Chapter 1

It was a beautiful evening in the Bahamas and nestled off the beaten path behind a resort sat a small tiki bar. It was a fair hike to reach the little bar, but for those who dared to brave it, it was well worth it. This evening a couple of newlyweds sat at the bar talking and reminiscing about their lives up to this point. Chad, a tall and bald Caucasian man, sat next to his lovely wife Pamela, a beautiful brunette with brown eyes that held the light like no tomorrow. Pamela, or Pam as she preferred to be called, was sipping her drink and laughing at a joke her husband had made. “I still can’t believe we’re here of all places,” she said with a sincere smile.

Chad grinned as he took a sip of his own whisky sour and took in her appearance. Her hair was down and it cascaded over her shoulders in stark contrast to her white sundress. As he drank in her appearance all he could think was how lucky he was. “I can’t believe I’m here with such a beautiful woman,” he said, “I still can’t believe you said yes.”

Pam smiled and slid her drink to the side before scooting closer to him, “I can’t believe it took you that long to ask,” she said as she put a hand on his thigh, “You know what I’m thinking right now?”

Chad looked down to the hand resting on his thigh before grinning and saying, “I’m going to guess it’s not about a new coffee recipe.”

Pam laughed and playfully smacked his arm as she said, “No, you goof, can you stop thinking about work for a minute? I’m thinking that you and I should finish our drinks, maybe take a little walk and explore the island, and then maybe find a nice, secluded spot where we could…explore each other. What do you say Cap?”

Chad smirked at her gesture. On top of being one of the most gorgeous women he had ever seen, Pam was also a comic nerd like himself. It was one of many things he loved about her, and there was something to be said about when she called him Cap. He quickly downed the rest of his drink before saying, “You don’t have to tell me twice! I just hope there aren’t any Black Widows out there.”

Pam grinned and finished her drink too before replying, “Oh I think there might one out there, but don’t worry I won’t bite…much.”

Chad quickly stood and snatched his fedora before placing atop his head. Pam looked over her husband as he got himself together. Tall and strong, and despite his lack of hair he was quite the striking man. His Hawaiian button down and khaki shorts somehow helped to showcase his handsome figure. She was quite a lucky it woman in her own right. She stood from the bar and took him by the hand before the two headed off down the path.

Chad and Pamela had recently gotten married. It had been a beautiful ceremony with friends and family gathered within a small indoor venue. The space had been made their own by adding touches of their favorite heroes and villains. Yes, the two had, had a comic themed wedding and it was a huge success. Between Chad’s groomsman sporting flowers folded from old comics to their open bar with comic themed drinks, the evening had been quite a smash hit.

The two had left for their honeymoon shortly thereafter and had been quite excited. They had bid their farewells to friends and family alike, all of whom had wished them the best. Their kids had been mostly happy for their parents; the two families had somewhat mixed feelings about the union, but not a one objected to the happy occasion. Chad had used the profits from Cups, his gourmet coffee shop, past year to pay for both the wedding and their surprise honeymoon; his business had really begun to take off over the last year. The newlyweds had spent a few days on an elegant cruise ship with various amenities for them to enjoy. As an added bonus for the two, Chad had managed to procure some vintage comics for them to enjoy at night.

They had left their kids in the care of Chad’s mother, Rose McCallum, who was the definition of sporty these days. Thanks to Pam she’d taken up for her health in new ways; from fixing and maintaining her diet to attending yoga classes at the Lift Exercise Studio. In her eyes Pam was a Godsend for her son and herself; if it weren’t for Pam being one of their fitness instructors, she would never have discovered the exercise studio. For being sixty-six she kept a well trimmed and impressive physique, and while she had begun dating again she always found time for her family. She had practically jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with her grand kids.

Chad and Pam had, had children with separate partners in the past, but their families seemed to be getting along and coming together as one nicely. Chad’s two children, Victoria and Bram, were similar and yet vastly different people. Victoria was a twenty-one year old college student with a striking set of green eyes from her mother, and fortunately for her a thick head of brown hair. Victoria had been attending a local university to pursue a degree in Resource Management, and thankfully her father had agreed to let her work at Cups while she pursued her academic career.

