Kayla Episode 17: A Smallara Side Story

The air inside Talisa’s jacket pocket was warm and stale. Kelli had never imagined her life would come to this—a world where her body was small enough to be comfortably held in someone’s pocket, let alone the pocket of Talisa. It was cramped but soft, the fabric of the lining rubbing against her clothes and skin as she shifted around, trying to get comfortable. The faint scent of Talisa’s perfume, a mix of vanilla and something floral, hung in the air. The smell wasn’t unpleasant, but it was persistent, and after a while, Kelli found it overwhelming. Everything was overwhelming now.

Her reality had shrunk. Literally.

As Talisa walked, each of her steps sent tremors through the fabric. Kelli felt every vibration, every slight movement, as though the ground beneath her were constantly shifting. The world outside the pocket was muffled, distant—like hearing a party going on in another room, the sounds and conversations just out of reach. She could make out the dull roar of the subway train somewhere in the distance, the rhythmic clatter of wheels on tracks echoing through the walls of her fabric prison.

With every step Talisa took, Kelli swayed in time with her. The constant movement made it difficult to settle, her body instinctively bracing with each sway. The motion wasn’t violent, but it was unsteady, like being in the cabin of a boat, the gentle rocking never quite letting her feel at ease. At least Talisa was considerate—Kelli had to give her that. She was careful, moving slowly, trying not to jostle her too much. But even so, the power imbalance was stark. Talisa was a giant, and Kelli? She was just along for the ride.

From her position inside the pocket, Kelli could hear the muted sounds of the world outside. The low murmur of voices passed by, fragmented conversations that she couldn’t quite make out. Occasionally, a car horn blared, the sound so distant it barely registered. Footsteps, voices, laughter—it all came through as if the volume had been turned down on the entire city. She used to be part of that world, walking those same streets. Now she was tucked away, hidden from sight like some kind of secret.

The subway terminal came into focus next—a familiar hum reverberating through the concrete walls and into Talisa’s jacket. Kelli braced herself as Talisa moved, her footfalls quickening slightly as they neared the station. Every time Talisa adjusted her stance, Kelli felt the subtle pull and shift of gravity. It was disorienting, the way her weight was constantly thrown off balance with each change in direction.

When Talisa swiped her subway pass, the motion sent a ripple through the pocket, and Kelli had to grab onto the fabric lining to steady herself. The thrum of the train entering the station reverberated through her body, the deep rumble making her feel like she was standing inside a subwoofer. Even though she wasn’t directly on the platform, the noise was still enough to send a slight tremor through the jacket.

She hated this—being small, being so utterly dependent on others. Talisa was careful, yes, but there was no escaping the fact that Kelli was in her pocket. She was cargo, an accessory. A shiver of indignation ran through her, but it was immediately swallowed by a wave of helplessness. This is what my life has become, she thought bitterly. A passenger in someone else’s world.

The train doors slid open with a mechanical hiss, and Kelli felt a brief gust of cooler air sweep into the pocket as Talisa boarded. The sudden movement made Kelli sink deeper into the fabric, and she gritted her teeth in frustration. Her world tilted again as Talisa sat down, the weight of her body settling into the subway seat, and Kelli felt herself press into the bottom of the pocket, cradled by the soft material. She could feel the vibrations of the train as it started to move, the hum of the subway car growing louder as they picked up speed.

The constant rocking of the train wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either. Each time the train hit a bump in the track, Kelli felt it, a soft jolt passing through the fabric and into her body. She tried to reposition herself, pressing her back against the wall of the pocket, her knees tucked up slightly to take up as little space as possible. It was stifling in there, the air thick with Talisa’s warmth, and Kelli felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of her neck.

She could hear the faint murmur of people talking in the subway car, though the words were indistinguishable. It was strange, hearing the world go on without her. She used to be a part of those conversations—laughing, making plans, going places. Now she was trapped, hidden away in a pocket while the world moved on. The distant sounds of the train—wheels screeching on the tracks, the hiss of the brakes as they slowed at each stop—had become the soundtrack to her life.

Talisa fidgeted, and Kelli felt the movement immediately. Her body shifted as Talisa crossed her legs, the pocket adjusting with the change in position. The subtle motion threw off Kelli’s balance, and she pressed her hands against the fabric to steady herself. Every small action Talisa made reverberated through her, amplified in the confined space. Even a slight shift of Talisa’s weight was enough to make Kelli feel like the ground beneath her had moved.

After what felt like an eternity, the train began to slow, and Kelli felt the familiar deceleration as they approached the next station. The brakes screeched, and Kelli instinctively braced herself against the walls of the pocket. She had learned to expect the sudden jerks of the train, but that didn’t make them any easier to endure. Each stop felt like the world tipping over for a second, and her stomach churned with the motion.

The train came to a halt, and she felt Talisa rise from her seat, the sudden vertical motion jostling her again. Kelli gripped the pocket lining as Talisa stepped off the train and began walking toward the exit. Her strides were steady but powerful, each footfall sending a ripple through Kelli’s confined space. The noise of the subway faded as they emerged onto the street, replaced by the bustling sounds of the city above ground.

The steady rhythm of Talisa’s skateboard resumed, the familiar rolling sound of wheels on pavement filling Kelli’s ears. Talisa moved fluidly, pushing off with each foot in a smooth, practiced motion. The wind picked up as they gained speed, and Kelli could feel it ruffling the fabric of the pocket, brushing against her face like a cool breeze. It was almost refreshing, a brief respite from the stifling heat inside the pocket.

But the constant motion never stopped. Talisa’s movements, as graceful as they were, still left Kelli feeling disoriented. Each push of the skateboard sent a wave through the pocket, making Kelli shift uncomfortably, her body reacting to the gentle but persistent swaying. She hated it. She hated how small she was, how insignificant she felt being carried like this. The wind might have been cool, but it only reminded her of the life she used to live—the freedom she once had, the ability to move on her own terms.

Now, her world was defined by the movements of others.

After what felt like another eternity, the familiar creak of a door opening signaled that they had arrived. The sound of the skateboard wheels stopped as Talisa picked it up, the pocket swaying gently as she carried it under her arm. Kelli could hear the subtle creaks and groans of the old house as Talisa stepped inside, her footsteps now muted against the softer floor of the hallway.

The pocket shifted, and Kelli’s stomach dropped as Talisa bent down to set her skateboard aside. Light poured in as Talisa’s fingers gently lifted her out of the pocket, the sudden brightness making Kelli blink as her eyes adjusted. The world around her expanded once again, growing vast and overwhelming as Talisa placed her on the surface of her desk.

“There we go,” Talisa said softly, her voice filled with a casual warmth. “Home sweet home.”

Kelli stretched, trying to work out the stiffness in her muscles from being curled up inside the pocket for so long. She looked around Talisa’s room—at the posters on the walls, the scattered clothes on the floor, the soft glow of the lamp on the nightstand. It was such a normal space, so mundane. And yet, for Kelli, it might as well have been another planet.

She glanced up at Talisa, who was busy putting her things away, her movements casual and unbothered. For her, this was just another day. For Kelli, it was another reminder of how small her world had become.

Kelli sighed, sinking onto the edge of the desk. This is my life now, she thought bitterly. In someone’s pocket, or at their mercy.

It wasn’t fair, but it was her reality. And there was nothing she could do about it.

Related Images: