Storm (G/T)

In Hot Water

It's warmer. Much warmer. My eyelids are crusted shut, and trying to open them hurts me to no end. Maybe I died. Possibly I'm in heaven, or better yet, hell. Anything's fine if a warm flame is in reach. Maybe if I roll over a little closer to the heat source, I'll feel better. It's so warm... so lovely. Perhaps a little closer... just a bit mor-

My eyes snap open, momentarily paining my eyelids. Before I can even process it, my body is lifted up like a claw machine prize, and placed stoutly back at least ten feet. After rubbing my eyes to relieve the stinging, I try to scan to see what caused the movement. Before I can process anything, a loud voice floods my ears.

"So I was right - you are alive! Good thing, too." I look up, and up... and up... to view who's yelling at me. "I hope you aren't trying to kill yourself, especially since you already looked dead. You'd surely track the fire onto the counter, and fire on a wood counter is very... counterproductive."

A towering teenager giggles to himself, probably not even aware of his natural volume. By towering, I mean towering. He's a giant if I ever saw one. I can easily fit in his palm. All he did was pick me up and move me back. Dare I say, I'm happy he did, since I don't want to be anywhere near him.

I try to scoot back a few feet further but I hit the wall, making my attempt to stay calm much harder. Straight ahead, I see where the heat was coming from. I almost rolled into a real flame, burning underneath a giant pot of... something boiling. Oh no... is it for food? Or torture? Is that why I'm on the counter? My body fixates in place while my eyes glue to the pot.

"Are you doing alright there?" The giant stirs the pot with one hand holding a wood spoon, using the other to hold the handle. He's got an accent, but not one I can identify. "I hope you're not terribly cold still. I saw you in the snow and you were near blue!" My hands shoot to my ears, but lower again. That's when I notice my hands. They're not discolored anymore. I try to process the healing, when the boy speaks again.

"I just had to take you to warm you up, it broke my heart to see you in pain. My fingers are all clumsy, I couldn't feel a pulse to save my life. I sort of expected you to be dead, but I didn't want to lose faith that fast. What are you, anyway?" He quick turns the burner off and suddenly leans in real close. Too close. If I wanted, I could touch the thick black frame of his glasses, but I remain still. Paralyzed, rather. He's wearing a baseball cap, and the top of it shades me like an umbrella.

He backs up a little and readjusts the cap, maybe sensing my anxiety. "It's so weird, you look exactly like a giant. Just a lot more... you know..." I open my mouth, trying to introduce myself, explain my stress, ask him to back up, anything at all, but my vocal cords stay as still as the rest of my body. My eyes follow him as he backs up and shifts his focus to the pot, still trying to make conversation with me. "You're like a human or something," he smiles. Yeah... exactly like that. Or something.

He walks (loudly) to a cabinet and (loudly) pulls out a bowl. Everything is loud, unless I'm just hypersensitive. I'm having sensory overload from the sounds and colors surrounding me. He pours the hot liquid out, and I can only stare as the waves crash into the sides of the cavernous bowl. It's nearly clear with a slight purple tint and some purple pieces. Wait, is it...? It's just water. That's it. Lavender infused. What's that for? Before I can think, my ears are invaded again by overpowering sound.

"I'll be back in a moment, stay still and don't go near the flame. I'm sure you're aware of how heat works, but still." He stomps off with the bowl of water to a hallway, turning back once to look at me, then back onto his path.

I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Where am I? What is any of this? Well, let's look at the fact at hand. I was clearly kidnapped, but how? Wouldn't anyone notice an eighty foot person grabbing me and taking me to wherever the hell this place is? Or did they notice and not try to stop him? I know I wouldn't try.

Maybe someone saw then. At least in that case people know where I am, or at least where I went. Those police were close by when I dropped, did they see? Why didn't they shoot? What stopped them from keeping me safe? My thoughts are interrupted as he returns, and my body involuntarily tenses up again as I push myself to the wall.

"Can I pick you up? I just want to get you used to this place." No. No. No. Absolutely not. Save me please. I don't say a thing, but I think he can read my body language. "If not, I can... what can I do?" He looks around for things, then rolls his eyes up. He's wearing that cap. "I have an idea, this way there won't be skin-to-skin contact." He pulls the hat off and shakes his head to reveal bouncy orange waves, holding it upside down in front of the counter, waiting for me to dive in. "She's all yours."

I use whatever courage I have to simply swallow. Then I speak. "I... I need a minute."

"You can talk!" he exclaims, making me shut up again. He can definitely sense my fear. "I'm sorry, I'm just happy you're starting to open up. You've been real skittish since you woke up. But that's okay, I just want you to know that there is no need to fear, I have no intent to hurt you. Does that help your nerves?"

I pause once again. "Sure." It's almost offensive to think that would calm my nerves. But I said it, no going back. Time to get it together. Rising up slowly, I trip over myself, my legs melting into jelly. I practically fall into the hat, which scares him to an extent since he brings me close to his face and asks if I'm alright. Christ, he's so big... "Yes, I'm fine, please just hold me further back," I briefly explain, using all my power to not stutter. Despite my fear, I feel annoyance burning inside. I suppose that's what's giving me the strength to talk. I just want to leave. I need to leave.

Didn't I pack some kind of weapon? Here's someone who I surely can't fight with fists. I touch my shoulders. No straps. My backpack is gone. Did this bastard take it? We start traveling down the hallway to some room I imagine where the water is. Feeling my jacket and patting myself down, I feel something hard. My eyes light up when I see it. The switch blade. Maybe it won't scare him, but it's worth a shot.

"You're really quite adorable," he tells me.

"Huh." I keep the blade concealed. It gives me more confidence to know I can combat.

"You fit so easily in this hat, and you have all this room! Are you okay...? You look upset. I just want you to be happy and safe, and I think this'll be the easiest way. Goodness, can I get another look at you up close? I'm just in awe..." he starts bringing the hat closer to him again, when I switch out the knife and point it at him. He stops right before it stabs directly into the point of his nose. I'm mere inches away from him-and suddenly aware of what I'm about to do.