Edith walked out of the school grounds with Connor in her coat pocket, which was level with her chest.

“I hope you’re comfortable in there,” she said quietly, “It’s not far from your upcoming new address.”

She meant her stomach.

When she reached her home, she went up to her bedroom, opened the top drawer of her wardrobe, and put him on a pile of neatly folded clean handkerchiefs.

“They’ll be your bed for the night. I’ll bring you some dinner first though,” she said, “Now I must be doing my homework. We spent some time on that adventure.”

He sat up on the mattress of handkerchiefs and watched her walk over and sit at her desk and do her homework, occasionally putting her pen handle to her lip while she thought.

Then she went down to dinner, and came back an hour later with a single dried apricot larger than his head, and a small piece of ham which would fill him to capacity.

“You’ll enjoy that. The ham’s almost as good as you will be.”

“How do you know how good I’ll be?” he asked.

“Well you sure look good enough to gobble down right now,” she said, and lifted him out of the wardrobe.

She put out her tongue in a slightly angular direction and slid it across his face.

“It’s official. You’re extremely appetising,” she said, and opened her mouth wide and popped him into it!

He waited for the inevitable gulp to follow, as he gaped down her throat, feeling strangely thankful that she had left her mouth open to let in enough light.

Then she reached in and took him out of her mouth again.

“Second impressions are great too. You’ll make a terrific snack.”

“When are you planning to… do it?” he asked.

“I might as well skip basketball tomorrow after school. We’d be down one player anyway,” she laughed, “I’ll come straight home and have you for afternoon tea up here, before I get started on my homework.”

He ate his dinner, while she read a book, and then she said it was time to turn in.

“Would you like me to kiss you goodnight?” she asked.

“I’d like you to kiss me for any reason,” he said.

She picked him up again and touched her lips to his face. It was only for a few seconds, but as far as first kisses go, it was fabulous.

“Your lips are amazing!” he said.

“Goodnight, Connor,” she said and turned and switched on her bedside table lamp, turned off the main light, and then climbed into bed and turned off the lamp.

Connor knew that his only chance was to escape from her and get back to the school and ask Miss Balfour to restore him to normal size, if the device even had that ability. Then he had another thought. He remembered a student named Henry who had gone missing. It was back before Miss Balfour had gone on her sabbatical! Could Miss Balfour have shrunken him?