Chapter 3: Self-Reflection

"Dear, what are you doing out here?" an old man asked, he looked totally beat up, his face was coated in rubble dust and was bleeding lightly in multiple places. Lucy stared at him with shock on her face.

"Hello? are you okay, my dear?" he asked trying to reassure her.

"I'm- I'm so sorry," she responded without thinking.

"What are you sorry for? it's those evil giants who did this, you have nothing to apologize for. I can take care of myself!" he took her arm and began walking her away from the middle of the street.

"I- I-" she began to lightly sob.

"Come on now. We've got somewhere safe you can come to. We just have to cross the footprint." he walked her behind a house unveiling that the backside of it was crushed in half, in their vision was a gigantic flat area that looked out of place, it looked like it should've been filled with things and people since they were just standing in a residential street ten seconds ago.

"The- the footprint?" she asked fearfully.

"Yep. One of the giants was just here a second ago, I'm surprised you didn't notice, they are huge and destructive." he innocently explained to her without knowing.

"Did you get a good look at it, sir?" she asked him.

"Oh, I think so..." he mumbled whilst they crossed the footprint, everything around them was totally flattened, there were white markings on a cracked road, this must've been a functioning road with cars at some point. There were flat metallic pancakes on it which were likely once cars. Lucy then spotted wet spots of liquid red in various spots suddenly her breathing vanished and she couldn't find it, beginning to shake.

"Don't look at that, dear. Just keep looking forwards, see that house? it's got a basement, we're all in there." he tried to reassure her.

"What did the giant look like?" she asked him with horror in her eyes.

"We didn't get a good look at them because they were too big. We saw their feet though, wearing black tights it looked like. Just like you." he pointed at her feet.

She tried to keep her breathing still on the verge of a panic attack, seeing all of her destruction at close range was a totally different scenario to imagining it from regular size, when she saw the footage Jason shot she thought nothing of it. But now, she couldn't even imagine the violence that once happened.

"Oh yeah, I can imagine," Lucy responded as they finally crossed the distance of the footprint. - "My name's, Lucy."

"Ben." the old man smiled.

Jason's eyes didn't close for a second, feeling himself falling onto the floor immediately understanding where he was. It felt more like teleporting into a different part of the city as opposed to shrinking. He was in one place one second and another the next, there were also no clear references of size, he felt normal in both situations.

All three of them were doomed, he and Lucy had stuck up for what they believed in, they at least had that and they never turned back on their beliefs, what good was it now though? their session would be purged in an hour and they'd all die.

Jason looked at the ground in sorrow, his eyes gazing at the cracked floor as he stood between the gargantuan shoe prints he'd left as a normal-sized person. His eyes then flicked to his camera, it had shrunk with him. He lifted it and flicked through the footage, it was all still there, he hit play on his most recent recording.

"Listen. You've got twenty seconds to hand over that camera, it's the only opportunity you're going to have to you better take it, kiddos" Jason hit pause, at least they had the threat on film.

Gears started turning in his head as he looked around, the area he was in seemed mostly untouched with the exception of the footprints he'd left. Digital content can transcend size, we might not be able to resize but the footage can, it has no matter thus no size. The only issue was the lack of internet access & signal in general due to this town being cut off from everything when it's transported here.

"What if I take the camera somewhere where the purge won't access it and place the camera there, we may not live but the footage will live on for someone else to find one day..." he muttered to himself. Was this really the best option? it felt like a hail mary as opposed to a solid plan where all of them came out on top, but at this point in time that truly wasn't an option.

Turning around to face the edge of the cloned city, he was close to the green belt of the city- which meant he was quite close to the edge. He cleared his head as the ground continued to shake, it was faint and couldn't have been more than 4 miles away. The director must be using the suite rather than purging the session immediately, that should buy me some time.

Jason didn't waste a second longer, wandering off towards the nearest wall, according to his perception when he was still a regular-sized person. It has to be this way.

Derek lay on his side sobbing inside the rubble of the house, the roof has caved in entirely, the support beams crashing through the 2nd floor into the first. His body drooped on the floor holding his wifes hand as she slowly blinked, her mouth slightly agape. No other part of her body moved or twitched, you'd think she'd passed if it wasn't for her momentary blinking. Her body was trapped under the beams and wood from the floors above, blood trickled from her mouth, dripping to the floor.

He'd never felt more useless in his life, his hands shaking from the adrenaline of trying to lift the beams for the past 10 minutes, his nails hanging off from the grip and force of his attempted lifts. I may not be able to save her but I can be here for her no matter what happens.

The shaking continued once more, it had stopped for over 7 minutes now allowing Derek to savor his silent moments with his love. He could sense life in her eyes, she was all still there just in great pain, clutching her hand tighter. Managing to squeak a word out to her- "Where is Ella?" he asked. - "We- we need to make sure she's okay."

His wife attempted to speak but only wheezy air exhaled, continuing to try but coughing instead. Licking her lips after a deep cough she whispered ever so slightly. - "Stress Suite.. Lucy... Jason."

