowed, but it was too difficult to make good progress.

- Flore ... Not that ...

He was only a few millimeters away from her lips when she finished her sip. She put the spoon back into the cup and put it back on the coffee table before going back to reading her magazine. Nick's mind then clicked. The spoon! It was the only way he could get out of this mess, because if his sister took another sip, he would not have the strength to fight against the current again. He swam to it and climbed on it. It was a small teaspoon, and the handle was thin enough to allow the boy to climb on it and cling to it. He waited a few seconds before seeing Flore bend over and grasp the spoon between her thumb and forefinger a few inches from him. She removed it from the cup and let it drip for a few seconds by tapping the edge several times.

- Stop! - Nick shouted, not letting go.

The repeated shock of the aluminium spoon against the cup shook him as the tinkling of the spoon echoed in his ears. He was still a little stunned when Flore did something he had not expected at all. She raised the spoon to her face. Nick suddenly saw the huge mouth of the giantess approaching and opening.

- Aaaaah! Not that!!!

He closed his eyes, expecting to be eaten, and reopened them when he felt the lips of his sister close on the spoon a few millimetres away from him. She pulled the spoon out of her mouth and suddenly stood up.

- Aaaaaah !! Look out ! - Nick shouted, feeling a quick change of altitude.

Nick hung on as best he could while Flore started to go to the kitchen. Her huge movements tried to knock him off at every step.

- Flore!! Look out, aaaaah!!

The movements of her hand made him nauseous. He was losing his grip when the giantess put the spoon beside the kitchen sink and went back to the couch. Nick let go and slid onto the worktop, exhausted.

He was saved! He could not believe it! He had been near death several times, but he was alive. He moved away a little from the spoon as a precaution, and dropped a little further to catch his breath and think. He deeply regretted having walked on the magazine. When he thought about it, he found his idea silly. His sister had nearly swallowed him several times and besides, he was soaked. He now decided to stay hidden, waiting for his family to start worrying about him before he showed up. As long as his mother and sister weren't looking for him, the place would be far too dangerous for him.

On this decision, he heard his mother come down. Once downstairs, she glanced quickly at Flore and approached the sink, exactly in the boy's direction. Seeing her getting closer, he straightened up and saw as she came to him how huge she was too. Nick hesitated but despite the decision he had just made, he still tried his luck:

- MOM! This way! Look!

Natalie looked at the worktop where he was, and without warning, she grabbed a sponge and began to clean!

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 4 - From One Hand To Another

Nick saw the huge sponge slide at an impressive speed. His mother was cleaning the worktop he had just landed on! And by picking up all the dirt that was on it, it would inevitably pick him up too! Again panicked, he ran as fast as he could. The worktop was covered with several coffee stains left by Flore and a little by him, and also a few crumbs, which made the boy, also covered with coffee, almost invisible to his mother. Just a piece of dirt among many others.

- MOOOOM! NOOOO!!

He felt and heard the sponge fall on the table and slide, catching everything in its path. He was not going to escape it! Natalie kept cleaning absent-mindedly, not really paying attention to what was happening before her eyes. Without seeing this little form move, which was none other than her son, running to escape her grip. Nick suddenly saw in front of him the sponge held by the huge hand of his mother, which began to advance right towards him.

- MUM! NOO ...

He was suddenly swept away by the huge yellow mass and found himself in the middle of the pile of crumbs she had collected. As she lifted the sponge to make a few more wipes of the worktop, Nick got up to try to escape. But he barely had time to stand up and was swept away again by the sponge that was pushing the pile of crumbs toward the edge.

- Aaaaah!!

He saw the edge of the worktop getting dangerously close. Natalie positioned her free hand in the shape of a hollow to recover the crumbs. Nick saw her appear in his field of vision as he got closer.

- No no no!

He suddenly reached the edge and began to fall.

- Muuuum!!

He landed hard in his mother's hand with a shower of crumbs falling on him. Natalie then went to the trash to dispose of the contents of her hand.

- No, Mum no!!

Nick looked at her helplessly. She was going to throw her own son in the trash ... without even realizing it! But suddenly, she broke off, and took a few steps back to ask Flore:

- Flore, do you know if Nick has had enough to eat this afternoon?

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nick got up and saw his mother's wedding ring a few steps away from him.

- Yes, he made a sandwich this morning. - replied Flore from the sofa.

As Natalie headed back to the trash, Nick slipped into the tiny space between the huge ring and her mother's finger, using the wedding ring as a seatbelt. He barely had time to settle in as the giantess began to incline her hand to drop the crumbs. Nick, clutching the ring with all his strength, was dizzy:

- Ooooohhaaaah! Mooom!!

Even being very tight against his mother's finger, he felt he was starting to slide because of the inclination.

- Mum!! Don’t throw me!

He was afraid to fall until Natalie finally lifted her hand. She took a few steps, and frowned as she looked at her wedding ring.

- Why does this irritate me?
- Mum! It's me!

But for any answer, Nick saw only two huge fingers getting closer and grabbing the ring before starting to remove it.

- Wait Mom!!

Being too tight against the ring, he was carried along his mother's finger. At the end, he clutched as best he could not to fall into the void. Natalie removed the ring and set it on the kitchen table, before rubbing her finger. The little boy let go and found himself inside the ring. He looked around and saw that he was stuck. If his mother left the ring here, he could do nothing but wait. And it was certainly not the place where he was most likely to be seen.

- Mum! I'm here! In the ring!

Fortunately, a few seconds later, Natalie grabbed the ring and put it on her finger, leaving Nick on the table. He watched her go away, trying to call to her one last time:

- Muuuum !!

That's when someone rang the bell, startling the boy. Natalie went to open the door and discovered Alizée, the neighbour, on the doorstep.

- Hello. I'm really sorry to bother you. I could ask you for some extra salad?
- Yes of course. - answered Natalie. The one that Nick brought you is not good?
- Yes, but it turns out that a friend is coming to join me to eat, and I just realized that I would not have enough, and I have no time to go shopping.
- No problem. Follow me, we'll go pick some more from the garden. - Natalie told her, beckoning her in.

Natalie and Alizée passed Nick without seeing him. He watched the two giantesses cross the room while Alizée continued to apologize:

- I'm so sorry! I do not want to be a bother.
- Do not worry, we have plenty!

And their voices were lost as they went out into the garden. Nick tried to think about his situation. On this table he could not go anywhere and had no way of hiding. All he could do was keep trying to get his family's attention. Although, perhaps the presence of the neighbour would give him more chances to be seen. After a few minutes, Natalie and Alizée came back to the kitchen. Nick tooks his chances:

- Mum! Alizée! I’m here!!

Natalie briefly washed the salad she had in her hand, then went to the table. He was about to call to her again when he saw her raise the salad above him.

- No Mum!!

She put the giant salad right next to Nick and then went to get a plastic bag. Nick suddenly saw the huge salad swing towards him.

- Aaaaah!

Before he could move, he was buried under a heap of leaves. As he tried to escape, he suddenly felt himself take off in the air.

- What is happening? he wondered aloud.

He saw briefly the face of Natalie and Alizée, both gigantic, and he understood.

- Mum! Wait!!

He was suddenly plunged into the plastic bag by his mother's massive hand. He lost his balance and rolled among the leaves.

- Nooooo!!
- There you go! - said Natalie smiling and handing the bag to Alizée.
- Thank you so much! Sorry to have to abuse your great kindness again. - replied Alizée, taking the bag in her hand.
- MUM! DON'T DO THIS!!
- No, it's fine! Between neighbours, it's normal.

