Chris casually strolled into the local pub, just like he had the last several Friday’s, expecting to sit down enjoy a decent meal out. It was a place where a lot of college kids like him went while they were home during the summer trimester, and Chris usually never failed to run into his old friends from high school.

     Tonight especially, he was hoping to run into some friendly faces, as he was really looking for a distraction from his thoughts over the end of the school year. Despite Rachel and he being boyfriend and girlfriend since the summer of what he’d secretly dubbed “the shrinking incident”, the two friends decided to take a break from one another during this particular summer. At first, Chris protested, since things had been going so well, but since Rachel was participating in a summer abroad program, and would be gone for most of the summer anyway, and since they’d been each other’s first and only significant other, he reluctantly agreed to try to meet new people and try new things over the summer, possibly picking things back up in the fall.

     It was typical Friday night at the pub, and reasonably busy for 7 o’clock on a Friday evening. Usually, the real action didn’t start until after 10 PM, but Chris was already out and about anyway, and if he finished eating and wanted to walk around the downtown area a little bit before coming back when the place was really kicking, it certainly was an option for him.

     Chris was just about to sit down in of his favorite booths when he happened to spot a familiar face over at the bar. He had to do a double take, as it is been several years since he’d seen her, despite the fact that she literally lived in the same neighborhood as he did, but it was definitely her.

     “S-Sue Ann?” He asked, walking towards her.

     The woman turned towards him, giving Chris with a quizzical look. Then, she smiled wide.

     “Chris? Chris Martin?! Is that YOU?!” she asked with intensity.

     Chris nodded, walking over with his arms outstretched.

     “Oh my gosh! CHRIS!” Sue Ann exclaimed, embracing him in a big bear hug. “I haven’t seen you since you were in high school. Gosh, look at you! All grown up!”

     “Thanks,” Chris replied, blushing. “It’s good to see you, Sue Ann!”

     “It’s good to see you, too!” she exclaimed excitedly. “What’ve you been up to lately?”

     “Well, actually, I just finished my freshman year of college.”

     “That’s awesome! Where are you going to college?”

     “Windsor university; it’s about an hour and a half north of here!”

     “Yeah, I know it! What’re you studying?”

     “Psychology,” Chris replied, “I actually wanna become a therapist.”

     “That’s amazing! When did you go into that?”

     “Well, I’ve always been kind of interested in it. Besides, the whole “incident” I had that summer in middle school kind of warped a little bit.”

     “I know what you mean, sweetie,” Sue Ann replied sympathetically, touching his shoulder. “I still can’t imagine what that must’ve been like for you!”

     “Well, don’t forget, you went through it too!”

     “Only for short while,” Sue Ann said.

     “Yeah, a “very short” while,” Chris chortled, gesturing with his fingers, as if to indicate something small between them.

     “Stop,” Sue Ann giggled, pushing his shoulder.

     “In all seriousness, that little incident affected BOTH our lives,” Chris admitted, “AND Rachel’s.”

     “Yeah, How is Rachel, anyway?” Sue Ann asked. “You two still a couple?”

     “Well, we HAVE been together since middle school, and things have been going great.”

     “But?” Sue interjected, realizing the somber tone of his voice.

     “It’s just that,” Chris sighed, “well, Rachel realized that we’d been together for a long time, so....she thought it best that we take a break this summer. See, she’s kind of doing this “semester abroad” thing, and, after talking it over, she and I both agreed it was a good opportunity for us to take a little break from our relationship. You know, feel free to meet other people, if we wanted? We’d see how things went, and talk about everything we she got back. That’s actually why I’m here: to see if I could meet up with some old friends. Apparently, I found one.”

     Sue Ann smiled, rubbing his hand.

     “But, how have you been?” Chris asked.

     “Actually, I’ve been better,” Sue Ann admitted somberly, turning her head and looking down at the bar.

     “W-Why?” Chris asked, “Something wrong?”

     “Yeah,” Sue Ann sighed. “That’s why I’M here: I’m drowning my sorrows.”

     “Oh, yeah? Over what?”

     “Over some new found freedom,” Sue Ann sighed again.

     “‘New found freedom’?” Chris inquired quizzically. “I don’t understand. What do ya mean?”

     “Well, I haven’t really been out much over the past several years; I think you know why. Mostly, I’m kind of a homebody anymore.”

