We both stood still, completely motionless. I stared up at her, in a half-aware daze. She seemed to do the same, although for her, she was looking nearly right at her feet. I wasn't sure what to do. Panic? Laugh? Run? Speak? My mind was seized with the electric grip of shock, and I wasn't able to make a decision.

Of course, I was aware something strange would happen to me when Alexis brought me to her place. She had spent all night texting me about discovering some crazy phenomenon, and wanted me to come over to make sure she wasn't crazy. Well, she wasn't crazy. I'm not sure how it happened, whether it be magic or maybe the Matrix glitching out, but none of that mattered to me right now. I was hardly the size of her big toe. Maybe... around a centimeter tall now?

Alexis was the first one to speak, between the two of us. For her, she wasn't the one who had shrunken, and her mind probably had less to process than mine did because of that.

"Umm... uh... N-Nate?" Alexis finally spoke up.

I didn't answer, I found it hard to catch my breath. I was beginning to hyperventilate, and it was... obvious.

"Nate...? Are you okay?" she asked, sounding extraordinarily concerned, "You look like you're panicking..."

Her face was awash with worry. She wasn't able to hide it. Her forehead was beginning to perspire.



~~~



I didn't know what to do. Somehow, I had accidentally shrunken Nathaniel. I tried to call him by his nickname as usual, but he just seemed to freeze in place. Frozen.

I subconsciously began to lower myself. I wanted to either pick him up, or just squat to get a better look at him. Terrible, terrible mistake.

"A..AHH!" Nate screamed, and sprinted away, into the nearby corner of the room.



~~~



When Alexis began to lower herself down, I guess I finally snapped. She was so huge, and it scared me how fast she seemed to move. It was like watching a falling building, and I didn't want to get crushed. So, I just ran.

Alexis didn't give chase, and I didn't make it very far. I was pressed up very tightly against the intersection of two walls. In a corner.

"I'm sorry," Alexis whimpered. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just gonna get down lower so we can talk a little easier, okay?"

I nodded back, as best as I could manage, and Alexis got down on her knees, and rested her hands on her thighs, true to her word.

It was obvious she meant no harm, and this whole thing was likely just an accident. But still. I felt extremely vurnerable, and the power dynamic was completely in her favor right now. In the back of my mind, I knew she had no reason to, but if she felt like it, she could very easily end me in a myriad of different ways. Intentional or not.

"O-okay. I'm comfortable now. I'm not going to make any sudden movements, okay? I am just going to wait here until you're ready to talk," Alexis explained, and managed to produce a disarming smile.

I had always loved the way she smiled. Her efforts were going a long way into helping me calm down, too.

But, it's not that simple...

I faced the wall, knelt in a sort of fetal position, and softly cried.



~~~



Two or three minutes had passed before Nate seemed to calm himself, and stop hyperventilating.

"H... Hey," Nate managed to squeak out, after unburying his reddened face from the wall.

He had entered a semi fetal position once he had backed himself into a corner, and it nearly broke my heart to watch him cry.

"Hi! I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen. Last night all I could do was change the colors of objects," I hurriedly explained myself.

I didn't know he would end up shrinking. This was a complete accident. And, much worse, I realized I didn't know how to undo this. I felt, well, guilty. Ashamed.



~~~



"I, uh.. I think I'm.. able to speak now," I managed to tell her.

Alexis perked up a bit once I finally found my voice and got over my episode.

"Yay!" Alexis beamed, before becoming a bit more serious, "Nate... I am very sorry, but I just realized I don't know if I have a way to return you to your normal state..."

My heart sank at this information, but I had anticipated such would be the case. There was no sense getting mad or angry.

Before I was able to reply, Alexis continued to speak softly.

"I swear I will do everything in my power to take care of you," Alexis promised. "This is my fault and I feel indescribably guilty."

Her lips were beginning to quiver as she spoke. I didn't want her to cry as well, so I put on a brave face and began to walk towards her, which caused her to gasp. It amazed even myself to be honest, but I can't just watch her cry. I might be tiny now but I'm still just me. I still felt the need to console her.

I walked right up to her knee, and placed my right hand on the fabric of her leggings. I'll never understand how athletic-wear became such a trend to constantly wear, but I was never one to complain, no siree.

Alexis stayed completely still, like a stone gargoyle. I swallowed a lump in my throat and decided to ask something.

"Can you pick me up, please?" I asked.

Alexis complied, and moved both of her hands very carefully around my entire frame. It took a minute, but I realized she was just as terrified of this situation as I was. I should know, because her palms were clammy and sweaty. She wasn't being impetuous. She was afraid of hurting me, or scaring me any further.

I was raised midway between her chest and her face, and she beheld me with a sense of awe. Her emerald green eyes were usually misty and stunning at normal size, and I used to think she had a bad case of resting bitch face before I was able to witness it at this magnitude. I pretty much had her sister-zoned up until this moment. But she was beautiful, and I was becoming painfully bashful now.

She corrected her slack-jawed expression, and spoke up.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?" she eagerly asked me.

"Nothing hurts, and I feel relatively normal, all things considered," I replied.

"Oh, okay. I'm going to move to the couch, okay? My knees are starting to get a tad sore. I'm not sure if you're afraid of heights, but I'm about to stand up. Close your eyes if you need to, but I promise I won't drop you," Alexis warned me.

"Yes, go ahead," I replied.

She was being overly thoughtful. Usually she was a lot more goofy and carefree, but now she was acting like she just got pulled over by the police, with a dead body in the trunk of her car.

I wasn't sure what I expected, but I was hit with a wave of vertigo as she stood up, and once I realized how high up I appeared to be, I quickly shut my eyes and buried myself as best as I could against her palm. I think Alexis noticed this, because as soon as I did, I was brought much closer to her sternum, nearly underneath her breasts. Usually I paid them no mind, they were smaller than average compared to most women, since she was a thin woman herself. But currently they greatly dwarfed me. At that moment, something awoke inside of me, and I felt a mix of being humbled as well as another strange, foreign feeling in my chest. Her intentions may have been pure on keeping me secure, but it certainly had an auxillary effect once I realized where I was.

