<< Chapter 23
The multi-talented @verbal-d (who, by the way, edited this chapter) has bestowed a wonderful gift for this story. Known for his lyrical rhymes, he's also a master when it comes to mixing melodious beats. To enhance the reading experience, play this on loop in the background as you read this chapter. Take a deep breath, and allow yourself to be consumed by the entire experience. Please be sure to follow and donate to @verbal-d! You can also follow his work on SoundCloud.
I went into this knowing full well that it could have been my undoing. It was telling that I didn't even have any plans on how I would have made my return. I was fortunate that all the other prisoners were asleep as Ari carried me back to the fortress. No one got the chance to bear witness to the shame of my defeat. That was, if that even qualified as a loss.
In my mind, I did my best to give our prison takeover plan the best chance it could get. The loss of their secret weapon would've proven to be the deciding factor in our endgame. Alas, my effort was for naught, and I was sure that I would only suffer the consequences of my actions.
Ari carried me on his shoulders, as he trudged back to the fortress. He reeked of alcohol, and his skin was hot to the touch. There were no words exchanged during our journey back. But, I knew that I should've been preparing for the worst.
Once Mamie and Dadier discovered what I had done, they would perceive it as a threat. Even worse, they would think of it as another escape attempt. I just knew that they wouldn't tolerate another indiscretion. My previous getaway didn't help at all with it. These were the times when the giants' inability to understand whatever I said was a disadvantage.
I ruminated about what had transpired, but I couldn't wrap my head around it. That thing ... it looked exactly like the creature I saw in my hallucination. Although, it was way smaller than I had anticipated. I thought it was as tall as the giants, but it turned out that it was only as tall as I was.
Was it in fact an offspring of the dreaded beast the other prisoners feared? Did its notoriety oversell its terrifying appearance? Why didn't it attack me? Or, was it just biding its time? Did Ari save me, or did he save it from me? Was I becoming more of a giant than I realized?
There was another thing that I found confusing, though. Why was there a gigantic chain strapped around the beast's neck? Was it used to keep it at bay to prevent it from eating the prisoners, or to hinder it from attacking the giants? It looked tame and docile, a far cry from what I had envisioned. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that the beast was even ... It was even asking for help. It couldn't be. Could it? Was it a prisoner like I was?
No matter how many questions filled my head, I knew that I would never have a definite answer to any of them. The giants were the only ones who could provide the answers I sought. The strain of the mission quickly took its toll on me. I was drained physically, mentally and emotionally. Keeping my head up and my eyes wide open soon proved to be tasking.
Ari carried me up the flight of steps with ease. The giant completed what was half a day's journey for me in mere minutes, if not seconds. He put me down on the ground, as soon as we arrived on the upper floor of the fortress.
"Stay there," Ari commanded, pointing to a dilapidated cushion sitting in the hallway. The giant seemed irritated, so I did as he asked, not wanting to aggravate him. He looked like a leaner version of Dadier, but his face resembled Mamie's more.
Ari knocked on the cell door a few times before he decided to open it. He peeked inside, murmuring something that I couldn't comprehend. Whatever he said forced Mamie to rush out, looking completely distressed.
Mamie grabbed me beneath my arms, held me close, and squeezed me tightly. I tried to hold my breath as long as I could, but the stranglehold squashed all the air out from my lungs. The giant sobbed, as tears poured down from the side of her face onto the top of my head. Perhaps it was because she thought I was escaping once again. Or, maybe she felt relieved that no one else had witnessed her oversight. But, it didn't feel like that at all. Not even a little bit.
Her squeeze eventually became lighter, until it felt more like a snug embrace. I could feel the warmth of her body, and I could hear every beat that her heart made. It was in that moment when I felt no violent emotion coming from the giant.
She wiped her face with her arms, and then grabbed my hand softly. We made our way to the tiled torture chamber. I didn't resist, or even detest. The giant stayed silent, as she turned a valve to let the water pour out. She pulled my feet beneath the running stream, and rubbed it clean. The water was warm to the touch, and the pressure was just right.
It was all ... very confusing. More importantly, it didn't even feel like torture at all. Not a second did I suspect that there was a nefarious scheme afoot. It felt different from the previous times when there was a veiled sense of relaxation. This time it felt that the giant's intention was genuine. For some strange reason, I didn't feel unnerved about it at all.