Natalie escorted Alizée to the door.

- MUM! NOOOO!! DO NOT ABANDON ME!!
- See you soon! - said Natalie.
- Thank you. Goodbye!
- MUUUUUUM!!

Nick saw his mother's face one last time, before she closed the door, pleased with her good deed for the day.

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 5 - In The Salad

Nick began to shake to the rhythm of Alizée's march. He could see her huge legs moving right next to him through the bag. She was far from suspecting that in this simple bag she held in her hand was her 11-year-old neighbour, and that she was taking him home. Almost hopeless, the boy shouted:

- Alizééeeeee!

She heard nothing and continued her walk. Nick started to feel nauseous from being shaken in all directions. After seconds that seemed endless, Alizée stopped to open the door of her house, leaving the bag time to stabilise. Nick took the opportunity to get up and tried to reach one of the edges of the bag, but he had barely time to take a step as the giantess went on the move to return home.

- Aaah!

Nick fell on his back in the middle of the salad. Through the plastic bag, he could see the interior of Alizée's house, a place he had never been in before. The young woman crossed the entrance and put the bag on the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room. The shock shook the boy who turned around before seeing his neighbour disappear from his view. Nick could not believe it. He had just been kidnapped, and now he was in a place he did not even know. And worse, he was trapped in a bag with some salad ...

- Oh no!

Concerned about being forcibly taken from his house and his family, Nick had forgotten an important element: he was now part of the lunch of his neighbour! Desperately, he tried to climb on the salad leaves to reach one of the edges of the plastic bag. He might be able to climb it and escape from this trap.

Unfortunately, a few seconds later, Alizée reappeared and stood behind the counter. Her huge figure standing in front of him was terrifying! Without waiting, she plunged her hand into the bag.

- AAAAAAAAH!!!

The young woman snatched a leaf and placed it over the bowl that already contained some others - probably part of the salad Nick had brought her earlier in the morning - before tearing it into smaller pieces.

- ALIZÉE!! I'M HERE!!!

She dipped her hand again and tore off the leaf Nick was on. Before he had time to get out of there, he found himself suddenly at what was for him several metres in height. He clung to the piece of salad with all his might to keep from falling. Alizée placed it above the salad bowl and Nick saw all the salad below him, which was nothing but the giantess's meal.

- No!! ALIZÉE!!

On these thoughts, the young woman tore the salad leaf while the brutality of her gesture made the boy let go.

- NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

He fell right into the bowl below while the salad it contained softened his fall. He raised his head and saw his giant neighbour cut salad that fell on him.

- HEEELLLPPP!!

As the salad fell, he tried to stay on the surface so as not to be buried.

- Stop!!

It felt hopeless seeing just how unaware of his presence she was. To see that she was burying him under salad leaves when he was already struggling to be spotted. After a few minutes, he saw the giantess seize something next to the salad bowl. She then placed her hands in the boy's field of vision, and the boy saw that she was holding a bowl in her left hand and a spoon in her right: the vinaigrette!

- NO!

Alizée poured a first spoonful. Nick saw the liquid land violently a few metres from him. At his size, such a thick liquid falling at such a speed could easily hurt him. He tried to run but it was difficult to move in the middle of all this salad.

- HAVE MERCY! STOP!!

Alizée plunged the spoon into the bowl and poured a second spoonful into the salad bowl. It did not touch Nick directly but he was splashed head to toe. The young woman put the spoon back in the bowl and put it on the counter before grabbing a wooden spoon and plunged it into the salad bowl.

- WAIT!!!

Alizée suddenly began to stir the salad. Nick was carried away in all directions, lost in a sea of salad. He was regularly covered with vinaigrette and he saw at times the giantess before being carried away again. She stirred the salad peacefully, without suspecting that inside was the little boy who had brought it to her.

- ALI ... Alizée!! Aaaah! ... Mercy! ..... Nooo! ...

She had no idea what she was doing to the little boy she had seen this morning. This little boy who thought her rather pretty, and who was now being abused at each of her movements. Then the storm calmed down. Nick was under a leaf, which was almost wrapped around him, like a shelter. He caught his breath. At the sight of all this green salad, Alizée did not resist the pleasure of tasting a little. She dipped her hand and grabbed a leaf between her thumb and forefinger. Nick felt a pressure around him and felt himself take off again. He let out a scream and saw through the hole before him the huge mouth of Alizée start to open.

- NO! NO! NOOO!!!

In an instant, he crawled and slipped out of the leaf just before the giantess bites into it, before starting another long fall to the salad bowl.

- Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

The second he landed, Alizée grabbed the salad bowl and took it to the living room table. At the boys scale, each of her steps caused a massive jolt, causing him to have more and more trouble trying to get her attention. Not to mention that from where he was, the young woman seemed more powerful than ever.

- Get me out of here!!

But there was nothing he could do! She did not deign to pay attention to him for even a single second! She put down the salad bowl, and Nick saw it disappear from her field of vision. She took a little quiche out of the oven and placed it near the salad bowl, then doorbell rang. Alizée went to open the door and Nick heard her say:

- Well you arrived just in time, it's just ready!

Then the boy heard a voice he did not know:

- It's good, I'm starving! - said Claire, a friend of Alizée that Nick had never met.
- How are you, Claire? - asked Alizée, hugging her.
- Great and you?
- It's okay! Please, go ahead and get comfortable. She said, pointing at the table.

Claire approached and Nick saw her face appear over the bowl.

- Mmm, all that looks really good. - she said smiling.

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 6 - Dinner's Ready!

Claire's face disappeared, but Nick heard her ask:

- Did you make the quiche?
- Yes, this morning. - said Alizée bringing a jug of water on the table. Go, sit down.

As requested, Claire took her place at the table while Alizée appeared in the boy's field of vision, grabbing the wooden cutlery.

- Shall I serve? - she suggested to her guest.
- Go ahead. - replied Claire, extending her plate.

Nick saw the two pieces of cutlery being brought down onto him.

- NOOOOOO!!!

He began to run awkwardly towards one of the edges of the salad bowl. Alizée grabs a handful of leaves right next to Nick. All the salad began to move, causing the boy to lose his balance.

- Help!

After putting her hand on the plate, the giantess again plunged the cutlery into the salad bowl. Nick saw them appear to his left and right and suddenly come closer to him.

- Stop! - Nick cried out, giving in to panic.

He raised his head and saw the young woman looking straight at him, without seeing him. He felt the pressure the cutlery was making on the salad and found himself trapped between two pieces of salad.

- Not that!!

He felt himself rise in the air.

- ALIZÉÉEE!! NOOOO!!

Claire's face appeared in front of him. She was looking at the handful of salad with appetite, her plate in front of her.

- Wait!! - shouted Nick, trapped in the salad.

Alizée dropped the handful of salad over Claire's plate and Nick felt a slight fall before rolling through the leaves.

- Nooo!!
- Thank you! - Claire said. I can serve the quiche if you want.

The young woman got up and grabbed a knife. She cut the quiche up and served part of it to each of them. Then she sat down and looked at her plate hungrily. Nick emerged from the salad leaves and saw the giantess looking towards him, her mouth watering. This image gave him goose bumps. Alizée sat down in turn and said:

- Have a good meal!
- You too!

It was then that Claire suddenly grabbed her fork and pricked a leaf of her salad.

