One Step, Two Step Chapter 3

Family visit! Worst time to be doll sized!

Despite now being the size of a small child, Linda slept quite peacefully, her dreams were of her laying in a vast open field, bathing in the warm sunlight with her arms and legs spread out. “This is nice...” she muttered before opening her eyes as she turned her head to the side. Linda could see a city in the distance, so far away it's skyscrapers looked more like a collection of tiny models that even a mouse would tower over.

“Linda...” a faint voice echoed weakly in Linda's ear. “Linda... You have to stop...”

“Is that you Lily?” Linda asked as her eyes glanced toward the ground in front of her face. Unfortunately, besides the vast, empty field, Linda could see nothing. Shrugging off her younger sister's voice, Linda returned her attention to the city. “I wonder which city that is?”

Feeling playful, Linda reached out toward the city, making sure her hand was high enough not to conceal the city from her gaze. However, as she moved her hand closer, Linda noticed something strange. A dark shadow enveloped the entire city, almost as if something was covering the sun.

“Linda...” Lily's faint voice echoed once again. “Don't...”

“Lily?” Linda muttered as she allowed gravity to drop her hand to the ground... Only for the city to be completely crushed under her palm. “What the?!” Linda swiftly shot up, her eyes widening with shock when she looked down at her hand and the now destroyed city beneath it. Quickly lifting her hand, Linda's gaze moved further up, spotting another tiny city barely a stone's throw away from her, followed by another, then another, then a line of mountains, their snow covered peaks barely reach as high as her thigh.

Finally fully realizing her situation, Linda started to stand. However, as Linda finished getting up, she realized she was so large she could see the very curvature of the earth. One step was all it took for her to lose her balance and collapse.

However, when her titanic body slammed into the earth, Linda suddenly found herself laying not on the hard ground of the earth, but the soft carpet of her home. “Oww...” she groaned, her face aching despite the softness of her floor. “That hurts... Did I roll over and fall off the couch?” After rubbing her eyes for a few moments, Linda went to stand, only to immediately notice those cursed shoes still attached to her feet. Moving very carefully so as not to lift her feet from the ground, Linda rolled onto her back and sat up. “Hey Lily...” she called out before yawning. “Are you up yet?”

Lily's response never came.

After giving her eyes another good rub, Linda went to call out to her sister again, only to stop herself when she noticed something strange. “Wait... What the...?” was all she could mutter as she stared at her couch, which seemed a football field's length away and stretched up higher than a four story building. “What is... Huh?” A quick survey of her surroundings helped Linda realize she wasn't sitting in front of her couch like she initially believed. Instead she found herself sitting in the doorway to her home's hall.

Unfortunately for Linda, waking up in a new location wasn't the worst thing about her situation. Given the size of her couch and how high her walls seemed to stretch up, it was obvious to Linda that she'd shrunk down even more.

After taking a deep breath, Linda did the one thing that could help her. “Lily!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, startling the sleeping Lily off the couch and onto the floor.

“What, what?!” the dazed Lily gasped as she stumbled to her feet. “I'm up! I'm up!” It took Lily a moment to collect herself, but once she did she immediately remembered her sister's little predicament and turned back to the couch. “Linda I- Wait, where are you?”

“Here!” Linda shouted as loudly as she could. “I'm right here!”

Thanks to the sheer volume of Linda's cries, Lily located her almost immediately and nearly toppled over when she did. “L-Linda?!” she gasped before rushing toward her even smaller older sister, each of her rapid steps feeling like a mild tremor to the diminished Linda. “How did you get over here?!”

“That's your biggest question?!” Linda roared. “Look how tiny I am!”

Lily dropped to her knees so she could better speak to her barely six inch sister. “Did you sleepwalk?” she asked. “You haven't done that in years and you only did it when you were nervous... Oh...”

“Yeah, oh...” Linda grumbled as she crossed her arms. “Look at me. I'm like a walking, talking doll now.”

“Would walking really be the best idea given those shoes?” Lily asked as she pointed at the purple converse Linda wished she could take off.

Linda let out a irritated groan before signaling Lily to lean closer by wiggling her finger. The instant Lily got close, Linda grabbed her younger sister's right cheek and yanked as hard as she could. Once she was satisfied, Linda released her sister and crossed her arms. “Well this is a terrible way to start the day...” she grumbled. “This couldn't get any worse...”

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Linda, Lily, guess who?” a male voice chuckled, causing both sister's eyes to widen. “Sorry we're a bit early, but your favorite niece has been dying to visit her aunts.”

