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.