- NO! - shouted the boy, running to get out of there.

Claire ate a mouthful of the salad and started on the quiche.

- I'm ashamed to say I cheated a bit with the salad we are having. - admitted Alizée.
- Oh? Why ? - asked Claire, raising her head.
- Well, they're from my neighbours. I already told you about them?
- Yeah, it's the inventor, right? - asked Claire.

She pricked her fork right next to the tiny boy, who screamed in surprise. She started to pull up the salad leaf, dragging the boy with it, but when she tilted her fork, he slipped and fell back onto her plate.

- LADY! STOP!!
- Yeah, his wife, Natalie, has a small vegetable garden. - continued Alizée. And two weeks ago, she and her family went on vacation.
- Where? - Claire asked, planting her fork right next to Nick again.
- NO! - shouted the boy rolling on the side.
- In Spain. Replied Alizée.

Claire raised her fork, with Nick on the salad leaf.

- No!! Help!!

Then she pointed to her friend with the fork:

- Oh yes, it was you who advised them!

The magnitude of her movement surprised the boy as he overtook the limits of the giantess's plate. Nick slipped suddenly and began to fall.

- Aaaaaah!!

He lands on the salt shaker below. He got up and spotted where he had landed. He could see the salt through the holes strewn around the floor beneath his feet.

- Yeah, I was able to advise them all the beautiful places to see … - continued Alizée.

Taking care to avoid the holes, Nick reached the edge of the salt shaker and looked at the height that separated it from the table. It was way too high for him! He had managed to get out of the plate, but he was still stuck and the only thing he could do was catch the attention of the two women. He began to shout in the direction of Alizée:

- ALIZÉEE!! OVER HERE ! ON THE SALT SHAKER!!

She did not pay any attention to him:

- ... the Sagrada Família, the Boqueria, the Park Güell ...

The boy turned to try his luck with Claire when he saw her reach out and grab the salt shaker.

- No! NO ...

The jolt caused by Claire's hand made the boy lose his balance and he fell into one of the salt-shakers holes.

- Aaaaah!

He landed in the middle of all the salt it contained and felt himself being lifted into the air.

- Did they have a good stay then? - asked Claire.
- LADY! MERCY!!
- Yes, they were very happy when they came back.- replied Alizée.

Then Claire returned the salt shaker.

- NOOOOO!!

Nick saw the whole interior of the salt shaker tipping over and rolled to one side. Then he felt the giantess start to shake it.

- AAAAAAAAH!!

The boy fell and hit the lid of the salt shaker without going through one of the holes. The giantess then caused a second jolt as she hit it again.

- NOOOO!!!

Nick took off and hit the lid again. He banged against it several times, and finally crossed one of the holes, falling right on the quiche.

- Aaaaaaaaaah!!
- So during their stay - continued Alizée, they asked me to go home to water the plants and the kitchen garden. And to thank me, Natalie offered me several vegetables, including a salad for lunch, I had to ask for more for our dinner together.

Claire took her knife and Nick saw her directing her cutlery in the direction of the quiche.

- NOOOO! - shouted the boy running.

A gigantic knife suddenly fell in front of him, cutting off part of the quiche. He turned around and saw the fork land a few steps away from him. He thought of jumping out of the quiche, even though the height it represented was formidable in the boy's eyes, but before he could make up his mind, Claire removed her fork, and lodged it under the piece she had just cut before raising it.

- Nooooo!
- It was her son Nick, who brought it to me this morning. He is such an adorable cute little boy!
- Oh yeah? - asked Claire interrupting her movement and left suspended in the air the piece of quiche before her.
- Claire! Don't!!!

Nick saw her huge face in front of him.

- He's 11, but he's so smart. He's just like his father! He does not stop tinkering. And with me, he's all shy, it's so cute!

Even in such a situation, Nick could not help but feel shame at hearing that. She did not suspect for one second that the child she was talking about was there, a few inches from her, and that her best friend was about to eat him.

- CLAIRE!! ALIZÉE!! HELP ME!!!

Claire smiled and Nick saw her huge white teeth appear in front of him. Like Alizée, she was very pretty, but at this sight, the young woman looked terrifying. It was then that Claire brought the piece of quiche towards her mouth.

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn  

Chapter 7 - By A Hair's Breadth

- NOOOOOOO!!

Nick saw the huge mouth of the giantess get closer. Claire approached the piece of quiche again and blew on it to cool it down. Nick was swept away by the storm and was thrown from the contents of the fork.

- Aaaaaaaaaaah!

He fell for many long seconds before landing right in Claire's napkin. Fortunately, it was flexible enough to cushion his fall.

- Tell me, are you fond of him or what? - Claire asked her friend teasingly.
- But no! - answered Alizée, laughing. It's just that when he's shy like that, I find it too cute at his age. Well, he came nervously to bring me a salad this morning ...

Nick took several seconds to understand where he had landed. He lay down to regain his senses while he listened to the voices of the giantesses above him.

- ... and I, seeing that I had not enough for this afternoon, I went back to ask another.
- Yeah, it's a little large anyway. - said Claire, laughing.

That's when everything darkens around Nick. He raised his head, and began to shout. Claire's huge hand was right on him! Before he could do anything, Claire grabbed the napkin and lifted it.

- No! Not yet! NO!

Just after he had narrowly avoided being eaten, Claire was now dragging him back to her mouth. Powerless, the boy saw the giantess's lips again move closer.

- No! Stop!!!

He watched her lips look bigger and bigger until they were pressed against him. As Claire wiped, Nick began to choke.

- Show mer ... Help m .... Lady ....

He had the impression of being kissed by force, against lips that were ten times his size, and trying to inflict a fatal kiss. As he attempted to struggle, the boy tried again to shout, but without success. He had no breath.

- Hel ...

Then Claire removed the napkin and the pressure faded. Nick remained stuck to the giantess's lips before slipping.

- No … aaaaaaaaah!!

He reached the bottom of the woman's lower lip and fell into the air below. As he thought it was the end, he suddenly managed to cling to a garment. But he was less enthusiastic when he understood where he was. He was hanging on the cleavage of the young woman!

- Oh no!

He blushed and was afraid that he would be discovered in this situation. What would Claire and Alizée think if they noticed him now? Would they still find him cute? And then his idea to climb to the ear of Flore resurfaced. From here, he could reach one of the giantess's shoulders rather easily. He then shifted to the left to follow the course of the neckline, and began his ascent. Claire leaned over her plate to take a new bite. Nick felt the surface on which he climbed lean dangerously.

- Aaaaah! Lady, be careful!!

Nick found himself almost upside down and had to hang on with all his might not to fall. The giantess sat up and Nick was right way up again. She did it again and again, much to the annoyance of the boy who was beginning to get dizzy. He finally managed to reach the right shoulder of the young woman and dropped on his knees to catch his breath. In front of him was a curtain of hair. Claire did not have it very long, but they still fell to her shoulder. Before starting to climb, Nick tried to be heard anyway:

- Lady! On your shoulder! Look!!

She showed no reaction. Nick stepped forward and grabbed a lock of hair before beginning to climb, somehow. He was not good at gym, and he had never managed to climb very high on a rope. But this time, his life was at stake! This thought was enough to give him the strength to climb. While he was almost in front of her ear, he saw something move to his right. He turned his head and saw Claire's huge hand approaching.

- Lady! Wait!!

The giantess put her hair behind her ear as long-haired women do regularly. Nick was pushed by one of the young woman's massive fingers and found himself behind her right ear.

