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.