Crossing Worlds

Hannah awoke sometime in the morning. Her head was foggy, and she was painfully aware of being outside, lying on her back. She had no clue what happened between last night and now, but she felt herself being changed. She blinked tired eyes, seeing Emily cleaning her and fitting her into a fresh diaper. Emily smiled, seeing she was awake. “How’d you sleep?” she asked.

“Where are we?” Hannah asked, shocked when her words came out as she wanted them to: weak, slurred, but understandable. 

Emily seemed just as surprised, glancing over her shoulder to where Mommy must have been, “We're at some daycare place, I don’t know.” Emily whispered, “I’m guessing Mommy must have been drugging you, though; you’ve slept for the better part of half a day; she’s nursed you twice, you don’t remember?”

Hannah’s panicked expression told Emily everything she needed to know; grimacing, “I was worried about that… I’m sorry; on the bright side, she’s dropping us off for the day. She’s taking Evan out on a trip around town or something.” she gave Hannah a shrug, “There’s only a few Littles here, it’s mostly just you, Ash, and me here, two Amazons to watch us all.”

A younger Amazon gal stepped up behind Emily, making her turn quickly to see the newcomer. The woman wore a shirt and jeans, with blonde hair and a goofy smile, “Hi there, sweetheart! Did you sleep well? Your sister has been such a big help!” she said in a sing-song voice, pulling Hannah from the stroller. 

Hannah immediately realized that she was dressed in only a diaper, once again, much to her dismay. The daycare in Serenvale, known as Little Meadows Daycare, was a small, intimate space that reflected the town’s blend of high-tech sophistication and rural charm. Nestled on the edge of a quiet green park, the daycare was a single-story, modern building with large windows that allowed natural light to flood the interior. The structure was made of sustainable materials, with soft wooden accents and a sloping roof that made it a cozy country cottage. The walls were painted in soft, pastel colors, and the floors were a mixture of eco-friendly wood and plush, cushioned play mats. 

The main playroom was open and airy, filled with natural light from the vast, floor-to-ceiling windows in the surrounding gardens. Instead of the busy, high-tech feel of a larger daycare, Little Meadows had a calming, nature-inspired atmosphere, with soft furnishings and simple but advanced, interactive toys. There were shelves of wooden blocks, sensory play tables, and nature-themed learning stations where Littles could engage with both technology and natural elements. A few small indoor plants were scattered throughout the room, adding a touch of greenery. The diaper changing area was tucked away in a corner, shielded by a natural bamboo partition for privacy. The changing tables were simple yet comfortable and featured the latest hygienic innovations. A soothing aroma of lavender filled the space, creating a calm environment. Hannah briefly wondered why she hadn’t been changed there, but perhaps it was because there wasn’t a way for Emily to stand there and shift Hannah.

The nap room was equally cozy, with small cribs and beds lined up neatly beneath softly glowing, energy-efficient lights. A gentle lullaby played through hidden speakers, and the large windows had soft, automated shades that closed for nap time. There was a small outdoor play area where Hannah had woken from her nap. The yard was filled with soft grass, wooden climbing structures, and an advanced but straightforward playground designed to stimulate creativity. Technology was seamlessly integrated here; an interactive garden allowed Littles to ‘plant’ digital seeds that bloomed into colorful flowers on an adjacent screen. 

The woman carrying her gathered a bottle and brought it to Hannah’s lips. She could instantly taste Mommy's sweet milk, her body automatically latching on and nursing. Hannah could already feel that her diaper was squishy despite having just been changed. How often were they feeding her? It seemed she was only conscious part of the time, and she wondered exactly what kind of narcotics Mommy had been pumping into her. The woman gently bounced Hannah, holding the bottle for her, leaving Hannah nothing to do but suckle and fill her belly with even more milk. The caregiver walked around the room slowly, attending to other children as best as possible while still feeding Hannah. Emily had been right; only a few other Littles were in the daycare with them.

Hannah finished the bottle and was burped. Her face was wiped clean of the dribble as the caregiver deposited her in a bouncer, the soft, stretch fabric cradling Hannah’s body so that her feet kissed the ground. “You have fun, sweetie; I’ll keep an eye on you.”

The lady wasn’t expecting a response as she headed off, so Hannah didn’t give one, leaving Hannah alone. Then she heard a voice behind her, “Weren’t you the one Mommy had just adopted?”

Hannah could spin herself around in the bouncer, the seat swiveling in the bouncer's carriage. It was Ash; her words were slurred, much like Hannah’s, but Hannah could clearly understand it this time. Hannah nodded, “I was; what happened to you?” you asked, her words just as slurred. 

Ash grimaced, “I’d rather not talk about it; Amazons are cruel people.” 

Hannah scoffed, “Freaking, tell me about it.”

Ash gave her a look as if to say, ‘You don’t know the half of it.’ But asked instead, “What happened to you? Where’s your Daddy?” 

Hannah deflated, “I wish I knew.” she sighed, “I don’t know where he is. We were trying to get back home when she found us and kidnapped us.”

Ash nodded. 

