"We need to head to my lab," Cindy stated. "Once there I might be able to find a way to at least stop this."
"Do you think you can reverse it,"I asked. Cindy paused, thoughtfully rubbing her chin. "I'm not sure," she whispered. "I think I can given enough time but probably not right away. For now though just stopping the others from getting any younger would help. Carolyn and Steven are getting really young now."
I turned to look at both Carolyn and Steven, wholeheartedly agreeing with Cindy's statement. Carolyn was now just a girl of 15. The dress the formerly elderly farm woman had on was now comically baggy on the girl. Steven was even worse, now only a boy if 7. Steven's overalls barely clung to his childish body now while his boots flapped on his tiny feet. The boy now anxiously looked between his wife and the rest of us, realizing he was now one of the youngest in the room.
"Okay if we have to go to the lab then Steven should stay behind," Carolyn stated. "Carolyn I'm fine," he exclaimed at his now teenage wife. Carolyn could only narrow her eyes as she gazed at the young boy, like a babysitter telling her charge it was past his bedtime.
"Fine nothing," she snorted. "Look at you ya melonhead. You stuck around any longer and were going to have ta find a wet nurse. Now March your narrow butt inside that other room and lock the door."
"Carolyn what about you," he whined in an almost childish fashion. "I mean your just a youngin now too. What if they cant find a way to stop it. What if you end up even younger than me?"
Carolyn hugged her diminutive husband tightly as she tenderly stroked his dark hair. "Now dont you worry none," she whispered. "If I get to be your age I'll come back here and find ya. At least that way if we're stuck like this we can grow up together." Stevwn nodded sullenly as he trudged into the adjoining office. As the lock clicked Carolyn spun towards the others, a stern look on her young face.
"We better hurry to that lab of yours," she said sternly. "I dont like the idea of leaving Steve all by himself like this, but cant have him tagging along."
"Understandable," Cindy said. Turning to Elleen she now approached the 17 year causing her to squirm slightly against her bonds. "Okay Ellen time to get serious," she warned. "You need to make sure none if your people are anywhere between here and my lab."
"My people aren't anywhere near your lab," Ellen exclaimed. "We just started searching the building so I dont know where they could be."
"I doubt that," Cindy scoffed. "So this is what your going to do. Tell your people to evacuate the building. A make it quick, were not getting any younger...oh wait, YOU ARE."
Ellen fidgeted as she gazed at her childish rival. She, like Carolyn and Steven was gradually growing younger as well. The longer she stayed near Cindy, the further back into childhood she would descend. Eleven could almost feel herself inching backwards, getting younger with each passing second. If she didn't agree to Cindy's demands, she could find herself looking up at her childish rival.
"Okay okay," she said quickly as she produced her cellphone. Quickly she punched in a number, nervously tapping her foot as she waited for someone to answer. "This is Dr. Hardy," she stated. "Yes I know I sound different. I want you to pull you jen out of the building immediately. Take nothing. Yes you heard me correctly, evacuate the building and leave everything behind and do it now." Sighing in frustration she now angrily glared at Cindy. "Okay it's done. The buildings clear and we should have no problem getting to your lab."
Cindy nodded, giving Carolyn a look as the young farm girl once again put her hands on Ellen. "Ow that hurts," Ellen cried.
"Carolyn you think you can handle her," Cindy asked.
"I've been wrestling animals into pens since I was 5," she smirked. "I can handle this skinny little thing."
As we made our way out of the room I glanced back at Carolyn and Ellen. The 15 year teen was able to easily handle the 17 year old. I wonder though for how long. The two teens were roughly the same height with Caroline maybe being a little taller. That wouldnt last for much longer though, Carolyn was quickly heading back to childhood meaning she would start becoming smaller and weaker. I now began to worry about what would happen when Carolyn became too small to protect us.
The trip to the lab took longer than I anticipated, most likely because of our reduced stature. I began to find myself feeling a bit tired as we walked. Unfortunately being only 3 years old meant that I didn't quite have the stamina I usually did. As I looked back to check on Ellen and Carolyn my eyes went wide.
Ellen was now only 14 years old. The waifish girl with dark hair was quite skinny with barely flared hips and barely their breasts that appeared even smaller under her comically large business suit. The girl was definitely shorter than before as well as the cuffs of her pants pooled around her bare feet. At first curios about what could of happened to her shoes I realized she had probably stepped out if then when her feet became too small.
Carolyn was even worse off than Ellen. Our protector was now a cute 12 year old farm girl with light brown hair and a smattering of freckles on her cheeks. Carolyn appeared to have been a started puberty a tad earlier than Ellen as the 12 year old possessed slightly larger breasts than Ellen (slightly larger than softballs) with a slight curve. What alarmed me the most though was that Carolyn had shrunk significantly. When the two were still teenagers Carolyn had been perhaps slightly taller than Ellen. Now the 12 year old was shorter than her, the top of her head now coming up to eye level with Ellen. Carolyn's dress, which had originally rested shin high on the girl, now brushed the girls bare toes. Carolyn had obviously discarded them when her feet became too small.
"Cindy," I hissed. "How much further? We're running out of time."
"Just around the corner," Cindy said.
"Hope we can help them," I sighed. "Carolyn cant be more than 12 now and Ellen's not far behind. None of us are even old enough to drive at this point. If we cant stop this how will we get out of here?"
"We'll think of something just trust me," Cindy said.
As we reached the door Inwatched as Cindy opened the door and stepped in. The rest of us filed behind as Cindy began to rifle through her notes. Ellen's men appeared to have been searching the area but had not found what they were looking for. After hearing Ellen's orders it appeared the men had done as she asked, leaving everything behind. I now hoped we could find away to not only help our friends but help ourselves.