As Jordan made his way through the tall grass, the sense of accomplishment from his successful picnic heist was quickly overshadowed by a familiar, dreaded sensation—the ground beneath him began to tremble. His heart sank, the now-recognizable rumbling sending waves of fear through his small body. He knew what was coming before he even turned around, but the sight still sent a jolt of terror through him.

Towering above him on both sides were two enormous, bare feet, their sheer size dwarfing his tiny form. The skin was smooth, the toes slightly curled, and each one easily larger than his entire body. The sight of those gigantic feet, the power they represented, made him feel even smaller and more vulnerable than he already was. He slowly tilted his head upward, his breath catching in his throat as his gaze traveled up the long, towering legs to the figure standing over him.

It was the mother, Molly’s mother, her blonde hair catching the light as she looked down at him with a curious expression. Her voice boomed, loud and overwhelming, as she spoke. “So, this is what Molly was trying to play with earlier…”

Jordan’s blood ran cold, and he found himself completely frozen in place, unable to move or even think. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to hide, but his body refused to obey. Before he could react, the mother crouched down, her fingers reaching out toward him. He tried to will his legs to move, to get out of the way, but it was too late. Her thumb and forefinger gently but firmly pinched around his tiny waist, and he was lifted off the ground with ease.

His stomach dropped as he was lifted higher and higher, the ground falling away beneath him, until he was dangling in front of the mother’s enormous face. Her features were magnified to an overwhelming scale, her eyes wide with interest as she inspected him closely. He could feel her warm breath as she exhaled, the gentle breeze of it ruffling his hair.

“Hello there,” she said, her voice still soft but impossibly loud to him. “My name’s Maria. What’s your name?”

Jordan’s heart pounded in his chest. His mind raced, but he remembered the lesson he had learned during his earlier ordeal with Alice—he couldn’t speak, couldn’t reveal who he really was. If he did, who knew what might happen? She might find the whole ordeal cute and have her daughter look around for other tinies. He had to stay silent, no matter how much his instincts urged him to cry out.

He kept his mouth tightly shut, trying his best to appear as nothing more than a helpless, mute creature. Maria observed him for a moment longer, then sighed, almost to herself. “I suppose it’s silly of me to think a little creature like you could actually talk,” she murmured, her tone more thoughtful now.

Jordan felt his body trembling, fear coursing through every fiber of his being. He had hoped that by staying silent, she might lose interest, but her next words sent a fresh wave of panic through him.

“You know,” Maria continued, her voice laced with a touch of melancholy, “Molly’s hamster died a little while ago. She’s been so sad about it… Maybe it would cheer her up to have a tiny little pet like you.”

Jordan’s heart plummeted. The color drained from his face as he realized that his worst fear was actually coming true—he was going to be taken away, swept up as some stranger’s pet, lost forever in this giant world. Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over as the sheer terror of his situation hit him full force. He felt utterly helpless, the thought of never seeing Alice, Leila, or Elsie again filling him with despair.

Just as the hopelessness threatened to overwhelm him, he felt something—an odd, calming sensation, as if a gentle voice was speaking directly into his mind. He could feel the warmth of it, the reassurance, and then he heard Leila’s voice, clear and steady in his thoughts.

Jordan, the voice echoed softly in his mind, I’m using a very small amount of magic to communicate with you telepathically. Listen carefully.

Jordan’s tears slowed, his fear momentarily soothed by the presence of Leila’s voice. Fey folk don’t panic in the face of adversity, she continued, her tone calm and instructive. We simply keep quiet and wait for an opportunity to present itself. You’re stronger than you think, Jordan. I promise you, I’ll get you help. But you need to stay calm and trust me.

He focused on her words, letting them sink in, trying to push the fear away. I trust you, Leila, he thought back, his thoughts tentative but growing in strength. I’ll wait for help.

The connection between them hummed with an almost physical warmth, a tether that anchored him in the moment, even as he dangled in the air, held by the giant mother. Leila’s presence in his mind gave him the strength to hold on, to push the terror down, and to focus on surviving this impossible situation.

Maria, completely unaware of the silent exchange, continued to study Jordan with a mix of curiosity and tenderness. “Well,” she mused aloud, “let’s see what Molly thinks. Maybe she’ll want to keep you after all.”

As she began to move, carrying Jordan over to the picnic blanket where Molly waited, as he looked on with a feeling of dread.

"Molly, sweetie. Here's one of those little buggies you wanted me to look at" Maria said, as she held Jordan out in front of her between her fingers for Molly to look at.

"You found it! See mommy, I told you they were cute, aren't they? They almost look like tiny little fairies!" Molly excitedly claimed as her huge face closed in on Jordan, who wanted nothing more than to get away from her but Maria's strong fingers held him firmly in place.

Maria let out a chuckle. She certainly didn't believe it when her daughter tried to convince her of such an outrageous claim, chalking it up to a young girl's colorful imagination  "It certainly is, I must admit these little creatures look very human-like but sweetie, there's no such thing as fairies or little humans. It's probably just some kind of bug, should we let it go?"

Jordan look up with a hopeful expression at Maria's giant face far above him, who for a second smiled down at him. He could let the humiliation slide of being compared to a fairy or a bug if they would just let him go already, he couldn't suffer much more of this. Unfortunately, fate had something else in store for him.

Molly fiercely shook her head "No, I want to keep it mommy! Can I hold it, please please pleaaaaase?'