Mamie sniffled between sobs. I felt compelled to console her, but I didn't know how to. If only she understood the way I spoke, then everything would have been much easier. I tried to learn their language to better convey my thoughts, but it was still misunderstood.
The giant's eyes were glassy, and her movements were muted. For the life of me, I couldn't comprehend why her demeanor was like that. I expected the giant to be fuming upon the discovery of what she would suspect as a foiled escape. But, the reaction she had was completely unexpected. It wasn't anything that I could ever prepare for.
Without words, the giant expressed such profound sorrow, that I couldn't help but be moved. The reasons for it may have eluded me, but my sympathy extended even to my fiercest of foes. I sighed, as I tried to figure out the root of her melancholy.
Perhaps I had it wrong all along. Maybe this wasn't a prison at all. What if the giants gathered us together to save us from the harshness of the outside world? In their own weird way, perhaps they were trying to keep us safe. In that regard, could they have been the heroes all along?
These vague glimpses of the past continued to be detrimental. I didn't know which were real and which were constructs of my fractured mind. Were they even subjecting me to torture? Maybe they were trying to repair my brain, filling in the gaps in my memory. I had never once stopped to think about it that way.
This may have very well been yet another ploy, and yet I ... I didn't have the slightest suspicion that it was the case. Was I too far gone in their re-education? If I was, was it so bad to be?
Mamie aided me as we made our way back to the sleeping quarters. She didn't illuminate the room, so as not to wake the others. Fortunately, our eyes had already adjusted to the darkness.
I took the long route, circling the room until I got to my bed. Passing Dadier, I couldn't help but notice that this head remained exposed to an attack. If I had violent intentions, I could've ended him right there. Alas, the kindness that he had shown me recently made me think twice about an assault. Instead, I placed my lips on his forehead and gave back the energy that I had siphoned from him. Even under duress, I would have never turned to theft. What was I to be if I were to lose all my principles?
Walking further, I happened upon Teten sleeping without a blanket. The room was getting colder by the second, and she might have gotten sick if her body would have remained unguarded. In a different instance, I would've just left her she was and let the harsh cold creep to every orifice in her body. But, that was for a different instance. I grabbed the corner that had already fallen to the ground, and secured the blanket to keep her warm.
Eddie lay restlessly on his appropriately sized bed. Out of all of us in the room, he was the only one to have a bed that was right for his size. I stared at him, and couldn't help but feel a sort of kinship. Even though I tried to deny it, he certainly did have a striking resemblance to myself. If he was indeed a clone, was it so bad? If that was the case, he would have all the fire that I possessed underneath all of the giants' programming. I resolved right there that instead of fighting him, I would make him an ally, and teach him all the ways of our people. We'd be the last Sachaphoyans, and I wouldn't have to feel so alone anymore.
I felt light-headed, upon scaling my bed. Mamie laid down beside me, perhaps to keep a close eye in case I decided to wander off yet again. My body sunk slowly down the fleecy cot. The giant wrapped her arms around me to keep me afloat. The bed undulated to the silky rhythm of the night. Slowly, the unrelenting darkness crept towards us, ready to engulf us whole.
The warmth that Mamie's body provided kept me calm. I didn't mind losing myself to the looming shade, if I indeed still had pieces of me left to lose. This was the safest I had felt in a long while, and I took comfort in that thought.
I placed my hands on Mamie's cheeks, and planted my lips against hers. Entrusting my safety to the giant, I transferred the last of my viento to her. It took all the courage I could muster, but somehow it just felt right.
"Isle la view," I whispered softly. Was this the right moment to say those keywords? Somehow, I felt that it was. A warm feeling slowly came upon me, taking the place of where my viento was.
Mamie hugged me, and replied with the same words. I closed my eyes, and felt the warmth slowly course through my body. Maybe being a giant wasn't so bad after all. I was tired of fighting, tired of being alone, and perhaps if I gave in, I wouldn't have to be. By that time, I couldn't even remember what I was fighting for, or why I was even fighting.
Everything suddenly felt like a dream, and in an instant I was back gliding through the clouds. I couldn't see the ground below, and I wasn't in a rush to find out. Whenever I did decide to dive down, it would be interesting to see what adventures awaited me. One thing was for sure, whenever those adventures arrived, I would be ready for whatever came my way.
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.
<< Chapter 23
And that, my friends, is a wrap. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Stay tuned for the final SILVER LINING.
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