Mr. Delgado took a step back from her. Miss Brigham sighed with relief. Perhaps now he would see reason. Then he picked up the bucket-
In one fluid motion he flung the entire contents of the bucket onto her. Miss Brigham was soaked from head to toe in the water. "Oh dear," she said as her body began to shrink.
She watched her hands become smaller. She reached up with one of them to touch her damp cheek, where she felt those awful, crusty spots of acne. But those soon disappeared, her skin becoming softer, chubbier than before.
A second later her hand retracted completely inside the sleeve of her dress. The cave, including Mr. Delgado, swelled around her. She knew it was because she was getting smaller, a child again. Her eyes became level with his torso and then his midsection.
"No!" she wailed as she found her eyes level with her kneecaps. Her dress had become like a tent while her shoes were outlandishly large. She tried to take a step forward only to collapse onto all fours.
She tried to shout again, but it became only a wordless cry. Then her world went dark as her dress swallowed her. She flailed around, but her limbs were too small and weak to move the fabric enough.
Then her world exploded with orange light. Mr. Delgado's face looked as big as the moon as he stared down at her. In one hand he held his cigarette lighter. "It's all right, Molly," he cooed. "I'll take good care of you."
She could only scream as he carried her away from the fountain.