Hannah raised an eyebrow, “You don’t find that surprising?”

“The kidnapping? Oh gosh, no, not at all.” Ash chuckled, “I’ve been kidnapped at least three times since…” she trailed off, “Yes, it’s common.”

“Freaking wonderful,” Hannah grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest, feeling her diaper swell even more between her legs.

“Littles don’t have much in the way of rights.” Ash said with a shrug, “Heck, Tweeners don’t either, but you lot have it on a whole other level.”

Hannah raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ash’s body, dressed identically to Hannah, “Aren’t you…” she started to ask, about to ask if Ash were a Little, she looked like one.

Ash blushed, grinding her teeth, “I mean, technically, I guess.” she grumbled, huffing. 

“What is this place anyway?” Hannah asked, glancing around, “Did we just get dumped in a daycare?’

Ash shrugged, “Heck, if I know.” she grumbled, “I know about as much as you do. I woke up on the car ride over.”

Emily walked up to them, holding a bottle for Ash, who begrudgingly took it. “Sorry, Mommy has you both on rigorous diets.” she sighed as Ash began nursing. 

Emily was dressed in simple, pink overalls, with a white shirt underneath and a white ribbon in her hair. She glanced over her shoulder at the caregivers who milled about the daycare, attending to the other patrons, “This place seems far from the worst.” she offered with a small smile, “At least we don’t have cartoons or anything to contend with.”

‘You’re a baby!’ Naomi suddenly squealed in Hannah’s mind, giggling madly, ‘Baby, baby, baby!’ 

Hannah found herself giggling and clapping, Emily giving her a strange look.  Hannah gritted her teeth, forcing her hands to her side again, “Sorry, freaking Naomi.” she muttered, her words still slurred but understandable.

Emily looked sympathetic, “She’s back? Ohh, Hannah, I’m so sorry.” she said, “I think that the serum protected me.”

“The serum? What serum?” Ash jumped in before Hannah could answer, pulling the bottle from her lips.

“Something The Resistance gave us helps block hypnotic messaging. I think it helped me, but not entirely.” Hannah grimaced.

“The Resistance?” Ash asked, glancing between the two girls, “What are you talking about?”

“She’s a Tweener, Hannah; she wouldn’t know,” Emily said with a shrug.

“Yeah, but she’s a Little now.” Hannah retorted, earning her another shrug. Hannah sighed, “It’s a Littles organization dedicated to protecting the rights of Littles and helping them get free of oppressive situations.” 

Ash scoffed, “As if Littles even have rights, every damn Amazon is oppressive to Littles. What, are they a bunch of Littles sitting around, shitting themselves while they play with toys? Stupid.” Ash said, shaking her head and pointedly turning away.

Emily and Hannah’s eyes met, looking befuddled, “Anyway,” Hannah said, “The serum only half helped me; whatever Mommy did to me, it wasn’t good.”

Emily’s eyes twinkled, and she grinned, “I heard from Venli.” 

Hannah’s eyes lit up in excitement, bouncing several times, “You did?! Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?”

“Because she didn’t have much to say, Emily seemed to deflate a little. I told her about our situation, but she wasn’t even aware. She doesn’t have operatives to help; she was trying to give us information about the school. I don’t even remember the name of the place, something Meadows.” she said with a shrug.

Hannah cocked her head to the side, hadn’t she seen the name of the daycare? What Emily said rang a bell, but Hannah couldn’t place her finger on it.

“Anyway, if we can get there, we are enrolled as students, and it’s just one more day, and then we can leave whenever. We just need to pass a test.” Emily added.

Ash scoffed, “Good freaking luck on that.” 

The girls turned to Ash, who seemed to be pointedly ignoring them, grumbling something about ‘Not being a freaking Little.’

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“What aren’t you telling us?” Hannah chimed in.

“It’s a test to determine if you can care for yourself. You must achieve a base level of self-care for the Amazon government to release you to Earth.” Ash explained. 

“What the heck does that mean?” Hannah asked, narrowing her eyes.

“It’s just an excuse for Amazons to be able to keep you forever because if you fail, you can be fully adopted by an Amazon. You have to be able to feed yourself, dress yourself, and most importantly, be potty trained.” Ash said, “Which, if you’ve noticed, Mommy conveniently took that way from us.” 

Hannah shivered, “What do you mean we must be potty trained? That wasn’t a part of the contract!” 

“It is, most likely.” Ash grimaced, “I’ve seen contracts like that; it’s in the small print and says something about you needing to meet or exceed the expectations of self-government for travels to Earth. Littles born here have to meet these requirements before they are allowed to travel to Earth, the idea being that the Amazon government doesn’t want these travelers embarrassing them or something.”

Hannah squirmed, glancing at Emily, who looked equally concerned. “We’ll figure it out.” she smiled, trying to comfort Hannah. She glanced at Ash, “Are you permanently stuck as… you know…”

“As a pants-filling baby?” Ash said, her eyes flaring angrily, although not aimed at Emily, “It depends on who you ask. I keep getting conflicting information. Mommy says it will wear off, but she keeps feeding me something that prevents it, or so she says. She told me the only way I’d return to my usual self was to become the baby she knew I wanted to be. Only then can I grow up once more.” She shook her head, glaring daggers at the workers who weren’t even looking, “She’ll never let me.” she grumbled under her breath. 

