164
R. Barrett and P. P. Delsanto
Marigold’s protests were too late, because Alice had already
snatched the red container, and began swallowing pills, one
after the other, as if they were chocolates. Marigold grabbed a
second red container, and then the green one, and popped the
red pills in an attempt to keep up with her daughter.
At first Marigold thought that the world about her was
growing. The nearby table was now so big she could no longer
see over the top. Her sister was a huge giant, with a silly grin on
her face, who was waving a hand as big as a side of beef at her.
Only Alice seemed at all normal, except for a gleam of rapture
in her eyes. She was clearly enjoying herself, more than she had
done for many months.
Their shrinkage was now accelerating. Down they went
through a forest that Marigold realised must be the nap of the
carpet. As they got smaller, they were surrounded by minute
animals propelling themselves around by various mechanisms.
Some sort of microbe, perhaps, thought Marigold. When was
this going to end? How many of those confounded pills had they
eaten?
Finally, the shrinkage slowed and stopped. Alice took hold of
her mother’s hand. Her sense of adventure only went so far.
“Yuk! What are those ugly things?” asked Alice, pointing at a
group of large, blurry structures, just to their right.
“I don’t know,” replied Marigold, her voice wavering with
fright.
“Molecules, of course. Don’t they teach you anything in school
these days?” Marigold and Alice started in unison, and turned
to see a little bald-headed man, about a third as tall as Alice,
staring at them.
“Who are you?” they asked, as one.
“Felix Abernethy Quantum, Ph.D., F.A.P.S., R.M.V., at your
service. I can see this is your first visit to Nanoland. There’s
nothing to be afraid of – if you’re careful. I come here all the
time. It makes for a nice outing.”
“Oh, really,” said Alice, as she noticed a continuous flashing
of ultrafast, very small particles flying in all directions. “What
happens if one of those things hits us?” At that very moment,
Marigold was indeed struck. "Mom, mom, are you all right?”
"I’m fine. Just a tickle. It doesn’t hurt at all.” She began to
giggle. Moments later Alice was also hit, and then Marigold
R. Barrett and P. P. Delsanto
Marigold’s protests were too late, because Alice had already
snatched the red container, and began swallowing pills, one
after the other, as if they were chocolates. Marigold grabbed a
second red container, and then the green one, and popped the
red pills in an attempt to keep up with her daughter.
At first Marigold thought that the world about her was
growing. The nearby table was now so big she could no longer
see over the top. Her sister was a huge giant, with a silly grin on
her face, who was waving a hand as big as a side of beef at her.
Only Alice seemed at all normal, except for a gleam of rapture
in her eyes. She was clearly enjoying herself, more than she had
done for many months.
Their shrinkage was now accelerating. Down they went
through a forest that Marigold realised must be the nap of the
carpet. As they got smaller, they were surrounded by minute
animals propelling themselves around by various mechanisms.
Some sort of microbe, perhaps, thought Marigold. When was
this going to end? How many of those confounded pills had they
eaten?
Finally, the shrinkage slowed and stopped. Alice took hold of
her mother’s hand. Her sense of adventure only went so far.
“Yuk! What are those ugly things?” asked Alice, pointing at a
group of large, blurry structures, just to their right.
“I don’t know,” replied Marigold, her voice wavering with
fright.
“Molecules, of course. Don’t they teach you anything in school
these days?” Marigold and Alice started in unison, and turned
to see a little bald-headed man, about a third as tall as Alice,
staring at them.
“Who are you?” they asked, as one.
“Felix Abernethy Quantum, Ph.D., F.A.P.S., R.M.V., at your
service. I can see this is your first visit to Nanoland. There’s
nothing to be afraid of – if you’re careful. I come here all the
time. It makes for a nice outing.”
“Oh, really,” said Alice, as she noticed a continuous flashing
of ultrafast, very small particles flying in all directions. “What
happens if one of those things hits us?” At that very moment,
Marigold was indeed struck. "Mom, mom, are you all right?”
"I’m fine. Just a tickle. It doesn’t hurt at all.” She began to
giggle. Moments later Alice was also hit, and then Marigold