they  tell  me: "we  are going to shrink 
 you."  i  don't  quite  like the tone in 
 their voices,  like they are restraining 
 themselves.  there is a  hunger  in them 
 and it wants  me  to  shrink.  and  what 
 really   irks  me  is   that  so  do  i. 
                                          
 they  give  me wristbands  and  anklets, 
 made  of  some   strange  stone.   their 
      surface is swirling, like dark      
   thunderstorms trapped in glass, like   
 windows  into a smaller  world, close to 
 my  body  so  that  it  can  see clearly 
             whats in store.              
                                          
 they give me food: prawn-like bugs  that 
 make my  tongue  curl with satisfaction. 
 "out of this  world", i think, having no 
 frame  of reference. i eat only two, but 
      the bugs leave me suspiciously      
                satisfied.                
                                          
 they measure my clothes.  "you are going 
 to become about half  as big", they tell 
  me, barely controlling themselves with  
               anticipation.