Greg and Cindy found themselves engulfed in a sense of dread and helplessness as they watched Madison prepare to leave for school. It was a routine she had followed countless times before, but now, their perspective had changed drastically. Trapped behind the glass of their habitat, their once-familiar world had become a prison of their own making, and they were powerless to do anything but watch as their daughter moved through the motions of her day.
Madison grabbed her bookbag with a casual ease, her mind likely already on the day ahead. But for Greg and Cindy, each movement she made felt like another nail in the coffin of their former lives. They tried to shout, to get her attention, but their tiny voices were swallowed by the soundproof acrylic glass and the blaring pop music that filled the room. Madison’s world had become a distant place, one where they no longer had any influence or control.
As Madison reached for the light switch, Greg and Cindy’s hearts sank. The room was plunged into darkness, and with it, the last vestiges of their connection to the outside world seemed to disappear. The darkness was suffocating, not just physically but emotionally, as it reinforced the reality of their situation. They were no longer the parents, the caretakers—they were now the ones who needed care, and Madison had taken on that role with a sense of duty that was both reassuring and terrifying.
The sound of Madison’s footsteps, muffled by the pop anthems blaring from her speakers, grew fainter as she walked down the hall and descended the stairs. Greg and Cindy were left in the darkness, their eyes straining to make out anything beyond the glass. The refraction distorted their view, making the already limited sightlines even more challenging to navigate. The pink rug outside their habitat, once a soft and comforting feature of Madison’s room, now felt like a cruel reminder of their new reality—a world where they were nothing more than observers, powerless to change their fate.
They sat there in silence, the weight of their situation pressing down on them. The feelings of powerlessness and futility were overwhelming. The life they had built, the family they had nurtured, now felt distant and unreachable. The roles had been reversed, and there was no way to go back to the way things were.
Greg held Cindy close, trying to offer what little comfort he could in the darkness. They were trapped, both physically and emotionally, in a situation that seemed beyond their control. The only sounds were the echoes of the music Madison had left playing, a constant reminder of the life outside that they could no longer participate in.
As they sat there, the reality of their new existence settled in even more deeply. They were Littles now, confined to a habitat, cared for by the very daughter they had once raised. The power dynamics had shifted irreversibly, and they were left to navigate this strange new world with no clear path forward.
The darkness of the room mirrored the uncertainty they felt about their future. How long would this go on? Would they ever find a way to adapt, to find some semblance of peace in this new life? Or would they remain trapped in this hellish existence, forever longing for a past that was now out of reach?
The unanswered questions hung in the air, as oppressive as the darkness that surrounded them. And as the hours stretched on, the sense of loss and despair only deepened, leaving Greg and Cindy to wonder if they would ever find a way out of the darkness—both literal and figurative—that had enveloped their lives.
As Greg and Cindy adjusted to the low light in Madison’s room, they were reminded of the small but significant evolutionary adaptations that Littles had undergone. One of those changes was improved vision in low-light situations, which now allowed them to see their surroundings more clearly despite the dim environment. However, even their improved vision could do little to fight the refraction of the glass. The room, which had once been a familiar space, now felt like a strange and foreign place, overgrown objects barely recognizable now cast unfamiliar shadows in an otherwise darkened bedroom.
The sudden click of a timer going off drew their attention, and a moment later, the overhead lights flickered on, bathing their habitat in a stark, artificial glow. The contrast between the brightly lit habitat and the dark, shadowy room outside was jarring. Greg and Cindy could see Madison’s blackout curtains drawn tightly shut, something they were all too familiar with. Madison had always preferred a dark room, a trait that had earned her bedroom the nickname “the cave” from McKenzie over the years—a playful jab that had never failed to irritate Madison.
Cindy felt a pang of frustration as she looked around the room. “Who’s going to let a little light into this room, Greg? Madison isn’t mature enough for Littles. That’s why we hadn’t gotten her one before,” she vented, her voice tinged with bitterness as she walked back over to the sofa.
Greg sighed, understanding Cindy’s concerns but also trying to offer a more balanced perspective. “I don’t think not opening her curtains is a sign she can’t handle Littles,” he argued gently. “But, I will admit what we have seen so far doesn’t give me much confidence.”
Cindy sat down heavily on the small sofa, her frustration bubbling over. “It’s not just the curtains, Greg. It’s everything. The way she’s handling this, the way she talks to us… She’s treating us like we’re not even people anymore, just pets or something to take care of. She doesn’t understand what it really means to be responsible for someone’s well-being, especially not us.”
Greg nodded, his expression somber. “I know, Cindy. But we have to remember that this is new for her too. She’s trying to figure it out, just like we are. She’s a teenager—she’s going to make mistakes. But that doesn’t mean she’s completely incapable.”
Cindy shook her head, the worry evident in her eyes. “But what if she doesn’t learn? What if she keeps making the wrong decisions? We can’t just wait around and hope she figures it out while we’re the ones who have to live with the consequences.”
