"Bailey, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting," I say as I re-enter the lab 10 minutes later. "I ran into a colleague on the way back from the men's room. And we got to talking…"
Bailey sits by my desk, smiling. Man, he even has an incredible smile. "Hey, no problem, Doc. After all, I was the first to arrive late."
I look around my lab. Something seems wrong, but I can't quite figure it out. But I can tell that something definitely seems out of place.
I look at Bailey, and then look at the clock. 5 o'clock already. I better keep this quick.
"So, Bailey," I say, sitting at my desk. "Let's discuss what I'll need you to do for this job."
I begin running down the list of tasks, from setting up my lab in the morning, to typing out my notes, to helping me observe experiments, and finally to cleaning up the lab at night.
"How does all that sound to you?"
Bailey nods his head smiling, while fidgeting a little in his chair.
"Everything ok?" I ask.
"Well," Bailey says, fidgeting some more, "I'm just wondering how this will work around classes and my wrestling practices."
"Good question. I don't need you to work in one long shift. For setting up in the morning, I'll just need you to come in before anytime at 9. I'll be giving you a key to the lab, so you can come in before class, or a morning workout, or whatever.
"In the evening, cleanup should be quick. If you come in after practice like you did today, we should be fine. I'm here late, so I'll still be around to go over cleanup.
"As for during the day, as we discussed in your interview, it'd be best to meet up between classes, when possible. But, I do most experiments on the weekends, which you said should work out for your schedule. Is that still correct?"
Bailey fidgets some more in his chair, and begins scratching at his chest. It's funny how much looser Bailey's lab coat looks when he's sitting down.
"Um, yeah. Weekends are fine."
I watch Bailey some more, as he continues itching. "Everything okay?"
"I don't know, Doc. I feel a little odd. Really itchy, all over. I hope I didn't catch something from wrestling practice."
I nod my head. "I'm sorry to hear that. Well, I was going to give you a tour of the lab, but how about a quick rundown from our seats. We could go over everything in more detail tomorrow morning, and I can walk you through a weekday setup.
"Well, here is my office space. As you can, it's separate from all the lab equipment, and it should be kept that way at all times.
"Over there is where we'll be conducting experiments. I'll go over all that tomorrow.
"I showed you where we keep the rats. I'll need you to feed them twice a day, during your setup and cleanup tasks.
"And finally, the solutions. You've seen the shelves that new solutions are held. After a few days at room temperature, they need be kept cool, which is why there's a refrigerator in the room…."
"Excuse me, what was that?" Bailey interrupted.
"What was what?"
"The refrigerator? It's for the lab!"
"Yes. That's where we put the solutions."
Bailey suddenly looked a little pale. "Doc, is that all you keep in there?"
"Well, that and some other chemicals."
I looked at Bailey. He looked really odd. I noticed the collar to his lab coat, earlier so tight on him, looked really floppy. And the coat's sleeves. Earlier they didn't come close to his wrist. Now they were coming down to his fingers.
"Bailey, did you do anything while I was away?"
"I'm so sorry, Doc! I had no idea. No idea! I thought it was water!"
I looked next to Bailey, and saw what seemed out of place before. A vial of solution, now empty, on the book shelf next to where Bailey was sitting.
"Did you drink that?" I asked, pointing.
"Um…."
I jumped up from my seat, and ran around the desk. Bailey likewise stood up. I looked up at his face, noticing that I didn't have to look up as high as before.
"Doc, what's going on? I'm confused. You seem to be getting taller."
I sighed on hearing these words. "No, Bailey, I'm afraid it's quite the opposite. You're getting smaller."
"I'm shrinking! How?"
Then suddenly, Bailey experienced a shrinking spurt. When it was over, he was:
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