Who's the real monster?

Hollow

       

           Talen was relaxed on his bed, Pixie sleeping on the pillow next to him. After all the excitement he had gotten them another serving of quartz which Pixie had chewed down quickly. The server had looked at him oddly again, he rarely had more than one serving, but he had ignored them, hurrying back to the room to avoid any questions.

          He hadn't let himself seriously think about going outside for years, but Pixie had changed things. He didn't want them to live their life down here, but if Pixie left while they still could, they might get hurt. He only wanted the best for Pixie. Today had proved that they were a better sibling figure than he had ever had, which wasn't even saying a lot.

          Talen got up, careful not to disturb Pixie, and strode towards the hollow. The soft light of what he knew from his books was a moon that appeared only once a month, was shining through, seemingly beckoning him towards it. As he got closer he saw a long crack, the rare moonlight had illuminated different parts of the hollow so he could see more than usual.

          He picked up a tool and poked it, making the crack widen, revealing more stone. Talen wasn't surprised to see the stone, though he was surprised to see that this newly revealed stone was bright white. It was talc! This was what the layers of compacted dirt and stone had been hiding.

          Talen smiled and fidgeted excitedly, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time. He could easily get rid of this top layer and dig through the talc, everyone knew it was the worst stone for good reason. It was so soft you could scrape it with a fingernail, which was bad for nearly every other purpose, but for him, this was perfect!

          Talen worked all night, keeping care to be as quiet as possible so he didn't wake Pixie, and by morning the hollow had widened into a small tunnel, barely enough to squeeze through but still, it was enough. For once he was glad of his thin frame.

          He was sitting on the pile of dirt and stone in front of the tunnel, both a jumble of emotions inside him. In all his working he had forgotten his fear. Suddenly Pixie landed on his shoulder, making him jolt.

           "So, this is what you've been doing all night huh. Why are you covered in white stuff?" Pixie hovered and brushed some off the top of his head, feeling it between their fingers.

           Talen suddenly realized how dirty he was, he stood up and brushed some of it off, he would have to take a bath soon, the talc would be a nightmare to get off his scales. "Last night I discovered that the hollow you fell through is made of talc, the white stuff! I widened it so we could leave, I don't want you to grow up down here and you need to find your family anyways." He had realized while working that Pixies family had to be looking for them, he just wondered how they had lost their child.

           Pixie's face softened and they sniffed, wiping under their eyes with their delicate fingers, "You would do that for me? Leave your family to find mine? No one has ever done anything so nice for me!"

           Talen smiled awkwardly, he didn't think Pixie would be so emotional, he wasn't good with crying people. Trying to lighten the mood he joked, "I'm the only person you've ever met, of course I'm the nicest one."

           Pixie smiled through their tears, flying up to hug his neck as best they could. "I hope you never leave me." They mumbled against his neck.

           Talen smiled, he hoped Pixie never left him either, but he knew they would have to at some point.