Couple’s Argue (Scraps)

This is something I wrote that was part of a story called “Third Wheel” that was never published.

Thought I should just post it, as an “Atmosphere“ very short story, it gives a little more volume to the world inflicted with the shrinking virus, in the age of vaccines and shrinking centers.

———————-—

“Remember Steve, the colleague who has a crush on me?” Amanda asked Dan, her boyfriend, as they were chilling in the living room.

“Ugh, what about him?” Dan replied.

“He got fired today, Kim fired almost all males”, she explained, Dan shrugged, “umm, but that’s not all”, she said and paused.

“Well?” Dan asked, “sad story, what’s more to it?”

“Umm, he says he’s willing to shrink for me and live the rest of his life as my property”, she said and blushed.

Dan moved uncomfortably on the sofa, “fuck, what a pervert, you obviously refused, right?”

Amanda blushed a little harder, “so I actually told him I’d think about it”

Dan looked at her confused, “think about it? What’s there to think about? You won’t own a human being, right?”

“But it’s not just that, Steve got no one, no family, I think no friends either”, she replied.

“Again, sad story, but it’s not your problem”, Dan said nervously.

“No, silly, I’d get everything he owns, I know it sounds terrible but a single guy working in high tech for 13 years straight not even going out on vacations, just imagine”, she said with a smile and sparkling eyes.

“This is so wrong”, Dan said and scratched his head.

“Is it though? That’s how he wants to live, if it’s not me he’ll probably give himself to someone else, think about it, it’s such a waste”, she paused for a moment, the caressed her foot, “and besides, I desperately need someone to treat my feet”

“Huh? You’d make him a foot slave?”

“Oh, of course, what else?” She giggled, “someone like him? It’s like he was born for this”.

Dan moved uncomfortably again on the sofa, “I don’t like this at all”.

“Look, I really thought I should try it, and if it doesn’t work out just… dispose of him I guess”, she shrugged.

“Dispose? We are talking about a human being”, Dan said with a blushed face.

“Technically speaking, not in our country, he will give up his humanity”, she said and caressed her foot again, “can you go with it babe? Please”, she tilted her head with a smile that was hard to refuse to.

“H-Having some tiny person walking around here? I don’t-“

“I’ll keep him in a cage, you wouldn’t even feel him”

Dan gulped, “that’s even worse”.

“So I’ll even cover it with a sheet or something, and take it off only when I use him”, she quickly added.

There was quiet for a few seconds, Dan was thinking about it and Amanda eagerly waited for him to say something.

“What did you mean by Dispose?” Dan asked confusedly, “give him away? Return him to normal?”

“Returning him to normal is out of the question.. I’m going to sort of inherit everything he owns, I guess it’ll be a problem if he’s… umm… normal again”, she answered.

“So give him away? That’s terrible”, Dan said.

Amanda blushed a little, “I kinda had something else in mind, you know.. he’s going to be this size”, she held a Dorito and showed it to him.

“So?”

“Well…” she placed the Dorito on the floor, then brought her foot on top of it, *CRACK*

Dan jumped back, “w-what?!”

Amanda giggled, “lol stop acting like that”.

“Will you really just step on him like that if it doesn’t work out?!” He snapped.

“What else?” She shrugged.

“I just said, giving him away! M-Maybe a friend or something-“

“Can’t risk anyone growing him back to normal, look, I’m sure he’d understand if-“

“Amanda you’re talking about crushing someone like he’s a bug, what will he understand?! I’m sure it’s not something he thought about when he was suggesting to willingly become your property”

Amanda shrugged, “that’s on him then”.

Dan looked at her in shock for maybe 10 seconds, “ok, no”, he said strictly.

“What do you mean no?” She asked, a bit mad now.

“No, you’re not taking him, money or not, this is insane”

Amanda jumped on the sofa, her face burning red, “who are you to decide something like that?!”

“I live here too and I’m not going to just be ok with you OWNING someone you think it’s ok to crush alive!” He shouted back at her.

“You don’t get to decide something like that, I need that money!” She shouted.

“S-So why did you even bring it up?! Why did you even ask me!!!” Dan stood up and shrugged in anger.

“I didn’t think you'd act like a primitive ape! This is the world now, yes! Women own shrunken foot slaves! Many of my friends do! Some before there were vaccines either!”

“So what? It doesn’t mean it’s ok!”

“Tomorrow I’m telling Steve I agree to take him in, you do whatever you want about it”, Amanda said firmly and started walking to the shower.

“This is sick”, he said in anger, looking at her walking past him, “you’d crush someone for money, you realize how sick it is?”

“I’d even crush someone like him for fun, the money is just a bonus”, she replied in contempt.

“Wow”, Dan said in shock, still staring at her.

“Right now - I’d even crush you for acting like such an asshole”, she said as she entered the bathroom.

Dan grabbed the car keys and went out, shocked and angry by his girlfriend’s behavior.