Bram, on the other hand, was quite the geek. He enjoyed gaming on his PlayStation, comics much like his dad, and he enjoyed a good Dungeons and Dragons session with friends. While Bram was a bit of a geek, he was also quite the talented athlete. He was one the star players on his school’s football team, and admittedly a hit with the ladies. Much like his sister, he was blessed with a thick head of auburn hair and his father’s build. He wasn’t quite as tall as Chad, but he wasn’t far behind. Bram often found himself spending time with Victoria and his stepsister Anna while watching television, or just checking in with Anna.

Anna was Pam’s only daughter and the two were close. She and her mother had grown close after her father had walked out on them, but it had left her with a poor disposition on men. Anna was an attractive young senior volleyball player at her school and had a bit of a reputation. She was known to get around and was more known for treating her boyfriends like dirt. It was mainly due in part to seeing how hurt her mother had been after her father left. She had swore that day to never let another man hurt her or her mother. That vow had stuck with her and was regrettably making the transition with Chad difficult. The two often found themselves at odds despite Chad’s best intentions. In her eyes, Chad’s only saving grace was Bram. Her new stepbrother was both attractive and unlike any man she had met. He was kind and compassionate, and on more than one occasion had allowed her to bend an ear when she felt overwhelmed and otherwise unhappy.

The newlyweds had been gone for a little over a week before they returned. Their kids had been overjoyed at their return; Anna more so over her mother than her new stepdad, and upon greeting had intentionally shouldered past him. Chad was used to this sort of treatment and brushed it off to avoid any unnecessary conflict. Instead he chose to give both Bram and Victoria a hug before Rose entered the room and said, “Pam! Chad! Oh we are so glad you two made it back safely. How was your trip?”

Chad smiled at his mom and gave her a hug as Bram said, “Yeah, Dad, don’t keep us in suspense how was it?”

“It was amazing!” Pam said, “Between the first class tickets, the cruise, and the beautiful scenery I’ve never had such a wonderful experience.”

“She’s right,” Chad said as he pulled his wife in for a hug, “I can’t think of a more perfect way that we could have spent our honeymoon. What about you all, anything interesting happen while we were away?”

Victoria, who had been holding down the business, answered, “Nothing we couldn’t handle. The shop got a new shipment of coffee in, and I’ve been waiting to see what you wanted to do with it. Other than that, things were pretty normal. Grandma taught us how to make vegan cookies while you were away, so that was an experience.”

“Yeah and not a good one,” Bram joked and received a stern look from Rose in response, “No offence gram, but I think some things are better the old fashioned way.”

“I told you all that you just have to give it a chance,” Rose said with a smile, “Anna seemed to enjoy both helping me in the kitchen and the cookies.”

Anna smiled at her. She may not have been a fan of Chad, but Rose was sweet and one of the few good things that came with having him around. “I had fun, Rose,” she said, “And honestly the cookies weren’t too bad. They were different, but I’ve had worse. I’m glad you had fun mom.”

“Thank you Anna,” Pam said, “I’m glad you enjoyed your time with Rose. Oh, Rose that does remind me I’ll be returning to work tomorrow, so I’ll be available for another session if you’re still interested.”

Rose nodded excitedly and said, “Oh good, I was having a hard time finding a trainer who fit my needs. Speaking of which, I have a session with Jody in an hour and I need to get going. Such a sweet girl she is, she saw how much of a hard time I was having finding a trainer, and she volunteered herself for a session or two until you got back.”

Pam smiled as she stepped in and gave her mother-in-law a hug as she said, “Here I thought you’d find a replacement while I was gone. I’m glad Jody is willing to step in and help, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to working with you again. Be safe and thank you so much for staying with the kids.”

“Yeah, thanks mom,” Chad said as he gave her a parting hug.

“Oh anytime,” Rose said as she headed for the door, “I’m always happy to spend time with these boys and girls, and Anna it was so nice getting to bond with you. Next time I come by we’ll have to do some more cooking.”

“Looking forward to it,” Anna said as Rose left their house.

Chad looked at Anna and tried once again to bridge the divide, “I’m glad you had a good time with my mom, Anna,”

She rolled her eyes at him as she shoved past and said, “Whatever Chad.”

