Hello Nurse! (Patreon)

You sat on the exam table, hearing the crisp white paper bed covering crinkle loudly every time you shifted uncomfortably.

It had already been an hour since they took your blood pressure and updated your prescriptions. You were only here for your yearly routine flu shot, so what on earth was taking them so long? You couldn't even pass the time scrolling on your phone to distract yourself. Your good charger had broken just the other day, and the only backup charger you could scrounge up was a measly six-inch cable that came with that cool light-up dragon you bought. You had to sacrifice your comfort bedtime glow dragon just to trickle a measly 17% charge, which had barely survived the ride over here.

You let out a dissatisfied grunt and dropped your head back.

"Excuse me."

The soft, tiny squeak of a voice came from across the room near the sterile laminate counter. You blinked, looking down from the exam table and straining your eyes.

Standing there on the corner of the desk against the wall was a tiny woman. She was gorgeous, impeccably dressed in an impossibly tight nurse's uniform, her hair a passionate, fiery red under a cute little nurse's hat. She looked about four inches tall.

And dragging behind her, gripped firmly in both hands like a medieval broadsword, was a full-sized flu shot syringe that looked easily as big as she was.

You stared, your jaw slack, thoroughly and completely disoriented. "Wait. Who... what... why?"

"I guess that leaves out why and when, doesn't it?" she said, resting her free hand on her hip. "I have your yearly flu shot. And honestly, I am way past my shift-change window, so which arm?"

"You're tiny!" you blurted out, pointing a shaky finger at her. "Why are you so small? What happened to you?"

She sighed, planting the base of the heavy syringe against the desk. "I tried to reheat a baked potato in the microwave with the foil still on. Sparks flew, there was a flash, and ZAP. Four inches tall. So, which arm?"

"Right. Right, of course," you stammered. "Wait, but how did you even get up there?" you asked, pointing at the desk.

"They let me ride the pneumatic tube delivery system."

"Really?" your eyes went wide.

"No. Now be a champ and pick me up. Hold me up to whichever bicep you choose. We're going in," she said, hefting up the flu shot.

You reached out for her, your hand shaking just a little as your brain struggled to process the sheer absurdity of the moment. Why was your heart racing so fast?

Your fingers wrapped gently around her legs and thighs to pick her up. The solid warmth and softness of her skin shattered any thought that you might be hallucinating or dreaming this up. There was actually a miniaturized woman in your grip.

"Easy there, tiger," she said, her voice a little strained as she gave a sharp, definitive tap against the side of your index finger.

You realized you had been gripping her a little too tightly in your daze. You immediately loosened your hold, feeling a fresh wave of heat rush up your neck. You carefully lifted her up toward your left bicep, waiting for her guidance.

"A little higher," she instructed, squirming a little in your grasp to find the correct angle of injection. "Lower. Right there. Okay, on three. Three!"

Before your brain could even register the countdown, she jammed the needle straight into your arm. You made your mouth really tiny, trying your absolute hardest not to wince or make a sound.

With a practiced flick, she yanked the syringe out of your flesh, and expertly pitched the medical instrument across the room in a flawless, arcing shot directly into the sharps container next to the trash can.

"I could have gone pro," she said, dusting off her hands with a smug little smirk. "Help yourself to a band-aid in the cabinet. You'll forgive me if I let you do it yourself on account of me being actually four inches tall."

"Yeah, no, of course," you stammered, already halfway zoned out as you scooted off the exam table, blindly collected your dead phone, and turned to shuffle toward the door.

"Excuse me," said the tiny nurse, tapping firmly on the back of your hand. "You're supposed to put me down."

You froze, looking down at you the tiny nurse in your hand.