<< Chapter 15
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Even before I sat down, I could feel that the mood was different from the last time I shared a meal with these giants. The tension was palpable, and it showed on all their faces. There was very little chattering, but the silence was deafening.
Mamie fed me, like old times, but it didn't feel like she was forcing the meal into me this time. Had the giants given up in assimilating me into their ranks? Were they still holding a grudge from my escape? In all honesty, I haven't gotten a chance to curry the other giants' favor, except for Dadier. If I wanted my new plan to succeed, I had to do the exact opposite of what I've done before.
I grabbed hold of Mamie's hand and urged her to feed me. It had been a while since I last ate, so I had some room for sustenance. Ingesting their growth hormone was a necessary risk. Their plot to make me one of them might also work in my favor. If I could grow taller and stronger, I could erase whatever size advantage they held over me. The thing that I have to be careful of is to not let their mind control or mental reconditioning get the better of me. It could help save the other prisoners from impending doom.
"It's okay," I whispered to her, as she was in the midst of pushing the food into my mouth. The giant's eyes welled up, and she cracked a smile. I didn't know if it was because she felt like she was finally getting through to me. Or, my lack of resistance provided some much needed reprieve. Whatever the reason was, if this was a means to ingratiate myself to Mamie, then so be it. "I won't fight it."
Little by little, the food prepared for me vanished from the plate. I had consumed it faster than usual, and the giants took notice. They celebrated what felt like an achievement on my part. But, I knew that it was because they felt like their plan to integrate me into their ranks was succeeding. Little did they know that it was them who were playing into my hands.
The other prisoners didn't join in the giants' mini-celebration. Teten sat on the opposite side of Mamie, and seemed to be having trouble ingesting her food. Her unkempt hair fell around her face, but it didn't make it hard to see that the space around her eyes was swollen. The traitor's cheeks expanded to hold the food that she couldn't swallow.
These were her last meals before her impending transfer. I figured she wanted to show that she was lagging behind in her progress. She looked as if was having second thoughts about becoming a giant. It was a far cry from her actions before.
Was I responsible for this? Did my near-miss snap her out of her brainwashing? It had been years since our last encounter. Had she been this way ever since my escape?
It was hard sympathizing with a traitor. She had her chance, and she chose to ally with our captors. It was too late now, as she's too far gone in her transformation to turn back. Whatever second thoughts she was having, there was nothing she could do about it now. As far as I know, there was no way of reversing what the giants did. All I could do was to learn from her mistakes and be careful to immerse myself with the transformation.
My new plan had dangerous risks, and Teten was a stark reminder of what could happen to me if I went in too deep. As I stared at her, I couldn't help but think if she once had the same fire of rebellion. Maybe she wasn't a traitor at all. They used the mental reconditioning to warp our minds and force our loyalty. Maybe she had thought of the same exact plan, but lost all control somewhere along the line. It was a terrifying thought, especially when I realize that I was treading down the same path.
If that was the case, then this provided me with a rare opportunity. With her weakened mental blocks, this could be the most opportune time to sway her to my cause. It was yet another risk, because there was no way of confirming if my hypothesis was true. She could easily rat me out and help the giants lead me to a trap. But, having her on our side would provide us a huge advantage. Having another prisoner who wasn't disadvantaged by size would be very beneficial. It would make for a deadly combination if I could manage to grow myself.
Eddie sat across the table, scowling as he stared at me. I could never predict what goes on in his tiny little head. It felt as if he was angry at me for something that I knew nothing about. Lowla tried her best to feed the little, pudgy creature, but her latter attempts didn't work out in her favor.
If I was going to risk convincing Teten to join the rebellion, there was no way I was going to waste my time with Eddie. He didn't even know how to walk properly, for Bathala's sake! The little beast provided no advantage whatsoever.
The short celebration couldn't overcome the somber mood. There were far less food prepared than before, and the giants did their best to avoid each other's gaze. They stood up one by one immediately after eating, unlike before when they stood in unison. Who knew that my escape would have such lasting effects? I was having my own mini-celebration in my mind.