Chad watched as she stormed off to her room. He sighed as the door slammed; it seemed that any attempt to be embraced was doomed for failure. It was a frustrating thought, but he felt the hand of his lovely wife on his shoulder as she said, “She’ll come around, hon, just keep trying. She’s just afraid I’ll end up hurt again.”

Chad smiled back at Pam and nodded, “I hope you’re right. You don’t think I’m going to hurt you do you?”

She grinned and said, “You couldn’t if you tried,” before she leaned in and kissed her husband.

“Oh come on, didn’t you two get this out of your system?” Bram joked before feeling an elbow in his side, “Ow!”

“Come on, dork,” Victoria said teasingly, “Let’s give them a little space.”

As the kids left the room, Pam and Chad shared a tender embrace; these were the moments, small as they have been, that made their time together truly special. Their shared interests were great and strengthened it, but these moments of vulnerability between the two were what really made their union. Chad was a strong man and a successful one at that, but throughout his business ventures he had his share of troubles. Pam had been there through the good and the bad, success and failure; she had never wavered in her support and compassion. She believed in him even when nobody else did, and that meant the world to him.

The separated after a few moments and set about unloading the remainder of their luggage. They finished bringing shortly after, and they began planning out dinner. They decided to order in given the fair amount of jetlag they were suffering from. As the family ate together, they discussed the events of their trip, plans for the rest of the week, and Chad found himself talking ideas with Victoria. It was good to be back home, and even Anna seemed happy to have them both back. Though it was most likely just the fact that her mother had returned safe and happy.

The rest of the week was back to business as usual. Pam resumed her work as a personal trainer at the Lift Exercise Studio while Chad eagerly returned to Cups. While Victoria wasn’t planning on taking over, he still felt it important to involve her in the daily operations just in case her interests ever changed. Bram and Anna continued to attend school and their practices. Anna had a volleyball game this week and Bram a football game just before the weekend. Throughout the week Chad and Pam continually talked about their experiences in the Bahamas.

Chad’s oldest friend, David Russo, decided to stop by the shop a couple of days after their return to check in with him. Chad was in the process of putting away a fresh shipment of coffee beans when he heard the bell chime. He continued working and called out to his daughter, “Victoria we’ve got another customer!”

“Almost twenty years and all I am is a customer?” David asked jokingly.

Chad looked up from the dolly to see the grinning face of his friend in the doorway. His hands rested in the pockets of his suede jacket, and Chad smiled as he set the dolly down and approached his friend. He went in for a hug; David had been his best friend since school, and it was almost customary for the two to share a hug from time to time. “David, how have you been man?” Chad asked, “Care to try our new vegan espresso?”

David laughed as he walked to the counter, “Dude do you ever not think about work?” he asked jokingly, “I’m guessing your mom came up with that one, I think I’ll pass. I just wanted to stop by and see how your trip went.”

Chad grinned as he said, “I’d love to tell you, but I prefer to talk over a cup.”

David rolled his eyes and said, “You really are a businessman through and through aren’t you? Fine I’ll take a black coffee no cream and no sugar.”

Chad grimaced at his friend, “You really have no taste do you?” he asked

David shrugged as he said, “Some of us just prefer a classic, bud, now don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me about your trip.”

Chad smiled as he went about preparing his friends coffee and said, “It was amazing man. The cruise liner had an open bar, a small casino, and some of the best buffet food I’ve ever had! The islands were beautiful; I can’t remember the last time I spent so much time on a beach.”

Chad finished making David’s cup and handed to him as he said, “I can tell, I don’t remember ever seeing you with a tan, normally your as white a ghost. You two do anything special down there or just lounge around?”

“Har har you sound like Pam,” Chad mocked before continuing, “Well you know how Pam is, she wanted to do some exploring and try some of the local flavors. We sampled some cracked conch and a few local cocktails, and we even found a nice spot to…lay down in at one point.”

David took a super of his coffee and grinned, “No raw bugs this time?” he asked, “You animal, you fucked in the jungle didn’t you?”

Chad shuddered, “No and that was a one time thing,” he said, “She didn’t seem to mind it, but I swear I could feel them crawling in my throat. A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

David laughed at his friend’s remarks about the bugs. It had been a nice tidbit he learned from Pam a while back, and he knew Chad’s stance on it and loved giving him hell about it. His grin grew as he said, “That’s a yes. I’m glad you two had fun, and I’m guessing you took those comics I got you. You didn’t lose them did you?”