Emily grimaced, “Sorry, I can’t imagine what that’s like.” she said, placing a hand over Ash’s.

Ash spun back towards her, glancing down at Emily’s hand, which held hers. Hannah saw the fight drain away from the girl. Ash sighed, “It’s alright, it’s not all bad. I mean, I hate a lot of what they’ve done. I worried every day they would do something like this to me; they constantly threatened me. You have no idea the stress you live with as a Tweener; they are beyond cruel to Littles, but they have no mercy for Tweeners. They don’t see us as being equal, but they don’t see us as babies either; we are weird, in-between, and we are there to be used and abused.”

Emily leaned over and hugged Ash. Ash froze, sitting stock still and then melting into Emily as Emily rubbed her back, “I’m sorry for everything; I know we butted heads, but…”

Hannah could tell Ash was crying, “I was such a jerk to you. Your Mommy wanted to ensure you behaved, and I was constantly under scrutiny for ensuring I wasn’t being too kind to Littles; I…” Ash trailed off.

Emily held the girl, and Hannah felt terrible for her. She had no clue what they had done to Ash or what kind of rules and restrictions they placed upon her, but she had seen just how evil Amazons could be; she could only imagine a life where Amazons didn’t hold back. 

Ash eventually leaned back, her eyes puffy, drying her tears. A caretaker stopped by, seeing Ash, “Aww, sweetheart, what’s wrong? Do you have some icky diaper rash? Maybe your big sister isn’t so big if she can’t change you correctly.” 

Hannah saw Emily flinch, a look of panic crossing her face as Ash was scooped up. The worker laid Ash down on the floor, not even bothering with the changing table, and pulled the girl's diaper open. Ash was soaked and messy, but as Emily was forced to clean the girl up, Ash had no signs of diaper rash. The worker stopped Emily from cleaning her further, “Hmm, nope, no rash. Are you just upset you were poopy? You haven’t spent enough time in a messy diaper! It’s okay; let’s get you back in so you can get used to the feeling!”

Emily begrudgingly pulled the front back into place at the probing of the worker; the tabs pulled back into place. The worker flipped Ash over onto her tummy, “We got her pretty clean, Em, Em, let’s make sure she feels just how messy she is.” 

The worker pressed Emily’s hands into Ash’s diapered rear, squishing the mess. Hannah could see the disgust across Ash’s face, but she didn’t complain; she knew better than to stroke the ego of Amazons. The worker was disappointed by Ash’s lack of response, quickly growing bored now that Ash wouldn’t fight back. She scooped Ash back up and plopped her firmly in her bouncer, “Well, you can sit there and enjoy your squishy diaper; you don’t need to be changed anytime soon.” 

The worker's gaze turned to Hannah, grinning, a new victim. Hannah felt herself cowering, her thumb going to her lips as she tried to pretend she was just another baby. The worker lifted Hannah, and the worker pulled back the hem of Hannah’s diaper. With the extra space created by pulling her diaper back, Hannah felt her body push and fill her diaper. The worker quickly let Hannah’s diaper snap back into place, pulling her face back and patting Hannah’s bum, “No issues with you going potty.” she chuckled, plopping Hannah back into her bouncer and heading off to find other Littles to torment. 

Hannah could hear voices from the front door; someone had arrived to pick up their Littles. Something was off about the voice; Hannah recognized it. She glanced towards the door but couldn’t see who it was. Whoever it was was showing the worker some paperwork, something on their phone, although Hannah couldn’t read it from there. Whatever the commotion was about, the person was left standing by the door. 

The worker the person had been speaking with turned towards Hannah, and Hannah felt her tummy flutter in anticipation; who was this person? It had been a female voice, but not Mommy’s. She had briefly hoped it was Daddy, but it didn’t seem likely. The worker, a younger man with a well-kempt beard, came over to Hannah, smiling, “Alright, sweethearts, Mommy is here to pick you three up!”

Hannah glanced at Emily, who seemed just as concerned as her. She couldn’t get a good look at the woman at the door; she was wearing a large hat, but she knew it wasn’t Mommy just by the body type. What should Hannah do? Should she tell the worker the mistake? Were they about to be kidnapped again? Would the worker even respond if Hannah told him? Hannah had a sinking feeling that even if she did raise the alarm, the worker would pass her off as an angry Little who was just trying to get a rise out of her caregivers. 

Hannah was lifted from her bouncer, Ash following suit, and Emily trailed behind as they approached the door. Hannah’s heart was racing; she didn’t even care that she was dressed in only a diaper; who was this woman? As they approached the woman, she turned to face Hannah; Miss Kaylee smiled at her, taking Hannah into her arms, “There are my baby girls; how are you doing?” she asked, planting big kisses on all three girl’s foreheads. 

End of Chapter 49