"May I be excused?" I asked Mamie after I took my last bite. She urged me to take a sip of water, wiped my mouth and allowed me leave my seat. I made sure to smile at her when she approved my request. It was a small gesture, but I knew that it would go a long way.
Teten still wasn't finished eating when I stood up. But, at least she had already swallowed the huge lump that was stuck behind her cheeks. I walked toward her and gave her a hug. She had been defiant of my consolation before, but she didn't rebuff it this time around. The giants' presence must've influenced it. Or, because she realized that she needed an ally in these trying times.
"I-I apologize for my part during our last confrontation all those years ago," I mumbled. In reality, I wasn't. "I know that it ... It was scary, and if the throw was off by only an inch, you could've been the epicenter of that crater. I didn't ... I didn't know that my vie— I mean, I didn't know t-that ball would have that devastating effect."
In truth, I knew that my armas de viento was a destructive force of nature. The only real regret that I have is that I didn't have possession of that weapon now. I couldn't let her know that though. If I were to sway her to my side, I had to be convincing. I had to make her feel that I was sympathetic to her plight.
She didn't verbalize her reply, but she did hug me back. I could feel her tears trickling from her face to mine. She sniffled, then rubbed her nose. I wasn't quite sure, but I felt she flashed a relieved smile. It was all based on how I felt her jaw move, as it rested near the back of my neck.
Mamie's face wrinkled as she looked on. I could see her tear up a bit, but she managed to keep her feelings at bay. It was all going according to my plan.
"O Teten, finish your food na," Mamie interrupted. In turn, Teten obliged without any complaint.
With my mission completed, I decided to walk over back to the giants' leisure area. In it were two large cushions which they usually sat in. They used them whenever they gathered to talk or to look at the large picture screen which they called a teevee.
It was different from the picture screen grouped with Dadier's computer. For one, it was larger, and the giants sat farther away to view it. I hadn't noticed it before but this computer didn't have a kibo or damaus attached to it. A small rectangular trinket, which they called a remo or remote, controlled it. I wasn't quite sure which was the proper way to call it. The proportion of the sizes amused me.
Also, unlike Dadier's computer, they allowed us prisoners to view the teevee. They used it to stream re-education materials to us. It also showed moving pictures of historical accounts of the world before the Great War. Unlike the computer though, the teevee wasn't capable of communicating with other giants. In a way, it might be a more primitive version of the computer.
I sat on the same spot where I woke up before feeding time. Lowlow, the only giant in the area, sat with his legs up in the cushion. I lifted my own pair and emulated his stance, in hopes of fostering the giant's trust. He laughed as soon as I copied his pose. I wasn't quite sure if he laughed mockingly or if it was a strange sign of approval.
Teten joined us and sat beside me as soon as she finished eating her fill. Mamie trailed her, then sat beside Lowlow. Ari stomped across the room to join us for a bit, but went outside the fortress for his shif after a while. A few moments later, Lowla stepped in and sat where the two cushions met. And, just like that, the entire leisure area became crowded.
It was suffocating, but I didn't want to abandon my attempt at wheedling Lowlow. With Lowla there as well, I was able to hit two birds with one well-placed viento air strike.
I prepared to launch a barrage of flattery towards the elder giants. Right before I was about to do so, the teevee displayed something that my eyes couldn't believe. Stunned, I tried to wrap my head around it, still not convinced that what I was seeing was real. It was a glimpse at a life during better times. Had it been about someone who I didn't knew, I wouldn't have cared.
"Diego?"
The extremely passionate @ryivhnn has created this magnificent viento-inspired artwork for this story. Close your eyes and picture this masterpiece, as you imagine Ledd soaring to new heights. Please be sure to check out @ryivhnn's wonderful artwork and in-depth logs of her experiences with homeschooling her children. You can also become a patron of hers on Patreon so that you can support her regularly.
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