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.