Kate Lockwell in distress (Part One)

Trapped in a vending machine

Donny Vermilion POV

'This is Donny Vermilion, live from the UNN studio on Korhal. Tonight I must report you a very saddening news. The terrorist James Raynor has attacked Mar Sara and has murdered dozens of Dominion soldiers and civilians. Our reporter Kate Lockwell is reporting live from the place itself. Kate?'

'Donny, your information is completely wrong.' Said Kate Lockwell with her annoying voice. She was speaking through the communicator. 'I have interviewed several people and they told me that Raynor has not killed any ci…'

Donny Vermilion quickly stopped the connection between Mar Sara and Korhal. He had to stop this stupid woman before she had ruined everything.

'You heard her. James Raynor killing soldiers and civilians alike with no regard for the well-being of the Terran Dominion.' Continued Vermilion.

Then the commercials started and the cameras were turned off.

'What the hell is wrong with that woman! I want to speak with her immediately!'

He contacted Kate Lockwell and started shouting at her. He was very angry.

'Kate, what the hell are you doing? You are ruining my work here.'

'No, I am not ruining your work. I am just a serious report. I want to tell the truth to the people. They deserve to know the truth, Donny.' Answered Kate Lockwell.

Donny Vermilion was now even angrier. How could this woman be so stupid.

'Well, that is the point, Kate. Jesus, our job requires us to lie. Don`t you understand this?'

Then, suddenly, the connection stopped. Kate Lockwell was out.

'Kate! Kate!' Shouted Donny Vermilion.

Kate Lockwell POV

Kate Lockwell was walking on the streets of Mar Sara. She wanted to clear her head by looking at the desert landscapes beyond the city gates.

This planet was very poor. Most of the buildings were covered in dirt and they were so small that in some cases a whole building consisted of only one room. The streets were full of beggars who wanted money. Kate wanted to make a report on how the people lived under the Terran Dominion but she knew that it would never be broadcasted.

Kate was very angry at her colleague, Donny Vermilion. The subjects of the Dominion couldn`t learn the truth because of people like him. He didn`t deserve to work in the UNN.

Kate decided to go to the Mar Sara market and see the goods. She had to return to Korhal the next day, but she wanted to take a souvenir from the this poor, but still beautiful, planet.

She saw an old woman that was selling old artifacts at her stall. There was a golden Arabian lamp among them. It was very dirty, but still beautiful in its own unique way.

'I want to buy that lamp.' Said Kate to the old lady. 'How much does it cost?'

'One hundred credits.' Replied the old woman.

Kate paid them and took the lamp. It was very expensive but Kate had the money. She planned to decorate her apartment on Korhal with the newly acquired lamp.

…

One day later Kate was back at her apartment on Korhal. She looked at the lamp with a thoughtful expression.

It was very dirty but she could wipe it a little. The young reporter took a tissue and started wiping the lamp.

Then, suddenly, a red gas started coming out of the lamp. Kate was so scared that she screamed and hid behind her sofa. The red gas formed a body and then it disappeared. It had formed a ghost on its place.

The ghost looked like human but it had red skin. It wore Arabian clothes.

Kate closed her eyes and waited for her death. She was sure that the ghost would try to kill her. A pity, she could have accomplished so much more.

'You have summoned me, mistress. What do you want from me?' Asked the ghost without any emotion.

'I have summoned you?' Asked Kate confused. Her breathing was starting to normalize.

'Yes. You have the right of wishes. I make wishes come true.' Answered the ghost. 'There is only one requirement – you have to hold the lamp in your hands while you say your wishes.'

'So, you are a genie?' Asked Kate.

'Yes.'

Kate thought for a moment and then said. 'I don`t have any wishes for now. You can go back into your lamp.'

The ghost went into his lamp. Kate was so excited about her new powers. She was so excited that she didn`t know what to do with them.

Then, suddenly, a smile covered her pretty face. She had found a use for the powers of the genie.

…

The next day Kate went to work. She unlocked the doors of the UNN studio and went inside. There was still no one inside the building, since Kate had come one hour before the start of the working day. She didn`t want anyone to see what she was about to do.

Kate wiped the Arabian lamp. The red genie appeared from it.

'What do you wish, my mistress?' Asked the ghost.

'Do you see that vending machine over there?' Asked Kate and pointed at the direction of the vending machine.

'Yes.'

'All of the candies inside the machine are very expensive. So I want to steal something from it. The only way to do this is if you shrink me so that I can enter the machine and take something from it.'

'But if I do that, you won`t be able to come back to normal size.' Said the ghost. 'If you are shrunk, you won`t be able to hold the lamp in your hands. This means that you won`t be able to give me orders.'

'Yes, you are right. Now, here my wish! I wish that I shrink to five inches and then to turn back to my normal size after five minutes.' Commanded Kate Lockwell.

'All right. You will shrink to five inches and then you will turn back to your normal size after five minutes.' Said the red ghost.

He stretched his arm. Kate could feel how her entire body was getting smaller and smaller. Her head was dizzy. Everything around the young reporter was now bigger. She really wasn`t used to it.

Then Kate approached the aperture of the vending machine. She pushed the cover and got inside the machine. Kate then started climbing up the racks.

She wanted a candy that was located on one of the upper racks. The face of the reporter was covered in sweat. She clenched her teeth and continued climbing. She had to reach her destination.

Finally, Kate reached the candy she wanted. She tooked and dropped it. She started climbing down the racks. The young reporter had to get out of the vending machine before she had grown to her normal size again. As always, climbing down was a lot easier than climbing up.