- CLAIRE!! This way! I'm here!!

She did not hear. Nick did not believe it. He was about to get there, and now he was here, a few inches from her ear, unable to reach it!

- I’m here!!

Nick could barely contain his disappointment. After several seconds, he decided to start climbing to try to get around her ear. He might find a way to get into it.

Meanwhile, the two women finished eating. They cleared the table and then Alizée said:

- Ah blast! I forgot to bring a letter to the neighbours just now.
- A letter? Why?
- A statement attesting that I agree that Natalie's husband could work on his inventions at home. Before, he worked in a company but since he got his shrink machine working, he has obtained the status of independent inventor, and for him to have the right to do his work at home, he needs the agreement of the neighbourhood.

- Why is this ?
- Depending on the project he's working on, it can be potentially dangerous - replied Alizée.
- Dangerous? And you give your agreement? - Claire wondered.
- No, but you know how it is, the administrative services, they are very procedural and so for them any inventor is potentially dangerous. But do not worry, I've talked to him many times, and there have never been any accidents.
Nick could not help but notice the irony of the situation given where he was. If only she knew that a shrunken boy was a few inches from her, on her friend's hair.
- On the contrary, he even uses it to help others. - continued Alizée. The other day for example, he offered to shrink some furniture that Johan, my brother, must come to pick up for a move. That way, we do not bother to transport them. Well, can you see if it's well written?

Alizée handed the letter to Claire, who bent her head forward to read it. At that moment, many of the hairs behind her ear became dislodged.

- Whaaaaaah!

Nick was suddenly carried away as the giantess's hair swung over the void. Instinctively, Claire pushed them again behind her ear, but more abruptly. Nick was then hit by her hand. He screamed at her ear:

- CLAIIIRE!!!

But a second later, he let go, and fell. Claire looked up sharply, looking around.

- What's the matter? - asked Alizée.
- No, I thought I heard a boy screaming. - answered Claire.

And she went back to her reading.

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn 

Chapter 8 - The Letter

Nick lands in the middle of the sheet of paper and fell on his side. It was a bit inclined, but not enough for the boy to slip. As he regained his senses, he looked up and saw the huge face of the young woman looking towards him.

- I'm here! Help me!! Please!!!

Despite her attention to the letter, Claire did not notice him. It was incredible! He was right under her eyes, and yet she did not see him! Nick was more and more desperate. He raised himself a little, leaning on his arms when suddenly, Claire put the letter on the table.

- Aaaah! - Nick shouted surprised by the sudden movement of the sheet. 

The boy saw one of her huge fingers plunge toward him.

- NO!

He was about to be crushed like an insect! He got up and ran.

- CLAIRE!

He dived and ducked it just in time while the giantess slammed her finger on the paper, saying:

- Here, you'd have to add that you've never seen any incidents, or anything like that, right?

- Yeah, you're right.

Alizée sat at the table and plunged a pen down at the little boy who did not have time to get up.

- Wait!!

Nick saw her hand advancing straight towards him.

- NOOOO!! - he shouted, putting his hands in front of his face.

She slammed her hand down on him, so he found himself just below, between her fingers on the paper and the tip of her pen. Nick pressed himself flat against the ground and saw the huge fingers of his neighbour a few millimetres away from him.

- HELP!

It was then that she began to write. The boy turned his head and saw the tip of the pen being dragged along the paper and approaching him.

- AAAAAH!

He rolled to the side just before the tip of the pen went where he was. As she moved away from him, Nick stood up and tried to regain his composure when he saw Alizée's bulky hand pass just above him to be on the other side of the paper. The boy understood then she was going to write a new line. As if to confirm his thought, he saw the huge hand start writing again and approaching him.

- NO!

He ran to escape, but Alizée was writing quickly, and the distance between her hand and the boy became shorter and shorter.

- NO! STOP WRITING!!

In panic, Nick suddenly stumbled and fell on the sheet of paper. He turned without getting up, and saw the hand of the young woman a few centimetres from him. He was going to be crushed!

- NOOOOOOO!! STOP!!!

At the last moment, Alizée finished her sentence and raised her pen.

- There it's done! - she said, putting the cap back on.

Nick breathed a sigh of relief, but that moment of respite did not last long:

- I'll go put it in their mailbox. - continued the neighbour. I do not want to bother them again.

Nick looked up in horror at the young woman. He jumped onto his feet and began to run while Alizée began to bend the letter. He saw the paper rise in front of him like a huge wave. He stopped and shouted:

- ALIZÉÉE!! NOOOOO!!

He saw part of the paper fall towards him and ran in the opposite direction.

- PLEASE HELP!!

He continued running as the paper began to cover him. He saw the edge of the paper getting closer and closer.

- STOP!!!

Alizée ran her finger over the crease, and Nick was flattened to the ground under the weight of the paper. As she pressed the sheet, he felt the pressure increase. He looked at the edge of the letter just in front of him, but now inaccessible. He was trapped! He knew now that his screams would be muffled and that she and Claire could no longer hear him. Alizée picked up the letter and Nick began to slide towards the fold.

- Aaaaaaah!!

She did not suspect for a second that she was holding her neighbour prisoner between her fingers, as he was desperately trying to escape her hold on him. The young woman put the letter in an envelope she had prepared and closed it.

- NO, HELP ME!! - shouted the boy, powerless.

But it was too late. Nick was then jostled in all directions while his pretty neighbour was coming out of her house to bring the letter to his mother. How could she not notice that he was there before her eyes? Was he really that small? He was now trapped in an envelope ...

Alizée crossed the street that separated her house from his. She opened his family's mailbox and put the envelope inside.

- Aaaaaah!!

Nick fell on his side because of the fall of the letter, then it went completely black. Nick groped his way out of the letter at one of its sides and positioned himself in front of the transparent part of the envelope. He saw a line of light coming from the opening of the box. At least he was going home. But when ? If his mother and sister did not come to check on the mail today, he could spend the whole night here! Or even more ...

To Be Continued ...

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn 

Chapter 9 - At Ground Level

While travelling around the edge of the envelope that held him prisoner, Nick searched for a way out for several minutes, to no avail. He could definitely do nothing but wait, trapped in a mailbox. The boy could not believe everything that was happening to him. How could he have been in so many dangerous situations in such a short time? At least he had managed to get through these so far. But the more time passed, the more Nick began to wonder if anyone would ever notice him. He had several times been right under the giantess's eyes, yet none of them had seen him. From his point of view, however, he had felt that he was clearly visible and his screams were loud enough to be heard, at least a little. But obviously, from the point of view of people who were at a normal size, he was probably much smaller than he imagined. This thought made him despondent. Trying not to get too discouraged, Nick finally decided that the best thing to do was to rest, waiting for someone to pick him up. His mother or sister were bound to pick up the mail at one time or another. While trying to cast off his despair, the boy lay down on the paper, and nodded off for a few moments, into a restless sleep.

A little over half an hour later, Nick awoke with a start. The mailbox had just opened. The boy waited without moving when the envelope was suddenly pulled out by someone.

- Aaaah!!

Nick was thrown against one end of the envelope. He sat up and looked through the transparent part of it. He suddenly recognized Flore, who was reading the envelope.

- FLORE! IT'S ME! LOOK! - Nick shouted, who suddenly resumed hope.

She closed the mailbox and went up the driveway in front of the house.

- Aaaah!!

