Oh, the Possibilities

Jacob first met Molly at the gym. She'd been jogging—well, sprinting, really—on the treadmill next to him and he'd pushed his workout an extra fifteen minutes to spend more time next to her. She had the face of a vintage film starlet and the body of a fitness model. The latter bit made sense, since a quick glance at her treadmill readout indicated she'd run over eight miles in an hour. Not only that, but her smell was unnaturally intoxicating—like a vanilla perfume that wafted in the air around her. Eventually, Jacob's body betrayed him, and he resignedly stopped the treadmill, only to have her stop immediately after.

"Impressive stamina you've got there," she said. "I thought you'd never stop, and I wouldn't get to say hi."

Her admission would have delighted him, but he was preoccupied with trying to stay conscious. "Y...yeah." he croaked, between breaths. "Niceto...meetyou." His vision was blurry and his legs shook under him. This wasn't quite the first impression he'd hoped for.

"Don't collapse, okay?" She stepped down, and crossed over to him. The vanilla smell filled his nostrils as she approached, and she placed a hand on his back. "Take it easy, you'll be okay." Amazingly, he felt better the instant she touched him, and his breathing returned, along with his confidence.

"Thanks. You seem to have fared better than me."

"I run a lot. It's a talent of mine." She wasn't kidding. As far as Jacob could tell, she'd barely broken a sweat. 

"Well, I'm still getting used to exercise again. As you can see, I'm not quite where you are."

"Keep at it. I expect to see you in here again."

"I'd like to see you again," Jacob blurted, before she could turn around. She turned back at him, giving him a curious look."

"Oh, really?"

"Maybe we could...have lunch sometime?"

"Aw, how sweet. Why not tomorrow? I have some errands in the morning, but if you'd like to join me for lunch, I'll cook. We can figure out the rest of the evening from there."

This was unexpected, to say the least. Jacob forced himself to look confident—which was tricky since shocked, giddy, and dumbfounded were his first impulses. 

"Absolutely, that sounds like fun. Wow, I don't even know your—"

She extended her hand towards him. "Molly." As they shook hands, Jacob caught the vanilla scent again, now almost electric in it's potency. "And you look like a...'Jacob'. Am I right?"

Jacob couldn't hide his surprise. "Um, yes. That's right. How did you know?"

"It's another talent. Anyways, I live in Northshore Heights. Call me when you arrive. I'll buzz you in." Her enchanting aroma lingered, and Jacob struggled to keep his bearings. "Here's my number." Molly handed over a business card. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out where she would have been keeping it.

"Sounds good, Molly. I'll see you tomorrow."

"i'm looking forward to it." Molly said, her grin stretching wider as she turned and strode away. Jacob drank in every inch of her lean profile, before heading back to the locker room, his mind reeling with excitement.

Molly's apartment was on 13th floor of the downtown Northshore Heights apartments. Jacob had always been told buildings didn't have 13th floors due to 13 being "unlucky"—a fact he always found ridiculous. On this particular day, however, he wondered what this might mean for his own luck. He'd never been in or even near the Northshore Heights building, as most people who lived there made more in a month than he made in a year. After spending $12 to park his car nearby, he'd texted her that he'd arrived. She she responded with a smiley face, followed by "C ya soon. Come on up."

As Jacob approached the front entrance, the automatic glass doors opened into a marble foyer. The elevator, which had no buttons on the inside or outside, also opened as he approached and shot upwards to what he hoped would be her floor. Upon reaching the 13th floor, he stepped into a narrow corridor with only a single door at the end. As the elevator shut behind him, a vague uneasiness set in. What kind of place is this? Who is this girl? What am I getting myself into? In the midst of these doubts, a familiar vanilla scent filled the air. Casting all thoughts aside, Jacob headed down the short hallway to her door, and knocked lightly.

"It's open, come on in!" 

He opened the door, stepping into an an unusually spacious studio apartment, decorated simply, with high vaulted ceilings and large windows with a breathtaking view of the city skyline. Molly stood in the kitchen to his right, busy at work preparing food. The fragrance of exotic spices filled the air, though through it all, he could still pick up on the familiar electric vanilla smell, like an afterthought. She wore a leopard-print tube top, designer jeans, and golden stiletto heels that raised her 5'7" to his 5'10". She gave him a bright, welcoming smile.