Chad rolled his eyes at his friend before saying. “Yeah we had a great time, and no I didn’t lose them. I still can’t believe you got a first edition of the Avengers. Are you wanting them back?”

David shook his head as he said, “No consider it a wedding present from me and Heather, I know you two will put them to good use.”

Chad was about to offer his thanks when the television suddenly switched over to a news anchor. The sudden change drew both men’s attention as images of the resort Chad and Pam had stayed at flashed up on the screen. The bar at the bottom of the screen read: New and Unknown Disease Reported from the Bahamas. Their conversation came to a halt as a young Hispanic woman began speaking.

“We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to bring you an important news flash. We have been receiving reports of a unique condition that has originated from the islands of the Bahamas. What was thought to be a new strand of Malaria has been recently ruled as false, and scientists are baffled by the disease. What is being referred to as a Shrinking Epidemic has been sprouting up across the region. Conditions seem to vary from minor to massive reductions in size ranging from a few feet to near microscopic sizes, but one thing is certain this disease is very much real. Reports of cases are rising rapidly and symptoms seem to mimic that of a common cold or flu, but it is unknown at this time what the cause is or how contagious it is. Scientists and medical professionals are looking into the condition to find a cause and cure, but it is advised that anyone who has been in the region exercise extreme caution if they begin experiencing any symptoms. We will be monitoring this situation closely and keeping you in the know as updates arise. This has been Rebecca Rodriguez with Channel 8 News.

The television returned to the game is had been showing moments ago. Chad eyed the television curiously for a moment. That couldn’t have been real could it? Then again, why would Channel 8 interrupt a game for a joke? A slight panic began to work its way up inside of him, but he pushed it down. He told himself that any such condition was too far fetched to be real. This was reality not some science fiction movie after all.

David’s voice interrupted his thoughts, “Wasn’t that the area you and Pam stayed at?” he asked.

He looked back to his friend and said, “Yeah, but that has to be a hoax. Surely there isn’t something out that there that’s actually shrinking people.”

David gave a little laugh and finished his coffee as he said, “I guess that’s true, but still if it is real maybe you should keep an eye on yourself. You’ve been feeling alright, though, right?”

Chad smiled as his friend set his cup down. He felt fine, but he appreciated his friend’s concern. “Yeah I feel great,” he said, “Don’t worry about me, bud, now how about you pay for that coffee?”

David rolled his eyes as he fished out the money from his pocket. He set the money down on the counter and prepared to leave as he said, “Yeah, yeah that should cover it. Just make sure to keep an eye on yourself man. I’d hate for you to catch whatever this thing is. It’d be kind of hard to charge your friends if we couldn’t see you.”

It was Chad’s turn to roll his eyes. David always gave him a hard time about having to pay for his coffee, but it was all in good fun. Next to Pam, he had supported him more than anyone. “I’ll be fine,” he said, “I appreciate your concern, but I’m more worried about the shop and breaking through to Anna.”

“If you say so, pal,” David said as he turned to leave, “Just keep trying with her, man, she’s a good kid and she’s just worried about her mom. Maybe don’t charge her like you do your friends.”

The two men shared a laugh as David exited the shop. David was a teacher at the school Anna and Bram attended, and he had Anna in one of his classes. He’d had to sit down with her once or twice and he’d actually gotten her to open up on those occasions. Chad felt a little envious of David in that regard, but he was right. He owed it to both Anna and Pam to keep trying. He wasn’t sure how, but he would find a way to break through the walls she insisted on keeping up.

The week continued to pass by with little to no incident. Pam had seen the same news update and had voiced a fair amount of worry for Chad. He assured her that he felt fine time and again, but in the back of his mind he carried a bit of fear. If this was something real and if he had somehow caught it, what would that mean? He reminded himself that such things were beyond impossible, and that there was no way it could be real. He remained strong in the presence of his family, but it was the moments alone that hit him the hardest. The times he found himself alone were the ones where his mind began to wander to the possibility of the disease. The thoughts were more than a little terrifying.