Nick was shaken in all directions as Flore walked, swinging the envelope at the end of her arm. But the boy was reassured. He was finally returning home! Flore closed the front door and opened the mail, while heading to the kitchen. Nick saw the envelope being torn over him.

- Flore, look!! I'm here!!

He saw her huge hand seize the letter and take it out of the envelope, which she left on the kitchen table.

- Flore, here!

He lost his balance when the envelope hit the table, then he heard his sister walking towards the garden gate:

- Mum! There is a letter sent to dad by the neighbour.

His mother entered the room. The door suddenly created a draft, and the envelope still containing the boy flew off the table.

- Aaaaaaah!

The envelope fell gently to the ground, but the landing still threw Nick a few centimetres. He then heard the footsteps of his approaching mother. The boy raised his head and saw her huge shoes moving towards him.

- Aaaah! Do not crush me!! - Nick shouted, while clumsily stepping backwards.

While he was expecting to be crushed, the shoes stopped right in front of him. Nick raised his head:

- Mom! Look! On the ground!!

He saw her leaning towards him, extending her hand.

- Mom!!

She picked up the envelope, that was right behind him, laid it on the table, and began to read the letter. Nick realized that it was becoming dangerous and went to hide close to one of the legs of the table so as not to risk being crushed.

- We'll see that when he thinks of it when he gets home. - said Natalie, as she folded the letter.

Nick saw her move away to go to put the letter inside a draw. She then leaned against the kitchen worktop and began to think, looking down at the floor, absent-minded. The boy looked at her wondering what she was doing and walked shyly out of hiding. Maybe if he moved to where his mother's gaze was lost, she would eventually spot him. As he approached, Flore passed in front of her and asked her:

- What's wrong?
- Nick did not give any news. He was supposed to tell us when he caught his train, and I did not receive anything. - replied her mother.

A feeling of hope suddenly invades the little boy. Finally, she was starting to worry about him!

- He must have forgotten. Or, he did not want to. - replied Flore. Also that makes sense, he leaves and you want him to give you news two hours later.

Upon hearing it, Nick felt a rage towards his sister. Normally, he would have agreed with her, but for once someone started to worry about him, she was ruining everything. Natalie shrugged and said nothing. Nick kept coming slowly when she suddenly said, while she got to her feet:

- Okay, I'm going to vacuum.

Nick remembered then. His mother had said before he left that she would be thoroughly cleaning the house during his absence. But now that he was there, shrunk on the ground, this simple decision took on a whole new dimension! Natalie went to the closet and took out the vacuum.

- No ... no Mom, you can not do that! - Nick said, stepping back a few steps.

She put the vacuum cleaner down, grabbed the plug and went to plug it in.

- Mom, wait! - Nick shouted, raising his voice.

She then positioned the vacuum cleaner and turned it on.

- NOOOO!!!

The sound of the vacuum then resonated through the room with a terrible racket at the boy's scale! He put his hands over his ears and began to run as fast as he could to hide behind one of the legs of the table. Natalie started cleaning the kitchen without suspecting anything. As she got closer, the power of the vacuum cleaner began to stuck Nick against the foot of the table. The boy was having more and more trouble taking his back off the wooden pillar. He realized that his idea was bad. Here he was far too vulnerable. He was going to be sucked up it!

- MOM!! I AM HERE!!

He saw that she turned the vacuum cleaner to his right a good distance from him. He took advantage of the opportunity and ran across to the door. He had to hide somewhere! But where?

- HEEEELP!!

Nick quickly managed to get out of the kitchen. When he reached the opening to the living room, he spotted one of the armchairs not too far away from him. He chose to hide underneath, and without stopping, he went there. Nick knew that his mother would soon finish cleaning the kitchen and would quickly start work on the living room. As he ran as fast as he could, he couldn’t help but look back regularly to see if his mother was coming. After several minutes of racing under intense stress, he finally managed to reach the chair. He slipped under it and dropped to the ground to catch his breath. The situation was getting serious! Nick began to regret having returned home. If only his mother had vacuumed while he was at Alizée's place! A few minutes later, Nick saw the giant vacuum cleaner and his mother's feet enter the room. The boy became frightened and suddenly began to doubt his plan. Natalie started cleaning the living room, and then she put down the handle of the vacuum cleaner. Nick saw her feet moving toward him, shaking the ground, when suddenly his hiding place began to move.

- Mom!!

He looked up to see his mother, gigantic, who was moving the chair to clean underneath.

- NOOOOOO!

Nick then took to his heels, while Natalie took the vacuum cleaner, and headed to where he was hiding a few seconds earlier.

- MUM! STOP!!!

The couch! It was his only chance! His mother would not move the couch to clean underneath, and the gap between him and the floor was too thin to allow the vacuum cleaner to pass. He managed to reach the middle of the room when he felt a draft behind him. He turned around and saw his mother walking towards him. She appeared what were to him tens of metres away, but he knew she would cover that distance in seconds. Nick started running again, and reached the carpet near the sofa under the coffee table. He hesitated to hide underneath, but if his mother sucked him into the vacuum, he was trapped. He then continued his course, when he was suddenly thrown to the ground. The pressure of the vacuum began to drag him into it! He clung to the carpet fibres and shouted:

- MOOOOOM! STOP!!!

She kept slowly approaching him as she cleaned the room. Nick was struggling to resist the power of the vacuum cleaner.

- HELP!!!

His mother approached again and Nick felt his feet take off from the ground.

- AAAAAAAH! MOOOOM!!

The boy was suspended above the ground. He clung with all his might to the carpet so as to not let go while Flore appeared then on the stairs:

- Mom, do you have my nail polish?

Natalie stopped moving, leaving the vacuum cleaner running.

- What do you mean? What nail polish?
- MOOOOOM!! STOP THE VACUUM!!!
- But you know, the one I bought last week. - Flore growing more impatient.
- Oh, well, it's not in the closet of the bathroom?

Nick was starting to let go.

- HELP!!
- I have already searched, it is not there.
- MOOOOOOM!! FLOOOORE!!!
- Come on, let's go look for it. - said her mother.

Then Nick let go of the carpet and then flew to the head of the vacuum cleaner.

- NOOOOOOOOOO!!

To Be Continued ...

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn

Chapter 10 - Fail Varnish

Natalie pressed the button with her foot and the vacuum stopped. Nick fell back a few centimetres from the head of the vacuum while his mother and his sister went upstairs. Unbelievable. His mother had almost sucked him into it! He could not believe he escaped. Recovering his spirits, he got up and resumed his run to the couch. Although he managed not to be sucked in, his mother had not finished cleaning and he was not out of the woods yet. Seconds later, he heard footsteps and saw Natalie and Flore came down the stairs. Nick accelerated his race as he saw them approaching. He had almost reached the couch when his mother's huge foot fell just in front of him and blocked his path.

- AAH!

With a jolt, Nick stopped and saw her pass in front of him.

- Here it is! - she said, seizing the varnish resting on a piece of furniture.

She opened it to check that it was the right one, but dropped the brush that then rolled under the sofa. The tiny boy saw the massive silhouette of Flore kneeling to recover it and tilting her head a few millimetres from the tiny boy. He did not believe it. The opportunity presented was just too good to be true! Nick grabbed a lock of his sister's hair. He was going to reach her ear and she and his mother would finally notice him! But when she caught the brush, Flore suddenly raised her head and Nick was forcibly thrown from the hair he held.

- Aaaaah!!

