Escape attempt thwarted (Patreon)

The 5-inch-tall Anya struggled with the oversized blue Bic pen, both hands wrapped around the barrel as she dragged the tip across the giant yellow Post-it. Her normally elegant handwriting had collapsed into shaky chicken-scratch. She had just managed to scrawl “HELP I’m shrunk” when a soft voice spoke right behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Anya spun. Lauren stood there, barely 2 inches tall, looking up at her. At that size it had been easy for her to sneak up unnoticed.

“Trying to escape,” Anya whispered urgently. “Maybe we can get this note to someone who could rescue us.”

Lauren tilted her head. “Who says I want to be rescued?”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I dunno… it’s kind of nice, don’t you think?”

“No, I don’t think it’s kind of nice! We’re his prisoners. His toys. He shrinks us and plays with us whenever he wants!”

Lauren simply shrugged. “I kind of like being a little toy.”

Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall.

Anya’s eyes went wide. She dropped the pen and lunged for the Post-it, folding it twice with frantic little hands. “Quick! Help me hide this! We can’t let him find out we’re trying to escape!”

Lauren only shrugged again as Anya shoved the note under the edge of the oversized mousepad.

The door opened. Their owner stepped into the room and looked down at the two tiny women on the desk.

“Hello, my little ladies. What have you been up to?”

Anya’s voice came out high and nervous. “N-nothing! Just… being tiny and adorable for you.”

Lauren pointed one miniature finger at the mousepad. “She wrote an escape note and hid it under there.”

“Lauren! How could you?!” Anya cried.

Lauren looked up at their master with a wide, eager grin and another casual little shrug. “Don’t you think she deserves a little punishment?”

He nodded slowly. “Oh, she’s been a very bad doll. I think I can come up with a fitting punishment.”

Lauren hopped up and down in place, clapping her tiny hands. “Can I help? Please, please, please!”

Anya swallowed hard. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she stared up at the enormous figure looming over them both, already imagining what that “fitting punishment” might be.