"We're on in five, four..."
The camera man held up his fingers to mark three, two and one. Then he pointed at Christa to signal that the cameras were rolling and she was on the air. Christa had fixed her paper white smile on the camera and mentally reviewed what she was going to say. She saw the red light on the camera go on, took a breath and started in.
"And now Investigative Reporter Victoria Grace will report from a new type of restaurant that has the guys dying to mee the ladies. Victoria?"
 
The video screen showed Christa's friend Victoria pop up, showing what the audience would see. "Thank's Christa. Well the ratings don't lie and the profits keep coming in for the newest restaurant in town. The Forbidden Dish is everything you could want from a restaurant. A posh and old fashioned downstairs," the camera showed a rather old fashioned and private restaurant scene. "To the trendy dance hall upstairs!" Now it showed people dancing on a dance floor, buying drinks at a bar while loud music played and green laser lights peppered the dark, smokey haze.
"But it's not the atmosphere that's drawing the customers. It what's on the menu. Or more accurately, who."
 
"The Forbidden Dish is more than just a restaurant. It's a place where people can indulge in fantasies that would otherwise being impossible," This was the face of a pretty blonde woman. Underneath her face was the title Restaurant Founder. "This restaurant shrinks and sells willing people as food."

"Sound impossible?" continued Victoria. "Well it isn't. We caught up with some regulars of this new local hit spot."

"It amazing!" said a girl as the video now showed an attractive brunett in her early twenties. "I've eaten five guys since this restaurant came here."

 "Absolutely fabulous," said another pretty woman, this one closer to forty and sitting in the elegant dining room. "There's nothing quite like eating another human being who's been minaturized."

 Victoria began narrating again. "We caught up with Lindsay, a barmade and employee of the Forbidden Dish."

  "I've been working here for over a year now," said Lindsay, a very pretty blonde woman. "I started out as a regular customer and ate a lot of guys. Eventually I won a beauty/ vore comeptition and finally applied to work here. Now guy will pay me to swallow them alive."

 "And do you eat people often?" asked Vicotria. "Every night I work here, which is five nights a week."

"Does it bother you that you're eating another human being?" asked Victoria. "Not in the least. They signed up for it. They enjoy it. I enjoy it too."

"And everyone else we talked to shared Lindsay's view," said Victoria.

"Feel bad for them?" asked a pretty girl. "I care more about how they taste. Besides they agreed to let me eat them. I don't feel bad."

 "I like it when they squirm!" shouted her friend standing next to her. 

 "I want to be eaten," said a pretty young boy named Tim who looked no older than twenty-one.

 "Why?" asked Victoria.

 "I want to be eaten by a woman. I want to be a part of a woman. It's a fantasy that can be a reality." "Doesn't being digested alive sound scary to you?"

 "No. I know it will hurt but I want to be eaten."

 "And want it he did," continued Victoria. "He agreed to be eaten by me on the spot. I took him into a shrinking room and reduced him to the size of an inch. This being my first time, I wanted him a size that was easy for swallowing." The camera showed the tiny man held in Victoria's hand.  "You sure you don't want to turn back?" asked Victoria.  The camera mike didn't pick up what he said but viewers could easially see him shake his head.

"Alright Tim, down you go!" Victoria picked him up, dangled him over her mouth, dropped him in, and swallowed.

"Weird!" said Victoria as she rubbed her belly. "Very strange. Like nothing I've ever eaten before. He was wiggling on his way down. No. I can't feel him anymore but it was definately strange. Pretty good."

The camera cut back to Victoria standing outside. "After eating my first guy, it's given me a new outlook on food. Although this restaurant has come under fire from local religious groups and humanitarian agencies, it percists in its popularity. After dining at the Forbidden Dish, I can certainly say that I'll be back for seconds. Christa?"

"Thank you Victoria for your outstanding report. That will open up a new field of cooking."

 "Not to mention new food critics huh? AH HA HA HA HA!" said Christa's co-anchor Dave, laughing loudly at his own joke.  

"Aaaaaaand, here's another one," said Ken, a dweeby guy in an ugly shirt and tie, handing Victoria another letter. "More mail for you." Ever since her piece on the Forbidden Dish, Victoria had recieved a huge influx of mail at the news station; half of it love letters, offers to marry and even more offers to be food. The other half were letters saying she was sick, insane and diserved to be locked away for eating another human being, albeit a willing one.