He lands on the top of his sister's head, completely lost in a jungle of hair. He felt his sister get up as he rose in the air.

- Help!

He heard Flore say:

- Thank you!

Then he felt her moving. Nick clung to her hair that surrounded him. He could not see where she was going, but he still felt that she was climbing the stairs.

- Flore, on your head!! - panicked the young boy.

Well, at least he was still in her hair. He only had to reach one side of her head and go down to one of her ears using her hair to get there. A few seconds later, Flore's head stabilized and Nick set off. He did not really know where he was going, but he thought he would reach one side of his sister's head sooner or later. He walked for several seconds before seeing a massive form appear above him: a brush.

- Oh no! Flore!!!

The giant brush passed right next to him. The boy began to run without knowing where to go, completely lost in the middle of his sister's scalp.

- Flore, stop, don’t brush!!

He tried to figure out how she was brushing to try to anticipate her movements when in a second, he was suddenly caught in the middle of the dozens of bristles that made up the brush.

- NO!!

Nick then got dragged by the giant brush and was pushed into the air before he felt himself fall.

- Aaaaah!

He suddenly managed to hang on to a lock of hair. He just had time to shout again:

- FLOOOORE!!

Then he saw the huge brush advance towards him again.

- Aaaaaaah!

The boy let go and began a long fall when he saw the body of his sister parade before his eyes. As he thought it was the end, he passed through the opening of the varnish tube that Flore had placed next to her and landed in the burgundy liquid it contained. He was covered everywhere, even on the face, and dimly viewed his sister through the small opening of the tube above him.

- HELP MEEE!

It was getting worse and worse. How could he suffer all this? How could all these people do all these things to him? Without even realizing it! He would never have thought of finding himself in such a situation. He was in a tube of nail polish, completely covered with a substance he hated. It was then that Flore plunged the brush into the tube. Nick saw it approaching him.

- NOT THAT!

He avoided it as she dipped the brush in the varnish. She stirred it a little then brought it back out and Nick had to face the facts: hanging onto the brush was his only way out of here. He waited a few seconds, staring at the opening of the tube when he saw the brush appear again. Nick stood ready. The brush hit him, covering him completely and plunged his whole body into the varnish.

- Wai …

The boy was completely submerged in the varnish. Without seeing anything, he succeeded in clinging to the hairs of the brush, and was raised in the air. As he passed through the opening, he saw his gigantic sister appear before him.

- FLOOORE! HERE ...

But no sooner had he called to her than Flore suddenly pressed the brush on one of her nails, spreading Nick onto it.

- Yuck! Ack!

He had swallowed varnish. It tasted terrible! He struggled to his feet because of all the varnish he had on him and then saw the brush appear behind him.

- NO! WAIT!!!

He just had time to take two steps when Flore slid the brush in his direction. The boy was pressed again against the nail of his sister who covered it with a new coat of varnish. Then she plunged again the brush into the tube. Nick tried to get up but the varnish surrounding him clung to his body. He turned his head and saw the giantess bring the brush towards him again.

- Flore! No!!

But fortunately for him, she applied the varnish on another nail. Nick got up with difficulty and moved down from Flore's finger. He absolutely wanted to clean himself, but painted that way, he might have had a better chance of being spotted. He turned around, ready to call to his big sister, but he saw her take a wipe and plunge it towards him.

- NO …

Flore then passed the wipe on what she certainly thought was a blemish in the varnish. Nick found himself trapped inside the fabric that she then screwed up and left on a corner of her desk. After making sure that the giantess had dropped the wipe, the boy took the opportunity to wipe off the varnish he had on him with it. It had turned out that it was safer to regain his original appearance. He was still inside when Flore suddenly grabbed the wipe.

- Aaaaah!! - shouted Nick, suddenly shaken.

Nick felt himself being lifted while Flore left her room, the wipe in her hand. He managed to create an opening by moving the part of the wipe that covered him and he found he was in the bathroom. Then he suddenly saw a tap above him.

- FLORE! NOT THAT!

Too late. Flore started the tap to moisten the wipe. Nick was afraid of the pressure the tap could generate for his size, but fortunately only a trickle of water hit him. The boy was then drenched and had to cling to the handkerchief so as not to fall into the sink and its siphon that was just below him.

- Flore!! Stop!

He was now all wet, but apart from a few stains on his clothes, he had no polish on him. Flore cut off the water and brought the wipe back to her room. He saw her body and her huge face above him.

- FLORE! LOOK!!! - Nick shouted, clinging desperately.

Without paying attention, she approached her desk to wipe away a varnish stain.

- Aaaaaah!!

She suddenly applied the wipe on the stain by pressing on it. Nick felt the pressure of her hand and the varnish sticking to the wipe.

- Flore, in the wipe!!

Nick was raised again then he felt himself suddenly fall.

- Aaaaaaaaaah!!

The landing was rather abrupt but thanks to the wipe, Nick did not hurt himself. The boy came out to quickly escape from there, but realized he was not on the floor. All around him was a long cylindrical wall. Seeing where he was walking, Nick understood: Flore had just thrown it in the trash!

To Be Continued …

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn

Chapter 11 - Down In The Dumps



Nick felt the fear rise in him. He was in a trash bin! He absolutely had to get out of here! The boy called with all his might:

- FLOOOOOORE!!! HELP MEEEEE!!

But without success. He thought about trying to reach the top edge of the bin but at his size, it was way too high for him. If only the trash was fuller! Nick wondered how to get out of here, when a few minutes later, Flore got up from her chair and walked out of the room. Nick's morale dropped to the lowest level. She had abandoned him. How could she do that? He was stuck in a garbage bin, and this time he was sure, no one would see him here. Now his chances of being discovered were close to zero. He lay down, completely desperate, without the courage to attempt anything. He did not even want to hope anymore. Why had he shrunk like this? Why did he not think about taking new batteries? Why did he not just wait to go home before wanting to change the batteries of his prototype? He could only blame himself. Without really knowing why, he thought about Alizée again, and wondered what she was doing. If she thought of him. Thinking back to what she had said about him earlier, he was ashamed again. Nick lost himself in his thoughts, sometimes even managing to forget his desperate situation.

Thirty minutes later, Nick heard someone enter the room. He barely had time to recover as his environment leaned dangerously.

- Aaaaaah!

The bin tipped over and suddenly it was lying on the floor. Nick, still inside, watched the opening now in front of him. He saw the huge legs of his mother who stood in front of him. His mother had dropped the trash! It was his chance to escape! The boy got up and started running, smiling. He could not believe it! The probability that it happened was very slim. He was convinced that he was doomed to be thrown in the garbage, but no, fate offered him a chance to escape! It was then that Nick saw his mother's hand grab a rim of the trash. His smile faded.

- What ...

Natalie started then to pick up the trash.

- No! Mom, WAIT!!

Nick ran even faster, but the surface on which he was moving was becoming more and more inclined.

- MUM! STOP!!

He was finding it increasingly difficult to progress, so that he soon found himself on all fours, struggling with all his might to reach the edge of the trash. He had to get there!

- Mom, please! Let me out!!

But despite his efforts, the boy began to slide to the bottom.

- NOOOOOOOOO!

He found himself on his stomach and slid backwards as he saw the opening move away more and more. He landed again on the garbage while Natalie put the garbage bin right.

- No Mom!! - shouted the boy rolling on his side.