And with that, Jordan's momentary feeling of hope was already crushed as he pleadingly looked up at Maria, as if begging her not to do this. Maria, looking down at the little guy in between her fingers, gave him a comforting smile as if she knew what he was thinking "Don't worry little sweetie, Molly's an excitable young girl but she won't hurt you, she takes great care of her pets" she whispered as she let out a chuckle. It was silly of her to talk to the little thing as if it was a person, but she almost felt like it could understand what she said.

She moved her hand towards Molly's outstretched palms, who is excitedly waiting to hold him, as she loosened up her fingers. Jordan, who desperately tried to grab hold of Maria's hand, couldn't hold on and plummeted down, letting out a terrified yelp as he fell a short distance into Molly's hands.

"Mommy, did you hear that? They can make sounds! Oh my gosh, that little squeak sounds so cute!" she cooed as she lovingly looks at her new pet. She raised her hands up higher, Jordan getting pressed against her palms from the sudden pressure, as she holds the tiny little creature against her cheek and lovingly rubs it. "Oh, you and me are going to be best friends, little guy... or girl, I can't really tell what you are" she giggled as Jordan went red in the face, internally begging for this whole thing to end, as Molly ruffled his hair with her large finger that looked about as big as he was.    

To Maria, it was simply a heartwarming sight to see her daughter excited to have a new little pet to look after. But to Jordan, it was the most humiliating and terrifying situation he's ever been in, at least so far. He closed his eyes, focused on Leila’s words from earlier. He just had to be patient and endure, and wait for the help that Leila promised.

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While Jordan was experiencing what could only be described as a nightmare, Alice found herself trudging through the most mundane and frustrating day she could remember. The usual rhythm of school felt off, as if the whole world had shifted slightly out of place. Without Jordan by her side, the halls seemed colder, the familiar faces passing her by felt more distant. She hugged her books tightly against her chest, feeling the ache of his absence like a physical weight pressing down on her.

She made her way to the cafeteria, the noise of a hundred conversations blending into a chaotic hum around her. Normally, she and Jordan would walk in together, joke about how terrible the food looked, and then find their usual spot at the back corner of the room. Today, though, she was alone. She grabbed a sandwich from the counter, barely noticing what it was, and then headed for a lone table on the side, away from the clusters of laughing, chatting students.

Alice unwrapped the sandwich mechanically, her movements slow and lethargic, her eyes scanning the room as she sat down. Everywhere she looked, people were gathered in groups, talking, laughing, sharing stories. Her heart felt like it was sinking deeper with every passing second. She took a small bite, the taste bland and unappealing, but she forced herself to chew and swallow, even as she felt the familiar sting of tears forming in her eyes again.

She missed Jordan more than she’d thought possible. She felt an emptiness that seemed to stretch on forever, and it was worse because she had no idea where he was or what had happened to him. Worry gnawed at her, each anxious thought spiraling into the next, until she could barely focus on the room around her. She blinked, trying to hold back the tears, but a few slipped free anyway, and she quickly wiped them away, hoping no one noticed.

Just then, a familiar voice broke through her thoughts. “Hey, Alice,” came Emily’s careful greeting.

Alice looked up, surprised to see Emily standing there. Emily looked hesitant, almost apologetic, and after a moment of awkward silence, she took a seat across from Alice. Alice straightened up, her defenses immediately going up. “What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Emily held up her hands in a placating gesture. “I just… I wanted to check in. See how you’re holding up. Have you heard anything from Jordan yet?”

Alice sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. “No, I haven’t,” she admitted, her voice quieter now. “I’m worried sick. I’m thinking of going back to the park today, just to see if… I don’t know, maybe something happened to him. Maybe he got lost or hurt.”

She spoke the words with a hint of desperation, not realizing how close to the truth she actually was.

Emily nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “That’s… not a bad idea, actually. I wish I could help you look for him, but I got a call from my mom just before lunch.”

Alice’s expression softened a bit. “Oh?” she asked, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.

“Yeah,” Emily continued, “I have to go out on an errand. She asked me to bring back something from the store, she said it was important. I'm really sorry I can't help you look for Jordan, Alice. I'm worried about him too”

Alice nodded, a small frown forming. “I understand,” she said quietly. “It’s fine. I’ll manage somehow.”

Emily looked genuinely sorry, and she leaned forward slightly. “Listen, I know we haven’t always… gotten along, but I do care about Jordan’s wellbeing. And yours, too, despite everything,” she added with a soft smile.

Alice blinked, surprised by the sincerity in Emily’s voice. “Thanks, Emily,” she said, her voice a bit softer now. “I appreciate that.”

Emily smiled back, albeit a bit awkwardly. “Just… keep me posted, okay? Let me know if you hear anything.”

Alice nodded. “I will,” she promised, and with that, she picked up her bag, a new determination setting her jaw. She wasn’t going to wait any longer. She needed to find Jordan, needed to know he was okay. The not knowing was killing her.

She stood up, waved a quick goodbye to Emily, and headed out of the cafeteria, skipping her last class without a second thought. She stormed out of the school, the cool air hitting her face like a wake-up call, and she made a beeline for the park, her heart pounding with urgency.

As she walked, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, she’d find something—anything—that would lead her to Jordan. She had to believe that, for her own sanity. She couldn’t afford to think otherwise.