Nathan crept from the bathroom on his tiny mouse paws. His whiskers twitched on the sides of his new snout. His stomach growled.
"I should have eaten something before changing," Nathan thought to himself. "I'm starving."
As he quickly learned, a creature as tiny as the mouse he now was has a vigorous metabolism, burning through calories at an incredible rate. Fortunately, his new senses were designed to help him locate any and all potential food sources.
Irresistible scents drew him toward the kitchen. He had to trade the bathroom tiles for a thick shag carpet in the living room on his way to the kitchen. Traveling through the thick fibers hampered his progress. By the time he reached the kitchen, his stomach felt like it was literally shrinking from lack of food.
Despite the hunger pangs, he stopped for a moment and stared up at the towering fir tree laden with lights, ornaments and assorted seasonal tinsel. The decorated tree looked like it belonged in Times Square amid high-rise gleaming skyscrapers. The gold and crystal ornaments hanging from the tree's branches looked bigger than his tiny rodent body.
Nathan sniffed at the wrapping paper and bows covering some of the packages already assembled beneath the huge tree. His sense of smell didn't really help him identify the contents of any of the boxes and bags. With another grumble from his stomach, he turned and continued to the kitchen. He was relieved to leave behind the thick shag carpet. He moved quicker over the sleek tiles in the kitchen.
The dry crumbs he located on the kitchen floor beneath an enormous table helped stave off hunger for the moment, but he would need to find more food — and soon! He raised his tiny dark eyes to survey the towering cabinets and the stainless steel refrigerator. Most of the family food was stored behind doors closed to his tiny mouse body. His whiskers twitched, stirring up the air and wafting a faint hint of possible food. His nose led him to a trash can between the refrigerator and kitchen sink. An assortment of discarded scraps smelled like a delectable smorgasbord to Nathan. The idea of scrounging on scraps, however, repulsed him. He would keep looking.
He did smell something interesting. His nose led him back to the living room. He managed to pinpoint an arrangement of greenery in a large ceramic pot near the front door. He scrambled up the rough surface of the pot and grasped stalks with his tiny feet to climb some of the tall branches of winter greenery. He nimbly ventured onto one of the branches until he reached some gleaming red berries. He nibbled one and found the berries much more tasty than crumbs. He nibbled contentedly until he had devoured two of the holly berries. He would have eaten a third, but the front door suddenly opened. Along with a gust of cold winter air, the open door allowed entry to...