I’m seated in a lecture at the chemistry building of my university. Our professor is sketching a complex equation on his chalkboard, describing a compound known as Shrilaxel-X7.

“This compound, with certain modifications, could potentially induce size reduction in animals,” the professor announced.

That statement sparked my curiosity. Size reduction… such a concept could revolutionize the world. I studied the chalkboard, scrutinizing the complex notations. Something wasn’t adding up. I mentally ran through the modifications when suddenly, it clicked. An enzyme was missing—the key to unlocking the potential shrinking effect of this compound.

At that moment, my world shifted on its axis. A realm of new possibilities opened up before me. “Shrinking,” I mused to myself, “This discovery could transform veterinary science, zoology, and even ecology.”

I’m Sarah, and this is a snapshot of me in university back in 2012 when I first unearthed the secret of shrinking. I was working towards an advanced degree in Biochemistry. I’d love to tell you that this shrinking discovery catapulted me to fame and success. But the truth is, I think I’m still the only person in the world who knows how to make it work.

Shortly after that class, I managed to procure that elusive enzyme and create a substance capable of shrinking. I stored the compound, which had an uncanny resemblance to sugar, in a jar. Using it in a controlled experiment, I tested its effect on a rat.

I watched the rat drink its water and walk around for about ten minutes. Nothing seemed to be happening. I looked at my notes, reading the calculations, trying to figure out where I went wrong. “I don’t get it,” I thought. “This should be working… Where did I go wrong?” I paused and looked at the cage the rat was in. “Uh, where did it go?”

I examined the cage further and saw a tiny rat, no bigger than maybe an inch, scurrying around, confused and scared. The excitement began to form within me. I stood up, pushed my chair away, and started dancing in excitement, saying, “Yes, yes, yes!”

I would like to say that this was a happy moment in my life, but unfortunately, it ended up being the worst. You see, what happened next completely changed me.

My boyfriend at the time had just entered the house I was renting. He appeared relatively normal, weighing around 160 pounds, not particularly fit, but that was fine by me since I wasn’t into super fit guys back then. He was slightly taller than me; most guys were. I was only 5’7” while he was 5’9”. He was cute and treated me well. I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to share my discovery with him and prove that it worked. I had been cooking a bolognese sauce for several hours and had a bottle of wine ready.

“Mmm,” my boyfriend remarked, “this smells good.”

“Thank you,” I stated. I was in the living room on my laptop, writing a report while the sauce cooked.

My boyfriend walked into the kitchen, then shortly after came into the living room and saw me sitting on the couch. He came up to me, kissed me, and left the room to grab his laptop to join me shortly.

He returned a few minutes later with his laptop and sat down.

“What’s the occasion?” he asked.

“I discovered something incredible,” I excitedly said.

“Oh, what is it?”

“Well, remember last week how I went on and on about how shrinking will revolutionize the field of science?”

“Yeah, how could I forget? You were glowing with excitement.”

“Well… it works,” my eyes, and face lit up, I was so happy.

“Really? You figured it out?”

“Yeah, I just experimented on the Rat in the kitchen using the substance I created. You probably noticed the Rat missing.”

“Yeah, I was wondering where it went.”

“He is still in there, just really small.”

“No way,” he stated.

“Yeah way, let me show you,” I said.

As we both rose from our seats, he suddenly paused. An unsettled look etched across his face as he glanced down at his too-loose clothing.

“Something’s wrong…” he murmured, his voice wavering.

Confusion washed over me as I closed the distance between us. He’d always been a couple of inches taller than me, but now, our eyes were on the same level.

His gaze, which had always been soft and loving, turned cold and accusing. He caught hold of my arm, his grip far tighter than usual.

“Did you poison the sauce?” His voice was sharp, and his words cut through the silence like a knife.

My heart thumped heavily against my chest. This was a side of him I’d never seen before. “No, I didn’t poison the food… Why would I do that… What did you do?”

His grip only tightened, the fingers digging painfully into my skin. He was usually so gentle; I’d never seen him angry before, never seen this violent side. But as his harsh words filled the room, all warmth in his eyes extinguished, I knew something had changed.

In a daze, I processed his words. He said that he had put sugar in the sauce. We didn’t have any sugar... The substance I’d left on the kitchen counter…he must have mistaken it for sugar. As the realization sank in, a cold dread washed over me.

I tried to pull away, but his grip was relentless. Panic set in, my breaths coming in short, rapid bursts. “Please, it was a misunderstanding…” I stuttered, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. The situation spiraled out of my control.

His eyes, once filled with warmth and affection, now glinted with a dangerous edge. “You’re lying,” he hissed. “You did this to me. You wanted this to happen.”

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head vigorously. “No, no, I swear! It was an accident! Please believe me!”

But it was too late. His face twisted in rage, and he shoved me away violently. I stumbled and crashed against the wall, my mind racing with fear and confusion. This was not the man I thought I knew. This was a nightmare come to life.

He loomed over me, his now diminishing form somehow more menacing. “I’ll make you pay for this,” he growled.

In his madness, he lunged at me, but as he shrank further, he became less threatening and more vulnerable. My panic and confusion grew. I didn’t know how to help him. I watched, horrified, as he shrank to just a few inches tall. He was still yelling, accusing me, blaming me, but his voice grew fainter.

In a desperate attempt to calm him, I tried to sit up. I didn’t see him anymore and panicked. I scanned the floor, confused about where he had gone. I used the wall to help balance myself as I pushed myself up to my knees, trying to get a better look around.

As I started to rise, the pain in my arm from where he had gripped me earlier flared up. My weakened arm buckled under the strain, and I lost my balance. In my confusion and fear, I didn’t notice him directly beneath me.

I shifted my weight, and my foot came down hard. I heard a sickening crunch. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. Slowly, I lifted my foot, turning to see what I had done. My boyfriend, who had just been threatening me moments ago, was now a lifeless, tiny figure beneath me. The realization of my actions, of the irreversible mistake, hit me like a tidal wave. I stumbled back, tears streaming down my face, my mind unable to process the horror of what I had done.

From that day forward, I vowed never to trust a man again. They were unpredictable, dangerous, and capable of turning on you in an instant.