Nick gaped. It was not possible! He had a unique opportunity to get out of it, and he just let it go! Just because he had not been fast enough! Despair submerged him again until his mother grabbed the plastic bag from the bin. Nick raised his head sharply.

- MUM! - he said almost in a cry of joy.

She raised the bag to take it with her.

- Aaaaah!!

Nick was shaken again and his joy was short-lived. If his mother had taken the bag, she would probably throw it in the garbage! The boy got up quickly and pounded against the edge of the bag, right next to his mother's thigh.

- MUM! I BEG YOU! LOOK!!

As she went down the stairs, the rhythm of her walk made the boy lose his balance, and he tried as best he could to reach one of the edges of the bag. He did not know how he could get out of here, but he was not going to sit idly by waiting.

- MOM, WAIT! - he shouted, falling one more time among the rubbish.

As she walked down the stairs, the boy became more and more nervous. His fate rested entirely on her. On his mother who did nothing but throw out a garbage bag. Natalie reached the ground floor and the bag stabilized. Nick finally managed to grab hold of it when his mother entered the kitchen. She put the bag on the worktop and fetched a string to close it. Nick then takes his chance to escape. He climbed up the bag and came to the top rather quickly. He straddled the edge and looked around him. It was then that he spotted a rolled up cloth next to the plastic bag. It could surely cushion his fall if he went down there. A shadow suddenly covered the boy who turned his head and saw his mother had come back to stand in front of him. He tried again to get her attention:

- MOOOOOM!!

She moved her gigantic hands toward him to close the bag. This view of her shocked Nick who felt smaller than ever. The giantess was about to close her hand on him, when the boy gathered all his courage and jumped.

- Aaaaaaah!!

He slipped on the plastic bag and fell before landing on the rag. He lay down for several seconds to take the time to realize what had happened. He had succeeded! He had really escaped from the trash bag! He stood up and watched as his mother closed the bag and congratulated himself for not being inside any more. He pulled himself together quickly and ran for cover. This was not the time to risk being picked up again. He had almost reached the edge of the rag when it was suddenly pressed against it by the hand of the giantess.

- No! Mum!!

Natalie took the rag and put it on a shelf a little higher up. Nick took several seconds to understand what had happened. He stood up to look where he was and recognized the place. In front of him stood huge bottles. Some containers contained seasonings such as vinegar or herbs, and other drinks, such as Coke or iced tea. He stepped forward and passed by the olive oil that had never seemed so big to him. He then skirted a bottle of Coke to reach the edge of the shelf. He then had an overview of the kitchen, and saw his mother go away with the garbage bag. How good it was to finally see things from above! But what to do now that he was there?

It was then that he saw Flore arrive. He approached the edge of the shelf to be more visible and began to call to her. The shelf being just a little higher than eye level, he probably had a chance to be spotted! In spite of all his cries, his sister paid him absolutely no attention, and went to the fridge. She pulled out a salad bowl filled with chocolate mousse and took it to the worktop. Then she took a bowl, and began to fill it generously.

- FLOOORE! I'M RIGHT HERE!!!

She finished filling the bowl and suddenly looked up.

- YES!! FLORE!! HERE!!! - the boy shouted enthusiastically as he saw her eyes looking towards him.

She raised her arm and Nick saw her right hand moving to strike him.

- No! What …

He barely had time to wonder what she was doing as he saw her hand pass over his head and grab the bottle of Coca-Cola behind him.

- Flore! NO!!

She pulled the bottle towards her, pointing it straight at the boy. Before he could react, Nick was suddenly pushed into the air.

- AAAAAAAAH!

He then lands in a soft, light and sweet material: chocolate mousse!



To Be Continued …



Translated from French to English by jdragondawn

Chapter 12 - Don’t Eat Me!

- NOOO!!

Nick lost all his means and began to wriggle in all directions to try to recover. It was not possible! He could not be in such a situation again! The boy tried to get up, but every time he tried to take support with his hand or foot, it sank into the mousse. As he waded, he found himself on his back and became aware of his sister's face above him.

- FLORE!! STOP! DON'T!!!

He kept moving and finally managed to get back into a vertical position. He saw all around him an immense expanse of chocolate mousse. Observing her, his anxiety grew. He knew that the contents of the bowl would soon be gone. And he was part of it! Flore poured herself a glass of Coke, then she took the bowl and went to settle on the sofa.

- FLORE!!! PLEASE! STOP!!

At every step she made, he felt the control she held over him. Flore settled down and turned on the TV, without letting go of the bowl. Nick had never been in such a state of nervousness. He had almost been eaten several times since the beginning of the day, but this time he knew he could not escape. It was impossible for him to get out of the bowl, he was almost entirely covered with chocolate mousse and, above all, Flore was far too distracted by the TV to realize that her brother was there, shrunk just below her, and that she was going to eat him!

- FLOOOORE!!

The giantess plunged her spoon into the bowl.

- NOOOO!!

The giant spoon dipped into the mousse a few centimetres from him. Nick looked up and saw his sister laugh at the show she was watching. This image terrorized him. How could she laugh at such a moment? She was about to eat him, and she was laughing! Under the horrified look of her brother, she swallowed her bite and plunged her spoon a second time.

- Nooo!

He tried to plunge into the mousse to hide himself, but only managed to descend a few millimetres, while Flore pulled up her spoon again near him. She was far from imagining that each of her gestures was synonymous with a death risk for Nick, who was praying not to be in her next spoonful. Natalie entered the room and approached the couch.

- Mmmm. Can I have a bit? - she asked, settling down next to Flore.

Nick left his head on the surface and saw his mother look at the mousse, mouth watering. She plunged her index finger to the other end of the bowl before the eyes of the desperate boy.

- Oh no! Not you too!!

She lifted her finger and swallowed the mousse on it with guilty pleasure.

- Have mercyyyy! - implored Nick, sobbing.

He was close to tears. Since the beginning of the day, he had almost been killed many times. He had found himself in Flore's coffee, nearly thrown in the trash, found himself in Alizée's and Claire's meal, and had almost been swallowed by his mother's vacuum. He was exhausted! He could not take it anymore! This time he was sure it was the end! He was going to be eaten by his mother or sister, and he could do nothing to stop them.

- Stop ...

They did not know he was there, and worst of all, they were happy! They laughed, without suspecting that one second to another, one of them would commit the unthinkable. Natalie dipped her finger again in front of Nick who saw it land right on him.

- Mum!!!

She picked it up at the last moment, passing a few millimetres from the boy. He watched her eat, fearing more and more her approaching finger. He did not know what to do. He saw Flore's spoon suddenly fall on him.

- Aaaaah!!

The giant spoon covered him completely and pushed him into the mousse while Flore took a new spoonful. Although he knew she was completely unaware of his presence, he could not help but feel hatred towards her. She was torturing him. Filled with anger, he did not immediately see his mother dive her finger right next to him as he rose to the surface. Before he could react, she suddenly dragged him out with it.

- MUM! Nooo!!

As she lifted him up, he saw her staring hungrily at the tip of her finger as she opened her mouth. She was going to eat her son!

- Mooooom!!

In one second, he pulled himself out of the mousse on the finger of the giantess and fell back into the bowl of his sister while Natalie put her finger in her mouth and enjoyed the delicious taste of the chocolate foam that was on it.

- AAAAAAH!!

He landed on his stomach in the bowl and began to sink into the moose.

- HELP ME!!

Without even looking, Flore again dipped her spoon right next to the tiny boy. He saw the moose parting all around him and was suddenly raised in the air.