I felt Alexis stop moving, and assumed she had finally sat on the couch. I was slightly lifted away from the shelter of her chest, back into the open, face to face with her again. I felt safe, I knew I could trust her, and yet, I still felt wildly helpless in a small way. Literally.

"So, um, you might be small for awhile, would you like for me to contact anybody for you?" Alexis asked, "People might worry or wonder where you are."

"That's true," I conceded. "But honestly, ever since I moved out, I really haven't heard much from my family in a long time. It's been pretty lonely."

Of course, this ellicited a small frown from Alexis.

"Well, you don't have to be lonely any longer," she answered with a wink. "If anyone starts asking around about you, we'll figure something out. Your landlord also might think you just left town. You're going to turn up as a missing person eventually."

It was true. I pretty much just disappeared. I didn't even drive here, she picked me up, and I live in a rural area.

"So I've been kidnapped, essentially," I joked.

A small, forced laugh from her.

"I suppose, maybe..." she trailed off. "I usually wouldn't have the courage to say this usually, but..."

She hesitated.

"Um, yes?" I asked, completely confused.

"N-nevermind," she answered, blushing.

 "Stop running, damn it!" Stacy yelled in exasperation from down the hallway. She had been chasing Theodore, one of the more shy students in her grade. But there was a little bit of a problem-- he had been one of the victims of the shrinking incident recently.

•Theo•

I kept sprinting, if just to save my life. What did this girl want? Why was she chasing me, and yelling? I've heard horror stories of less fortunate shrinkees, ones who were captured and tortured by sadistic people. And... disposed of in horrific, inhumane ways. I turned a corner in the hallway and noticed the school's janitor closet was slightly ajar.

"Oh thank God!" I half uttered aloud after I swooped inside the closet and heard Stacy jog past. My heart was pounding, and I was breathing heavily.

Shrinking is a rare phenomenon, so I am the only tiny person currently attending the school. In fact, I wonder why I even have to keep showing up here at all. It just doesn't seem safe, to me. I mean, I just narrowly escaped with my life from a girl a hundred times larger than me.

I poked my head out of the closet, and Stacy was seemingly gone already. I turned back to the safety of the darkness, since I was not going to take any risks outside just yet. I made my way to the back wall, looking for a comfortable spot to rest and catch my breath.

There wasn't much special about the maintenance closet, it was pretty much what you would expect. The staff keeps the school clean well enough, but for some reason, this part of the school looked like it hadn't been getting any love itself. The spider webs sticking to my feet is a testament to that--

Wait. "Shit!" I yelled, and tried to untangle myself. I was well and truly getting more stuck in place by the second.

If there's a spider web, then that means...

I felt eyes staring at me from somewhere in the closet. Perhaps I had some sort of sixth sense for it, but I decided to turn around and face the cracked-open entrance door, and sure enough, I noticed a big spider on the floor, just watching me. Menacingly.

If I wasn't already, I was trying very hard now to free myself. I squatted down and tried to pull the strands off of my ankles. In doing so, I forgot to keep an eye on my stalker.

I looked up in panic to see the spider had definitely moved towards me, ever so slightly.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I kept repeating to myself, adrenaline already settling in my bloodstream. First it was that crazy cheerleader, and now I'm going to lose my life to some spider because I chose to hide.

However... The door casually swung open, and I squinted as light poured in to the maintenance closet. A huge figure stood in the entrance. I looked at their shoes; an expensive looking pair of snow white athletic shoes with some signs of gym use around the soles. Further up, uncovered legs leading to a pleated skirt, then a slender jersey. So, it was Stacy.

Her eyes locked with mine after a second, and I felt my heart sink.

"Hi!" Stacy cooed smoothly like melted butter. It sounded kinder than the last little while she had been pursuing me throughout the school, yet survival got the better of me. I continued to struggle, and eventually broke free and ran slightly further into the closet. There wasn't much point in hiding, perhaps, but I had to try.

"Well, this place seems good as any to me. We shouldn't be bothered here," Stacy announced, and entered the closet, closing the door behind her.

I was well and truly fucked now. There wasn't enough of a gap between the floor and the door for me to squeeze under, unlike the rest of the building.

I peeked my head out from behind the business end of a broom. Stacy was already making her way over. As she did so, she casually stepped on the spider that had threatened to make me into a meal. I shuddered simply for the fact that she didn't even have to notice it to squash the life out of it. There was something surreal about someone smiling at you, walking towards you, and outright killing something on accident that you had little chance to defend yourself from previously.

I let loose a bit of a terrified, drawn out gasp.

"I-I-..." I stammered, whilst watching her kneel closer to my position. I was trapped. At least in the spider situation, I could have made it out the door. Now, there was no option but to submit. I found it difficult to form any words. I'm fucked.

"Well, I've finally caught you, Theo. Looks like running in here was a mistake for your little game of tag," Stacy sighed.

I was already trembling, teeth chattering, as Stacy captured me in one hand and lifted me up closer to her face.

"P-please don't hurt me! I-I- can get you some money, or--" I begged for my life.

Stacy went wide-eyed, and slightly let her jaw slack, lips parted in shock.

"Theo what are you even talking abou-- Nevermind, so, like, I wanted to ask you a favor?" Stacy grinned sheepishly, as her minty chewing gum breath replaced all the musty closet air that previously surrounded me.

I fidgeted nervously in her palms, trying to hold back from crying. "You mean... You mean you're not gonna..." I managed to finally speak out between sobs.

"Hurt you? Bully you? No, I mean, I know you're like a dork and everything but... I'm not like that," Stacy stated, trying to maintain a disarming grin.

I faltered on maintaining eye contact. I never was any good at it, even when I was normal sized. It was especially difficult with girls.

"So.. you chased me here for a, uh, favor?" I asked, trying my best to not sound too nervous, but my knees wouldn't quit shaking. Stacy seemed to finally notice my peril.

"Well, yeah dude, but like... Are you okay?" Stacy asked, sounding a little concerned.

"I'm o-okay," I lied. I wanted to tell her she had scared the shit out of me and that my life had flashed before my eyes just minutes ago, but I was just happy she wasn't here to cause me any trouble. "How... How can I help you?"

