Jon walked downstairs to find Rachel Trask talking with his mom.
"I'll only need him for a week," she was explaining. Then she saw Jon. "Oh good, you're here." She smiled. "My team and I are invited to a European Ballet Competition. I thought I was all set, but my right shoe tore yesterday. I need you to be my emergency replacement, or I can't go." Rachel pointed at Jon, who felt himself involuntarily freeze.
Then he fell backwards and started shrinking. His entire body disappeared as his mouth widened and his head turned pink. Jon had become a ballet shoe.
He could stare upward, as his mouth was the shoe's opening. He felt himself be picked up by Rachel and stuffed into a bag. "Have fun," he heard his mother say. A weird taste began to fill Jon's mouth.
It seemed like hours before Jon saw light again. He saw Rachel lift him up and set him on her bed. "I'm all set," she said. "Now to try you on before we fly to Europe. She widened his open mouth, lowered him to her foot, and shoved her foot in. Jon felt his mouth fill up as he tasted Rachel's foot. She took a few steps, putting her whole weight on Jon. He felt slightly strained underneath her, but could do nothing.
"You're a perfect fit," she said, taking him off and shoving him into a bag with other ballet gear. "I'll see you in Europe." She closed the bag, enclosing Jon in darkness.
