The Stump

A man is shrunken to the size of a beetle and spends the night inside the stump, a place altered into a bar by a mysterious rat.

The Stump

Dot sat in the sunny park, ending a stressful day of sprinting for his colleagues coffee, by finishing his paperwork . Thoughts drift towards his coworkers, who can’t finish their work without help. Coworkers who can’t function if they get sick and have him make up what was missed. Coworkers who he questioned listening to, yet did.

Without realizing, he triggers a panic attack. His vision blurs, breath spikes, and heart sprints. In an attempt to relax, he tries absorbing his surroundings. The fluffy clouds, skyscrapers, damp grass, and... a minuscule scream below?

“OI! Gray harried, fat nosed, suit man! You're in front of my spot, move!” It's a white rat, wearing an eyepatch. Rotting teeth stick out the front of its twitching snout, and a fencing sword swings from his hip. 

Seeing the rat’s red eye, Dot immediately screeches.

The rodent's tail shoots upwards, “Relax, haven't you seen a talking animal!? I'm like a parrot!”

Dot stepped out of the way while his heart settled, “W-What spot? That stump?” 

“Yeah, why?”

“Who could fit inside?”

“Bugs. Very popular spot.” 

“With those small brains, how-?”

“Alllll brainiacs. Inside’s like a dance club. Ever been?”

Dot shakes with excitement as he reminisces back to his college days, “Definitely. Loved relaxing with friends at clubs… unique bands, wise bartenders, and the dancefloor, the dancefloor! A place of ENERGY!” 

“Right,” the rat holds an M&M above himself, yawning, “eat, experience something similar inside.” 

Distracted by his memories, Dot eats the candy. When his bones crunch down like exploding popcorn, shrinking him to the size of a beetle, his attention is regained.

 

Dot’s eyes shoot across the room upon entering. A dull flashlight sits in the center, shining against a glass chandelier, illuminating the location with shades of rainbows. 

Music plays from center stage; A spider plucks webs, choruses of cricket’s whistle, and pill bugs bounce between drums. Pink worms and green caterpillars flop over each other rhythmically to the song, covering the checkerboard floor in slime. 

A bar in the corner is made from an orange juice box, a hole cut from one side. A jewel beetle sits within, serving flies, bees, and other humans as they drift through the location. 

Dots turns to run, his anxiety spiked. But he's trapped, the fuzzy rat working as a barrier. It barely notices as Dot punches their thigh. “You have till… 12:00 before I’m letting you out, lest birds devour you. Sword’s here for your protection… leave!” 

Trembling, Dot walks through the moist location, approaching the bar. Plastered behind the beetle a sign reads, “Please, let out your struggles. Time passes. I like trying to solve problems.” 

Struggling to maintain eye contact with the elder bug, Dot receives a drink and begins speaking. Throughout the night it listens, cleaning, asking occasional questions, “Why work real estate? How’d you become the boss's assistant? How long?”  

Dots shoulders settle as the music becomes softer, “I don’t… enjoy how I spend my time. Back in college I had my friends, used to spend my time taking care of them. I lost contact after. Shifted my attention to serve the other thing I focused on… Work… Maybe I should focus on something new?” He gazes around the location. Despite increasing questions from the beetle, his heart felt calmer than it had been in years.

The rat stops creatures as they exit. In exchange for size growing skittles, he requests dimes. 

“Plan on coming back?” The rat questions Dot.

“Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.” Dot hands him a quarter, and wanders home with a smile smeared across his face.