Greg didn’t have a good answer for that. The truth was, they were in a precarious situation, one that relied heavily on Madison’s ability to grow into her new role as their guardian. And as much as he wanted to believe she could do it, the doubts lingered in the back of his mind.
“All we can do is try to help her understand,” Greg said finally, his voice filled with quiet determination. “We have to find a way to get through to her, to make her see that we’re still her parents, that we still have value beyond being Littles. Maybe if we can do that, she’ll start to change the way she treats us.”
Cindy looked at him, her expression softening slightly. “I hope you’re right, Greg. I really do. But it’s hard not to feel like we’re losing her, like we’re losing everything.”
Greg shook his head. “No, we don’t know. But we’re in this together, and as long as we are, we’ll find a way to make it through.”
Greg felt a deep pang of sorrow as he listened to Cindy’s words, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and despair. He knew she was right in feeling the way she did—everything about their situation was wrong, twisted in a way that defied logic and fairness. They had lived their entire lives as people, with all the rights and dignity that came with that, and now they were expected to simply accept that they were Littles, to adjust to a life that seemed demeaning and inhumane.
“I know, Cindy,” Greg replied softly, his own voice thick with emotion. “I know this isn’t fair. We weren’t supposed to be like this. We’re not supposed to be Littles. But here we are, and I don’t know why it happened or how. It’s… it’s like everything we were, everything we thought we knew, was just taken away from us.”
Cindy’s tears flowed freely as she looked out at Madison’s room, the once familiar space now distorted and foreign from the confines of their habitat. “We were immune, Greg. They said we were safe. This was never supposed to happen to us. We’re not… we’re not supposed to be in this position, like some kind of underbred creatures. We’re supposed to be people. We are people.”
Greg pulled Cindy close, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his chest. He wished he had the answers, that he could tell her why this had happened or how they could reverse it. But he didn’t. All he could do was be there for her, to hold her and try to comfort her in a situation that felt beyond consolation.
“We are people, Cindy,” Greg whispered, trying to reassure her even as he struggled with the same doubts and fears. “We’re still the same people we’ve always been, no matter what’s happened to us. And I don’t care what anyone says—nothing can change that.”
But even as he spoke the words, Greg knew they rang hollow. Their situation was so far removed from anything they had ever known or understood. They were Littles now, and no matter how much they clung to their sense of identity, the world saw them differently. Madison, their own daughter, was treating them as if they were something less than human, and the fear that she would never see them as her parents again gnawed at him.
“I just don’t understand how this happened,” Cindy murmured, her voice muffled against Greg’s chest. “We did everything right, Greg. We followed all the rules, took all the precautions. How could we end up like this?”
“I don’t know,” Greg admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I wish I had an answer for you. But all we can do now is try to figure out how to live with this. We have to keep trying, Cindy. For us, for Madison… for everything we used to be.”
Cindy pulled back slightly, looking up at Greg with tear-filled eyes. “But what if we can’t, Greg? What if this is all there is now? What if we’re stuck like this forever?”
Greg’s heart ached at the hopelessness in her voice, but he forced himself to be strong for her. “We won’t give up, Cindy. We can’t. We have to believe that there’s still a way out of this, even if we don’t see it yet. And we have to trust that Madison will come to see us for who we really are. It’s going to take time, but we have to hold on to hope.”
Cindy nodded slowly, though the fear and doubt were still etched in her features. “I’ll try, Greg. I’ll try to hold on. But it’s so hard…”
“I know it is,” Greg said, his voice filled with compassion. “But we’ll get through this together. We’ve always been strong, Cindy. We just have to keep fighting, even when it feels impossible.”
As they sat together in the dim light of the habitat, the enormity of their situation weighed heavily on them both. They were no longer the people they had once been, but they weren’t ready to accept that they were just Littles, either. They were caught in a liminal space, struggling to find a way to reconcile their past with their present.
The path ahead was uncertain, and the challenges they faced were daunting. But Greg and Cindy knew that they couldn’t afford to give up. They had to keep fighting, keep searching for a way to reclaim their humanity, even if it seemed impossible. Because no matter what had happened to them, they were still people, and they would hold on to that truth as long as they had each other.
“They were no longer the people they had once been, but they weren’t ready to accept that they were just Littles, either. They were caught in a liminal space, struggling to find a way to reconcile their past with their present”
this really brings home the whole grieving process for finding out you aren’t immune\are going to be a little. I really hope Madison pulls back a lot more and that her friends don’t pressure her to double down on her treatment.
Its especially hard for them as they were blindsided by it. Most people who were infected knew ahead of time. Jordan was similarly blindsided but he and his family had discussions as it was more in a time when there wans’t as high of a degree of understanding.
In Greg and Cindy’s time. It very much doesn’t
happen anymore that you don’t know. As cases in general are going down as manypeople who were vulnerable are already infected.
