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by Svein Kåre Gunnarson
"Noooooooo!" My voice sounded out in defeat. "For the first time, it seems like I'm winning, and then you go ahead and round it all off with a bingo, beating me again. Not fair!
"I can't help it," she giggled. "I usually don't play this good. It seems you're bringing me luck."
We mixed the pieces and set them up for another game.
"Wish I could take you with me on tournaments," she added. "Bet I could win a lot then..."
"Yeah, sure," I said. "And how would you do that? Put me on the scrabble board as a mascot? Wouldn't be any place left to play then. You start."
MASCOT. Piece by piece she placed the letters down on the board, starting with some nice points.
"I like that thought, having you as a mascot. How should we do that?"
"Hmmm? Well, you can't just bring me with you - I can't just sit on a chair beside you." I smiled as I placed my word down from the existing S SIZE, triple score on the Z. Neat." And you cant place me on the table or in the pocket either. My size is a problem there."
I smiled toward her as she pondered on her move. Suddenly she giggled, and placed out her letters. SIZED and DOLL was the words that appeared.
"That's what we need," she said.
"What? "
"Have you sized as a doll. Then you would fit nicely on the table. Or in my pocket, whatever you'd like. "
"Sure, and what would you do when there's no tournament? Treat me like a Barbie- doll, dressing and undressing me, and play with me?" I asked. Then, as I saw her eyes staring thoughtful into the air, I added: "Hmmm, that part could be nice..."
"You'd like that, eh?" she interrupted. She was back to reality.
"You playing with me and that? Sure, but I won't have to be a doll for that."
She blushed and looked down, quickly playing a word. "Your turn."
***
"Do you want some tea?" she said, and went towards the kitchen before I even had a chance to answer.
"Yes, please," I smilingly said to myself and focused my concentration on the game again. Luck was with me in this game - Sarah seemed a bit unfocused, or was having the worst pieces possible - all the time. Hmmm, Sarah - she used some time with the tea. "Do you need any help out there?"
"Nonono, you stay away from the kitchen," she shouted back, then added a short while later: "I don't want to ruin your impression of me as a good housewife."
I giggled. It was bachelors that had the word on themselves for not enjoying housework, but they certainly weren't the only ones that deserved that reputation. I grabbed an apple while I was waiting.
"Here you are my friend. One for you, and one for me." She came in with two big cups of tea. "Now, this is some tea you don't get served every day."
I accepted the cup she offered me, and sipped the tea. "Mmmmmm, it tastes good. What is it?"
"Now, that's a secret I have. Something familiar, something uncommon, and then something very special, just for you." She smiled smugly at me, ignoring the game completely." You said you wouldn't mind me playing with you, and I have a feeling you didn't think of scrabble, then. Right?"
I just nodded, waiting for her to say more.
"Well then, drink up your tea, and we'll put the scrabble back in the drawer." She winked at me and started drinking her tea in large gulps. It took a few moments for me before it sank in what this meant, but when it did, I didn't hesitate pouring down my own tea, hot or not.
Having put all the pieces in the box, we rose up and Sarah took the box to put it in the drawer. I felt my head going dizzy and my stomach turn.
"I think I'm getting sick," I said, and started to fall. I saw the concern in Sarah's eyes as she turned around, dropped the box and ran towards me. Then all got black.
***
The sharp light blinded me. It was the sun shining in through the window, warming the bed in which I found myself lying, nicely tucked in beneath the sheets. I didn't feel sick, but my body was still tingling funnily all over.
"Sugar," I said. My voice was barely audible, but she arrived quickly.
"I'm here, dear." She sat down on the edge of the bed, stroking my forehead gently. "How are you feeling? "
"I'm feeling funny all over."
"Are you well enough to come and eat in the kitchen?"
"I'll try." I pulled away the sheets, and froze. I was wearing a nightdress. Quizzically I looked at Sugar.
"You couldn't wear your own clothes," she said apologetically. "I had to change them. I've put some new clothes on the chair here, you can use them for a while." She rose up and smiled at me. "You get changed while I go to the kitchen and make some food."
I looked after her as she left, waited a little while before I got up on my feet and removed the nightdress. "I must have been real sick," I thought as I discovered I didn't even have my own underpants on. But it didn't matter, it was only temporary in any case, until my clothes were washed and dried.
Pulling the sweater over my head, I noticed she had laid out both a pair of jeans and a skirt. Guess she wasn't sure what would fit the best, and I hesitated a slight moment. But I thought I could try the jeans on, even if Sarah was smaller than me and so the jeans wouldn't fit.
They did! I was a bit surprised, but it might be because women are wider over the hips. Dressed like this I could almost go out - but the pink sweater with "Love" over the front would cause some giggles around town. Giggling to myself at the thought, I put on the slippers she had provided too, and left for the kitchen.