 "Well at least that's the last of it," said Victoria with a relieved smile at Ken.  "Do you even read them anymore?" asked Ken. It had been three weeks since her piece had aired.

 "The mean ones I just toss. I usually flip through the nice ones. Some of them are pretty funny. See you later okay Ken?"

 Victoria walked off, giving Ken a spectacular, if not an unintentional view of her buttocks as her tight dress moved with the motion of her body. He stared for a moment at her beautiful rear before turning back to work. 

"Hey Vicky, I was wondering if you had a second," said Christa as she walked by. The news was done for the morning and the afternoon shift was now on. 

 "Sure Christa," she said pleasently. "What's up?"

"Well it's about that piece you did on the Forbidden Dish," started Christa. "Oh THAT story. I swear Vicky, it'll make or break me. On the one hand, I have quite a fan base now. I might just make it big if everyone else doesn't drag me into the public square and stone me to death first. I don't think I played an evil villen did you? I mean the man agreed to be eaten by me."

 "Well I wanted to talk about that," said Christa.

 "Oh no. You're not going to judge me too?"

 "Not at all. More curious about," Christa looked around to be sure they were out of earshot of anyone, then continued. "More curious about how he tasted," she finished in a conspiritorial tone.  At this, Victoria's eyebrows shot up.

"I'm surprised you ask. Well, he was delicious. Not just his taste, but his sensation!" "Tell me more!" said Christa egerly.

"Why don't we go to the Forbidden Dish togheter and you can try someone yourself!" "Oh I couldn't..."

"Yes you could. I'll go with you."

"You'd go back?"

 This time Victoria looked around and smiled. "I've already been back."

 "You have?"

 Victoria nodded. "I'll meet you at eight. Then we go to the restaurant. Get ready for the most delicious sensation of your life!"

Christa stood in front of the mirror, looking hard at herself. She was pretty, that was certain. Still she was nearly forty and not nearly as pretty as Victoria. But she did have womenly curves, she admitted to herself as she looked over her sholder at her own backside. It was pretty, a bit plumper than it had been at twenty, but at least she kept herself in good shape. Her breasts looked halfway decent, if not exactly big and her stomach was smooth. Her stomach. Funny to think that someone might be in there soon.  She finished with her blonde hair. It hung around her face in front and back behind her sholders in back. Full red lips, blue eyes, sharp cheekbones. She looked pretty. Definately. She would get a guy tonight even with Victoria as her competition. 

"Have a nice time," called her husbend as she headed out the door at the sound of Victoria's car horn. "Don't wait up," Christa called back.

"You look nice," said Victoria as Christa climed in to the car. 

"You too dear," said Christa.

"Funny huh?"

 "What is?"

"That guys will let us eat them because we're pretty. An amazing idea. I can't believe they do it. I don't care why they do it but they do. Funny to think that somewhere out there is a guy who you're going to eat tonight. And he hasn't even met you yet." She pulled away from the curb and started driving.

"I was just thinking about that myself," said Christa. "I wonder who he is."

 "I'm wondering more about what mine will taste like," smirked Victoria. 

If you wanted to meet guys, the upstairs dance hall was the easiest place to do it. Victoria drew many a stare from the men at the bar as she entered the room but Christa was pleased to see that several men took a good look at her as well. 

"We should get something to drink," started Victoria as she walked towards the bar. "Wait a second," said Christa and hurried across the room to grab a man who was hurridly getting up. "Ken what are you doing here?"

"Hi," said a clearly embaressed Ken. "I heard Victoria was coming here and I was wondering what it would be like to be the object of her desire."

"Seriously Ken? I know you're a desprate case but you're willing to let me eat you for my attention?" asked Victoria, coming over.

"How did you find out we were going here anyway. We didn't tell anyone," asked Christa.

"The cameras. I was using the cameras. Just doing a simple sound check. And over the microphone I overheard you both talking. I wanted Victoria to like me so much that I wanted to be her food and..." Ken looked embaressed. 

"Oh Ken. I think I can oblige you," smiled Victoria. Ken looked almost petrafied with fear that such a pretty woman would look at him like that.  It only took a few moments to get Ken shrunk down. Victoria smirked as she picked him up.