     “You mean you’re STILL taking care of Shannon?!” Chris exclaimed, making the aforementioned gesture with his fingers, indicating Shannon’s tiny size.

     Sue Ann nodded.

     “I promised her I would,” she explained. “I’ve been trying to take good care of her for the last 5 years....at least, I HAD been.”

     “W-What do you mean?”

     “Well,” Sue continued, “like I said, that’s actually why I’m here tonight. It’s....because of her.”

     “I-I don’t understand.”

     “Ever since Shannon ended up being shrunk permanently, I been working on finding a cure for her.”

     “You HAVE?!” Chris exclaimed, “But....HOW?! I thought her scientist friend that made they potions got SQUISHED!”

     “He did,” Sue confirmed, “but I tried to get a hold of someone from this lab; unfortunately, I never got anywhere, and believe me, THAT’S an understatement. They weren’t just no help, they completely denied knowing him. As far as they were concerned, he and his potions never existed!”

     “So, what did you do?”

     “Well, Shannon and I came up with a plan to collect small samples of her blood, and save them until we had enough to send off to a chemical company for analysis. If they could isolate the potion in her blood system, they could reproduce it, and maybe find a cure.”

     “But, it must’ve taken you FOREVER to collect enough blood!” Chris exclaimed.

     “Tell me about it! It took years, and even when we had enough to send off, the company kept insisting they needed more to properly analyze, and Shannon was becoming increasingly impatient. You wouldn’t believe how difficult taking care of a tiny person could be, especially when they’re upset.”

     “So, what happened?” Chris asked, “Did they ever found a cure?”

     “Well, kinda,” Sue admitted hesitantly. “They’d isolated a few things, and thought they were really close to a breakthrough. Unfortunately, Shannon apparently didn’t want to wait.”

     “What do ya mean?”

     “Well, like I said, she was growing impatient. I kept telling her the company was getting close, but she threatened to run away. I just sloughed it off because, I figured, ‘where could she go? She’s completely dependent on me for EVERYTHING!’”

     “No kidding! So, what happened next?”

     “Earlier his week, I went to bed after one of our spats; Shannon was in her tank like always. Apparently, sometime during the night, she decided to escape.”

     “You mean she actually got AWAY?!” Chris exclaimed, surprised by such a feat.

     “Not exactly,” Sue explained hesitantly. “You see, I usually check her tank first thing in the morning, but that morning, I....I had to use the bathroom, and...if I’d have known...I mean, if I’d have just checked...”

     “Wait!” Chris cut her off. “Y-You mean—“

     Sue Ann nodded, clearly grief-stricken.

     “A-Apparently, she was making her way towards the stairs,” Sue Ann sobbed. “I left my bedroom, and....I-I heard a....a tiny....squish.”

     Chris closed his eyes empathetically, realizing what Sue Ann was about to say.

     “I looked down,” Sue Ann continued in tears, “and when I lifted my foot....I saw the blood stain.”

     “Oh, Sue Ann,” Chris said, “I’m so sorry.”

     “Poor Shannon, if I’d have only know she was down there, I never would’ve....I mean, I would watched where I was going.”

     Sue Ann covered her face, trying to hide her crying face.

     “Sue Ann,” Chris said, putting his arms around her, pulling her towards him. “Sue Ann, you didn’t know. How COULD you have known?! You were her best chance of finding a cure! She knew the risks when she broke out. Don’t blame yourself, especially after all the crap she put me through....put US through!”

     “Yeah,” Sue Ann sobbed, leaning against him.

     Chris held her head to his chest, rubbing her opposite arm tenderly.

     “I’m so sorry, Sue Ann,” he said sympathetically, tearing up himself over how upset she was. “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you, but it’s not your fault. Please, don’t blame yourself.”

     “But it IS my fault!” she sobbed, “I wasn’t looking. I should’ve known she was there.”

     “Hey, HEY!” Chris said, lifting her head with his fingers under her chin. Sue Ann looked away, so ashamed of what she’d done hat she was unable to bring herself to even look at him.

