Shrunken Custody (Part 1) - Framed (Patreon)

You were walking by in a rich neighborhood in your town, just looking around, you lived in a very poor neighborhood few kilometers away, so you liked coming here, seeing how big all the houses are, how tidy and clean the streets are, you started coming only in evenings since you didn’t like how the people were giving you weird looks as you walked past them, and the streets here were very quiet in the evening, so you just used earphones and walked around, it relaxed you.

That was until last evening, 2 police officers brutally pinned you to the pavement, your earphones fell and they started shouting at you why didn’t you stop.

“I..I didn’t hear anything! I had earphones! Please, I'm sorry!” You shouted but they ignored it, placing handcuffs on your hands and throwing you inside the back of the patrol vehicle.

“Please, where are you taking me, I did nothing wrong”

“That’s enough kid, we know you broke into one of the houses here tonight, be quiet”.

“What”, you said but then kept your mouth shut, you knew that anything you might say could be used against you, and you did nothing wrong.

They got you to the police station and you got arrested, once you were inside the detention cell the officer talked with you again, “do you have a lawyer or do you need someone assigned to you?” He asked in a cold tone.

“I.. I don’t have a lawyer sir”, you stuttered and he walked away without a response.

You’ve waited there for hours, until the officer came with a short, beautiful attorney with the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen.

“Hi, I’m Clementine, I’ll be your attorney”, she reached her hand to you and you shook it, it was the first time since you got arrested that anyone treated you like a human being.

“Thank you Clementine”, you shook her hand, your eyes started getting swollen and mouth shaking.

“Are the handcuffs really necessary? Escort us to the meeting room, I need to consult with my client”, she said to the officer in an assertive tone.

“Standard procedure miss”, he opened your cell and escorted you both to a meeting room, you sat down handcuffed to the table, Clementine stood there holding a ring binder filled with pages.

“Before we dive into details, what’s your name?”

“It’s Mathieu miss”

“Please, just call me Clementine.

Mathieu, I must ask you and be honest with me, did you do it?”

“No miss, uhm Clementine, I swear, I only walked by, I don’t even know what they are accusing me with”, you said and tears started filling your eyes.

“That’s ok, I believe you, sounds like a stupid misunderstanding it happens all the time”, she smiled and it completely relaxed you.

She started spreading the pages on the floor and sat down next to them, “sorry for the informality”, she said, “my feet are killing me”, she removed her heels, exposing soft sweaty and beautiful feet, a little pink from the pressure, you watched her and gulped, started blushing.

“I hope it’s ok, walking around in heels all day isn’t easy”, she giggled and smiled, you quickly nodded, blushing further.

She bent towards the pages and started going through them, at first she smiled but slowly it seemed like she was getting frustrated, she scrambled a page in her hand, “that’s some bullshit, wow”, she finally let out.

“W..what is it Clementine? Is anything wrong?”

“They have a very solid case, damn…” she shook her head.

“How can it be, I have done nothing”

“They have many photos of you scouting and looking around the house, around the same time the burglary happened, I’m sure it’s just a coincidence, but it’s going to be nearly impossible to convince any set of jury that you had nothing to do with it”

“Oh no”, you said in a sore voice, placing your head on the table and holding it in frustration, “it can’t be, no, I don’t want to go to jail”, you started miserably crying, sobbing into the table.

“Listen, I really hate to say this, but I think our best option is to plead guilty”, she said with a sour face.

“Oh my god…” you said while sobbing helplessly.

“But there’s a way you won’t get to jail, it’s only a pilot but I know the judge that will be in charge of the hearing tomorrow”

“A pilot? Please tell me more, what is it”, you raised your head and watched her in hope.

“It’s a program called ‘Shrunken Custody’, in general:

Instead of going to jail, you are being shrunken and given to a caretaker, the punishment is usually much shorter, in your case I would say 2 years max, and I’ll try to make it less”

“A caretaker? Are you sure it’s safe?”

“The caretakers in this program have been selected with utmost care, currently only few government attorneys are eligible to become a ‘Shrunken Custody’ caretaker”, then she gave you a big encouraging gorgeous smile, “including myself”.

You opened your eyes in surprise, “really? And you think it will be possible that I’ll be assigned to you?”

“Well of course, I told you, I know the judge and she’s a big believer in Shrunken Custody, she will just need your consent-”

“She definitely has it”, you immediately said, then blushed, “I mean, it sounds much better than being in jail, and you say it’s even shorter so…”

She laughed, a cute, innocent laugh, you stopped talking and just watched her, “that’s ok, I agree with you, it’s definitely better than jail, you are funny”, you blushed even more, even started having a boner, you tried to hide it with your leg.

She rearranged the pages, placing them back in the ring binder, then got up and placed her feet back in her heels, “so I’m very happy we found a strategy that is not entirely bad”, she made a gentle bow, hugging your file with both hands, it looks so big and heavy compared to her, you nodded and she turned back and started walking to the exit.

“Hey, Umm, Clementine”, you said and she turned back, “really thank you for doing this, I feel lucky for having you as my attorney”, you said with a smile, she nodded and smiled back, then walked out and the officer escorted you back to your cell.

You couldn’t stop smiling, being under Clementine’s care sounds like a dream, she was maybe the most beautiful and sweet person you’ve ever met, maybe it all happened for a reason, you thought to yourself, maybe even for the best.

————————

It was finally tomorrow and you were escorted to court, you met Clementine again in a meeting room next to the courtroom.

“Listen, it’s only ‘your honor’ there, you must be very respectful and formal”, she started fixing your tie, you blushed as you were being so closed to her face, “you will be ok, just plead guilty, tell her you are sorry, that it was a one time slip and you want to be rehabilitated, I talked with her earlier, she will listen”

“Thank you so much Clementine I have no idea what I’d do without you”, you mumbled, nervous before the hearing started.

“No worries, just stay cool, you’ll rock”, she smiled and winked at you, it gave you so much confidence, you nodded and you walked inside the courtroom.

“Mathieu? Is it pronounced like Mathiew?” The judge asked before you could sit.

“It’s French your honor, you can call me like that, it’s ok”, you walked and you both sat inside your booth.

“Mr. Rogier, you are being accused of burglary, what do you plead?”

“I plead guilty your honor, it was a one time slip, I want to be rehabilitated”, you said just what Clementine instructed.

“I see, well you are very lucky Mathieu, Clementine here speaks highly of you, I understand that you are also interested in the new ‘Shrunken Custody’ program, is that correct?”

“Yes your honor”

“Ok, so let me explain further, for the protocol and to make sure you fully understand your options.” She stopped talking and you nodded quietly.

“Your first option is going 5 years in jail, do you understand?”

“Yes your honor”, you replied in a shaky voice, just the thought of being in jail for so long scared you.

“The other option is being a year in ‘Shrunken Custody’ under dear Clementine’s care, but beware - the justice system gives her full authority to extend this punishment until she believes you are fully rehabilitated”

You didn’t remember Clementine mentioning this, but it was just one year and not two like she anticipated, you nodded, “I understand your honor, I prefer the shrunken custody verdict please”.

*THUD THUD* the judge hit her table with the hammer, “it’s settled then, let’s move to the next case please, escort him to the shrinking center.”

You looked at Clementine with a worried smile, she smiled back and nodded to you, the officers came and escorted you out, “wait, what’s happening now?” You asked.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be shipped to me after the shrinking process, I’ll see you in a few days”, she explained calmly and you smiled, letting the officers take you away.

———————

End of part 1