Stories

Chapter Four
Thumb-sized Scott

One night, Peter and Scott went to school because they both coincidentally forgot their homework. Peter forgot his math sheet in his homeroom classroom and Scott forgot his science workbook in the science lab. Peter found and took out his math homework sheet from his desk. He was about to leave the dark classroom, when he glanced out the window and suddenly froze. Peter was not at all scared of darkness. He never believed in ghosts, but he was very afraid of human criminals. That was why he felt goose bumps form on his arms when he saw the light in the science lab on. The science lab was in a different building right across the building of classrooms. He felt more goose bumps when he saw the shadow on the wall of the science lab. He couldn't see well enough to detect whose shadow it was, but it was definitely not a student's.

Maybe it is the person who killed Mrs. Sullivan, he thought. That was when he remembered something terrible. Scott had forgotten his science workbook... in the science lab.

"No," Peter whispered out loud, his face turning pale. "No!"

He ran down the stairs half-tumbling and half-falling.

When he got outside and started sprinting toward the science building, he briefly saw the light go out in the science lab. Then the light went on again. He ran up the stairs hoping against hope that Scott hadn't reached the science lab yet.

Scott climbed the last few steps of stairs. The science lab was dark. He turned on the light. He barely noticed the desks and chairs scattered around as if somebody had been using the lab just a short time ago. He took his workbook from the desk he used earlier that day. That was when he noticed a florescent green liquid in a beaker on the teacher's desk.

A feeling of joy ran through him. Melon soda! That's just what I need now. I'm so thirsty! He held the beaker in his hands. He brought it to his lips. He hesitated for a moment. What if it wasn't melon soda? He shrugged. He was craving for something to drink. Whatever it was, it would certainly moisten his throat. He took a big gulp, drinking down half the contents.

But it didn't really satisfy his throat. He was still thirsty, so he drank the whole thing. Suddenly, he felt pain in his stomach. His head felt extremely dizzy. His vision became blurry. His whole body started aching as if he was being electrocuted.

"Scott? Where are you?" Peter shouted, panting by the lab door.

There was no answer.

“Oh man…” Peter sank to the floor. He started sweating. He had no idea what to do. What if it really was the killer? What if Scott… “No,” he whispered. “This can’t be happening.” He couldn’t bear to lose another important person.

That was when he heard a faint sound of something moving right near him. It took him a while to notice something very, very small… trotting towards him. It was the size of a bug, but it certainly didn’t look like a bug. It was walking on two feet. It looked like a human.

“Auuuuuuuuuuuugggggghh!” Peter screamed.

“Auuuughh!” screeched the tiny human.

Peter blinked twice. He squinted his eyes and looked carefully at the tiny figure. The tiny figure was wearing a green shirt and brown shorts… just as Scott had. With full dread, Peter examined the face of the thumb-sized human being. He recognized the face.

“Scott?” Peter said hoarsely.

“Peter?” The tiny figure’s voice was barely audible. Still, Peter could tell it was his brother’s voice. The figure had his brother’s voice and face… the only thing that was different was the body size. It was way different.