"Well... Um... So this shouldn't be like, too hard, but... Do you know who Sarah is? You know the one, the goth girl?"

"Well, yeah. I've seen her around a few times," I replied.

"Are you two friends?" Stacy asked.

"I... I haven't really talked to her before," I admitted.

"Oh, well... Why not?" Stacy questioned. "She's super nice! Probably even nicer than me, actually..."

"I mean, I don't know. It's hard to?" I answered.

Stacy looked confused. "... It's hard? I don't think it is, I've talked to her plenty! You two also kind of seem like you would get along."

I laughed a bit. I didn't really know how to reply to that.

"Wait a minute, Theo. Why did you say it was hard to talk to her?" Stacy questioned.

"You haven't figured it out?" I replied.

Stacy looked deep in thought. "Does she intimidate you or...? I mean I know the whole goth aesthetic can seem a little--"

"I can't, she's too pretty to talk to," I finally admitted.

"Oh my gosh, that can't be your actual reason Theo, that's... That's all in your head!" Stacy pep talked me.

"I struggle to talk with girls, and the prettier they are, the more I have to avoid them." I replied.

"I mean, aren't you talking to me right now, little dude? I'd call myself a 'pretty girl.' Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I work really hard to look good. Don't even try to deny it, Theo. I've poked a hole in your logic already," Stacy answered, sounding confident.

"This isn't the same, Stacy. You... You literally chased me through the hallways and cornered me in a closet! I'd never have just... Randomly struck up a conversation with you on my own merit. And being small doesn't help things, either," I countered.

Stacy looked pensive for a moment. "Oh... Haha!" She was blushing, ever so slightly.
Stacy shifted her position, and sat cross-legged on the floor. I wanted to warn her there was probably a spider carcass smushed into her ass now, but couldn't find a good way to bring that up in natural conversation.

"S-some people might like the small boys," Stacy suggested.

"Nonsense. I've already given up on getting a date before graduation," I deadpanned.

"Oh! About that... So, like, good news little man!" Stacy answered, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

"Y-yeah?" I replied.

"So that favor I mentioned... Yeah, I kind of owe Sarah a little bit of money, but... Well--" Stacy paused for a moment. "She agreed to forget about the debt if I could talk you into... Going on a date with her."

Adrenaline flushed through my system. A date with the Sarah?

"S-Stacy! I struggle just to say hello to her! How am I supposed to ask her out on a date!? She's like way out of my league--" I stammered, getting flustered.

  Stacy was getting a little bit animated now. "Ugh you... Have you even been listening to me? She basically asked for you. I told her I would see what I could do about being her wingman. I know you're nervous, but please, just--"

"But--"

"Theo. You just said she's cute, and I just told you that she's a sweet girl, and that she has had an interest in getting to know you. Apparently for quite some time, if she's going this far to get your attention. Girls don't normally do that on a whim, ya know?" Stacy urged me.

Stacy stood up, and cupped her right hand around me, cradling me close to her stomach. With her free hand, she opened the closet door and the stark white lights in the hallway practically blinded me when compared to the dim maintenance closet ambience.

"What... Where are we going?" I asked, desperately.

"I'm taking you to Sarah, dude." Stacy replied, and rolled her eyes.

"Wait-wait-wait-wait! Stop, please! Let me on the ground--" I protested. I wanted to hide and crawl into a corner. No, I wanted to be underground. I wanted to be a long lost skeleton in a graveyard with no name on the tombstone because it's been worn away by erosion for twenty thousand decades. The gravestone is pebbles. No, sand. No, gone. I wanted to disappear. Stacy did not break her stride.

"School day's almost over, just... Y'all just go eat out or something okay? You're saving me like twenty bucks by doing this," Stacy giggled to herself. I was practically yelling for mercy, but she just closed her hand over me even more to drown me out. From the darkness of her palm, I heard a slight groaning noise from her stomach, which likely completely dwarfed me. I would rather be in there than what embarrassment Stacy was about to subject me to. "You're so sweet for agreeing to do this for me, Theo!" Stacy announced.

"You're delusional!" I shouted, muffled by her hand. Deep down, I would love to be closer to Sarah, but I've talked myself into solitude for so long, and it was uncomfortable to break my mental shelter like this.

 •Sarah•

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Idle chatter in the classroom began to gradually increase in volume as students planned the rest of their day. My day, however, had me feeling a bit nervous.

"Today's the day," I whispered to myself while idly sketching in my notebook. Stacy should be bringing news back any minute on whether Theodore would be interested in me or not. Twenty dollars really isn't that much for crucial information like this, right?

I kept doodling in my notepad for a few minutes, and closed the cover. I really hope--

"Heya Sarah!" Stacy sung in my ear. Somehow, she had snuck up behind me, and placed a hand on my shoulder at the exact same time. I let out a short gasp.

"Jesus Christ you almost gave me a heart attack!" I faced her and let out a forced laugh.

"I've got good news for you, you already know what it is, I'm assuming," Stacy leaned in towards my face with a sly smile and squinted her eyes a bit.

My heart fluttered. I knew exactly what this was about.

"Did... Did he..." I began, but could hardly hear my voice over my own heartbeat. "Did you find out if Theo likes me?"



•Theo•

I had been held in Stacy's hand, pressed against her stomach, hidden from outside view.

"Hold out your hand, Sarah, I've got something for you," Stacy mentioned, trying to sound nonchalant.

I squirmed, trying to free myself. I wanted to go away. But... even if I managed to get free, Stacy was still standing. I would simply fall to the floor and get hurt; I had nowhere to run. Somehow, this felt even more claustrophobic than the maintenance closet did. I could guess what was coming next.

"Oh, I guess you're copping out and giving me the twenty then?" Sarah giggled. Her voice was very slightly muffled through Stacy's hand, but I could hear it plain as day. It was then that I realized... Stacy was about to put me in Sarah's hand.

"Here, just hold onto this, I gotta go, bye!" Stacy enthusiastically dismissed herself, and placed me on to Sarah's hand. Sarah looked at me, seemingly in shock, as Stacy sprinted out of the classroom and closed the door behind her with a hefty slam.