"Cute," I thought as I passed the mirror in the hall. "But I gotta cut my hair."
Sarah put the food on the table as I entered the kitchen.
"Ah, there you are. I see the jeans fit you, glad they do." She smiled and nodded at me. "Just sit down, I'll find some juice."
I sat down and looked at the food. Eggs and bread, and various meat and cheese.
"Thought it best to have 'safe' food for you now. Don't think your stomach should react to any of this," she said apologetically.
"It's OK," I smiled. "Best to be on the safe side. Besides, it's good with bread."
"Hope so. I must admit, I didn't have much to choose among either. Have to go out and shop some more." She paused, before she added teasingly: "Care to join me?"
We chatted all the time while we were sitting there eating, until I felt a pain in my whole body. I wrapped my arms around myself in a vain attempt to block out the pain. "Oh no," I heard Sarah's voice. "This wasn't..." Then it all went black again.
***
"Ooooooowwwww" I moaned, more in reflexes than pain. My whole body was feeling numb, and my head felt squeezed. I kept my eyes shut.
"How are you feeling?" Sarah's voice felt as if she were yelling into my ear.
"Please, not so loud," I mumbled. Glimpsing up on her, I noticed she was red around her eyes. "What... Did I puke all over me again?" I said.
She smiled, but not a happy smile. "No, you didn't"
"So I can use the same clothes again, then."
"I'm afraid you can't that," she said. She bit her lower lip. "They don't fit anymore..."
"Don't fit? What do you mean? Have I swollen up?"
"No - not exactly..." She sighed heavily. "I have called, and am waiting for help, if we can get it. I..." With that, she ran out of the room, leaving me confused.
I yawned and turned my head, getting some of my hair in my mouth. My hair? I was suddenly wide awake. There, right in front of my eyes, were some hair, but it was too long to be mine? Slowly I moved my hand, grabbed it and tugged slightly. It was mine - I had grown long hair. How long had I been away? I looked at the watch on the night table: Just a couple of hours, and the date was the same. Even the year. This actually had happened in only two hours.
I stared up in the ceiling. What more had happened in those two hours? The clothes I had used didn't fit, but I hadn't swollen up. Would that mean... that I had shrunk?
It hit me like a sledgehammer. Of course, that was why her jeans would fit me: I had shrunk! Removing the blankets and getting up in one movement I confirmed my suspicions, I was definitely shorter. Removing the nightdress, I got another shock: I had grown a couple of small breasts. Like the tits of a girl in her puberty.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, just staring ahead of me. No wonder Sarah was red around her eyes. Had I been able to, I would've cried my brave tears myself, and in buckets, but I was too shocked, and not able to think clearly.
As in a dream, I started getting dressed in the clothes that were laying on the chair this time; A white blouse, black skirt, and as I felt the chill in the air, I put on the stockings too. Slowly I shuffled my way out in the hall, where I stopped and looked into the mirror. "That's not me," I said. The person looking back at me was a young girl, that for some reason though it fun to imitate my movements. It couldn't possibly be me.
I continued into the living room, where Sarah was just putting away the phone. She looked at me with her serious eyes, as I came and sat down beside her.
"I don't know if we can get you back to normal," she said. "Or even stop what's happening to you. The only advice I got is to not give you anything to eat nor drink - that was what caused your pains."
I just leant my head on her shoulder, not saying anything.
"We will get the expert over here in a few hours, though. Maybe she can find a cure and reverse the process. She's... She calls herself a witch." She paused, just stroked my hair over and over again for a long time. "It was the tea. I never thought... I never believed..."
I didn't hear more of what she said, even if she talked for a long time. I just let my tears flow freely down my cheeks.
***
The witch came, asked a lot of questions and read many old books, some covered in layers of dust even after the hours in transit. But she was not able to stop the process, less so to reverse it. With regular intervals I passed out, and found myself each time in a shorter body, while the forms grew more and more like those of a grown woman.
Such is the situation today - I live in a dolls house, dressed as a Barbie doll, and I join Sarah in every Scrabble tournaments. It seems I really bring her luck, but it might be my behaviour there, too. Not that I can do much, as I must give the impression of being a doll to avoid unwanted attention. But some slight movements to make them wonder what they see, and break their concentration I get away with. Sometimes when she play against men, I even dare to "accidentally" reveal a bare shoulder. Sarah scolds me from time to time, but people see what they want to see: A doll. And dolls can't move or wink, so it must be in their own imagination.
Oh, we have much fun after each tournament, when we discuss the unbelievably funny faces some get, before they shake their heads and continue playing. It's worth taking those small risks to see them, and a doll don't get more fun than she makes herself. That's my motto.
On the homefront, however, I've managed to win a few games myself now. Sarah may win easily against others, but her mascot will give her a fight!