- HAVE MERCY!! NOOOO!!!

He saw the huge body of his sister parade before him to reach the height of her chin.

- FLOOORE!!!

Natalie rested her head on her daughter's shoulder. Nick looked at both of them. He was there, right in front of them, and yet they did not recognise him. His life was coming to an end right under their noses. Flore laughed again. This time it was the end. Neither she nor her mother had any idea where he was. Nobody knew it. Flore's laugh echoed in Nick's head as she brought the spoon toward her.

- NOOOOOO!!

He gave one last look of despair to his mother and saw the immense mouth of Flore open before him. In one final outburst of despair, he shouted:

- STOOOOP! DON'T EAT MEEEEEEE!!!
- Wait!

To Be Continued ...

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn

Chapter 13 - The End Of Troubles

Flore stopped suddenly and glanced at her mother. Natalie looked at the spoon that Flore was about to put into her mouth with a puzzled look, then she came up to her and said,

- What's that thing in your spoon?

Nick's face lit up:

- Yeees! Mum!! It's me!!

He could not believe it. While he had definitely lost all hope, she had finally noticed! He saw the faces of the two giantesses approaching him.

- Mum! Flore! It's me!! Nick!!
- Do not tell me that ... - started Flore.
- Nicky? - asked Natalie surprise. It's really you ?
- Yes! Mom, I'm here!!

He did not know if they could really hear him, but he kept shouting.

- Oh darling, but what happened to you? - asked Natalie, who looked both confused and guilty.

She put her hand over the spoon and gently grabbed the boy between her thumb and forefinger to get him out of the mousse.Then she placed him in the palm of her hand. Flore put the spoon back into the bowl of chocolate mousse and put it back on the table.

- Since when have you been shrunk? - asked Natalie.
- This morning. - answered Nick.

His mother turned to Flore:

- Go get your father's amplifier.

Nick saw the massive silhouette of his sister get up and go upstairs. Natalie turned to her son again:

- Oh my poor darling! And to say that we almost swallowed you!

She brought her hand towards her face and she pressed the boy against her cheek. Nick had trouble talking:

- Mom … Care ...ful!

He tried timidly to struggle to get away from her until she released her embrace. She looked at her son tenderly as Flore came down and sat down again on the couch. Natalie put Nick on the coffee table and Flore stretched her giant index finger in front of him. On top was a little box. Nick retrieved it and took out the miniature amplifier that his father had developed to be able to communicate normally once shrunk. It was a kind of helmet with a microphone, a bit like the pilots of planes. He had used it a lot to develop his machine and communicate with his wife, who he had shrunk when he made the final adjustments. Nick equipped himself with it and asked:

- Does it work? You hear me?

The two women agreed.

- What's happened? - asked Flore.

Nick replied a little ashamed:

- Well this morning, I forgot to take new batteries for my prototype. Trying to remove the old ones, I pressed the button without doing it on purpose and just after, they gave out and my machine broke down.
- But where did it happen? - asked Natalie.
- Right in front of the house. - answered Nick. I was about to return.
- Do you mean that you've been home in this state since this morning? Poor thing, I hope we did not put you in too much danger ...
- Well ...

Nick did not want to make them uncomfortable by telling them everything that had happened to him, and Natalie did not even want to imagine what all her actions could have represented to her son at his tiny size. To stop the discomfort, Flore asked:

- So your prototype is shrunk too?
- Yes. We would need shrunk batteries to make it work.
- The problem is that your father took his machine - said Natalie, looking concerned.

There was a silence then Nick suddenly had an idea:

- Wait! Do you remember that Dad had shrunk one of the neighbour's furniture?
- Yes, but how would that help us? - asked Flore.
- There may be something to power my prototype in it.
- But she must have emptied the furniture before shrinking it. - she replied.
- It's worth trying anyway. - said Natalie. Well done Nicky! Let's go.
- Okay. - Nick agreed. But I have to get my prototype back.
- Where is it? - asked his mother.
- In my bag. It was shrunk too. I left it next to the front door.

Natalie put her hand on the edge of the table so Nick could get on it. He sat down and Natalie got up slowly so as not to cause sudden movements. She put the boy near the door, who was happy to see that his suitcase was still there, and that his mother had not sucked it up when she did the housework. Nick opened his suitcase and took his prototype. Natalie took him in her hand before leaving the house, followed by Flore. As they walked, Natalie recovered her hand to protect her boy from the wind as they made their way to the house across the road. It felt good for Nick to finally feel protected. Once there, Flore rang the bell. Alizée opened a few seconds later:

- Oh hello! There is a problem?
- Sorry to disturb you, but this time, it's our turn to ask you something. - said Natalie.
- Yes, of course, enter.

Once inside, Alizée closed the door, and before she could ask any questions, Natalie held out her hand containing her son:

- There was an accident this morning with Nick.

Alizée leaned over to find the little boy in her mother's hand. Nick saw her huge face getting closer to him, and again saw how pretty she was. The eyes of the giantess widened when she understood what had happened.

- It can't be, Nick?
- Yes it's me. - he replied shyly.
- But what happened? Is he okay ?
- He accidentally shrank with his prototype. We only noticed him a moment ago. - explained Natalie.
- You mean he's been like this since this morning?- asked the neighbour. Oh the poor little boy!

Although she certainly did not suspect that he had spent part of the day with her and that he had landed in her lunch, she was looking at Nick with a lot of tenderness. He had the impression that she wanted to kiss him.

- Alizée, do you remember that piece of furniture that had been shrunk in your house? - asked Natalie.
- Yes, of course. I still have it.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a miniaturized piece of furniture.

- My brother still needs to collect it. But why? You need it?
- Nick's size changing prototype, which was shrunk too, ran out of power. But maybe there will be something to power it within the piece of shrunken furniture.

Alizée put the piece of furniture on the table and Natalie tilted her hand slightly so that Nick would come down. The boy approached and began to search inside while the three giantesses looked at him. Seeing their three faces peering over him was quite intimidating. After several seconds, Nick shouted victoriously:

- There! There are batteries!

Flore and Natalie shouted with joy. The latter added:

- Well done darling!

Flore turned to Alizée:

- Do you know if they still have a charge?
- No idea - the neighbour replied, shaking her head.

Nick removed the old batteries and put in two new ones instead.

- I'll take off the helmet and put it away before giving it a try. - he said.

Flore handed him the box again and he placed the helmet inside. Then Alizée put her hand in the hollow of the table:

- Come here Nick. It's better not to do that here. If it ever works, you might break the table.

A little embarrassed, he stepped forward and climbed into her hand. She lifted him gently and took a few steps without letting go of his eyes. He had never found her so pretty. She knelt slowly to put Nick on the floor. To see her so attentive and take care of him pleased the young boy. When he came down from her hand, he saw her smile, looking at him tenderly before seeing her giant figure stand up and walk away.

Then Nick pointed the prototype device at himself and pressed the button. He suddenly resumed his normal size. His mother fell on him and took him in his arms:

- Nicky! Honey! You succeeded!

She kissed him several times, hugging him. Then it was Flore's turn to embrace him, saying:

- I'm sorry for a little while ago, little brother.

Then, while he was not expecting it at all, Alizée approached and kissed him on the cheek.

- So to make up for this day, what would you say we all go together to the Science Fair? - asked Natalie.

But at that moment, the Science Fair did not matter to him. He had just received a gift that was much more valuable to him.

END

Translated from French to English by jdragondawn