Living With The Giants

Two: Meeting The Taylor Boys

Two: Meeting The Taylor Boys

I hurry down a long ramp that leads down into a numbingly quiet platform. I looked beside me seeing a rogue newspaper being chased by a gentle breeze. My tatty boot footsteps lightly echo throughout the empty TPod station, it was ghostly quiet. It was kind of scary and cause a shiver to run down my spine.

Before me I noticed that my mother had already reached the entrance to the pickup bay, foot tapping impatiently against the white floor as she waits for me. I'm glad that she's waiting for me, if she had left me to walk out by myself I'd most likely end up in a trembling panic.

The station was like any other, Grey above, Grey bellow with a mix of whites to give everything a modern feel. The air feels just as stale as the packed station back home and the cool air left prickling goosebumps up and down along my legs and arms. But there was hardly any litter that scattered the ground, most likely because there wasn't anyone to leave rubbish behind. It looked like a a murder scene, there was no one here but me and my mother.  The quiet chills me, paranoia getting the better of me I abruptly turn every now and then to stare behind me. I couldn't help it, it becoming a habit since I was little.

Mom was the only one out of the two of us that has actually been to the giant quarters, many times actually through work. It payed good money, but the trips were long and tiring so she tended to stay over at a friend house whenever she worked double shifts. Aka Brian's house. That's how she met Brian, through work.

Unlike me, she's use to seeing giants and the size of them. I just need to focus on breathing, to keep calm so I wouldn't look like a fool. I could already feel tears sprouting in my eyes thinking about being picked up, I wasn't one for heights. Never have been.

"Ready?" I look up hearing Mum, seeing her reaching out to link arms with myself, which I gladly accept. She pulls me into her side, gently brushing a strand of strawberry blonde hair back off my cheek.

I smile softly to her and shrug my shoulders in defeat, there was no turning back now "y-yeah I guess" I lie. how could anyone be ready for a moment like this, to meet a giant. A freaking giant! Some people live their entire life without ever catching a glimpse of a giant unless it was on tv. And I'm going to be living with two. And not to mention I'll be going to a school full of them. I raised a hand to my head, taking a breath I shake my head. I'm gonna faint.

"There's nothing to be frightened of Tess. Brian and his son are incredibly kind and gentle." she whispers as soft as a kitten, pushing my hair over my shoulder then leaning in to give me a reassuring hug, her strong perfume making my nose itch, the smell of jasmine lingers in the air as she holds me.

"I've been with Brian for over a year now, he's hesitant to even hurt a fly, I'm sure he'll treat us like princess's." she laughs softly to herself as if she'd said something funny, rolling my eyes I scrunch up my nose at her perfume.

"I'll try" I mumble into her soft curly hair, burying my face in deeper getting a coconut whiff, the same smell of the conditioner she uses. We gently pull apart from each other's arms, my mother's smile as bright as day.

I smile back and slowly turn my attention to the side when I see movement, My heart lurching slightly out of my chest at the sight of the two backpacker couples from the pod earlier stepping into an elevator and disappear behind the doors, holding hands and smiling to each other with laughter to follow. Then silence, it hung heavily in the air.

What startled me more was that could hear distant rumbling, it sounded like it could have been thunder rolling in over head, drumming lowly, untamed power reverberated and echoing.  But soon began to intensify into bone shaking bangs, I couldn't help but duck with each thunderous boom like an earthquake. I look to the high ceilings expecting it to be cracking and falling to pieces, but it was intact, only the lights above swinging slightly from the vibrations. I knew I had fear struck on my face and I froze, muscles tight and feet glued to the floor. I could feel the blood draining from my cheeks and I didn't even need to see me reflection.