For me, time practically froze. I gazed at the face of my crush for a few seconds. Sarah's style was usually pretty dark. Goth was the best way to describe it. She had it all; Boots, grey denim jeans, a black leather jacket zipped up to her neck. She always kept her hair dyed black, sometimes with a touch of a random color added. Her skin was pale, like she avoided the sun at all costs. Her makeup was minimal, but she usually kept a decent amount of the focus on her eyes. Eye shadow, eye liner, the works. It worked to her benefit, and made her cerulean eyes stand out very nicely. The same cerulean eyes that were staring, straight at me.

Sarah was the first one of us to speak, and waved at me with her free hand.
"H-...H-Hello... Theo," She managed to squeak out. I must be crazy. She seems... Nervous?

I managed to wave back at her, but couldn't really get ahold of my voice.


•Sarah•

Damn it Stacy, why did you have to do us dirty like this!? This guy seemed to be absolutely petrified of me, even back before he shrank. How are we supposed to break the ice this way?

I took a deep breath, and decided to take the lead. This must be incredibly difficult for him, since I'm pretty much towering over him. I can feel him trembling like a leaf in my palm! He's so... cute.

I just need to put on a brave face, and calm him down.


•Theo•

"It's... It's okay, sir. Take your time," Sarah spoke calmly, with a pleasing smile.

I did my best to reply without tripping up. "I'm... I'm sorry..." I wasn't prepared for this. Not at all. I looked down, and stared at her palm.

"Theo, I... I want to help ground you and maybe answer some questions you might have, okay? I'm... Well, I don't always feel this nervous around someone, but you look like you're really struggling to keep it together," Sarah giggled. She was right, of course. "I think... Just hear me out, and I feel like you'll feel better afterwards, okay? Does that... sound good to you?"

She's a fucking God-send. I vigorously nod yes. "T-thank you..." I breathed.

Sarah smiled brightly, and set me on the desk she was sitting at. Both of her hands rested nearby, cupped close enough for me to feel the faint warmth from them. In a small way, it made me feel safe and secure, like she was shielding me from the rest of the world.

Sarah took a deep breath, and stared at the ceiling lights.

"So... I guess this is finally it, huh? How many years have we gone to this school together?" Sarah seemed to be doing some mental math. "It's... been a long time, regardless. Long enough. I've kept an eye on you, from a distance. You're probably the sweetest guy I know, and yet you're very underrated. Look, I know you're shy, and probably trying to do some insane mental gymnastics in your head to talk yourself out of getting to know me, but..."

Sarah looked back down at me, and used one finger to lift my chin up to meet her gaze.

"I'm going to make this crystal clear, sir, cause I know guys can be a little oblivious sometimes and I want to leave no room for misinterpretation. I like you, I've liked you for a long time, and I want to get to know you better. I know you've struggled with self doubt even before shrinking; you did everything you could to avoid me. At first, I thought I had done something to upset you, but I figured out over time, even asked people like Stacy, and learned that you're just a more... timid... type of person. And... When you ended up shrinking, my heart freakin' sank! 'He'll never approach me now' just kept repeating in my head... I needed to figure out how to contact you, because I'm pretty much just as shy as you are."

My jaw was on the floor as Sarah spilled her guts to me.

"I'm human, just like you. I'm not out of your league, you're not out of mine. So please don't be scared of me-- don't put me on a pedestal, either-- I just want you to be comfortable, okay? I want to hang out and maybe do nerd shit and be friends, best friends, or maybe something more if I'm lucky. Hold on, look at this--" Sarah stopped her lengthy confession and brought her hands up to her neck, and began to unzip her jacket.

I went beet red and turned away, to give her some privacy. Why was she stripping!? If she's trying to make me feel calm, this was not going to make me feel any braver!

"... Theo. Turn around, you dork. I'm still decent!" Sarah laughed from behind me when she noticed I wasn't watching.

"S-sorry..." I replied, and turned around. What I saw really helped me understand she wasn't some untouchable divine angel like I'd been telling myself she was all these years.

She was wearing an anime shirt under her jacket. A man was slashing a giant sword down through the logo with a furious look on his face... Well, on second glance, maybe it was less of a sword and more like a large hunk of iron.

"Yeah, it's an anime shirt! Get a good long look... and don't stop looking. You... You don't have to keep averting your gaze from me! I want you to look at me! For months and months I've wanted you to..." Sarah finished her tireade.

From the looks of things, and from the way all of this burst out of her, I felt like a complete and utter fool for avoiding her so hard all this time. Her hair was glistening just a little from perspiration, and she was breathing heavy. She didn't seem angry, just winded from her speech.

I was floored, but, something inside of me had changed. I... I didn't need courage to speak up anymore. The next words out of my mouth were as natural as breathing in air. The illusion was shattered, and all that remained in front of me was a flustered, but gorgeous nerd--with a bit of a height advantage.

"Would you like to get something to eat with me?" I asked.

In all my life up to that point, I had never seen someone wear a warmer smile than she did when I asked that.

"Yes, please!" Sarah squealed. "Let me just put my notebook back in my backpack--" she stopped. "Hmm. Maybe before I do that, would you like to see what I'd been drawing today?"

"You can draw!? Awesome! Yeah, let me see?" I quickly answered.

"Okay! Don't make fun of me, alright?" Sarah added. She was already blushing the past few minutes, but for some reason this time seemed to really get her face even more red.

And, I could see why. For, on that page, she had drawn a few panels of a manga. The characters... Were us. My character was tiny, just like me. Her character was blushing, and had a word bubble beside her: Will you go out with me?

Honestly, I found it cute. I walked over to her pencil, and kicked the tip of it and broke it. This caused Sarah to gasp, but, her surprise didn't last long. I walked over to the notepad and drew my own bubble near my character, and wrote Nothing would make me happier.

A stray ray of sunlight found its way into my eyes, another peaceful night's rest completed. In fact, most of my days have been wonderful and stress free, ever since I was stranded here months ago. A strange storm caused the ship I was on to crash, and when I woke, I was alone on the shore of an island.