"Well Ken, time to say good bye." She opened her mouth wide.

"WAIT!!!" screamed the tiny Ken. Even Christa had no trouble hearing him.

 "What?" said Victoria.

"Wait! Please! I don't want you to eat me!" said Ken very definately.

 "But Ken, I'm allowed. I don't see why you would have let me shrink you if you didn't." "I know. I know. I just love you. I have a huge crush on you. I just wanted you to like me too. I mean. Could I go out with you?"

"Have you ever had something you're about to eat ask you on a date?" asked Victoria to Christa.

 "No. Can't say I have."

"Take it from me. It's weird. Okay Ken, if I'm not supposed to eat you what should I do with you?"

 "Please. I am so sorry. Just don't eat me."

"Were you really testing the sound equipment when you were listening to us?"

"Yes. How else woud I-"

 "Were you!" said Victoria, more loudly and tightening her grip on Ken to a painful degree.

"No! No! I was filming you!"

"WHY!"

"I was filming you. You backside. You have a nice butt and I like to look at it. There wasn't any film in the camera I swear. I was just looking!"

 "Hey Christa. He likes looking at my body. Maybe I should just make him a part of my body!" Victoria opened her mouth wide and began pushing Ken's struggling body against her tongue while Ken screamed for her to wait.

Finally, Victoria removed Ken from her mouth and held him before her. "Okay Ken. I'll ask if they can bring you back to normal size. We'll have to wait and see about the date."

"Really? You'll think about it?"

"We'll wait and see. I'm not a monster. I'm not going to eat another human being who hasn't agreed to let me eat them. I'll tell you the truth Ken; if it weren't for all those mean letters people sent me you'd be in my belly right now. But I'd hate to proove them right so I'll let you go. As for the date; don't hold out high hopes."

She carried him to the bar and set him before a waitress that Christa recognized. She was very pretty. Christa suddenly recognized her as the barmaid Victoria interviewed for her news piece. 

"We have a little fellow here who changed his mind about being eaten," said Victoria. "Did he?" said the woman, her eyes flickering down to where Ken stood cowering at her on the bar. Her eyes held no sympathy.

"Well then. I'll take care of him." she swept him up in one quick motion of her hand and carried him off to a back room.

"That takes care of that!" said Victoria. "Now about a few boys for us to eat!"

The went to the bar and each got drinks. It wasn't long before three men approached them.

"Hi," said one boy. "My name's Scotty. This is Leroy and Simon." 

"Hey there Scotty," said Victoria. "I'm Vicky. This is my friend Christa. We're hungry and looking for some boys to eat. You wouldn't be willing to give a couple girls a meal would you?"

"We most certainly would," said Simon. 

"Hi, I'm Leroy," said the third boy, coming over to Christa. 

"Care to be my dinner Leroy?" she asked.

Shrinking Leroy down was weird. For one thing, he wanted to make out beforehand. Reluctantly, Christa obliged. It seemed weird, wrong to make out with someone other than her husband when she was married. Still, it seemed to be the norm before being eaten and Christa decided it wasn't quite cheeting when she was going to eat him anyway. 

His hands felt her breasts and made her jump. She tried to shrug him off, then decided he might as well grab while Victoria shrank her two men down. She had gotten two. But still, thought Christa, Leroy was hers. She would see if she liked eating guys before getting another one. Leroy was now grabbing her tush. Again it was strange, as they kissed but this time Christa didn't shrug him off entirely. She allowed him to touch although was not making much of an effort on the kissing. He would be touching her tongue soon enough.

Christa wasn't sorry when Victoria emerged carrying two tiny men; one in each hand. Leroy stopped making out to watch his friends carried by in the hands of a beautiful woman.

As he stared at them, Christa dragged him by the coller into the shrinking room. The shrinking booth was not much different than a phone booth. Hurrying Leroy inside, who was still pawing at her body, she stepped back as the shrink booth operator asked, "How small?"

"Whatever is good for beginners," said Christa.

"We'll try an inch," said the operator and pressed a button.  There was a flash of light and Leroy disappeared. Opening the booth doors again, Christa found a tiny Leroy staring up at her. She grabbed him, tossed a five dollar tip to the operator, and hurried out to find Victoria.

"Hey sexy," said Victoria, poking the tiny man standing on the table next to her drink with one finger. 

