Aura went out of the therapist’s office and into the waiting room. She could see Clara’s crumbled clothes next to her desk. She paused there for a moment, and then continued toward the exit with firm steps. Half way through the hall, she heard a buzz, someone was at the door.

She remained calm knowing that the door was locked and wouldn’t open unless someone buzzed it open, or had a key. Probably the next patient, she thought. Slowly, she walked on toward the door, where she could look through the peephole. A young, attractive blond was behind the door. She buzzed again. Aura could see that she was getting frustrated. She buzzed for the third time. You’re the persistent type, aren’t you? Aura thought. she then heard a sound, like distant footsteps that were getting closer, and the blond turned back as soon as a tall man emerged from the staircase. Aura couldn’t get a good look at him because the blond was blocking most of her view.

“I thought you wanted to stay in the car.” The blond said to the tall man. “Never mind, nobody answers the door anyway.”

“There’s no way I leave you with that creep alone.” The man said in a humorous tone. “It’s a weekday, there must be someone in there.”

“Try for yourself.” Retorted the blond, stepping aside.

The tall man’s face was now in Aura’s view. He had dark brown hair, and brown eyes. Not bad looking at all, she thought.

The door buzzed for the fourth time, the man put his ear to the door, listening. Aura held her breath in. she could feel her heart beat faster. Several seconds passed until the man finally gave up.

“You are right.” The man said to the blond. “Let’s leave then, I can’t say I’m sad that we won’t see the therapist though.”

“Ryan, he might’ve had a possible lead. You need to be more professional.” The blond said, clearly annoyed.

They both turned their backs to the door and began walking toward the stairs.

“Don’t worry about it, Summer.” The man said apologetically. Aura pushed her ear to the door hard, trying to hear his voice. “We still have a lead on the father. I’m sure we’ll find out this evening if he ….” Aura couldn’t hear the man’s voice any longer. They’d both disappeared from her view.

Lead? Aura thought to herself, leaning against the door. They have a lead on the father? It was clear to her now. BSS people had finally caught up with her. Well, almost caught up with her, there was no way they could reach Morgan now. She rubbed her belly around the belly button, smiling. The tall ma, Ryan, had mentioned the father. He was probably referring to her stepfather, John. He said they’d meet John this evening… 

“Well, I wanted to pay John a visit anyway…” Aura said softly to herself. “looks like it’ll have to be sooner than I thought.”

Aura opened the door slowly, checking the stairs. Nobody was there, she closed the door just as slowly, and began descending the stairs to the street.

-----------------------

Martin had spent the morning cleaning his P228 handgun. He then went on to read the local newspaper, just to find out what a boring community they had in Blue Peak city. He checked his phone, a new message had been received. It read: The detective visited the therapist again. Short visit. Going back to the motel.

“This guy’s hopeless!” Martin muttered, deleting the message.

------------------------

About 45 minutes later, Aura parked her car in front of her stepfather’s old place. It was an old one story house. Aura remembered it from her teenage years. It was John’s parents’ house. Her mom had moved in with John here when they’d got married, and Aura had to spend the last year of high school in this small house before going to college. Her mom had died soon after she'd left.

I’m nothing like the girl who used to live in this shithole! She thought to herself, feeling great joy. She went on the porch and rang the doorbell.

“Coming.” A voice said from behind the door. Aura heard a metal sound, and then the door was open. “Yes?”

“Hi John.” Aura said sweetly.

“Emilia! What are you doing here?” replied the man. He was in his late forties, with receding hair that had gone grey around the temples. There was a faint smell on him.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Aura asked, still keeping a childish smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Please come in.” The man replied, stepping aside to make way for her, completely oblivious to Aura’s open purse which was hanging from her shoulder.

--------------------------

Tony asked the thin man to sit down, and went on to prepare his notebook.

"Ok, please introduce yourself.” Tony continued, “and then tell me everything you remember from the night when Jeremy Larson went missing in the alley.”

“Okay. My name’s Thomas Blake, and I’m a car salesman.” The thin man said, he looked a little nervous. “I didn’t know this guy, Jeremy, closely. I just saw him a couple of times at the bar. He was a regular, I think.”

“Okay, tell me what happened that night.” Tony said impatiently.

“Right, so I’d just arrived at the bar with a colleague, and we we’re about to order our second round” The thin man said hastily, “when the bartender asked me if I’d mind checking up on one of his regulars. ‘He’s fainted a couple of times in the back alley’ he says. So I agreed to do it because I’ve known the bartender for a couple of years now. I went through the back door into the alley. There was no one there except for some girl who was walking toward the street. So I went after her to ask if she’d seen a drunk guy, but before I could reach her she sat in her car and drove away.”

