Crossing Worlds

The chimes sounded once more as Hannah finished her snack; a tall worker proclaimed, “Arts and Craft time!” much to the amusement of many students who shuffled away from their tables.

Workers stopped each Little, checking their diaper before permitting them to continue. Hannah glanced at Emily, who stood with a grimace, “To arts and crafts, I guess.” she said, shuffling behind the rest of the students.

As she reached the line of workers, they stopped her, checking her diaper, much to her distress, before taking her hand and leading her to the changing area, leaving Hannah alone. Lizzy had never returned, and she wondered what happened to the girl. Thankfully, Hannah’s stomach seemed to be doing okay at the moment, and she hoped it would continue to do so. 

The arts and crafts area in the daycare was a bright, colorful space designed to inspire creativity. Hannah toddled over, greeted by a large, low table surrounded by soft, Little-sized chairs, each in different pastel colors like lavender, mint green, and sunshine yellow. The table was covered in a clean, protective sheet with various craft supplies laid out neatly, jars of finger paint, crayons, colored pencils, glue sticks, and sheets of construction paper in every color imaginable. 

The walls around the area were decorated with previous art projects made by Littles, abstract paintings, handprint turkeys, and glittery collages tacked up with pride. Large bins filled with extra supplies like pom-poms, feathers, foam stickers, and googly eyes were tucked under the table. Hanging mobiles of colorful paper chains and origami butterflies gently swayed from the ceiling.

As Hannah sat at a table, she noticed other Little ones already busy painting with their hands and blueing pieces of tissue paper into different shapes. Daycare workers passed between tables, helping students cut shapes they desired or offering compliments. A piece of Hannah wanted to join in, but she found the idea of being forced to do arts and crafts off-putting. So, she sat there, waiting for Emily to return before deciding.

Before that happened, however, a worker stooped down next to her, Miss Lilly. She smiled at Hannah, “It’s a little overwhelming, isn’t it?” she asked.

Hannah nodded shyly. 

“I can imagine, especially being a Little. I looked into your file; you came here willingly, right?” Miss Lilly asked.

Hannah nodded again. Did that imply that there were people here unwillingly? The thought sent a shiver down Hannah’s spine. Lizzy had mentioned that she tried to escape and failed; perhaps she was one of those who didn’t want to be here. What about Emily? She had come willingly as well but was looking to go back.

“Well, I want you to enjoy yourself, Hannah. Look around you. Do you see anyone judging you or making fun of you for who you are?” Miss Lilly asked, motioning to the students around them who were wholly absorbed in their little worlds. “As long as you are here in our world, you are nothing more than a baby; everyone sees you as one and expects you to act like one. Of course, some will force life on you and make you act like they expect you to, but I don’t think that’s always the best policy. We got arts and crafts, then recess, then nap time. I want you to try to relax. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks; enjoy it. You are here to have fun! You have no deadlines, no obligations other than to make friends and be yourself, and let out that inner baby that has been cooped up and hiding for years. Can you do that for me?” she asked.

Hannah sat up, offered a smile, and nodded, “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.” 

She meant it as well. Looking around her, Hannah realized Miss Lilly was right; if there was ever a time to relax and let her little side out, it was now. Miss Milly smiled warmly, reaching down and pinning a clip to Hannah’s shirt, a paci clip, letting it hang, “If it ever becomes too much or you are scared or embarrassed, nurse that. It’s called a soother for a reason.” she said before standing and leaving Hannah.

Hannah took a piece of construction paper and several paint jars, immediately realizing she had no brushes. She glanced around, not finding any. With a shrug, she plunged her fingers in before brushing the paint onto the paper. Hannah found herself grinning as she began her masterpiece, slowly letting herself relax as Emily came to join her. “Feel better?” she asked Emily.

“Oh, you have no idea.” Emily said with a chuckle, “Whatcha drawing?” 

Hannah held up her artwork, showing Emily grinning. “Want to join me?” she asked; the page was more than big enough for the two of them, “They all but want us to get messy,” she added.

Emily grinned, dipping her finger into the paint and adding several strokes to the paper. More than once, the girl’s fingers found their way to each other's arms and faces, getting paint all over, giggling with glee as they painted. Without the fine detail of a brush, the painting was a jumbled mess that vaguely resembled a house with a massive sun and several oversized flowers. Hannah had been so focused on her drawing, she barely even felt the need to go until her body was already pushing, the seat of her diaper expanding as she pooped herself. 

