"Whenever you get embarassed you will shrink" Elspeth explained "the amount you will reduce in size will be in direct proportion to how embarassed you get. And if you become embarassed again you will shrink further. You will not grow back to your usual size until you return to my house and your curse doesn't apply here. Got it?"
James stood staring at the old woman in disbelief. Was there any way this could be true?
"Don't believe me? Fine, let's test it out" Elspeth chuckled "I have a few errands to run in town today and you can accompany me. If it turns out I'm just a crazy old lady making empty threats there will be no need for you to return here, right? I'll even let you have your clothes back"
Elspeth reached into her bag and retrieved the clothing James had discarded in Meredith's shop earlier. He had no idea when she would have had time to get them. Still, grateful to be clothed again at last he somewhat grudgingly agreed to accompany his new acquaintance as she went about whatever business she had.
A few minutes later, they were sat together at the bus stop near her cottage. Wherever Elspeth lived was pretty quiet and sedate and he couldn't see much scope to be embarassed even if the curse was real.
After a while, the bus approached.
"After you dear!" Elspeth shoved some coins into James hands and motioned him to board as the doors swung open in front of them "get yourself a day pass, we may be out a while"
As James boarded the bus he could see it was mostly empty. There was a young, professional looking couple, a late middle aged woman wearing a stern expression, an attractive young mother with her child and a couple of teenage girls playing idly with their phones but most of the seats were free.
As her new companion approached the bus driver, Meredith cackled quietly to herself an subtly waved her fingers at James who suddenly..