“Did you notice anything unusual in the alley?” Tony asked, studying the man’s expressions.

“No, just the regular stuff you’d expect to find in such places. Some dumpsters, a lot of trash, some clothes…”

“Clothes?” The detective interrupted, “we didn’t find any clothes there the next morning.”

“The homeless must have took ‘em” said the man, shrugging, “I thought one of them lived there in the alley when I saw the dirty clothes on the asphalt. It’s not the classiest of places…” He added with a nervous laughter.

“Can you describe the girl?” Tony asked seriously.

“I didn’t see her face. She was short, maybe 5’2’? Something like that. And she had dark hair, I think it was dark brown.”

“That’s it?” Tony sighed.

“Her car was a red  X515.” The thin man added.

“Did you see the license plate?” Tony asked, hopeful.

“Yea but I didn’t memorize it!”  Said the thin man, “I mean, why would I?”

“Thank you for your help Mr....” Tony sneaked a peak at his notebook, “Blake. You’ve been very helpful.”

It was just what tony was afraid of. The part about the clothes lying on the ground connected this case to that of the two friends. His only lead was the girl with the X515. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find the owner’s name if the car is registered in this state. He assured himself. There are few X515's here….

Tony picked up the phone to make a call.

----------------------

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME?!” Shouted John at the top of his voice. He was standing naked on his old coffee table, but his coffee table was now bigger than a football field.

Aura was surprised at John’s reaction. He didn’t go through the shock or the confusion that had affected the others before him. He was mad and demanding, just as he had always been.

“Why, I shrunk you John.” She said plainly, smiling with her gigantic lips.

“WHAT? How is that even possible?” He said, his voice was lower now. “Turn me back this instant, Emilia!” His voice began to shake a little.

“What makes you think I can do that?” said the girl devilishly, with a sparkle in her eyes.

“You can do that, can’t you? You’ve always been a smart girl…” John was almost begging now.

“Well, I can, with this!” She said, taking out a purple phial, that was tied around her neck like a necklace, to show John. “The right question is, will I?”

“Wh…why wouldn’t you want to reverse it my dear girl?” John’s initial courage was fading fast. He looked helpless now. You all become helpless little bugs in the end, no matter how hard you try to play the tough guy, Aura thought to herself. Her smile widened.

“Well, you have to earn your original size now, John.” Aura explained clearly, as if talking to a child. “I have a challenge for you. If you manage to complete it, I’ll restore you to your original size.”

“Challenge? What kind of challenge?” John replied, his voice showing his confusion.

“Well,” Aura said cheerfully, as she sat down comfortably on the sofa in front of the coffee table. “I want you to climb my body. If you can reach the phial, I will make you normal again. But if you fall, you lose, and will remain the same size for the rest of your life.”

 “WHAT? Are you mad?” shouted John, his voice getting angry again. “What’s wrong with you, you brat! It’s not a game, change me back RIGHT NOW!”

Aura quickly sat up strait, John was now in her shadow. He suddenly regretted losing his temper.

“Look, John. I’m in a hurry here.” Aura said slowly, her tone was sinister and her smile had disappeared. “So I’m gonna say this one last time. Either you do whatever the fuck I say, John, or I’ll smash you right there on the table like a pathetic mosquito with my hand!” She raised her hand to prove that she meant it.

“Alright, alright! I’ll climb your body.” He said hastily, approaching the edge of the table.

“Good.” Aura’s childish smile was back. “I will lean back to make your job easier.” She then proceeded to lean back on the sofa, and stretched her right leg in front of her.

John looked down, it was quite a drop to the carpet. He doubted he’d die from the fall, but a broken leg wasn’t an option either. He could see Emilia’s right knee to his left, but there was a large space between the table and her leg. He checked his surroundings again. He had no choice, he had to do it despite the great humiliation that would follow. I won’t give this crazy brat a reason to hurt me, he thought as he jumped off the table.

Just as he’d planned, he landed on top of Emilia’s soft foot. As soon as he landed, he heard Emilia giggling. “Smart man!” She remarked.

John tried to get on his feet a little too fast, and he lost balance. He rolled down on Emilia’s foot toward her toes, but managed to hold on to her TOMS in the middle of the slope. Emilia laughed harder as she bent down to check on him.

"Not a bad start John. Not bad at all.” She said, still laughing. “Now, be quick. You’ve got a long way ahead of you.” She leaned back again, still giggling.