Hannah began to feel shame, humiliation, and embarrassment; she hadn’t even known she needed to go until it was too late! She felt her Little space retreat when a thought crossed her mind. Before it came crashing down around her, she popped the pacifier into her mouth, giving it a suckle. Much like her newfound furry friend back home, she felt a sense of relaxation filling her body, her worries beginning to lift, allowing her mind to refocus and return to enjoying their painting. 

Emily either hadn’t noticed or didn’t say anything, the two girls continuing their drawing, adding tissue paper and glitter, the masterpiece on paper barely edging out the artwork they had drawn on each other, their faces, hands, and arms covered in paint, their clothes a mixture of colors. They weren’t alone; many other Littles were in the same boat, although neither girl was paying attention. Much to her dismay, Hannah heard the chimes that indicated the end of arts and crafts. She and others whined and fussed, but daycare workers were already beginning to file students out.

Hannah pouted, pulling the pacifier from her mouth, no longer needing it as she and Emily’s piece of art were taken and hung up, the worker taking baby wipes to both girls, expertly cleaning them. Even with their clothes, the wipes seemed to clean the paint off without issue! That was nifty; Hannah wondered if it had been the paint, the wipes, or the clothes that made such a cleaning feat possible. 

With freshly cleaned faces, the worker checked both girls' diapers, ushering Emily along but lifting Hannah into his arms, cradling her as he carried her to the changing area. “But, recess time!” Hannah exclaimed, pointing to where Emily had gone, her mind still relaxed and playful.

The worker chuckled, strapping Hannah down for her change, “Don’t worry, sweetie, this will take just a second, and we’ll get you out there!”

Hannah pouted, allowing the worker to pull her clothes out of the way and change her. The worker was well-skilled, and it only took a few moments for him to clean Hannah up and have her in a fresh diaper, setting her down to join the stream of students. Hannah was happy to be clean and dry again, although, in this state of mind, the contents of her diaper didn’t faze her; she wanted to have fun! 

Hannah caught her first glimpse of the playground as the students shuffled outside. Her foot stepped onto a squishy, rubberized surface that covered the ground. The playground was bordered by a low, colorful fence, with murals of animals and nature scenes painted on the surrounding walls. The first thing that caught Hannah’s eye was the towering play structure in the center, built out of smooth, rounded plastic with giant slides that spiral gently down to the ground. Wide, gently sloping stairs led up to a platform with tunnels and peek-a-boo windows for Little to crawl through and explore. The structure was designed for Little, with extra-wide slides and handrails at every turn.

To the side was a row of baby swings, each with a soft bucket seat cradling Little securely as they were pushed gently. Hannah watched as some of the other Littles squeal with delight, their legs kicking in the air as they glide back and forth, being pushed by invisible hands. Beyond the swings was a miniature jungle gym with low climbing walls and a tiny rope bridge, perfect for practicing coordination without being too high off the ground.

Near the far end of the playground was a shaded sandpit, complete with brightly colored shovels, buckets, and molds for building castles. The soft sand was warm and inviting, and several Littles were already digging in, burying their toes, and laughing as they scooped and poured. A couple of water tables, equipped with miniature boats and spinning wheels, sat under an awning. Trees shaded the entire area with broad leaves, while bright flowers in raised garden beds added color to the environment. 

Hannah spotted Emily towards the top of the play structure, waving to her with a grin. Hannah grinned back and hurriedly waddled towards her, climbing the broad steps. It took a surprising amount of coordination to accomplish the climb; between the bulky diaper and the larger-than-average stairs, she was out of breath by the time she got to the top. 

Hannah caught her first glance down the slide and sucked in a breath; she was so high! The slide seemed to go on forever, dropping through the clouds that must have surrounded such an imposing structure. She felt Emily take her hand, giving her a firm squeeze, “We got this.” she said, trying to psych herself up as well, stepping towards the slide.

The slide was wide, more than enough to accommodate both of them sliding at the same time. It was with careful steps that Hannah found herself sitting on the edge of the slide, her heart racing as she stared down its imposing slope. Emily squeezed her hand, and Hannah returned it. The girls counted down and pushed off, squealing as they plummeted towards the ground.