     “Sue Ann, look at me,” he urged, finally staring into her tear-filled blue eyes. “You’ve done so much for me; for my sake, please, don’t blame yourself. I won’t let you. You saved my life! And you even took care of the very person who endangered it in the first place when SHE needed help. And do you know why? Because you have a good heart. That’s why I had such a crush on you when I was a kid. You did the best you could, and NO ONE blames you for what happened. As far as I’m concerned, this was ALL Shannon’s fault! I care about you TOO MUCH to let you beat yourself up over this!”

     “Oh, Chris,” Sue Ann sobbed, cracking a tearful smile, caressing his cheek with her hand.

     Chris grinned softly, brushing the hair away from her face. The two said nothing, only gazing into each other‘s eyes.

     Then, like a bolt of lightning, a whole slew of memories and old feelings came rushing back. As Chris ran a hand through her hair, he moved his face closer to hers. He half expected her to tell him to stop, but she never did. With only a momentary hesitation, their lips finally met. It was  the softest, most gentle kiss that could’ve been possible between a teenager and a 35-year-old woman.

     Sue Ann finally pulled away, her hand still gently caressing his cheek.

     “It was....really nice to see you again, Chris,” she whispered, eyeing him lovingly. “I’m so glad that things have turned out well for you.”

     “Yeah,” Chris replied softly, eyeing her lips. “Me too.”

     Sue Ann reached into her purse, fumbling to find a $10 bill, and setting it on the bar.

     “I’d better get going,” she sighed as she stood up and headed for the door.

     “Sue Ann!” Chris called, chasing after her.

     Sue Ann stopped in her tracks, turning back towards him.

     “Can...can I walk you to your car?” Chris asked.

     “Sure,” she smiled softly.

     The two walked out of the pub and through the parking lot to Sue Ann’s car. She stopped for a moment, reaching into her purse for her keys.

     “It was so nice to see you again, Chris,” she said again with a tear in her eye.

     “Sue Ann!” Chris uttered, grabbing her hands, “I....I don’t want you to be alone tonight.”

     “Wh-What?!” Sue Ann exclaimed, slightly taken aback.

     “I mean, I know you’re upset over....over what happened to Shannon,” Chris clarified. “I don’t want to go through that alone.”

     “You’re a sweetheart, Chris.” she smiled, turning to unlock her car door. “I wish there were more guys like you.”

     “Sue Ann,” Chris said, grasping her shoulder. She turned back towards him, looking into his eyes again, her own opened wide like a puppy.

     “I meant it,” Chris said, stroking her hand with his thumb. “I don’t want you to be alone tonight.”

     “Chris,” she sighed somberly, “we....we talked about this years ago.”

     “I know,” Chris nodded, “I know we did, but....I’m not a little boy anymore.”

     Sue Ann paused for a moment, considering his words. Then, smiled softly.

     “No,” she replied, shaking her head. “No you’re not.”

     Sue Ann tilted her head, and the two of them kissed once more.

     That night, Chris sat with Sue Ann, comforting her over what had happened. That night, old feelings flared up, and even after all the years that had passed, Chris recalled the affection he’d once had—probably always had—for the babysitter who’d watched over and cared for him in his most vulnerable hours. That night, in Sue Ann’s bed, Chris made sweet, passionate love to her, fulfilling his childhood fantasy.

     “How do you feel?” Sue asked softly, resting her head in her hand, caressing his chest.

     “Amazing!” Chris sighed contentedly.

     “Glad you liked it,” Sue Ann giggled.

     “Liked it?” Chris said with surprise. “It was everything I dreamed it would be!”

     Sue Ann giggled again, shaking her head.

     “Well,” she sighed, “I did have help.”

     Chris smiled, running a hand through her hair.

     “You were right,” she said. “You’re not a little boy anymore.”

     “Nope,” Chris said, trying to keep a straight face while using his fingers to indicate something small between them, “definitely not a ‘little’ boy anymore.”

     “Yeah, I know,” Sue Ann giggled, nudging his chest playfully. She caressed him for a quiet moment, then gazed somberly into his eyes again.

     “Chris,” she spoke up, “there’s something I never told you about that day: the day that, you know, we almost lost you.”

     “Yeah?”

     “Well, first of all,” Sue continued, “I never really thanked you....for saving my life.”

      Chris ran his hand through her hair again, holding her head tenderly.

     “You just did,” he smiled, “and it was a dream come true.”

     “Thank you,” Sue replied, tears showing in her eyes, “but there’s something else I didn’t tell you about that day. I was too embarrassed to say anything before, but I thought....I wanted to tell you now...”