Kate finally reached the bottom of the vending machine. She took her snack and tied to push the cover of the aperture. However, she couldn`t open it.

She tried again but to no avail. Kate Lockwell was now really starting to panic. The aperture could apparently only be opened from the outside. This thought really terrified the young reporter because this meant that Kate was locked inside the machine. She screamed in despair.

'Genie, I command you to get me out of here!' Shouted Kate.

'I am sorry, but you have to hold the lamp in your hands while you say your wish.' Said the genie.

The young reporter looked at the lamp. It was outside the vending machine and this meant that it was and out of her reach.

'But I can`t reach it!' cried Kate. 'Please, help me!'

'I am sorry but I can`t.' Said the ghost.

Kate Lockwell suddenly started to grow in size. She realized with horror that the time in which she was shrunk has ended. She was now turning back to her normal size inside the vending machine.

She waved her hands, she moved her head, she kicked with her legs against the glass, she screamed and begged for help but these actions didn`t help her at all. Her body continued to grow inside the machine.

Then, suddenly, it stopped. Kate Lockwell was trapped in a very uncomfortable position. Her soles were pressed against the racks of the machine while the upper part of her shoes was pressed against the glass. Her feet were pointed against the bottom of the machine but they couldn`t reach it. Her knees were touching each other while her feet were apart from each other. Her left hand was stuck between the glass and her belly. Her left shoulder was stuck between her head and the glass while her entire left arm was pressed against her body. Her right palm was stuck between her ass and the racks behind her. Her entire body was trapped between the racks and the glass. The right chick of her face was pressed against the racks while her left chick was facing the glass. Her head was a bit benched to her left shoulder.

Kate Lockwell tried to move, to fix her posture, but she couldn`t. She was trapped inside the vending machine. The young reporter screamed.

'Genie, get me out of here!' shouted Kate to the ghost.

'I can`t do that. You have to hold the lamp.'

'I can`t reach the damn lamp!' Responded Kate.

Then, suddenly, a man came in front of the vending machine. He had short brown hair and moustaches. Kate immediately recognized him. This was Donny Vermilion.

Donny Vermilion POV

Donny Vermilion was entering the studio of UNN. He didn`t want to meet Kate Lockwell because he was still very angry at her.

He saw the vending machine on the first floor. He saw it every morning but something was different this time. This time there was a young woman trapped inside it. There was also an Arabian lamp with a ghost next to it.

Donny was confused. He looked the woman more closely. She had a long dark hair, grey eyes and a nice soft face. She was wearing a UNN uniform. Her expression was really terrified. Her soles were pressed against the racks of the machine while the upper part of her shoes was pressed against the glass. Her feet were pointed against the bottom of the machine but they couldn`t reach it. Her knees were touching each other while her feet were apart from each other. Her left hand was stuck between the glass and her belly. Her left shoulder was stuck between her head and the glass while her entire left arm was pressed against her body. Her right palm was stuck between her ass and the racks behind her. Her entire body was trapped between the racks and the glass. The right chick of her face was pressed against the racks while her left chick was facing the glass. Her head was a bit benched to her left shoulder.

Donny immediately recognized that this was Kate Lockwell. Even though he didn`t like her, he had to admit that she looked very cute, trapped inside the vending machine.

A wide smile spread across Donny`s face. He was happy to see his colleague in a situation like that.

'Well, well, well! What do we have here?' Said Donny while still smiling.

'Donny!' Shouted Kate. Her voice was distorted because of the glass. 'A little help here?'

'I don`t know.' Answered Donny while pretending to think over the situation. 'Fifty credits for a stupid woman like you seems pretty expensive.'

Kate sighed. 'Stop joking, Donny, and get me OUT OF HERE!'

Donny pushed the cover of the aperture and took her candy. He then started eating it before the eyes of the shocked and angered Kate Lockwell.

'That is mine!' Shouted Kate.

'Don`t worry, Kate! I am sure someone will buy you.' Joked Donny.

'This is not funny!' Said Kate.

'Yes, it is.' Said the red ghost.

'Kate, tell me how you got trapped inside the vending machine!' Demanded Donny Vermilion while he was still eating.

Kate Lockwell told him everything. Her voice was distorted because of the glass that touched her face but Donny could still make out most of the things. After she had finished, Donny was very confused.

'Donny, please, take the lamp and command the ghost to free me from that vending machine.' She had a pleading expression on her face which was still pressed against the glass.

Donny took the lamp into his hands. The eyes of Kate Lockwell started filling with hope.

'Genie, I command you to shrink the vending machine together with Kate Lockwell down to several inches.' Ordered Donny Vermilion.

'What! No! What are you doing!' Screamed Kate.

'Your wish is my command, master!' Said the red ghost and shrunk the vending machine down to several inches. Kate Lockwell was screaming inside it, while it was shrinking.

Donny Vermilion took the miniature vending machine into his right hand and lifted it. A tiny Kate Lockwell was still stuck behind its glass and couldn`t move.

'You won`t get away with this!' She screamed with a squeaky voice distorted by the glass. 'You will pay for this!'

'I don`t think so!' Replied Donny Vermilion and put the tiny vending machine, together with Kate Lockwell inside it, into his pocket.

Donny Vermilion smiled. What a happy day!

Kate Lockwell continued to murmur inside his pocket but he couldn`t hear what she was saying. He didn`t even care. He was planning to decorate his apartment with her.

He took the Arabian lamp and went to his office. It was his now. This was a really happy day!