“What is he doing here?” Linda whispered.

Lily let out a nervous chuckle as she glanced up at the clock and saw that it was almost eleven. “I totally forgot that yesterday I invited them over for lunch today” she explained, earning her cheek another good yank. “It was before you started shrinking, I swear.”

“Anyone home?” the voice asked again.

“Y-yeah, be right there” Lily called out before scooping up her furious older sister and rushing to Linda's bedroom.

“What are you doing?” Linda asked as she was placed on her bed. “You can't let them in? If they see me they're going to freak out.”

“Which is why I'll do everything I can to make their visit a short one” Lily assured. “Just stay here and don't move.”

Linda glanced down at her shoes and grit her teeth. “You're so getting pinched when this is all over” she growled as Lily hurried to get changed into something more presentable, closing the door behind her.

Within a few moments, Lily reached the door and opened it, finding a tall man with long brown hair similar to hers except it reached all the way down to the man's backside. Standing beside him was a woman with shoulder length hair that's color matched a clean blue ocean. In the man's arms was a child, barely over the age of one, staring up at Lily with one green eye and one brown eye.

“Hey Lily” the pair greeted as a big smile appeared on their child's face.

Lily smiled at her older brother and his family. “Hello Leo, hello Cindy” she said before giving the baby's tummy a playful tickle. “And hello to you Jasmine. Please, come in. I'll make us all some tea.”

“That sounds lovely” Cindy said. “Your tea is amazing Lily.”

“Oh thanks” Lily giggled. “But it's nothing special I assure you.”

“Special enough to somehow be better than Mom's tea” Leo corrected as he plopped himself on Linda's couch, holding Jasmine on his lap. “Something Linda, Dad and I all thought was impossible.”

Lily glanced back to the door as Cindy closed it. “Kip's not here with you?” she asked, curious as to where her brother's adopted daughter was.

“She insisted on spending time with her favorite babysitter today” Leo explained. “We'll pick her up on the way home.” Leo let out a sigh and rubbed his brow, clearly troubled by something.

“You okay Leo?” Lily asked as she started to prepare some tea.

Leo nodded. “Yeah, Kip's just a handful” he grumbled, a smile returning to his face when Jasmine reached up and touched his chin. “Not like this one.”

“Well I think it's amazing that you two adopted a child” Lily said with a smile. “She may be a handful, but I'm sure Kip is grateful to be your daughter.”

“Kip and Leo are always fighting, but they secretly care for each other” Cindy giggled, causing Lily to do the same as she set up a high chair at the table.

“Speaking of people not being here” Leo grumbled, hoping to change the subject. “Where's Linda?”

Lily hesitated to answer, letting out a little chuckle as she started to twiddle her hair with one finger. “O-oh... She's not f-feeling to well” she explained, doing a poor job hiding her nervousness. “She's p-probably going to be stuck in bed all day.”

“That's a shame” Cindy said. “I hope she feels better soon.”

Leo got up and carried Jasmine to the high the table. “Lily, you're doing that thing again” he said.

“Thing?” Lily asked, sweat rolling down her face.

“You always play with your hair when you lie” Leo explained, causing Lily to shove her hand in her pocket.

Lily let out an extended 'What' as she checked on the kettle.

Leo turned his glare toward the hallway. “She can at least pry herself from her games for a minute to say hello” he growled before suddenly marching down the hall.

“W-wait a minute Leo!” Lily pleaded as she hurried after her brother, nearly tripping over one of the dining tables chairs, much to Jasmine's amusement.

“Linda!” Leo called out as he reached Linda's door. “Stop being a shut in and come join us for lunch.”

Linda, still laying in the center of her bed, wondered how she should respond, if at all. “There's no way Leo isn't going to freak out if he sees me like this” she thought. “Not that I'd blame him. It's not like he or anyone else has gone through anything like this.” After taking a deep breath, Linda sat up. “Hey Leo!” she called out as loudly as she could, her tiny voice sounding quite mild to her brother's ears. “What's up?!”

One of Leo's eyebrows shot up at just how weak his older sister sounded. “Wow, she actually does sound really sick” he mumbled to himself as he opened the door slightly. “Just came to check on you Linda. Lily said you were sick.”

“Y-yeah, I am!” Linda shouted, deciding to go along with Lily's deception. “Don't come in! I don't want you to catch it too!”

“Alright, I won't” Leo assured. “Just be sure to get enough rest alright?”