He sighed. She wasn't here which made her safe but she wasn't nearby either, he couldn't leave his wife here, no matter what. The shaking continued to accelerate. Please stay away... leave us alone. 

He placed her hand in both of his, praying for their safety from the beings hurting them from above. The tremors became so great that the house shook from side to side threatening to drop more danger from above, shockwaves carried rubble and vehicles in them blasting them into the nearby buildings. Suddenly after the biggest one he'd heard yet, it came to an eerily silent standstill.

His wife raised her hand up, Derek's face started to glow. She's getting her energy back, she'll live! A smile on his face as her hand-formed into a pointing finger, straight into the sky.

"What's wrong?" he said turning his head, was there rubble falling?

"Ella..." she muttered with a tear falling down her face.

"Ella's here? where?" he looked up into the sky, his gaze drifting for thousands of feet into the sky. A foggy face stared at them from a mile up, barely able to make out any details in it. - "How is this..."

"Run... Derek." his wife cried pushing him away weakly with her hand, this was the most strength she'd had thus far.

"I'm not leaving you here alone!" he shouted grabbing her hand in his once again.

"Ella, don't..." she muttered again, barely able to see the face anymore as tears blocked her vision. - "God have mercy on us."

Derek looked to the skies with his wife as the face began blocked out by a gigantic looming cotton-clad foot, much closer to them than the face was. It lingered in their gaze for a few beats as they both watched in horror. Who did this?

Derek crouched over his wife blocking her from impending doom like it would provide any defense from the god-like force descending from above.

The building was shredded right in the middle of the ball of the socked foot, compressed straight down, folding like cardboard into the ground. The furniture, rubble, wooden beams and the couple inside becoming one singular sheet of indistinguishable paper.

Ella's foot twisted, the toes of the sock clipping other buildings nearby toppling them over. The shockwave from the deliberate hard stomp created a wave of destruction only possibly trumped by nuclear detonations. Crushing your own mini house is actually more fun than I thought.

Resting her foot in place, the moment was gone and Ella needed something else to do. What else in this town can I go check out? She looked down at her socks, wiggling her toes. Might as well try it since I'm not allowed to come back. Ella leaned down plucking the tip of her socks.

Lucy was led down into the basement of the house next to her footprint. Unprepared for the apocalyptic horrors that awaited her. Two entire families as well as some stragglers all seated on the floor, some cowering under tables.

"Who is this?" an older woman asked whilst clutching a little girl's wrist, holding her tight.

"Nobody who will harm us," Ben answered.

"Grandma- that's-" the little girl called but was interrupted.

"Don't talk to them, Jen." the grandma interrupted.

"We're all here to help each other remember, the giants up there are the ones hurting us. Not each other." Ben smiled trying to reassure everyone, the grandma averted her gaze, holding her granddaughter close.

"I shouldn't- I'd take up space-" Lucy muttered, slowly backing away towards the stairs she just came down. What have I done... I'm going to be sick.

"Nonsense. You're as thin as a pole, lass!" Ben shouted, giving her a light slap on the back for support. How could he be so cheery in times like these?

"Did any of you experience the giant?" Lucy asked, sweat forming quickly on her forehead, she was starting to get very hot. Why am I subjecting myself to this mental torture?

"What kinda question is that? of course, we have! Didn't you?" a middle-aged man at the back with a mustache shouted, giving her a bit of a shock at the harsh response.

"It- it passed over me. I didn't see much." Lucy fabricated.

"She." the mustache man corrected her. - "Not 'it', honey. She. Our giant attacker is a woman." 

Nobody rose to correct him, all sitting in silence as light rumbling was felt, shaking even the basement from miles away. How did they know? had they seen my face or maybe it was the voice?

The little girl stood up and slowly walked towards Lucy. Garnering a raging response from the grandma- "Get back here, Jen! Don't talk to strangers. Ya hear?" she called out, not the tone she wanted to set to her likely already scarred and terrified granddaughter.

"Relax, Ellie. She only wants to talk to another girlie. Leave her be." Ben reassured her in his calm and welcoming tone, Ellie listened but kept a close watch, throwing disgusted looks at Lucy. The room of people watched as Jen walked her little legs towards Lucy. She looks about 9 years old, these people are as real as anyone up above...

"Can I ask you a question?" the girl asked looking at the ground at Lucy's tight-covered feet. 

"Of course..." Lucy responded with a sweet smile, trembling at the thought of talking to this girl after the devilish things she'd done. The little girls head rose to make eye contact with Lucy unveiling wide eyes, a look of pure horror as she stared at Lucy.

"Why did you step on my mom?" the girl asked bluntly.

Lucy felt her heart collapse through her belly, beating exponentially faster by the second.

"Wh- wha- what did you say?" she stuttered as a tremor shook the room. Am I hallucinating?

"Can you give her back, please?" the little girl asked with a pouty lip. The room of people looked at the pair, some with confusion but many with fear.

"What's she talkin' bout?" Ben muttered, this time more masculine and threatening. Another deep tremor shook the room knocking a couple of people over.