     “OK,” Chris nodded, “what?”

     “Do you remember when Shannon and I were struggling?” She asked. “There was a moment that, well, she grabbed you and....thrust you....i-inside me.”

     “Yeah?” Chris replied nervously, blushing.

     “I never told you...” Sue began, tearing up.

     “What?” he asked.

     “I’m afraid to say it,” she sobbed.

     “Just say it,” Chris urged softly, “I promise, whatever it is, just tell me.”

     “OK,” she sobbed, trying to compose herself. “When she....when you were....inside me, I….I could feel you wiggling around, and....and it felt....good. Really good!”

     “It....it DID?!”

     “Yeah,” she sighed, slightly ashamed. “I’ve never felt anything like that before. It felt so good, I literally thought I was about to....fly off the floor.”

     “O....kay,” Chris uttered, unsure where she was going with this.

     “And, in that moment,” Sue Ann continued, “I realized....I realized why Shannon did that to you.”

     “Yeah,” Chris said, embarrassed.

     “I was wondering....well....I was wondering....what if we could do it again?”

     “What?” Chris asked with confusion.

     Sue Ann motioned for Chris to wait while she reached over to her nightstand and pulled out a small box. She opened it in front of him...

     Chris’s eyes went wide! Inside the box was two goals of liquid: one red, one green. He struggled to sit up, as if suffering a bout of PTSD.

     “Chris, it’s OK,” Sue Ann said, trying to console him. “Please, just calm down. Let me explain.”

     Chris nodded, his eyes still affixed to the vials.

     “I told you that I was trying to find a cure for Shannon?” Sue asked.

     Chris nodded again.

     “It took a long time,” she explained, “but the chemical company was finally able to isolate and reproduce the shrinking formula....AND they were able to make an antidote. I was going to use it on Shannon when it came, which it did....two days after I....after she got out. I was curious to know if they actually worked, so I found a stray cat, and I fed it some of the potion. It did work: the cat shrank really small. Then, I tested the antidote, which was difficult, by the way, but the antidote worked too, and the cat grew back to normal size. I figured these were too important to just get rid of. I was never planning to use them, but then….well, you came, and….if you’d be willing....would you, like to try?”

     Chris looked at the box fearfully, remembering the horror and embarrassment the potions brought him, but then he looked at Sue Ann’s face: she was embarrassed, ashamed, fearful that she’d alienated him. He didn’t want to disappoint her, but thinking about all the things that Shannon had done to him...

     Chris suddenly remembered something about all the times Shannon had tortured him when he was small: how thinking about Sue Ann had gotten him through it; how he didn’t want to admit that he liked the times Shannon had played with him with her feet, and between her breasts; and how he’d longed for it to have been Sue Ann playing with him all those times.

     Now, Sue Ann, the very person he’d always wanted it to be, was literally sitting in front of him, offering him a once in a lifetime opportunity to be small, and to experience something amazing with her.

     “I....I would love that!” Chris whispered.

     Sue Ann heaved a sigh of relief, smiling back at him.

     “Sue Ann,” he said hesitantly, “if we’re being honest.... when I was small, you know, and stuck with Shannon, it was thinking about YOU that got me through it...”

     “R-Really?” she perked up.

     Chris nodded.

     “...I kept thinking about how much fun you and I could have together,” he explained, “with me that size, and you...well, you know...”

     “Yeah,” Sue Ann giggled softly. “I know.”

     “Just not too small,” Chris begged as Sue Ann pulled out and unscrewed the cap on the red vial, “I’d prefer not to get stuck between your toes again.”

     Sue Ann giggled and shook her head, filling the dropper. Chris opened his mouth and presented his tongue as she placed two drops of the red fluid on it. Then, he gently closed his mouth, and swallowed.

     Slowly, but surely, Chris began to reduce in size. This time, however, he wasn’t afraid. No matter how small he got, he knew that Sue Ann would take care of him, no matter what.

     Smaller and smaller Chris went, until his shrinking stopped at just about 3 inches tall: the perfect size.

     The small young man gazed upwards...

     A beautiful goddess was smiling down at him. Sue Ann reached down with her finger, gently caressing his tiny body.

     The two lovers were about to experience a night they’d never forget!