Or maybe I died, and went to some sort of afterlife.

At first, I panicked. The island seemed deserted, and I was certain I would die of starvation or dehydration. But...

"Good morning, Queen!" the smallfolk all cheered, nearly in unison.

I sat upright on my 'bed,' which was really just a big, thick blanket given to me by the tiny, human-like inhabitants of the island. They used most of their resources to stitch it together for me. My bedroom was really just a small cave, but the way it was formed did very well to stop any rain from pouring in.

"Please, everyone, you can just call me Elle. We go through this every day," I said, sleepily.

Gurdur, an aged man, and also a bit of a 'Mayor' for the smallfolk, spoke up, "And we've gone through this every day with you! Calling you our Queen is the absolute highest honor, your majesty. To call you by your real name just doesn't feel right to us." Many in the crowd murmured in agreement.

I groaned. They had gone from being completely terrified of me eating or killing them, to idolizing me as a Queen within my stay here. Deep down, I was just thankful I didn't have to die alone on an island. Their company was truly a delight.

"I suppose, if it really makes you happy..." I answered Gurdur, and tried to hide a grin. The crowd buzzed in delight.

I was finally done trying to change their minds about it. After all, they're the reason I'm still alive. They're excellent farmers, magically able to produce enough food for me and themselves without fail.

Six men carried a clump of grapes to me. Individually, each grape was nearly the size of them.

"Thank you very much, I appreciate you all for your kindness," I spoke, and accepted the grapes. The men bowed, and returned to the crowd to their families.

As I ate my grapes, the crowd slowly began to hum with idle chatter. Every time I wake up, they want a 'hug' before going on with their day. Not a hug in the traditional sense, but just closeness in general.

I swallowed the last bit of grape mush, and tossed the vine outside, out of the way. "Time for hugs?" I asked.

Nearly on cue, the crowd rushed at me. I wouldn't allow them to be near me when I slept, for fear of accidentally hurting them during the night. But morning time was free game to interact with my 'subjects.' Nearly seventy of them were crowded around my legs as I sat cross-legged, and yet they couldn't quite climb up onto my calves or thighs on their own. I meticulously began to pick up each one, and greet them.

"Good morning, Peter," I greeted the young boy. He smiled back at me. "Be sure to help your mother with whatever she asks you to do, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!" Peter saluted me.

I brought him to my neck, and pressed him against it for a short hug. I barely felt his tiny arms stretched out, trying to hug me back. After we were done, I set him down, and he ran off to do whatever.

This ritual usually takes a little over half an hour, but I feel like it's important to show everyone how much I love them.
After awhile of hugs and asking everyone what they're up to, my cave was slowly emptying as my friends made their way back to their daily duties. However, something felt off. I must have missed someone. I kept count of who I had left to talk to, and sure enough, it was probably him again.

"You're the last one again, Adam. You don't have to keep hiding over there," I spoke to the left side of the cave entrance. Adam slowly poked his head around, and failed to make extended eye contact with me.

"You... How did you know?" Adam asked, sullenly.

I huffed. "I take this very seriously, sir. I keep track of every one of you. What kind of Queen forgets one of her beloved subjects?"

Adam slowly shuffled his way inside, towards me. He... was a bit of an outlier when compared to the rest.

I grew a bit impatient with him dragging his feet, so I crawled towards him and then scooped him up in two hands. He sat in my palms, staring at his feet.

"Still feeling blue?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm not even sure why," Adam replied quietly.

I pulled him into a 'Hug,' but didn't put him back down on the ground.

"I'm sorry you're still feeling depressed, Adam. I wish there was something I could do to help," I admitted. Back at home, he definitely would have been on antidepressants if he were normal sized.

Adam lifted his head just a bit, and focused on something beyond my face. An attempt at eye contact.

"You do plenty already, Elle," Adam half-smiled.

  He was the only one who called me by my name, not that I minded Queen or whatever else. I'm pretty sure he just does it because he cares what I'd been saying all along.

"How so?" I asked.

"Well... I'm thankful you didn't forget me," Adam sighed. He must have been testing me by hiding outside of the cave during the morning Hug.

"That's all?" I asked, and used a thumb to stroke his head. "Listen, you're important to me. You all are. Please don't avoid me again on purpose, okay? I'm worried about you. Attend the morning Hug properly going forward-- Queen's orders."

I sat Adam back on the ground and smiled sweetly at him. He was blushing and staring me in the eyes, before awkwardly running away. "O-okay Elle... S-sorry!"

I giggled loudly to myself. I'm certain he heard it.

I made my way out of the cave, and into the sunlight. The ocean was within eyesight, so I decided to go pay a visit to the fishermen. Of course, they usually caught small things for themselves, but we had a net set up for myself in particular. Once I arrived, Barry hobbled over straight to me.

"Ahoy lass! I think we caught something in yer net!" Barry boasted.

"Really? Sweet!" I chirped, and walked over to the net and began pulling it back.

Sure enough, something was wriggling in it. I wasn't very good with the names of fish, but this thing was probably a foot long if I had to guess. There was no way the smallfolk would be able to wrestle this thing on their own.

Barry and a few of the other fishers whistled once I laid the fish out on a flat rock.

"Yer strength never ceases to amaze me lass! I'm glad yer a kind soul," Barry stated. He was one of many who ran from me when I first arrived on the island.

I smiled warmly at all the fishermen. "Nonsense, I'm just a normal woman where I came from." It's true, I had just turned twenty-seven a few months ago. There was nothing in particular that made me 'strong,' I just seemed strong to them because I was so much bigger. I had to be careful when I did anything, even my walking could be a hazard to these gentle people if I didn't pay enough attention.

"Well, carry on with yer Queenly duties. We'll have this cooked fer ye in a few hours," Barry promised.

Fish were my only source of protein since I couldn't find hardly any animals on the island, and the smallfolk were out of the question, obviously. I would rather starve to death than resort to that. Fortunately, they were pretty good at keeping me fed.