Seconds later, they were off the slide, giggling madly, making their way back up to try the other slides. One particular slide ended them near a small play house occupied by several Littles, Lizzy included. Hannah, still full of excitement, stepped up to the house curiously. A group of Littles sat inside, chatting, giving Hannah hostile glances. “Don’t mind her, she’s just a baby.” Lizzy told the group, “She’s here for ‘fun.’” she said, using air quotes for the last word.

What on Earth was going on? Hannah should have backed away; she should have just left them, but her interest was piqued; she had to know what was going on! “What are you guys talking about?” she asked.

“Just leave us alone, kid.” Another boy said, turning his head away from her, “Nothing you’d be interested in.” 

Hannah gritted her teeth, leaning on the wall of the enclosure, “Oh come on, I may be new here, but how else can I learn if I’m not included in anything?” she asked.

Another girl grinned, “You want to know so badly? Come on in.”

Finally! Some progress! Hannah eagerly stepped inside, eager to be included in something bigger than just silly arts and crafts. The girl, along with several other students, suddenly leaped upon Hannah, pushing her to the ground. She yelped in surprise, feeling their hands roughly pulling at her clothing, stripping her to just her diaper. “You want to learn more about this place, huh?” one was saying, “Well then, know your place, baby,” he spat the last word. 

Hannah pulled and writhed against their grips, hands covering her mouth to cover her screams as she was stripped to just her diaper. They pushed her to the ground, face down, and she felt the back of her diaper being pulled back and something being poured down her bum.

She squirmed and writhed against them, feeling whatever it was working its way between her legs, soaking into her diaper. Finally, the arms holding her let go, roughly pulling her to her feet and shoving her from the house. 

Hannah was crying by this point, wholly mortified at wearing nothing but her drooping diaper. She ran towards the daycare, and a worker spotted her and immediately scooped her up. “Aww, what’s the matter, Little one? Where did your clothing go? Ahh, I think I see what the problem is. Come on, sweetheart.” the male Amazon worker said, carrying her inside.

He plopped a pacifier into Hannah’s mouth to quiet her, the soothing effects taking hold as he began to change her. He gave Hannah a look, “Were you being naughty and sticking wet sand down your diaper?”

Hannah shook her head no, but the worker kept talking, “Only tinkles and poopies belong in there! Silly baby. Don’t worry, we will make sure you can’t do it again.” he said, finishing changing her. 

Hannah fought the effects of the pacifier, trying to stand up for herself, but couldn’t find the motivation, and the pacifier was draining it from her. The worker unstrapped Hannah, sitting her up and pulling a plain pink onesie over her head and snapping it between her legs. “There we go, no more curious hands!” he said, clipping the pacifier to Hannah’s outfit and scooping her up, “Don’t worry, we’ll find your clothes, silly baby.”

Hannah was deposited back outside, the pacifier still in her mouth. She plopped down on her butt, feeling a warm squish from a freshly soaked diaper. When had she done that? She had just been changed! But, with the paci, she didn’t mind. She giggled as Emily came waddling up, giving her a curious look, “There you are, what happened? Where are your clothes?” she asked.

Hannah’s mind felt sluggish with the pacifier, which was great for feeling Little but not great for conversation. With a great deal of effort, she pulled it free from her lips. She stretched her head, trying to remember as her thoughts slowly returned to normal. “The playhouse, kids in there.” she was finally able to respond.

Emily glanced back at them and scowled, “I had a feeling they were up to no good. Are you okay?”

Hannah nodded again, rubbing her eyes, “Yeah, I’m fine; they took my clothes and dumped sand down my diaper.” 

“You told the worker about them?” Emily immediately asked.

Hannah hesitated, blushed, and shook her head, “I was too distraught, and then they stuck a paci in my mouth. Plus, it’s one against the eight of them.” she added with a grimace. “Lizzy was in there too.”

“That bit-...” Emily trailed off, catching herself, with a sigh, “We will get back at them. I think we still have a little bit of time left. Would you like to do something?”

Hannah nodded, taking Emily’s hand as she was hoisted to her feet; this diaper felt a bit thicker than her last, or maybe it was just because it was already swollen. “Yes, please, I want to relax a bit; I always wanted to play on the playground back home; let’s do the swings!” she said, trying to abide by Miss Lilly’s request to have fun.

Hannah genuinely wanted to have fun; she tried to feel Little. With effort, she slipped back into that headspace, and a daycare worker helped her into the swing, which automatically began to swing back and forth. Several minutes later, both Hannah and Emily were swinging through the air, squealing with joy. 

End of Chapter 19