John climbed down her foot slowly, using the side of her shoes. They were massive compared to him, and the thought of what an angry Emilia could do to him with those feet ran chills down his spine. He ran toward Emilia’s right leg, which was stretched out, and provided a climbable slope. He jumped on her shoe, on what he presumed was her big toe. He then walked toward her ankle, struggling to maintain his balance on her soft shoe and foot. Luckily, she was wearing jeans which, John found out, provided good friction, so he was less likely to slide off her leg during the climb. I just might be able to do it! He thought to himself.

He was in the middle of her shin when he felt the ground suddenly move. He got down on his hands and knees immediately and held on to Emilia’s jeans with all the strength he could muster. He realized than Emilia had bent her knee a little, and he was now facing a steeper slope to climb to her knee. “Come on, John. I know you can do it!” Emilia encouraged humorously.

Damn brat is enjoying it! John thought, still clutching her jeans. His thoughts continued: I have no choice now. I have to go on. He continued climbing, now using his hands as well as his legs to make his way to Emilia’s bent knee. His manhood would occasionally rub against the rough surface of Emilia’s jeans, forcing him to climb while crouching, which made the climb even more difficult. Just as he thought his hands were about to fail him, he managed to hold on to her jean’s ripped parts and climb to her knee, and using his arms and shoulders, pull himself up to Emilia’s small knee, which now looked like a mountain top to him.

John lay there face down, breathing heavily. He knew he was hugging Emilia’s knee desperately after climbing half of her leg, but the exhaustion made him oblivious to the humiliation. “Oh, are you tired, little John?” Said Emilia, pretending to worry. “Why don’t you give up? It’s not that bad living at that size, is it?”

Don’t play dumb with me, brat. John thought, wishing he had the courage to actually say the words. He kept moving on his hands and knees on Emilia’s thighs. The rough surface of the jeans began to hurt his knees this time, but he had a short way to go to finish her leg, and his way was now almost horizontal, making it easier for him. He was soon on her lap, looking up at her enormous breasts. Holy shit, they’re so big! He thought. No, it’s wrong to think about that. He tried to focus his attention on the task at hand.

“Are you tired little John?” Emilia asked curiously, looking down on him over the cleavage of her breasts. John noticed massive movement to his left, and turned that way just to see a huge pillar coming toward him. He was too slow to react, and Emilia’s little finger reached him before he could dodge. She tapped him on the head with her little finger several times. Though she did so gently, John felt dizzy by the time she was done tapping him on the head. “Move it John. I told you I’m in a hurry.” Emilia said, poking him in the back with her little finger.

John grabbed her blue shirt from the button placket and looked up. He figured he could jump up to reach her last button hole. The last two buttons of her shirt were unbuttoned, and her soft belly was visible. John jumped, and got hold of the lowest button hole. His naked body was now against Emilia’s warm belly, and he could feel small movements of her digestive tract. His skin to skin contact with his step-daughter made him uncomfortable, and using his legs and hands, he jumped for the second button hole. Luckily Emilia was still leaning back on the sofa, and he had an easy climb. He aimed for the third button. This button was done, and he couldn’t use the button hole anymore. He jumped for the button, and managed to hold on to it before his hand slid off its smooth surface. Suddenly he heard a large growl from beneath him, the sound was so loud to him that it sounded more like some beast’s cry, instead of Emilia’s stomach. He looked up just as Emilia looked down at him through her covered breasts. “Bad food.” She said awkwardly.

John shivered at the thought of what being in her stomach might feel like. Eventually, he was realizing just how many ways there were for Emilia to torture or kill him at that size. He prayed she would keep her word and turn him back to his normal size. He jumped for the next button.

One button after another, John made his way up, until he noticed a sharp change in the angle of the slope he’d been climbing. He had reached Emilia’s breasts. He looked up. The two buttons above him were done, but after that, Emilia had left her buttons undone. He assumed that after that last two obstacles, he’d reach the phial, but he could not confirm that thought because his view was blocked. He jumped for the first button above his head, holding on to it with both hands. His legs were now dangling in the air. The second button was about 4 feet above him, and around the curve. He froze. There was no way for him to reach that without the use of his legs. “Are you going to move, little John? Or are you going to pull off my button?”  Emilia said, her voice soft and calm. John knew he couldn’t hold on like that for much longer. He held on to the edge of the button placket above him with his left hand, and let go of the button, quickly reaching for the edge of the button placket with his right hand. His left hand failed to support his weight, and he fell down.

He fell down on a warm, soft surface that cushioned his fall. At first he thought it was Emilia’s lap, but then he looked around and saw her massive fingers behind him. He was on her palm. He quickly tried to stand on his feet but just as fast as a blink of an eye, Emilia closed her hand and trapped him in her fist. John was now surrounded in all sides with Emilia’s soft flesh. He felt in his insides that he was going up, and soon he saw light, followed by two large, beautiful eyes.