“I will, I promise!” Linda answered. “Say hi to Cindy and Jasmine for me!”

“You got it” Leo said before closing the door and turning to Lily. “I can't believe I'm saying this Lily, but make sure Linda stays in bed today.”

“Don't worry” Lily assured as she led Leo back to the dining table. “I'll make sure she doesn't take a single step until she's feeling better.”

Leo, Cindy and Lily all enjoyed their tea for a good twenty minutes, only to be interrupted when Leo got a call. “Hello Amy” Leo said as he answered the phone. “What's going-” Leo was quickly cut off by the caller's frantic raving and ranting. “Really? She did? And now you're stuck in your room?” Leo let out an irritated sigh. “It took you ten minutes to call? Well, I guess that would make it pretty difficult to use. Well, how do you keep falling for her tricks?” Leo had to move the phone away from his ear or risk being deafened by the caller's shouting. “Alright, alright. We'll come help fix this.”

“Everything alright Leo?” Lily asked.

“Sounds like Kip has outstayed her welcome at Amy's place” Cindy explained, shaking her head as she smiled. “Kip likes to play little pranks on Amy and Amy's sister whenever she gets the chance.”

“Little pranks...” Leo sighed as he ended the call and got up. “We'll have to sort this out now. Sorry Lily, but we've got to cut this visit.”

“Oh no need to apologize” Lily said with a smile. “It's great to see all three of you even if it is just a short visit.”

“It's great to see you too” Cindy said as she gave Lily a quick hug before plucking Jasmine from her chair. “Say goodbye to auntie Lilly.”

Jasmine cooed at Lily while reaching out for her with both hands, almost overwhelming her aunt with her pure, incorruptible cuteness.

After seeing her guests off, Lily swiftly returned to her shrunken sister, finding her sitting in the exact spot she had been left. “Sorry Linda, I didn't want to just kick them out right away” she said while bowing her head.

“Don't worry about it” Linda sighed as she flopped onto her back. “It gave me time to think up what we should do next to fix me.”

Lily's eyes lit up with hope. “And what did you come up with sis?” she asked.

“Nothing...” Linda sighed. “I have absolutely no idea what to do next.”

The room fell silent for a moment as the idea of Linda being stuck at that size sunk in. Suddenly, Lily slammed her fist into her palm. “Don't give up Linda” she said before gently sitting on the bed. “We'll figure out a way to fix this together.”

Linda stared up at her sister, who appeared absolutely massive to her, and smiled. “Thanks sis” she said.

“Maybe we could try that department store again?” Lily suggested. “At the very least we should drive around town. Maybe we'll get lucky and spot the purple-haired woman.”

“I think I'm due for a bit of good luck...” Linda grumbled as she stared down at her cursed converse.

“Then why don't we start with a good breakfast... Or brunch given the time” Lily said before placing her hand next to Linda. “May I?”

Linda shrugged. “Go ahead” she sighed, signaling Lily to gently pick her up.

After returning to the kitchen, Lily placed Linda on the dinning table before gathering items from the pantry. It only took a few minutes, but Lily soon placed the smallest plate in the house in front of Linda, which to Linda still looked large enough to lay on. Sitting on the plate was the corner of a sandwich, cut from a much larger whole. Despite it's size, the sandwich contained ham, lettuce and even a little cheese.

“If you need me to cut it smaller I can” Lily said, noticing that despite how small the piece of sandwich was, it was still larger than Linda's head.

Linda gave her younger sister a quick thumbs up before snatching up the mini sandwich and tearing into it with her teeth. Within a minute, Linda had completely devoured the sandwich fragment, finishing it before Lily had even gotten through half of her own sandwich. “That hit the spot” she burped before giving her lips a good cleaning with her tongue.

“It seems your appetite hasn't shrunk at all sis” Lily said.

“Of course it hasn't” Linda chuckled before enthusiastically throwing her fist into the air. “Now lets go find that woman!”

Unfortunately for Linda, her enthusiasm quickly deflated when she found herself too small to properly use her car's seat belts.

Wanting her sister to be safe, Lily placed Linda in her lap and wrapped the seat belt around herself and her shrunken older sister. “Hold on tight sis” Lily chuckled before wrapping one of her hands around Linda for extra protection. “I'll drive slow just to be safe.”

Linda glared up at her enormous sister's face as she leaned against Lily's stomach. “You're enjoying this a little aren't you?” she asked, causing Lily's smile to instantly disappear.

TO BE CONTINUED....