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Colleen still wished very much, that she could have found and eaten a leprechaun. However, she found that she had greatly enjoyed the verbal reactions from Stanley and Patrick, when each of them had realised that there was nothing they could do to avoid what she had in mind for them Henry’s actions had also stimulated some thinking about what might happen in the future. He had been able to break into her house and discover her machine. The fact that its existence remained a secret kept from all but Frances Woodfield was due entirely to Henry’s willing use of the machine on himself to facilitate his voluntary journey to Colleen’s tummy. The other practical problem Colleen faced was the need to invite everyone she shrank to her home, in order to do it. Eventually, this pattern might well bring her under suspicion.

So, ever since she had swallowed Patrick, she had set about dealing with these concerns. Most of the machine’s apparent bulk was actually not in the mechanics of the machine itself, but upon the wheeled platform with which she had moved it from room to room. Now Colleen detached the unit from the platform, so that it was the size of a paperback novel, and adjusted the wiring, soldered some battery terminals to it, and inserted some rechargeable batteries. She would now be able to take the reducing machine with her in her handbag, and shrink anyone who took her fancy, at an appropriate time of privacy between her and the gentleman concerned. She could then either dine out in a secluded picnic location or bring her usually reluctant meals home and eat them in the confines and luxury of her own dining room.

While this had been happening, Frances Woodfield had continued teaching at the school, where she and Colleen had been colleagues and friends for years. One day after school, all of her year 10 students headed home, except for one, a 16 year old named Nathaniel. He had always been the best behaved person in the class, and gotten good marks in his three stronger subjects and done his best with the other three.

Nathaniel walked over and stood at her desk.

“Miss Woodfield, would you like to go for a picnic lunch with me on Saturday?”

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Yes, if it’s alright to ask that.”

“Where did you have in mind?”

“Do you have any favourite locations?”

“There’s a meadow up in the hills,” said Miss Woodfield, “If I draw you a little map now, could you meet me there at around 11:30?”

“Sure. I’ll bring everything. I’ve been saving up for this for months.”

 

Elsewhere, the school volleyball club were playing on a court after school. One of its players, Connor, had been doing his best to play well for the team captain Edith Kelson, since he’d been nursing a crush on her for a long time, and was having more of a struggle than Nathaniel to find a way to bring the subject up. She was tall and fast and consistently saved the scene, whenever he fumbled a shot or couldn’t reach in time. Connor didn’t feel demeaned, only all the more admiring of her.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” she called again, and darted in and slammed the ball over the net with a speed and force which took their opponents by surprise. They won the game and were heading back across the lawn to their separate change rooms, when Connor said, “Edith, would you like to go out with me?”

 

“I think I’d have more fun with my boyfriend,” she said, “But thanks for asking.”

She was soon striding ahead on her own and leaving him to ruminate.

How did she have a boyfriend, when he’d never seen her with anyone? It must have been someone who didn’t go to the same school. Oh well, at least he’d tried. Better to have asked and been turned down, than never to have asked and never to have known.

 

Frances headed out early in the morning on Saturday, and went through the meadow and up to visit Colleen. She told her about her date with Nathaniel, and they spent most of the morning together. When the time came, she walked down to the meadow, and saw that Nathaniel had already arrived, spread a rug, and put out some plates, cups and an assortment of food.

They ate and talked for some time, and eventually she saw Nathaniel leaning in to kiss her.

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