As the week drew closer to an end, Chad began to feel a bit fatigued. He told himself it was the lack of sleep, and there was certainly some truth to that. Since the night after that news broadcast he hadn’t been sleeping well. The nagging fear in the back of his mind had begun to blossom into anxiety, and that been taking its toll on him.

It was now Friday and the night of Anna's volleyball game. He was looking forward to it, but his body began to feel sore as the day went on. He started out with the same amount of grogginess that he had been dealing with throughout the week, but today he felt especially wore out. He was having a hard time focusing on his daily tasks at Cups. Customers and Victoria continued to remark about how pale he was. It was strange considering that mere days ago had, had a complete tan.

Victoria had been trying to convince her father to head home for the day, “Dad, please,” she pleaded for the umpteenth time, “You need to go home. You’re pale, out of breath, and this is the third time you’ve asked me what we were doing.”

Chad blinked at his daughter slowly in response. She wasn’t wrong about his struggles today, but he wanted to press on. Going home and going to bed would mean accepting the possibility of having this strange disease, plus Anna’s game was tonight and he needed to be there for it. He wanted to be there for his step-daughter. He once again tried to protest against Victoria, “I am fine. I need to be here, Victoria.”

She gave him a stern look that reminded him of her mother. He knew the look all to well, it was the one that left no room for arguments. “What you need is to go home and get some rest,” she said flatly, “Go. I can handle the shop for the afternoon, and before you say it, I know you’re worried about Anna’s game. If you will actually get some sleep maybe you can still make it, and if you can’t I’ll talk to her. Now, go.”

He didn’t have the will to fight against Victoria right now. Hell, when she got like this there was almost no arguing with her. He knew she was right and that he needed to try to get some rest, but the dread that was forming in his stomach made it difficult. He closed his eyes as he accepted her words and said, “Alright, fine, but call Pam if you need anything.”

Victoria smiled at her dad for finally seeing sense. She knew what he was afraid of, and it wasn’t just missing an opportunity to bond with Anna. She’d caught him more than once sitting awake at night with a distant stare that was unlike him. Since the day the news had reported this strange new disease, he’d been distant. He put on a good front, but she’d known him a long time and knew this wasn’t like him. She hadn’t voiced her thoughts on the matter in an attempt to maintain some normalcy, but she couldn’t stand by and watch him put himself through this any longer. Whether it was this new condition or not, he needed to rest.

As he turned to leave and hang up his apron she said, “Dad, don’t worry I’ve got this. If I run into any issues I will call Pam, I promise.”

Chad nodded and said, “I know you do and thanks kiddo.”

With their final exchange finished, he set about making his way home. The trip wasn’t a long one, but it was more difficult than it should have been. His difficulty concentrating seemed to be growing in the short time it took to get home. He had never been so thankful to reach his home. He walked in to the sound of his lovely wife bustling about in the kitchen..

Pam was in the process of washing dishes when she heard the door open. She set the pans down and went to see who it was. She half expected it to be Anna attempting to skip school again, but was surprised to see the sickly image of her husband stumbling in. She had been growing more and more worried about him as the week went on; more than once she had woken up to him being absent from their bed, but she had kept to herself about it. Something was bothering him, but he wasn’t ready to open up about it. She wanted him to, but decided to let him do it in his own time.

Chad watched as Pam came into view and even as weak as he felt he couldn’t help but smile. Her hair was a tied back in a bun, and her faded red shirt and jeans added a lax bit of beauty. The sight of her always gave him a sense of peace and ease, even in the state he was in now it was no different. She rushed to him and he felt a hand on his head as he jokingly said, “Honey I’m home.”

“Chad!” Pam said, “Oh my God, you’re burning up! Babe, what is going on with you?”

The concern was apparent in her voice as she spoke. She couldn’t hold back her concern any longer. She wouldn’t bring up his absence from their bed, but her beloved was clearly sick. He hadn’t looked great when he left m, but somehow he looked worse in just a few hours. His words didn’t do her worries any favors as he said, “Yeah I don’t feel my best, but I just need a little sleep.”

She gave him a worried and skeptical look for a moment. She sighed as she said, “I hope you’re right. Come on, let’s get you upstairs and in to bed.”

Chad tried to wave her off by saying, “I’m fine, don’t let me interrupt you babe.”

