February 2005, Boatstreamingin Cove…

“Fire at the direction of that voice!” said Judas Galt, drawing his own gun to lead by example.

Four men emptied the chambers of their guns into the wall.

“Missed,” said the voice.

“Whoever betrayed our code of secrecy will die for this!” said Mark Beeste.

“Except you’d be out of bullets to do the job with,” said the voice.

It was the last thing that Mark ever heard, since he too now shrank out sight and sound.

September 3rd, 2001…

To her delight, Louise Waters found a reply from Shrunknguy:

“Are you serious? Do you want that as well, or are you just saying it to help my dream along?”

She quickly wrote back:

“I’ve never been more serious about anything else. I find it turns guys right off. I just didn’t imagine I’d meet someone who was not only into the idea but brave enough to put it out there on the internet for me to read. Do you find it turns girls off too?”

September 4th, 2001…

“I don’t get many responses to my contact requests, and they’re usually just brief dismissals, although one girl tried to get me to go for a normal relationship and discard my fantasy. You’re the only other girl that’s contacted me, and the only one whom I’d really like to be with. It’s like we’re made for each other. Did you ever think you’d meet a guy like me?” wrote Shrunknboy, “By the way, my name’s Phil Hermuth, and here’s my email address so we can write off the dating site if you like:…”

Louise wrote back:

“I’m Louise Waters, and it’s funny that you should ask if I ever thought I’d meet someone like you. The night before I found your profile, I went to bed and had two dreams. In one I became a giantess and met a cute guy who asked me to take a picture of me holding him gently in my hand. In the next one, I dreamt I became a giantess and saved a guy from drowning deep in the harbour, and then he said he liked my tongue and asked me to put him in my mouth. I really enjoyed that one, but I don’t think he had any idea that I was thinking of gulping him down. Looking back, it seems as though that explosion of sudden dreams about it were a sign that I’d soon meet the right guy to do it with. Can I ask you a deep and personal question though. Would you actually want to be shrunken and eaten by me. I can assure you it would be a very permanent and inescapable fate. There are a few younger clerks in my workplace that I’d like to gobble whole, but not as much as a handsome guy like you.”

September 5th 2001…

Louise waited patiently, but there was no reply from Phil at all that day. Nothing else mattered now but to hear from this delightful guy who seemed to be the very counterpart of her own identity. He was the piece of the puzzle that slotted into the very puzzle that made up Louise Waters, or more aptly, he would slot into her mouth, if reduced.

“I’ve blown it,” she thought despondently, “I was too forward about it, even for a special guy like him. I would have to write ‘permanent and inescapable fate’, wouldn’t I? Could I not have simply written something a little more euphemistic, like ‘unusual and lasting outcome’?”