"Listen... to me. I- I- I didn't know." Lucy slowly walked backward, the sharp noise of a cocking shotgun jolting her in surprise, turning around to see Ben pointing a shotgun at her.

"Ellie. Grab Jen." Ben commanded, she responded immediately by snatching up her granddaughter from the reach of the devil.

"Have any of you been to the Jones Stress Suite? It's- it's very important that I explain this-" Lucy struggled to keep her cool, the tremors had reached the harshest they'd been thus far.

"Stop talking. If you're here, then who is that giant stomping around up there?"Ben ordered, his friendly old man demeanor had vanished and what remained was the attitude and order of a sheriff.

"We- we're not giants. You guys are really small. I'm-" Lucy was interrupted.

"We? What do you mean we? There's more of you??" Ben took the wrong part of the sentence, she had to prove her innocence not scare them even more.

"Shoot her, Ben! What are you waiting for? She'll turn giant and kill us all!" Ellie screamed covering her crying daughter's face and ears.

"I didn't know you were here. I thought the town was empty... please I promise I'd never hurt any of you."

"Easy to say at the other end of a barrel!" Ben's finger tightened on the trigger as a gigantic Earthquake cracked the walls of the basement and threw people all over the room, the shotgun blast triggered and firing right through another man's leg. Lucy took this opportunity and sprinted up the stairs.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, tripping on the tip of the stairs causing her to tumble and roll into the kitchen. Someone came stomping up the stairs, Lucy kicked the door shut blasting her back onto it to hold it tight, a shotgun blast firing through the door past her ear causing them to start ringing horribly.

Lucy threw herself to the left managing to stay on her slippery tight covered feet, stumbling her way to the backdoor of the house.

"Get back here you spawn of Satan!" Ben growled resembling a psychopath more than the cheery old man she'd once spoken to, charging through the basement door throwing it open ricocheting off the wall- leaving a dent. Lucy mumbled and cried as she ran away from the shotgun pointed at her back, forcing her body into the back door of the kitchen causing her to topple over. Lucy rolled down the stone stairs banging her head and landing on her back staring at the empty door frame, although it wasn't empty for long.

Ben presented himself with his ferocious growling face only for it to melt away, the shotgun falling from his grip allowing it to topple down the stairs landing next to Lucy. She wasted no moment picking it up and point it at him. He seemed distracted entirely from the firearm, making no eye contact with her or the barrel.

"What in god's name..." he whispered looking to the distance. Lucy's head slowly swiveled around to allow her eyes to catch the same sight Ben had.

Lucy & Ben lay their eyes on the largest pair of feet they had ever seen, approximately 1000 feet in front of them were the bouncing digits of a monstrous pair of bare feet. The toe wiggling crashed them into the floor causing multiple tremors that shook along the ground underneath them. The toes curled forward scraping the dirt and grass underneath them closer to the ball of the foot, the shiny pink nails presenting themselves as the bright lights of the Stress Suite reflected off them.

"You brought the giant to us... we- we just wanted to protect ourselves... you know we didn't mean it. Please have mercy on us. We've got kids." Ben wept.

"I didn't bring her to you. She's not even meant to be here!" Lucy shouted, Ben, saw the horror in her eyes. Is she serious?

The right foot raised out the ground pulling hundreds of tonnes of dirt and grass with it, raining from above as it dislodged mid-flight. The dirty sole of the right foot came flying down crashing far left of the safe house creating a shockwave that destroyed the house, throwing all of its remaining debris across the street and beyond. Lucy crayoned across the road,her body rolling across the floor from the energy blast. Ben lay multiple feet to her left, laying on his front unconscious.

Ella looked below at her pink toes smearing the grassy field below, to the left of them was another set of footprints, roughly the last place she saw Lucy- this must've been where she shrunk. - "Lucy, I know you're down there somewhere." she called out.

Lucy held her ears tight as the voice bellowed from above threatening to shatter her eardrums.

"You shouldn't have tried to charge headfirst into the company. They are so much bigger than we are. Just like me over you, and now look, you're stuck in my stress relief" Ella said, she let out a big sigh before continuing her session, wanting to get out of here sooner rather than later. Don't worry, I'll carry on your legacy.

The other foot rose into the air, it took up so much of the sky that Lucy knew the odds of it striking her were high. Inhaling as hard as she could as the dirty sole lingered in the air. - "ELLLLAAAAAA!" she screamed her heart out as it came crashing towards the floor with a light-

POP. Ella quickly began twisting with her left foot, throwing her right one down into the ground in front as well, she drove it side to side sweeping up the town into rubble like a broom. She stomped onto the big pile of rubble containing tonnes upon tonnes of cars, buildings, and people, the contents squeezing their way through her toe gaps as her weight forced their hand. Mashing liquified corpses totaled cars and dusted buildings into a big violent town-smoothie.

Ella looked onto the far left in front of her after totaling this quarter of the town. Jason is over there somewhere, he'll never be coming back so it's best to get this over and done with.

Ella began maneuvering her monolithic pillar-like legs towards a different section of town, leveling any people or structures that dared get in their way.