By Peter B. and Art Intelli

Chapter 1: The Experiment Begins

The laboratory hummed with the steady whir of machinery, the scent of ozone and metal thick in the air. Professor Calloway adjusted his glasses, his sharp blue eyes reflecting the soft glow of the monitors. He was a man of refinement, his greying beard neatly trimmed, his tailored vest snug against his broad frame.

Across the room, Ethan Carter leaned against the workbench, arms crossed. He was tall, muscular, the kind of guy who once ruled the football field but now found himself assisting an eccentric scientist with projects far beyond his comprehension. It paid well, and the professor was fascinating, if not a little unnerving.

“So, what’s today’s experiment?” Ethan asked lazily, watching as Calloway adjusted the settings on a sleek, gun-like device.

The professor smirked. “A simple calibration test. All I need you to do is stand there.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? No mutant plants or exploding chemicals?”

“Not today.” The professor lifted the device, aiming it at Ethan. Before the younger man could react, a soft pulse of light bathed him. He felt nothing. No pain, no heat—just a mild tingle.

“That’s it?” Ethan scoffed. “Not very dramatic.”

Calloway chuckled. “Oh, give it time.”

Chapter 2: Subtle Changes

The first day passed without incident. The second day, Ethan noticed his shirt was looser. By the third, his shoes felt slightly too big. He brushed it off, assuming stress or a poor diet was to blame.

But by the fourth day, he couldn’t ignore it anymore. Standing in front of the mirror, he lifted his hands—they looked smaller. He pressed them against the wall for comparison. Had the room always seemed this big?

“Professor,” Ethan called out hesitantly, stepping into the lab. “Something’s weird. I think… I think I’m shrinking.”

Calloway turned from his desk, his expression unreadable. “Oh? That’s interesting.”

Ethan frowned. “That’s all you have to say?”

“What else is there to say?” The professor leaned back, steepling his fingers. “You volunteered, Ethan. This is just science at work.”

The realization hit like a punch to the gut. “You knew.”

Calloway merely smiled.

Chapter 3: A Growing (or Shrinking) Problem

Over the next few days, Ethan continued to dwindle. His body seemed to shrink in slow increments, making it impossible to gauge how small he’d become until he struggled with everyday objects. He climbed onto the couch one day and realized his feet dangled like a child’s. His clothes had been replaced with makeshift garments—cut fabric that loosely hung on his diminishing frame.

He confronted Calloway again, rage simmering beneath his panic.

“Fix this.”

The professor sighed dramatically. “Ah, Ethan. Always so quick to assume I have a reversal. Perhaps I do. Perhaps I don’t.” He studied the tiny man before him. “But aren’t you curious? How small can you go?”

Ethan lunged at him, but Calloway easily caught him, fingers curling around Ethan’s thinning wrists. The strength difference was becoming undeniable.

“We’re just getting started,” the professor murmured.

Chapter 4: The Cage

By the time Ethan was no taller than a foot, the professor deemed it necessary to provide “accommodations.” A reinforced glass enclosure sat on his desk, complete with a miniature bed and even a tiny chair. Ethan balked at the sight.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Calloway chuckled. “It’s for your own safety. Can’t have you getting lost in the carpet.”

Ethan glared at him but had little choice. He had to scale the small ladder to get inside. The enclosure locked behind him with a soft click.

For the first time, he truly felt trapped.

Chapter 5: The Living Accessory

The shrinking didn’t stop. Soon, Ethan was barely the size of Calloway’s hand. The professor was endlessly fascinated, handling him like a prized possession.

Then came the final humiliation.

Ethan woke up to find himself strapped to the professor’s wrist by a custom-made leather belt, his body secured snugly against the man’s skin. Calloway flexed his fingers, testing the weight of his new “accessory.”

“Perfect,” he mused, adjusting the strap. “Always within reach.”

Ethan thrashed. “This is insane!”

“Is it?” Calloway smirked. “You make quite the exquisite watch, Ethan. And I do believe you’re exactly where you belong.”

Chapter 6: A New Purpose

Days blurred together. Ethan adjusted to his new reality, albeit begrudgingly. He was no longer just an assistant. He was owned. The professor would idly stroke his tiny frame while working, a subconscious reassurance that Ethan was still there.

Despite his protests, despite the indignity, he couldn’t ignore the care in Calloway’s actions. He was never harmed, never left wanting for comfort. The professor enjoyed having him close—and perhaps, on some level, Ethan needed that stability.

Chapter 7: Acceptance… or Not?

As time passed, Ethan faced a choice: keep fighting for a freedom that may never come, or accept his new role. Calloway, for all his arrogance, was unwavering in his affection.

“You’re mine now,” the professor whispered one night, his fingers curling protectively around his tiny assistant.

Ethan swallowed hard, staring at the vast world beyond the professor’s wrist. Maybe this was the end. Or maybe—just maybe—it was a new beginning.

The End…?

Metal would like to thank Peter B. and Art Intelli for the story and image!