“You failed the challenge, John.” Emilia said slowly, her eyes shining as much as her teeth that were visible through her wide smile. “Now, you must be mere inches tall for the rest of your life!” she moved her other hand to her foot.

“Please, Emilia.” John begged her step-daughter. “How am I supposed to live like this? How will I work? How will I go places? How can I do ANYTHING like this?”

“Wow, easy there.” Emilia reproached. “I didn’t say the rest of your life would be that long!”

“Wh…what do you mean?” John said in terror.

Emilia just smiled, she then lowered her hand with John on it  toward her foot, and flipped her palm. John felt another fall, and landed on a warm, damp surface. A faint smell surrounded him and he quickly shook his head to get his bearings, and realized that he was surrounded in all sides, as if he was in a box. He looked up and saw Emilia’s pink, giant sole hovering above him. “Goodbye John. I bet you wish you’ve been a better person to me.” Said Emilia softly, as John noticed the huge foot descending on him.

Before he could react, Emilia wore her TOMS and trapped John beneath her feet. As her gigantic foot landed on john’s face and body, he realized that he was exactly under Emilia’s heel. The pressure multiplied within seconds as Emilia stood up. It was unbearable for John, and he felt that his ribs were about to give up beneath Emilia’s massive weight. His entire worth as a human being was about to be crushed away beneath this brat’s stinky feet, and there was nothing he could do about it. The smell was getting unbearable, but the pressure was what would kill him, and he knew it. The pressure suddenly subsided, and John felt that Emilia’s heel was not in contact with his body anymore. Her sole was now several inches above him, and he felt a funny feeling in his stomach. It felt like he was in a roller coaster going up a curve. Then he felt a sudden fall as he was lying there staring at Emilia’s massive heel. She is taking another step, he thought. Oh god. Emilia’s heel came down on him within a fraction of a second after the fall had begun, and John felt all his ribs and bones being crushed, and the last thing he ever heard was a moan of pleasure, coming from a mouth several hundred feet above him, as his puny body collapse inside Aura’s shoe, beneath her small foot.

--------------------

Tony finally managed to get the information he’d asked for. Only three women had a red X515 in the entire state, and only one of them matched the description given by Blake. He checked the print of the driver’s license again. Emilia Moore. She had brown hair and the face of a teenager. She wasn’t tall, only 5’4, and she had lived in Blue Peak city for some time. She must have been the girl who was present in the alley that night.

There was an address too, a house in the suburbs. Tony wasted no time, and quickly asked a patrol man to take him right to Miss Moore’s doorstep.

----------------------

Aura stood there in the living room, her heart pounding. She took several deep breaths to slow down its pace, and raised her foot a little, curiously. She felt something sticky and gooey under her heel, sticking the shoe to her foot. She shook her foot a little, and her insole finally got separated from her sole. She then put her foot on the ground again, and felt the mush spreading beneath her heel as well as some snapping sounds. She shivered again.

After several moments, she suddenly remembered why she’d come to John’s house. She rushed toward the entrance, feeling the goo beneath her heel getting stomped and making snapping sounds with every step she took. She opened the door and ran for her car. The sticky, wet mush, which was john until recently, had now spread toward her arch, and it was making her foot uncomfortable. She tried to ignore it, and went toward her trunk. She opened the trunk and took out three metal cylinders, all of which had large blue vials attached to them. Inside the cylinders, she’d poured gun powder which she had made in the BSS labs, thanks to her chemistry training. At the end of each cylinder, there was a trigger, and a thin nylon fishing line was attached to it.

Aura knew that the BSS would come after her eventually, and she knew she was no match for their operatives. The man and the woman she’d seen at the therapist’s office were not exactly how she’d imagined BSS security, but still, taking down two highly trained adults were impossible for a small girl like her. She knew she had to shrink the BSS security team if she wanted to get rid of them, and the best way she could come up with for shrinking down a group of tough guys was setting up traps. Thus, she’d made several makeshift traps using gunpowder and metal cigar tubes, with a trigger at the end which would create a spark when the nylon fishing line was pulled with force.

She went to the entrance, and duct taped the device just after the door on the wall of the entrance corridor, about a foot above ground. She attached the nylon fishing rope to the opposite wall. The entire process of setting up the trap took less than a minute as she’d set up similar traps in her basement. She then went to the backdoor and set up the second device there. She looked around, wondering where the last device should be attached. That’s when she saw her old room. Smiling, she went on to set up the last device there at the door..

“Now, we wait for the BSS guys to come looking for you, John.” She said to her shoe, fidgeting her foot in it uncomfortably in the wet mush. “Damn it, John. How can you be such a nuisance even after your death?” She continued, frowning, as she walked toward the bathroom.