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Description

Caroline had no idea how things went wrong, or why.

She felt the cold, sickening lurch in her chest as the effects took hold, causing her to collapse toward the ground. For an instant, she just looked around in confusion, baffled by the bizarre distortion as the desk and everything else in the room rapidly grew larger all around. In the next instant, she realized what happened and took action, leaping up to grab hold of the steadily rising tabletop, sucking in deep, desperate breaths as she held on for dear life.

Omigod, it targeted me by mistake...I'm really shrinking...!

By the time she pulled herself onto the desk, the miniaturizer had finished its work. Caroline got to her feet, numbly aware that she'd set the program for five percent of normal size. The focusing device, built into sections on the far side of the lab, should've directed the space-folding effect towards the target in the center of the room--an old desk she'd intended to take to the club tonight, and show off to her friends, so she could brag about the amazing miniaturizer and its potential scientific applications. She knew she'd set up the control parameters correctly, but somehow, instead, the beams focused their power on her.

How could this have happened? I know I set everything up correctly...what went wrong...?

The particulars didn't really matter, she decided quickly. At only about three inches tall, she had to reverse the changes at once, before someone found her like this! Everyone on the staff had agreed on no human testing for now, but she knew they'd all definitely wondered about it--what it might be like to actually hold a real person, shrunk down to tiny size. She had no intention of being their first test subject!

Luckily, she'd included a confirmation option in the application's test protocol. Caroline rushed over to the computer, where the enormous theater-size monitor showed the status dialog box, with the cancellation option clearly visible. As fast as she could, she struggled with the gigantic mouse, gradually shoving the pointer on the screen over the cancel button. Moving the mouse proved quite challenging, especially considering her choice of high-heeled footwear--she knew she would've looked fantastic on the dance floor later, but right now, she wished for some simple athletic shoes. In the end, though, she pulled it off, moving the pointer to just the right spot on the screen.

Got it! Now I'm just a click away from being back to normal...

Eagerly, and a bit desperately, she rushed over to the button and tried to click it, but nothing happened. Her tiny body just didn't have enough weight behind it. When she climbed up, and tried jumping, that only caused the mouse to slide sideways, moving the pointer off the button. With mounting anxiety, she shoved it back into place and tried again. Still nothing.

This is no good! If only I hadn't snuck back in here to try using the device on my own! I can still get out of this, though, if I can just find some way to push that button! Maybe a pencil, or...

Then the door opened. Caroline spun about and gasped as Terry Jonstone, one of her fellow scientists, strode into the room, looking right at her with a big smile on his face. He strode up and stood before her like an immense mountain. Caroline could only stand there, paralyzed, staring up at the living colossus in awe and terror.

"Why hello there," said Terry with a chuckle. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist coming back in here, Caroline. I hope you enjoyed the little surprise I prepared just for you."

"W-what?" she gasped. "You did this to me...on purpose...?"

"Of course," he laughed, reaching out a hand towards her tiny, quivering body. "Now that we've got the machine working perfectly, I think it's the right time to start with human trials, don't you...?"

Description

Caroline had no idea how things went wrong, or why.

She felt the cold, sickening lurch in her chest as the effects took hold, causing her to collapse toward the ground. For an instant, she just looked around in confusion, baffled by the bizarre distortion as the desk and everything else in the room rapidly grew larger all around. In the next instant, she realized what happened and took action, leaping up to grab hold of the steadily rising tabletop, sucking in deep, desperate breaths as she held on for dear life.

Omigod, it targeted me by mistake...I'm really shrinking...!

By the time she pulled herself onto the desk, the miniaturizer had finished its work. Caroline got to her feet, numbly aware that she'd set the program for five percent of normal size. The focusing device, built into sections on the far side of the lab, should've directed the space-folding effect towards the target in the center of the room--an old desk she'd intended to take to the club tonight, and show off to her friends, so she could brag about the amazing miniaturizer and its potential scientific applications. She knew she'd set up the control parameters correctly, but somehow, instead, the beams focused their power on her.

How could this have happened? I know I set everything up correctly...what went wrong...?

The particulars didn't really matter, she decided quickly. At only about three inches tall, she had to reverse the changes at once, before someone found her like this! Everyone on the staff had agreed on no human testing for now, but she knew they'd all definitely wondered about it--what it might be like to actually hold a real person, shrunk down to tiny size. She had no intention of being their first test subject!

Luckily, she'd included a confirmation option in the application's test protocol. Caroline rushed over to the computer, where the enormous theater-size monitor showed the status dialog box, with the cancellation option clearly visible. As fast as she could, she struggled with the gigantic mouse, gradually shoving the pointer on the screen over the cancel button. Moving the mouse proved quite challenging, especially considering her choice of high-heeled footwear--she knew she would've looked fantastic on the dance floor later, but right now, she wished for some simple athletic shoes. In the end, though, she pulled it off, moving the pointer to just the right spot on the screen.

Got it! Now I'm just a click away from being back to normal...

Eagerly, and a bit desperately, she rushed over to the button and tried to click it, but nothing happened. Her tiny body just didn't have enough weight behind it. When she climbed up, and tried jumping, that only caused the mouse to slide sideways, moving the pointer off the button. With mounting anxiety, she shoved it back into place and tried again. Still nothing.

This is no good! If only I hadn't snuck back in here to try using the device on my own! I can still get out of this, though, if I can just find some way to push that button! Maybe a pencil, or...

Then the door opened. Caroline spun about and gasped as Terry Jonstone, one of her fellow scientists, strode into the room, looking right at her with a big smile on his face. He strode up and stood before her like an immense mountain. Caroline could only stand there, paralyzed, staring up at the living colossus in awe and terror.

"Why hello there," said Terry with a chuckle. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist coming back in here, Caroline. I hope you enjoyed the little surprise I prepared just for you."

"W-what?" she gasped. "You did this to me...on purpose...?"

"Of course," he laughed, reaching out a hand towards her tiny, quivering body. "Now that we've got the machine working perfectly, I think it's the right time to start with human trials, don't you...?"