"Nice to see you, Jacob."

"I'm not late, am I?

"No, no. I'm actually running a tad behind. Lunch is almost ready. Have a seat." She gestured to a small table set for two. There was a bottle of wine on the table, as well a small cup of a steaming blue liquid.

"What's this?"

"An appetizer, of sorts. Try it."

He sat down at the table, and picked up the small cup. The liquid was clear, but had a thick consistency. If not for the color, he would have guessed some kind of broth. He hesitated, and Molly peeked her head out from the kitchen.

"You have no allergies, right?"

"No, it's not that. I've just never seen anything like this. I'm quite curious what..."

"It's a regional delicacy I picked up overseas. Some rare fruits mixed with a concentrated broth. Very difficult to prepare." 

"Hm." He brought the cup to his mouth, but stopped when he thought he saw something sparkle as he tilted it to his lips. The electric vanilla scent launched into his nostrils, more powerful than ever.

"Is something wrong?" Molly asked. Jacob almost jumped out of his seat. He hadn't heard her approach, but had she suddenly appeared right next to him. "It hasn't gone cold has it?"

"Oh no, I just...I'm actually worried it may be too hot."

"Oh no, don't worry about that. Too much heat throws of the flavor balance. It should be perfect. Please, try it." She reached over, nudged the bowl to his lips. Before he could protest, the liquid met his lips, and touched his tongue. At first it had no taste at all, but out of nowhere, the rich flavor shot from the tip of his tongue to the back of his throat. Whatever it was, it was exquisite.

"Drink it in one go," Molly said, her voice eager. "It's best that way."

Jacob obliged, tilting the cup upward and letting the rest flow into his mouth. The richness grew stronger as he continued to drink. When he began to think the flavor would overwhelm him, the cup was empty. Sitting back, he savored the remnants of the flavor that lingered on his tongue.

"I've never had anything like that. It's amazing!"

"It's taken me literally years to master it. In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever gotten it right."

"Well, congratulations. You've nailed it, whatever it is."

“Thank you, Jacob, though I'm afraid the rest of the meal will be disappointingly standard in comparison."

She gestured to the rest of the food on the table, which included small servings of vegetables, skewered meat, and cheeses—all prepared and presented to perfection.

“Oh, it looks more than standard." He searched the table, looking for a second cup of soup. "No soup for you?"

The question seemed to catch her off guard. "No, I...I only had enough ingredients for a single serving."

"Oh, okay. I was curious."

"That's fine. Curiosity won't kill you. Now, tell me a bit about yourself, Jacob."

As they ate, Molly listened intently asJacob told her about how he'd moved to the city a year ago, leaving his career as a graphic designer for a national publication to be closer to his girlfriend. He recounted how his ex had met someone else while he was driving across the country with the intent to propose to her, and how he'd arrived to find she'd moved way from the area. He vented about his entry level job in phone tech support he'd taken to pay the bills, and how he struggled to find another job that better matched his interests. Lastly, he told her about how if nothing else in his life could go well, he would at least try to get in shape.

"And then I met you at the gym yesterday, and you invited me here." He glanced across the room at the large antique clock on the wall. "Oh wow, have I really been talking for almost an hour? I'm so sorry!"

Molly shook herself back into the present. "An hour? It's been an hour?"

"Yeah. Geez, I barely even let you say a word." He smiled, but Molly didn't look at him. She only stared down at her empty plate, as well as the six empty ones stacked next to it.

"Hey, you okay?"

Molly didn't look up. "Jacob, you're a really good person, and you've been through a lot."

"Yeah, I didn't meant to dump all that on you on our first da...um, my first time over." Jacob mentally slapped himself. "Wow, I'm sorry it must be the wine talking. That was waaaay presumptuous of me. I..." Jacob's words caught in his throat as he felt the sudden warmth of her hand on his. Molly now looked directly at him with a sad smile on her face. As he met her eyes, she looked away, clearly having a fierce battle of emotion in her head.

"Hey, don't let my misfortune bring you down." He looked around, "it looks like you're doing pretty well for yourself, eh?"

"I...yes, I've certainly had my share of fortune."

Jacob squeezed her hand. "Well don't worry about me. I'm just thankful for this great food and having someone to listen. I'm really glad to be here...with you"

"Good. I'm glad." Molly took a breath, and suddenly stood to her feet. The electric smell of vanilla filled the air, stronger than ever before. "Jacob. Come over here."