I cast my gaze towards the horizon, and noticed some dark clouds off in the distance. Storms were rare here, but I didn't want to risk any of my new family getting swept away or harmed. They could call me their Queen or whatever if they liked, but they were very special to me and were the only reason I was still alive on this island.

"Spread the word, if you can. There is probably going to be a storm tonight, and I want everyone in my cave, behind my bed as usual," I told Barry and the fishermen. They all nodded in agreement.

Everyone on the island usually had some chores or errands they liked to do to keep busy. While it was no sin to relax, most folks wanted to help and mingle with each other. It was necessary for survival, after all.

I made my rounds and wandered freely, helping several folks if there was a task I was actually able to assist with. Some welcomed it, and some would insist that I'm 'above' such menial things, being 'royalty' and all. There was one last stop, however, that I needed to make. I guessed it was late afternoon from the look of the sky, so daylight wouldn't last much longer. I made my way up a secluded hill, to the only graveyard that I knew of.

From a distance, I spotted Adam sitting down in front of two unmarked gravestones. Apparently, his parents both died around the same time last year, before I was even here. I quietly walked over, not wanting to disturb him with my footsteps. However, I forgot my shadow would completely engulf him when I got too close; he shot up, was startled pretty badly, and made a small yelp.

I put my hands up in a peaceful gesture. "Sorry, Adam. I didn't mean to frighten you..." I apologized. It was the honest truth. Scaring my little friends was not something I would intentionally do, but sometimes it happened.

"Oh, thank god it's just you, Elle... I thought..." Adam trailed off.

"Hmm?" I replied. Perhaps I should have left the subject alone.

"Big shadows, sometimes remind me of... My, uh, parents... They were caught by something," Adam explained before looking back to the graves and placed one hand on the left one, "these are just memorials. There's no one buried here."

My mouth had dropped in shock once I realized what he had just said. "Adam, I am so sorry that happened--"

"It's okay, Elle. But, can I ask you a favor?" Adam asked.

"Yes, of course, anything! What may I do for you?" I responded.

"Well, there's not very many animals on this island. Maybe a bird and a couple other things. However, they're all quite dangerous to us smallfolk. If you manage to spot them, please trap them or..." Adam trailed off.

"Kill them?" I finished his sentence.

Adam nodded.

"I understand. Well, I don't want anything dangerous to keep roaming about and threatening to gobble up any more of my precious friends. Is it fine if I cook them and eat them if I do catch any?" I asked, and pointed at my stomach, tracing my fingers over my ribcage through my tattered shirt.

I wasn't exactly starving, the smallfolk were able to keep me satisfied, but living here was a rough diet compared to the high calorie world of civilization I came from. I was skinny, for the most part, and always looking forward to eating anything I could find. Well, obviously except for my 'subjects.'

  Adam stared at the ground in thought for a moment, before looking back up to me. "Yes. I think I'd consider it justice if you did," he finally answered.

I gave him a quick smile. "Okay!" I happily agreed.

I got down on my knees, and placed my hands on my lap. I stared at the gravestones for a moment, then bowed my head. "I'm sorry I couldn't meet you two... But I promise I will do my best to protect your son and everyone else for as long as I I am able."

Before my short prayer was even over, Adam had turned away from me and had his head down. His shoulders were sagging, with intermittent upheavals. I'm pretty sure he was crying, but just didn't want me to see. So, I stayed quiet until he finished.

"All better?" I eventually asked.

Adam nodded, and turned back to face me with puffy, red eyes.

It was getting dark, and a storm would definitely be on us in less than an hour by now.

"Let's go back to my cave, I don't want anyone out in the storm, okay?" I suggested.

"Yes ma'am," Adam answered, a bit more formally than I preferred, and started walking towards the pathway back.

I cleared my throat loudly, enough to startle him, and knelt down with my hand out, palm upturned.

"May I carry you?" I asked, wearing a light smile. I didn't want to just grab him, I felt it would be rude.

Adam walked over to my hand, and leaned against the edge of my palm. He was not very energetic in any way, shape, or form. I folded my fingers around him and lifted him up to my cheek, and lightly pressed him against it-- one of my favorite ways to hug the little ones. He didn't move much, but I did feel his arms manage to stretch out and 'hug' me back.

I began walking back to my cave, careful to keep an eye out for anyone else, and directing the few stragglers to follow me as well.

Eventually, we all made it, there was a small bonfire built far away from my blanket, and a grilled fish lying on a flat rock in the cave nearby for me. I've already decided I would not be sleeping until the storm was over, and began to eat my fish while everyone settled in. The idle chatter of the crowd was relaxing to me, just knowing I was helping to keep these folks protected made me feel warm on the inside. I was sitting cross legged at the entrance, putting me between the outside weather and the folks huddled up in the cave behind my back.

Eventually, I finished my fish and turned around to crawl in further. "Everyone on my blanket. I'm not going to make you suffer a night with your backs on hard stone," I ordered. Well it was more of a polite order.

Half of the crowd started shuffling onto my 'bed,' while the other half began to protest.

"My Queen, where will you sleep?"
"Oh, I could never..."
"If you're sleeping on rock, then so will I."

I sighed loudly as everyone started to talk over each other, each more concerned for my health and wellbeing than the last.
"Please, please, I understand your concerns, but I want to make sure the storm doesn't get too bad and make its way into this cave somehow. And that none of you try to leave. If you need a bathroom break, I will personally need to keep track of who is outside and for how long," I flexed my authority over the group, but it was out of love.

Of course, there was also the very small chance an animal of some sort may try to seek shelter in here, and I wanted to be awake in case that happened.

Seconds turned into minutes, which minutes then turned into an hour. I glanced over at my bed, which was covered in many small groups of people. One or two were sleeping alone. I began to count everyone, just to make sure. However, I came up one short, and started to panic.

A recount reinforced that I wasn't mistaken. Did someone go outside without my knowledge? No, I was watching the whole time.

My eyes scanned around the area. It wasn't very big, but eventually I did see that one lone soul had isolated themself from the rest, and was sitting with his back against the cavern wall.

Ah. Adam again. Such a little introvert. I crawled over and scooped him up without his permission. He must have been half asleep, because he didn't notice me until he was already practically in my hand.

