Living With The Giants

Sixty-Three: Justice

Sixty-Three: Justice

In a row they stand, lined up, straight backs and nervous glances to each other as if they were commencing a military grade drill. Before them stood Jaces mother, stood like their sergeant. She tapped her foot twice, letting out a gentle sigh.

"Austin" Jaces mother started at one end of the line, stepping slowly to pause and look each of the boys in the eye
"Cole" she lowered her eyes and stopped to stand before Darrick "and Darrick. You boys are in some serious trouble, I hope you know that. Especially you Darrick. Breaking your contract with the department. Your told one rule, to breach this contract is twelve months in hard detention" she tapped her heeled foot a few times, slowly unlike the three boys hearts that raced in their chests.

"You knew about Darricks.. ability" Jace whispered the word as if he were cursing, eyes widened as he lifted his head towards his mother, earning a stern glare back.

"And to think of all people to show, he told you Jason" his mother clearly knowing Jace and his disastrous big mouth, always being the most boastful person in the room "don't think that your exempt from this. This is a serious crime, Jason. Shrinking a fellow student and on top of that, even knowing, let alone seeing Darrick shrinking and growing is.." she looked as if she were holding herself together, barely keeping in a shaky breath.

"What does this mean.. what's going to happen to us?" Cole spoke barely over a whisper, seeming to realise the penalty to his actions

"This could be jail time if the authorities find out. But~" she walked slowly to lean on the corner of her desk "you'll be relocated for the time being" Darrick visibly stiffens, seeming to know what this meant but cole and Jace stood rigid, unsure what "being relocated" really meant. They looked to each other, confused

"where?" Cole spoke up, his voice strained and swallowed loudly amongst the four quiet boys

"Half way" Jaces mother seemed to smile a little, a small hint to her structured features. She almost enjoyed their confusion, Jace was one to know all too well what this meant.

"Half way?" Cole crossed his arms and looked towards Darrick, who had closed his eyes.

"Community service at Half Way, it's where giants and humans have chosen to live in harmony" she clasps her hands together to emphasise this "the same way you boys made Lenny this size. You'll be attending 'classes' that restrict your size similar to our smaller counterparts, but at a more.." she turned her sharp eyes toward Austin, who kept his focus glued to the floor

"Compatible size.. only for 15 hours each working week, you'll be returned to your normal size after each day.." she hums,

"some days you'll be small, some days your normal height. When small you'll be placed into the human community as if you were human yourselves. Cleaning, assisting, learning. Five days a week, you'll be working alongside me and attending classes," she raises her hand "only five days a week" she smiled

The boys stood still, quiet, at a loss for words

"It really isn't so bad, it'll be like a first look into what college could be like for you boys" she hums again, something like a tic of hers after each sentence, "it's actually really an amazing opportunity, it'll look good in writing" she sat behind her desk, gently falling into her chair "A lot of people do this willingly you know. Top graded Schools admire the want to experience diversity"

"And what about me!" Lenny howled from the desk, not moving to near the larger women that now sat closer to him. Instead keeping his distance as best he could from all of he giant individuals in the room. He didn't have much choice of where he sat, limited to the space of the desk he'd been placed upon

"You will be returned to your original size Lenny. But I'll be placing you into a similar institute that helps giants like yourself learn to respect our smaller counterparts" she leant her hands on the desk, "I know of you, heard of the things you have done. Considering the many chances you have received already.. I believe this is the right decision" she smiled.

Lenny didn't simulate  the same reaction "I don't need to be placed into some hippie rehab that brain washes me to like humans!"

"Oh you don't, do you? Well.." she oozed complete authority, a women of jurisdiction as she reached out and gently lifted a worming Lenny from her desk into a well manicured hand" I'll speak with you later, I have plenty of other options for you, young man"  she simply opened a drawer and set the small human inside, with utmost delicacy and care for him. Then closed him inside, ignoring his throat tearing screams of disdain.

"its unbearable watching as such a worm like himself could be so successful and yet, so ungrateful" she sighed, "I'll deal with him later" she crossed her arms whilst looking back at the giant boys that stood like sulking children.

"What about Tess.." Jace lifted his head then, Darrick reacting quickly by pinching Jace in the pudgy part of his hip. Jace gasped loudly, pulling away from Darrick's fingers 

"Tess..? Darrick, how many people know?" Jaces mother looked at him with dismay, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's it.." Darrick glared in Jace's direction who shied away, realising he should've kept his mouth shut.

" well considering she knows also" she takes a breath, seeming frustrated "she'll receive the same punishment. She will stay her size though to be integrated into the same system. Considering she has had experience with our size already, she'll be very helpful actually with helping train the students that have never been in contact with humans before"

"Like some trained rat! Leave her out of this, just punish us. Not Tess, she's been through enough!" A desperate plead, "this is my fault, and only mine" Darrick stood large within the room. There was something in that shout, a heart aching pain behind it. Jace watched, cole shied away while Austin stood stone still. Jace watched Darrick's eyes. Then he knew. The anger was nothing but a shield for pain, like a cornered soldier randomly throwing out grenades, scared for his life, his lovers life, scared to be lonely and so desperate. Jace breathed in real slow, guilt ridden.

"There's a 100% success rate, Darrick. Not a single injury since the commencing of the institutes opening. Everyone is closely supervised at all times, humans and giants. We won't miss a thing. She will be okay.. I can promise you that and yourselves" Jaces mother stands, taking a deep breath she adjusts her suit before moving around the desk "go home, get a good nights rest" she opened her door, as if busy with other work she simply left. 

Jace sunk to the floor then and covered his face with his hands, he looked as if he were crying. Cole barely managing to hold it together himself he rest his face in his hands. Austin was silent, he didn't say much or move really throughout the whole spiel, moving to leave after Darrick who shook his head, his face hard as stone before walking out of the room.

The decision was done.  

~~~

Tess rolled onto her side, stretching out her arms across the mattress expecting to feel the warmth of a body beside her but instead her hands met the cold of an empty bed. Lifting herself up, she looked about the room seeing Darrick wasn't anywhere in the room, not even the bathroom. Sighing she rolled out of bed, moving to pull the sheets back when suddenly her door opened slowly.

"Where were you?" She smiled at the sight of him, but it quickly turned to a frown as he reached for her, wrapping her up and locked in his  embrace. He was shaking, crying maybe? She couldn't tell. Couldn't see from where she had been buried within his arms. From what she could tell, something was wrong.

~~

Small update sorry to keep you all waiting for so long. Sorry if it's not the best I've been very busy with life and just been in surgery