1) “Madison’s world had become a…” love it when writers slip the title into their stories (though I don’t count it for Smallara, or stories where the title is just a character’s name as that’s two easy)
2) I was gonna call it shitty that Madison left them in the darkness, but the habit lights turning on after a timer was a nice touch.
3) “She’s treating us like we’re not even people anymore, just pets or something” she really is, I completely agree with Cindy here. I wonder who taught Maddie to treat littles like that. 🤔
4) I love seeing Greg try to comfort his wife. Defending Madison wouldn’t be easy in his position.
5) it’s terrifying for them how much of their hope relies on Madison growing up amd maturing out if the lessons THEY taught her
6) “Because no matter what had happened to them, they were still people, and they would hold on to that truth as long as they had each other” the funny thing is, If they were better people before shrinking, they could have had a house where littke are considered people. While not the majority belief, it’s still one people have in this world.
7) sucks they have nothing to do but weight for their daughters, no phone or anything to watch to entertain themselves.
1) It happens a few time. I honestly i forgot I put that in this chapter. As It happens later on and as well and I thought that was the first time.
2)yup, she installed a timed lighting like its a fishtank to simulate the day and night cycle for them. As she doesn’t like sunlight in her room. It was a subtle level of dominance.
3)Yes who would have ever raised her to be like that. the nerve fo that person.
4)Cindy is hurt and angry where Greg is more metered he is caught in the middle a lot. I have some feeling for greg where for Cindy i have a bit less. As she really did make her own bed. But Greg was more drawn in ignorance is no excuse and while I think its fair not to directly care about something you think doesn’t affect you. But, choosing not to care is equally a choice he is paying for.
5) Yes, and Madison is old enough that something like that could not happen. I mean your opinions and stances on things do start to get set in some ways around her age. THey have to hope she has a reason to reconsider which she might not.
6)yes, there stance as a family is hurting them granted while Cindy was more on the harsh hardline side of it. Most peoples belief structure isn’t that littles are people as its just not something that covered or presented to the masses as anything but “fake news” and lies or what is more commonly done its just never brought tup and when it is its buried or not covered with the same energy. Front page vs back page news.
7)yes it will be quite awhile till they get something too. I just wrote episode 54 and a entertainment device was just introduced.
2) oh, here I was mistaking it for an act if consideration, clearly I need to be more critical of your giantesses, lol.
3) it’s a mystery, hopefully Karma has caught them though.
4) Greg being metered is probably to both their benefits, I too am more sympathetic to Greg than Cindy, Cindy made both their beds.
I agree that not caring is a choice, Actions have consequences, but inaction, also has consequences. I wouldn’t say Greg has been entirely inactive though, he defended McKenzie’s right to have her own opinion, which grants him reprieve as he’s clearly the favourite and favoured by McKenzie who thinks higher of littles than Madison.
5) very true, it’s never too late to change one’s opinions, though it does get harder as time goes on. One issue is she’s been taught not to truly listen to littkes so they will have a hard time teaching or convincing her.
6) most people do believe littles aren’t, but that doesn’t mean the Wessens had to aswell, Gracewood, Sanches and Brooks all believe otherwise there are rallies and such fir the issue, I’d say it’s like Jordan’s conspiracy theories, their own fault for falling for them.
7) 54? Sounds like you’ve been cooking.
Though seriously no entertainment is needlessly cruel. At least when Sara did it, she meant it as a punishment. (Not that the punishment was deserved or fair though)
2) lol that is not what you should take from that. It is also a bit kindness on her part but she would never admit it.
3) Yes one of the worlds biggest mysteries.
4)Yes, Greg is the MVP in some ways. Greg and McKenzie have a good relationship overall. He did defend her right to have her opinions to Cindy which is kind of coming back on Cindy now as her relationship with McKenize is the more strained between the two. As opposed to Madison who wholly believes what her mother taught her.
5)100% agree with you it does get harder every day, every year. I agree with you again that because Madison was taught to not listen to littles now that they are litltes it is harder for her to hear anything from her parents like that. She would probably need it to be from some kind of outside source. Be it a friend, teacher, McKenzie, etc.
6) True Wessens could have been better . CIndy was so ardently opposed though. Shes basically an anti little activist
7) Yes, we’ve been cookin’ a feast over here. The rendering is further behind but the writing is movin’
2) it’s not? Are you sure? Lol
4) Greg’s easily my Favourite Wessen, yes Cindy’s in a bad spot, but Greg defending McKenzie then puts him in a better position to defend Cindy now. I can see Greg taking on a negotiator role in family conflicts, both before and after infection.
5) I’d say most likely it’d start with McKenzie influencing her,to listen tothemmote, or maybe just Greg. Then once that door opens more could come in.
6) Cindy I have almost no sympathy for, she actually petitioned to have anti little lessons taught in school.
7) sounds like we’ll get at least into November with it, are we gonna close out the year in Madison’s World?