Storm (G/T)

Mapped Out

I instantly collapse, unaware of the cars' next move. The red and blue lights cut through the peaceful night sky. Whether they wish to run me over, arrest me, interrogate me or anything else, it can't be good. They circle around me. Well, there's only two of them. Upon stopping, the drivers step out and surround me. Instinctually, my hands fly up.

"Calm down, missy." One of the cops pipes up. He's got dark hair and skin, and is rather gangly. Missy. Belittling, but a good feeling. "Are you..." he pulls out a flipbook and flips through it. "(I'm not gonna say my deadname)?" Of course. "Forgive me sir, your features are surprisingly feminine." I'm not a sir. This is a new form of hell. I want to go back to the forest. I need to. I have no one to protect me.

"Well, we've been searching for you for days," the other officer explains. "We managed to track you, somewhat, your DNA has frozen in the snow, but we lost it suddenly and picked up new tracks that weren't identifiable. They were much more widespread, though." Austin. "Were you the victim of a kidnapping?"

I pause. If I say yes, they'll track Austin down. They'll also want me to go into detail, and they surely won't believe me. "No, I was just in the forest way back there for a week. The one with a fence around it? It took so long for me to find my way out, but I'm here now."

"What's that you're holding?" The lanky officer asks. I look into my arms. "A map. That's how I got out." Might as well tell the truth. It makes it less suspicious.

"Mighty large map, if so."

"Uh," My gaze shifts out of focus then back in, which I'm sure looks questionable. "I actually found this out by the forest during the storm. Not sure why it's so big." I'm back in a suburb at this point. I memorized where I am, a few cities over is my own. With it being night, people are asleep thankfully, so no one can spot this encounter unless they'd heard the sirens.

"May we see the map, sir?" The other cop asks, putting her hands on her hips. I'm not a sir. Whatever. Bigger problems.

It has Austin's name on it. Shit. "Yeah, sure." I give them the pile of paper. They unfold it promptly, in awe at the size of it. They don't even realize how small it really is.

"My, this is quite an effort. Who are, uh..." the lanky cop zones in. "Austin and Robin?"

"Never heard of them. Likely the people who left the map. Might explain the size, actually!" I chuckle nervously. "Two people could definitely cover a map at that size."

The girl cop pauses, then turns to her partner. "We need to keep this."

"Oh, maybe that's not the best idea, uh..." the two eye me down. "I'd like to examine the forest at some point, maybe-"

"No, this is evidence. Everything we find near the end of that forest is a peculiar size. Bugs crawl by at the sizes of dinner plates in the summer, but we can't investigate- let alone you," she explains. "No one's authorized to pass the fence."

"No one?" I ask, turning back.

"Well, no one ever has."

There's a shift around by a couple of houses. The officers and I all look over to my right to see what caused it. "Houses have been settling hard recently," the girl cop points out, tightening her ponytail. "Lots got bitten by the storm. Yours?" She looks to me.

"Yeah. Hard." I shouldn't even tell them about the damage. I need to get to somewhere. I need a home. And, most importantly, I need that map.

"Why, a good few hours or so away we saw a little shack of a house get absolutely decimated by the storm. Barely a frame now. Good thing no one lived there." I freeze at the lanky officer's comment.

"Was the roof green?"

"Roof!" He laughs. "Not even a roof left. You'd be lucky to find anything through that pile of debris. But I did see green shingles, yes. You see it too?"

"Yeah," I reply. "I did."

"My apologies for your house, ma'am." I smile. "Sorry, sir." Oh, come on!  I'm not a sir. She continues,  "At least that wasn't your house. Anyway, you need your map back. It's surely suspicious, but nothing concerning you, and I'm happy you told us the truth." Uh-huh.

"It's fascinating. Trees, insects, wildlife, even maps- everything over there is massive."

"Yeah, it sure caught me by surprise," I reply. They don't know the half of it.

"Well, it's time to bring you back to your parents now, they've told the station all about how much they miss their runaway son. Ready, sir?" Wait, slow down.

"Wait, they knew I've been gone?"

"Well sure, why wouldn't they?" The lanky cop asks.

"I just- I don't-" I can't explain why I don't live with them, but I'd like to.

"It's best to just come with us, sir. You can trust us, this is our job." The girl cop begins to guide me into her car, when the houses shift again. Forget that. I'm not a fucking-

"She's not a sir," a familiar voice pipes up, much louder than those of the police.