Without a second thought, Jacob stood up and stepped over to her.

"Come closer."

Jacob did as he was told, and in an instant, Molly pressed her lips to his. Her kiss was literally electric, as he felt a charge pass through his lips that intensified into a rich tingling that he could almost hear as she gripped him and pulled him in tighter. The feeling ripped through his body, and for a moment he felt light-headed. He would have pulled away if not for the rich warmth of her hands cradling his cheeks. In that moment, he felt her hands practically envelop his face, and he opened his eyes to find she was now bending over and kissing him.

What?

Molly pulled away, and wrapped her arms around herself, clenching her fists as a vibrant energy flowed through her body. Her beautiful face savored what appeared to the purest elation one could experience, and it was enough to momentarily distract Jacob from immediately realizing he had lost at least a half-foot in height. Molly, on the other hand, blossomed upwards, exceeding even his previous height and them some. He was too shocked to be terrified, as what had happened defied all logic and reason. More than that, the feeling had been more amazing than anything he'd ever experienced.

"Please...do that again," he said.

Molly didn't hesitate. In an instant she wrapped long arms around him, her body absolutely enveloping his. Their lips met, and again his body grew warm as her delighted giggle filled his ears. Pleasure shot through his body like an orgasm, smoldering in his core, but not subsiding in the slightest. His emotions welled over, and he felt tears in his eyes as a bizarre amalgam of terror and joy overwhelmed him. Completely engulfed by the expanding woman, Jacob's vision went white as blissful tears dropped down his cheeks. Whatever she wanted from him, he would gladly give all of it.

Growing visibly larger by the second, Molly could hardly control herself. She whimpered as her swelling lips hungrily devoured his. Jacob felt his feet leave the ground, and she squeezed him with increased vigor as her body spread outwards. The electricity between them grew to a tilt, and Molly purred with delight, giving his lips a quick lick before releasing him. He tumbled backwards down her thighs and onto the floor, and she continued to grow ever larger above him. Molly squealed in ecstasy and the floorboards creaked as she experienced one last, powerful burst of growth. She wrapped her arms around herself, savoring the last of it before the feeling subsided.

"Thank you Jacob, thank you so much," she said between heavy breaths. Her delicate voice had taken on a husky tenor that reverberated off of the brick walls. "That was the biggest. The best. By far. Ever." Molly gathered the strength to stand to her full, breathtaking height, and she gazed around the room. Her magnificent body dwarfing everything around her. She'd never imagined she could feel so powerful.

Gazing upwards, Jacob struggled to take in all of her. Going by the height of the couch, he guessed he'd lost at least two feet of height, whileMolly had gained way more than that. The latch on the windows that had previously been level with his eyes was now below her crotch. She was easily over ten or eleven feet tall.

"Amazing..." Jacob said. 

Hearing his voice, Molly looked down and flash of guilt suddenly hit her. She crouched down to her knees yet again, and leaned forward. "Oh, Jacob! I almost forgot about you. Are you...alright?"

"I think so." He examined his miniaturized body, feeling grateful his clothes had at least shrunk with him. "How...?"

"I...I was so excited to get it to work, that I didn't think about what I would do if I ever got it right."

"The soup..."

"Yes, that was essential. By my own facility, I've grown a few inches in the past. A foot once, but never this much." She struggled to clear her mind, as her focus continued shifted between concern for Jacob and excitement for herself.

"So...it's permanent?" Jacob asked.

Molly nodded sheepishly. "As far as I know. This is powerful magic."

Jacob considered this for a moment, then looked back at her and shrugged. "That's cool, I guess."

It was Molly's turn to be surprised. "How can you say that after what I've done to you?"

"Because, you're everything I could want."

Molly leaned forward and took the tiny man in her arms, clutching him tightly into her chest. "Don't worry, Jacob. I'll take care of you." Immersed as he was in her embrace, Jacob didn't hear what she said, but her body language told him plenty. She held him tightly before she felt a small stirring against her belly coming from just below his waist. She set him down, and he stepped back, glancing down at the protuberance in his pants, then up at Molly.

“So...what happens now?” Jacob asked.

With a naughty smirk, the mighty woman stood back up, casting her tiny man in her shadow.

"Oh, the possibilities."