Pam looped her arm through his and placed her free hand on his shoulder to steady him as she said, “You are not fine, and if I don’t see you actually in bed I’ll be worrying about you the whole time! No buts let’s get you upstairs.”

Chad didn’t bother trying to argue with her. In truth he was thankful that she was willing to take the time to help him, and it was just another reason added to his growing list of adoration for his wife. In all actuality, if Pam hadn’t of insisted on helping him he may not have made it up the stairs. More than once he found himself on the verge of falling over, and at one point if she weren’t there he may have just given up and slept on the stairs. Still, after what felt like an eternity the two reached their bedroom.

Soft and inviting white sheets covered by a maroon comforter awaited him. Pam let him go and he let himself fall into the soft fabric below. He felt himself developing a chill and began worming his way under the covers in an attempt to stave off the growing irritation. He let himself begin to drift off into a deep sleep, but before he did he said, “Thank you, Pam, I love you.”

Pam watched as her husband fought to get under the covers. The sight was both comical and sad. She truly worried about him in this moment, but she was just glad he was finally going to get some sleep. She’d never been so happy to have taken a day off work than she was right now; if she hadn’t been here there was no telling where he would have ended up. She heard his faint mumble of affection and bent down to kiss his forehead before saying, “I love you to, get some rest Chad.”

Chad slept for sometime in a dreamless slumber. He simply drifted in an inky black void for an untold amount of time. When he finally came to he felt great, near perfect even. Feelings of guilt washed over him as he realized he had probably missed Anna’s game, but at least he felt better. He would find a way to make it up to her at a later date.

He tried to throw the blankets off of him but found it impossible. He sat up as best he could and noted that his surroundings had changed. He was surrounded by darkness and an expanse of what appeared to be an unending surface. His eyes adjusted quickly but that only heightened his confusion. He couldn’t tell where he was or see a way out. Without much of an idea, he chose a direction and began making his way forward. He walked for what felt like an immeasurable amount of time before he began to feel completely lost. Where the hell was he?

A sudden and intense earthquake stirred him from his thoughts as he felt himself being tossed about. His first assumption of an earthquake didn’t quite seem right as a powerful updraft sent him careening upwards at a rapid rate, but his body collided with a soft material that sent him rocketing back downward. He heard a thundering voice above him that asked, “Dad? Where are you?”

That was Victoria! Where was he? Where was she? He struggled to get a handle on his current ad ever-changing situation as he was sent hurtling about in a multitude of directions. Finally, the shaking stopped and he found himself blinded by a sudden light. His surroundings came into view, but a wave of shock and awe hit him as he looked around. The vast expanse of nothingness changed from dark to a vibrant white, and he realized that he had never left his bed! Wrinkles in the sheet that appeared to be mountains dotted the landscape that he rested on, and he found his footing difficult due to the combination of terror welling up within and the sheer difference in size he now faced.

He looked up to the colossal form of his daughter he was scanning the bed for him but seemed to be having difficulty. Her features were shown in a new light thanks to his diminutive size. Her clothes, a simple blue blouse and a pair of leggings, highlighted her awe inspiring beauty. He craned his neck to get a good look at her face, but he found himself taking a step back to see past her impressive cleavage. A look of worry rested on her face as she bent down to look for him. He got a new look into the valley that her chest created, and much to his dismay and surprise found his member giving a slight twitch at the sight.

That was the moment that he realized he had nothing on to hide his small form. His hands flocked to his groin to cover himself, but he willed himself to call out to his daughter. “Victoria! Down here!” he yelled as loud as he could.

Victoria heard the faint voice and squinted down to investigate. Her eyes widened as they landed on the speck-like form that was her father. Not knowing what to do, she lowered her hand and gently scooped him up. She brought him to her face and asked, “Dad what happened to you?!”

The sudden motion of being lifted into the air was like riding a carnival ride. He felt his stomach roll as he was lifted up to the shocked face of Victoria. Her face was like a billboard and her voice was like that of thunder. He couldn’t stop the quake of fear that shot through him as he watched her mouth move. The size he was now, she could easily obliterate him with those pearly white teeth. He began to hyperventilate as thoughts of doom and death overwhelmed his mind, and before he knew it he was unconscious once again. What new events were in store for him? It wouldn’t be long until he found out.