"What are you--?" Adam began to ask, until I covered his mouth with the tip of my thumb.

"Since you're not going to sleep on my bed, you're going to sleep on me," I whispered bluntly. "I'm tired of you putting yourself last."

I moved my thumb away, allowing Adam to speak freely again.

"Oh really? That seems real easy for you to say, Ms. I'm-Gonna-Stay-Awake-And-Watch-The-Storm..." Adam teased in a hushed whisper as well. The storm was ramping up outside, and provided enough white noise to drown our voices out so we wouldn't wake the others.

"Shut it," I jabbed back, and hobbled back over to my previous spot. I sat down, cross legged, with my back against a cave wall.

I held Adam in both hands, and stroked his hair with one of my thumbs. He started to fidget uncomfortably.

"E-Elle, wait..." Adam began to plead. I didn't know what was wrong. Wasn't this comforting?

"Shush. Calm down, it's bedtime little one," I tried my best to sound soothing. "There's no way out of this, since I can't trust you to do what's best for yourself and go lie down on my blanket."

"B-But!" Adam continued, starting to sound more flustered. I could barely make it out, but he seemed to be blushing and curling up into more of a fetal position than usual.

I could not, for the life of me, figure out what was wrong. I'd held him countless times before, why all of a sudden was he having any resistance about it? I was about to try something drastic as a last ditch effort for his comfort. Men like boobs, right? Even tiny men?

"Hush. Any further whining from you and I'm shoving you between my tits and you'll have to figure out how to sleep in there," I warned. Well, I wanted it to sound more like a warning than a flirt, but I didn't really mind either interpretation.

"P-Please let me go, I getting an erec--" Adam quickly spoke, but I wasn't listening, nor having any more of this nonsense.

"That's it," I stated curtly.

I pulled down my shirt a bit, and pressed Adam down in between my breasts, being careful not to hurt him in doing so. He should still be able to wriggle around and get some air.

"Accept something good for yourself for once," I gloated to Adam, who was somewhere within my breasts now.

Adam struggled until he popped his head and arms out. He didn't move much further.

"Ahh, you're oddly still now, aren't you?" I teased.

"I can't, I feel like I'm commiting sexual harassment if I put my hands anywhere or move," Adam answered shyly. His face was pure red. And his arms were now sticking straight up in the air as if he had a gun pointed at him.

I sighed.

"I literally put you where you are at right now. But if you need me to say it, you have my consent to reorient yourself if necessary. It's the coziest place on me I could think to put you," I responded matter-of-factly. "And for goodness sake you can put your arms down, I don't mind," I huffed, and he reluctantly complied.

Stray droplets of rain were sailing into the cave, and started to coat Adam and myself. I adjusted myself and blocked the stray raindrops with a hand hovering over him like an awning.

As soon as Adam appeared to have gone to sleep, I found myself getting drowsy as well. The sound of rain was hypnotic. Eventually, I must have fallen asleep as well, leaned back against the wall of the cave.

Everyone around me is so fragile, and precious. Gurdur said they had really struggled to survive before I came along. There wasn't much waiting for me back at home, and this island has been quite the adventure for me so far. I adored my little companions. This place feels like it was made just for me, and I wanted nothing more than to watch it flourish.

There's few things in this world more terrifying than finding yourself completely lost. And that's finding yourself completely lost, but in outer space.

Eventually, I decided to make the hard call and cryogenically freeze myself, set the ship to conserve power mode, and to be revived once I land on a planet. The ship's artificial intelligence would see to the rest, and solar power panels will collect enough energy from any stars I pass.

I was nervous, of course. There was the chance that this could fail, and I would just be walking directly into my grave. But at this point, I had no other option. My warp drive had malfunctioned during a routine trip, and I was legitimately fucked.

 The cryo-sleep chamber is heavily reinforced, so even if the ship breaks, there's an even smaller chance I would be recused by someone, perhaps even extra terrestrial life.

I got inside, closed my eyes, and the chamber hissed to life. I wondered how long it would take? Would this work? My heart was pounding, but not for long. Everything about me felt cold, my movements were either slow or impossible.

 "Cryo-sleep: disengaged," the familiar voice of the ship's artificial intelligence startled me.

 "What the f--" I started to ask, but began a coughing fit as stake air entered my lungs. I decided to address the ship directly.

"Alex, is something wrong?" I asked. It felt like a minute ago I was just getting into the chamber.

"Negative, Captain. Alert: Recently landed on unknown planet," Alex replied.

My heart was pounding. An unknown planet? But we had documented every single planet in the Milky Way already.

"Er... What... Are we still in... How many years have passed?" I dared to ask, and held my breath.
"Calculating..." Alex replied.

No, no, no... This was bad. Alex has never had to calculate the time before. I kept holding my breath as I waited for an answer.

"Five billion, eight hundred seventy-nine million, five hundred and sixty-three years have passed since last function," Alex replied, unfazed.

"Oh..." was all I could manage to say.

Everything I knew, everyone I knew, was long since dead. Whether I accidentally went through a worm hole, or Alex was malfunctioning by a small margin of error, the fact still stood that the planet we had reached was unknown.

I would not be able to achieve lift-off again at this rate, since I apparently also ran out of fuel eons ago.

"Is this planet habitable?" I asked Alex.

"Oxygen detected in atmosphere, but outside temperature is too cold for extended exploration," Alex replied.

"Ah," I uttered back, dryly.

There were no other options left.

I walked over to the weapons compartment, and opened up the locker that contained my pistol, fully intent on ending my life. The minute I saw the state my gun was in, I shut the door closed again. Right. Five billion years, I don't know what I expected, but one glance at that rusty antique told me it would never fire another round again.

"Welp, guess I may as well freeze my ass off and see what's out there. Maybe it'll be more exotic than your usual ice planet," I deadpanned.

"Alert: Life detected," Alex responded.

I blinked.

"Any chance it's intelligent life?" I asked.

"Inconclusive evidence," Alex responded. "Alert: life support systems failure. Maintenance suggested."

