Kayla Episode 3

Kayla Episode 3: A Smallara Side Story

The world felt infinitely larger to Kelli now, overwhelmingly vast, towering, and indifferent. Everything she once knew, once took for granted, had been made irrelevant by the disease that shrank her to this size. She felt vulnerable in ways she could have never imagined, reduced to a mere Little in a world built for the Kaylas of society. Nothing here was meant for her anymore, not the streets, the buildings, or even the conversations. It all catered to the full-sized, leaving her on the margins.

“Hold on tight, Kelli! We’re heading to the old skate park,” Kayla called out, her voice booming from above like a force of nature. She pushed off with her foot, glancing down at Kelli, who was clinging to the skateboard. Kayla’s calm expression reassured her, though Kelli couldn’t shake the anxiety gnawing at her gut. Kayla was confident, she always was on her board and Kelli knew she could be scooped up or saved in an instant if anything went wrong. But still, the world seemed too unpredictable, too big to feel completely safe.

After several minutes, Kelli was starting to grow accustomed to this new mode of travel. The rush of air against her face no longer left her frozen in terror. She found herself daring to look up, the vertigo fading slightly as her body began to trust her sister’s steady movements. The scenery blurred past her, but Kelli was still painfully aware of how small she was compared to everything. She had asked Kayla to take her out, feeling trapped and bored at home. But as she was carried along, it struck her, this wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want this version of life. She wanted her old one, the one where she could walk alongside Kayla, not be hauled around like an accessory. Being home wasn’t freedom. It was just a different kind of cage.

As Kayla shifted her weight to navigate a crack in the sidewalk, Kelli’s gaze was drawn downward. Her tiny hands clutched the skateboard, and just inches away, she noticed the grime caked into the crevices of Kayla’s worn sneakers. It was a humbling sight, and one that filled her with an odd, uncomfortable realization, this was her world now, gazing up at the bottom of people’s shoes. Above her, Kayla and Talisa’s conversation flowed like it always did, mindlessly chatting about that dumb video game they were obsessed with. The only difference now was that Kelli couldn’t tune it out. She was subject to it, stuck in their world of trivialities, while her own reality felt so distant and unimportant.

It was all just a reminder that everything had flipped. Once, Kelli had taken Kayla to do things, helped guide her through life’s moments. Now, she was the one tagging along, no longer a leader but a sidekick. And the worst part? There was no changing it. The age gap between them, so significant at their age, made it even worse. Kelli had been the funny, popular, outgoing one. Kayla was the shy, awkward, nerdy sister, the one who avoided confrontation and let others walk over her. Kelli used to feel a sense of superiority over her, she was the bold one, the one who made things happen.

But now, she was stuck. Stuck as the Little to her timid, introverted younger sister. It felt like some cruel joke. And it wasn’t like she could turn to her old friends for comfort, those friends from college had disappeared the moment she shrank. None of them wanted to be reminded of what could happen to them. She couldn’t even blame them. But the sting of abandonment was still there. What had she done to deserve to be cast aside so easily? They should have understood, been there for her. But no, they were too afraid of the same fate.

Her thoughts wandered to Jordan, a Little she had mett, whose owner Sara—though controlling, at least let him live a full life. He was out there, doing things, seeing places, while Kelli had to beg just to leave the house. A bitter taste filled her mouth. Was this Kayla’s plan? To keep her dependent, tied to her side, always just a little too confined?

She could almost hear Kayla’s voice in her head, offering some twisted consolation: “You want to see the outdoors? Come to school with me. You’ll get to meet people. It’ll be fun!” The image made Kelli want to laugh and scream at the same time. The thought of being paraded around at school as Kayla’s Little? No thanks. She’d rather stay inside and rot.

The sound of Talisa’s voice snapped her out of her spiral. “So, any big changes now that Kelli’s living with you?” Talisa asked casually as they swerved down a back path, avoiding the more crowded streets.

“Not really,” Kayla responded, sounding almost nonchalant. “Kelli’s in my room now. But we each have our own spaces. I got her this bed, it’s huge for her, like a mini apartment. It’s actually super cute. I found her lounging in it the other day.”

Talisa chuckled. “That’s adorable. So what’s gonna happen to her old room?”

Kayla shrugged as she maneuvered the board around a corner. “Still has her stuff in it for now. Eventually…”

Kelli tuned them out, staring down at the ground rushing beneath her. They were talking about her life as if it were some kind of afterthought, just a little detail in their world. That was the worst part, this was her new reality, but to everyone else, it was just another topic of casual conversation.

And she hated every second of it.

Smallara Back Smallara Fast Foward

Related Images:

5 1 vote
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

14 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
C M
C M
5 months ago

I’m excited for when Kelli and Kayla actually talk to each other about this stuff. Cause to me there is no way Kayla just lets kelli go through life like this. She just seems too nice and she and Kelli seem a lot closer than we’ve seen thus far. I’m sure it’s an adjustment, but eventually they’ll hash it out. Both of them would benefit from it a lot, Kayla would have a close confidant that she could lean on for moments where she is too timid or lacking confidence, and Kelli will have a guardian that would actually listen to her needs and wants and try to accommodate

C M
C M
Reply to  Asukafan2001
5 months ago

that’s true, but it’d be sad if Kayla and Kelli didn’t become closer, or worse, some how became more distant as time went on. they come across as being really close with Kelli having wanted to make sure Kayla had the best possible life prior to everythig flipping.