"Hello dear," said Christa. "Where's the other one? You had two men."

 "Oh he's satisfying. My hunger," she rolled her eyes and gave a guilty smirk as she patted her belly. "I was tempted to eat Scotty here too but thought I should wait for you."

"You're such a nice friend," said Christa. 

 "No. I'm an impatient one! Eat up," she gestured towards Leroy.

"You first. I want to see how it's done."

 "Okay," said Vicky. She picked up Scotty. "Thanks again for letting me eat you," she told him. "I'll be thinking of you on the drive back home," 

"You're welcome!" said Scotty.

"See," said Victoria to Christa. "I'm not a monster. I love boys."

With that, she opened her mouth wide and pushed Scotty inside. Shutting her full lips, she gulped, closed her eyes and traced one finger down the middle of her chest. With a sigh, she opened her eyes and smiled at Christa.

 "I got him a bit bigger than usual. Three and a half inches. Made feeling him struggle down a bit more distinct."

"He didn't look reluctant to go," pointed out Christa.

"Oh he wasn't, but they all seem to wiggle once you swallow them. See for yourself."

She indicated Leroy a second time. Christa picked up Leroy. Remembering Ken, she smiled at him.

"Leroy," she said and simply by his reaction she could tell her talking to him excited him. "I'm going to offer you a last chance. If you want, I'll take you back to the barmaid and they can un-shrink you. Otherwise it's into my belly for you!"

Leroy smiled. "I can't wait!"

"Then take a deep breath," said Christa.

She opened her mouth and put Leroy inside. He tasted unlike anything she had ever eaten before. For one thing, he was moving around on her tongue. That made her want to spit him out at first. She fought back the urge and held him on her tongue for a moment. The sense of power that was slowly welling up inside her was amazing. Or was it hunger?

 She pressed the tiny man to the roof of her mouth. With a deep breath she gulped, holding her nose like she was swallowing food that tasted bad.

"You held your nose!" giggled Victoria as a delightful sensation of a tiny body moved down her throat. All too soon, it was gone and Leroy was in her stomach. She couldn't feel him moving around in there. That almost disapointed her.

"That was good!" she heard herself saying. It was true. He had been good.

"I know. They're kind of addictive!" confessed Victoria.

Christa frowned. She had really expected to feel something in her belly too. She shifted from side to side, still nothing. It was amazing to think that someone was actually inside her stomach! Victoria was taking a sip of her mided drink.

"They're more fun at a bigger size. They take longer to digest."

"I think one man was enough for tonight," said Christa.

"Oh come on. You enjoyed him," smirked Victoria. 

"I did," said Christa, as if just realizing it. She got up, finishing her drink. "I can't imagine why I held my nose. It's like trying a food for the first time that you're not sure you'll like. I hope he wasn't insulted."

"Don't worry Christa. I'm sure he didn't know you held your nose since he couldn't see in there. I wonder if he's still alive though," she said standing herself and they both headed for the door. 

"You think they could still be alive?" said Christa? "It was an awefully long fall to our stomachs."

"Oh no. They can definately live through that. I felt the first guy I swallowed tonight wiggling a little. It was really quite exoitc."

"You felt him after you ate him?" asked Christa, immidiately intrigued. 

"Oh sure. I bet your guy lived through you swallowing him too! He was probably just too small for you to feel him strugle."

"Do you think he could still be alive?" asked Christa.

"Maybe. You did just swallow him."

It made Christa grin. The knowlege that he was still alive in there, maybe even regreating his decision was amazing. She didn't know what was so appealing about the idea, but she was tantalized by it.

The ride back home was delightful, if all too quick. Both women talked, albeit not as much as on the way to the restaurant, but enough. The night was delightful, even more so when their dinner was considered. The thought that Leroy was only experiencing digestive stomach acids was satisfying to Christa. She smiled at the thought of him.

The next day at work Christa took her seat in the news anchor chair feeling recharged. Eating a man did wonders for her, not that she had told anyone. The stage manager was fuming that Ken was nowhere to be found but Christa couldn't bring herself to care. She began reading through the days work.

Maybe sometime she would ask Victoria if she would have to return to the Forbidden Dish. Maybe she woud never go back. All that mattered was that she had done something delightful the night before. And not one of the people on the set, or the viewing public, would ever know.