Nodqfan
5 months ago

Kelli going to school with Kayla would be interesting.

She was also probably used to being the center of attention and now she’s not, she’s just a pet to her little sister.

Lethal Ledgend
5 months ago

0) Happy New Year’s Y’all

1.1) “reduced to a mere Little in a world built for the Kaylas of society” I love how she filters it through her sister like that, instead of saying it’s for the immunes.
1.2) “Nothing here was meant for her anymore, not the streets, the buildings, or even the conversations” That would be a mighty sting for her.

2.1) “Hold on tight, Kelli! We’re heading to the old skate park,” That does no sound safe for a little
2.2) “She pushed off with her foot, glancing down at Kelli, who was clinging to the skateboard” That sounds even less safe.
2.3) “Kelli knew she could be scooped up or saved in an instant if anything went wrong” that doesn’t make it seem safer.

3) “this wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want this version of life. She wanted her old one, the one where she could walk alongside Kayla, not be hauled around like an accessory” poor Kelli.

4) “and just inches away, she noticed the grime caked into the crevices of Kayla’s worn sneakers” she’s the only Little I’m certain wouldn’t be asked to clean that grime.

5) “Once, Kelli had taken Kayla to do things, helped guide her through life’s moments. Now, she was the one tagging along, no longer a leader but a sidekick.” not even a sidekick, a pet.

6) “The age gap between them, so significant at their age, made it even worse” it would seem so much worse being the elder sibling.

7) “Kelli had been the funny, popular, outgoing one. Kayla was the shy, awkward, nerdy sister, the one who avoided confrontation and let others walk over her. Kelli used to feel a sense of superiority over her, she was the bold one, the one who made things happen.” enduring that drastic of a change would be brutal, especially since learning she couldn’t even help Kayla with the people walking all over her.

8.1) “it wasn’t like she could turn to her old friends for comfort, those friends from college had disappeared the moment she shrank” I can imagine that’d be a common experience for Littles, for various reasons.
8.2) “None of them wanted to be reminded of what could happen to them” that makes sense for her vulnerable friends, but her immune friends abandoned her too.

9) “Her thoughts wandered to Jordan, a Little she had met, whose owner Sara—though controlling, at least let him live a full life.” Kelli’s better off than Jordan. (they’re 6th and 7th best off little IMHO)

10) “Kelli had to beg just to leave the house. A bitter taste filled her mouth. Was this Kayla’s plan? To keep her dependent, tied to her side, always just a little too confined?” I don’t think Kayla’s got much of a plan, She clearly is still adapting Like Kelli is.

11) “She could almost hear Kayla’s voice in her head, offering some twisted consolation: “You want to see the outdoors? Come to school with me. You’ll get to meet people. It’ll be fun!” The image made Kelli want to laugh and scream at the same time” Kayla likely meant that as a genuine offer, though I understand why Kelli would hate it.

12) “So, any big changes now that Kelli’s living with you?” Talisa asked casually” How long has Kayal had reduced Kelli at this point?

13) “I got her this bed, it’s huge for her, like a mini apartment. It’s actually super cute. I found her lounging in it the other day.” I love her (comparatively) Swimming pool-sized bed, it looks awesome to lounge on.

14) “Still has her stuff in it for now. Eventually…” Kelli tuned them out,” I think Kelli’s gonna want to hear this.

15) “They were talking about her life as if it were some kind of afterthought, just a little detail in their world. That was the worst part, this was her new reality, but to everyone else, it was just another topic of casual conversation.” I do feel bad for Kelli, she’s in a really shitty position.

C M
C M
Reply to  Lethal Ledgend
5 months ago

15) I’m hoping there’s a heart to heart in these episodes. I’m sure Kayla is just socially awkward and not sure how to feel still, but once they have an honest talk, they’ll be a much stronger pair. Of the ones that have a long standing series, Kayla and Kelli, imo, seem to be the ones with the happier possibilities.

Lethal Ledgend
Reply to  C M
5 months ago

15) Indeed, these two are the best candidates for talking out their issues.

Lethal Ledgend
Reply to  Asukafan2001
5 months ago

1.1) it definitely did.
1 2) even a more extroverted guardian would be at least a bit better for her.

2.1) It’s not just her I worry about, any civilian or animal could be a massive hazard. Is there somewhere for littles to be safe at the skatepark
2.2) that would be terrifying.

4) That’s a form of forced labour avoided.

5) she wouldn’t, but society would.

6) personality clash would be a factor.

7) that’d maje it worse, like it started the moment Kelli turned her back.

8.1) at least Jordan’s friends aren’t as shallow.

9) Grass is always greener on the other side, plus Kelli’s only seen the front Sara puts up, never the real her.

10) I like Kayla, but it’s clear she’s only taking care of a Little because it’s her sister, whereas Sara wants a Little for the sake of having a little.

11) once agian better communication is needed, (like CM mentioned)

14) she’s given up quickly.

15) no, and I don’t blame her.

smoki07
smoki07
5 months ago

Good start.

washsnowghost
4 months ago

It seems to me that kayla and her friend would make a good couple even though her friend commented on not having a boy. Maybe that is something Kelli can help with.

Lethal Ledgend
Reply to  washsnowghost
4 months ago

Kayla does have a boyfriend, She mentioned him previously.

Kelli could possibly help Talisa