I rubbed my forehead in annoyance. I can't fix something like that, I would need a repairman. And they're probably all dead by now.

"Alert: Critical power failu--" Alex began, and shut off. The entire ship went dark.

"Damn it!" I yelled. I fumbled around in the darkness, trying to find the exit. "Guess I'll go freeze my ass to death instead..."

What's the point, after all. I survived all this time just to land on a snowy ice planet and die?

I popped open the exit door, and a snowy blizzard began to flood into my ship. The sight outside was mostly white, almost as if I had landed on Antarctica back on Earth, but with more hills. My outfit wasn't built for this, and I imagined I'd be dying in less than an hour unless a miracle happened.

"Welp..." I muttered under my breath, and began trudging through the snow, with no destination in mind.

Looking around, there wasn't too much to see. Most of the scenery was ice or snow. However, after several minutes, I noticed something... Footprints. Well, rather, paw prints. It looked like it belonged to some sort of quadrupedal creature like a bear or tiger of some type.

Hmm... Yeah, there's no way that will be intelligent life. Seems like some sort of predator footprints. I kept up my journey, rapidly getting exhausted from the harsh environment.

My next step found me falling through a hole in the ground which was camouflaged by snow. A burrow?

I regained my bearings, and looked around. I was in a massive underground cavern, with more rock than ice, and a huge heap of snow had broken my fall. Off in the distance, I heard a low growl. I turned my gaze to see something that resembled a polar bear and pig hybrid, but with a bigger mouth and no eyes.

I kept my composure, and slowly backed away from where I fell. The creature began a full sprint where I made all the noise, and began tearing into the snow with a vicious fury.

I am well aware that earlier, I had wanted to shoot myself in the head. But dying to this creature looked painful and horrific, and something within me told me that I needed to survive. Carefully, I knelt down, and picked up a chunk of ice.
I threw it as hard as I could in the opposite direction. It made a loud, echoing noise when it broke against the far cave wall. The creature snapped its neck in that direction, and charged over in unbridled fury. I used this chance to sneak away as quietly as I could manage. Eventually, after probably twenty minutes, I was certain I had lost the thing. I was hungry and tired, and fell in a slope against the wall in a new, different type of cave.

The lighting in this one was better and less dark, which somehow made me feel a little bit safer. I closed my eyes, and attempted to nap. This would probably be where I die. Alone, far in the future, on some random ass planet with a weird alien carnivore less than seven hundred feet away. It would probably find my body sometime and not think twice about digging in.

I cried myself to sleep. I had, well, a strange dream. A dream of my childhood, and everything that led me up to this point. Was my life flashing before my eyes? I suppose. I was too exhausted to care anymore.

***

The crunching of ice woke me up. It had barely been thirty seconds, surely, since I had rested my back against the wall. I opened my eyes to the most bizarre thing imagineable in front of me.

Something I would never have expected.

The form of a towering woman was a relatively short distance from me. The cave was massive compared to the last, and she stood tall, probably between a hundred to a hundred fifty feet tall. A veritable giant by all accounts. Oddly enough, that was not the strangest thing about her. Her skin was extremely dark, absorbing most of the light that hit her. A similar color came to mind: vantablack. Her features were difficult to make out, but not impossible. She looked human, but more like a shadow or a silhouette. Like an unlockable character from a video game. Her body was slim and shapely in contrast to the walls of the cave behind her. Well, besides her bright blonde hair and eyebrows, there was one very creepy and ominous feature on her face. Her eyes were piercing, with golden irises with a very white surrounding sclera, and her smile showed her snow white teeth as well. It was almost like looking at someone from a horror comic.

I was frozen in place, and not because of the frigid environment, but because I was well and truly terrified of the woman standing before me, just staring at me with an uncanny smile and inhuman skin tone.

My breathing began to pick up, and I noticed my teeth were chattering together. She didn't make a move towards me, though. But she did... Well, something.

Her eyes started to subtly glow.

"Hello!" a voice popped in my head. It sounded like a chorus of multiple different feminine voices at once.

It dawned on me that it came from the woman far ahead in front of me, and she had done it without twitching a muscle. In fact, she was eerily still.

"H...Hello?" I answered back, in disbelief.

I studied her closer... She didn't even seem to be wearing any type of outfit. She was well and truly nude, despite the harshness of the environment.

"Approach..." the alien replied. Her tone sounded like a polite command.

I wanted to run. I was freaked out. But... Could I trust her? She could have just walked up and done whatever she wanted to me, if she meant me any harm, right?

I slowly stood to my feet, but my legs were shaking a bit. I'm not sure if she knew how I was feeling about this. The amount of courage I required to take a few steps forward was overwhelming. I wanted to stall and collect my nerves.

"My name is Niall... w-what may I call you?" I dared ask. Somehow, it seemed this giant woman knew some sort of telepathy and simultaneously was able to understand me.

Suddenly, her right arm folded over her chest and she did a moderate bow towards me, with her left hand outstretched behind herself and fingers splayed open. Her face, however, kept trained at me the whole time, eyes focused on me and her smile continued going strong.

"Ymyr!" she answered happily. The resemblance of her name to the Norse ice giant of the past was not lost on me.

I took another cautious step forward, though I was still a considerable distance away from her. Every fiber of my being was itching for me to run away, but my rational mind told me that she would've harmed me already if she intended to. She's already shown she's capable of movement.
I decided I would just be honest with her.

"I... I am, uh... Quite nervous about all of this," I mentioned. "You're very large compared to me, and, well..." I failed to elaborate much further.
Ymyr stopped bowing, and laid down completely on her stomach. As she moved, more detail was visible whenever her silhouette contrasted with the background of the cavern. Her face was hard to make out but her features seemed Nordic, and she was rather beautiful, in a strange way.

"Smaller!" Ymyr answered, her voices sounding almost giddy.

I exhaled a breath I didn't realize I was still holding. It was a nice gesture, and helped me realize she was trying to make me feel more comfortable by minimizing her apparent size to me, although she was still massive in comparison.

My steps forward started resembling something closer to a normal walk. I was just slightly braver, now. And with bravery came braver questions.

"I'm actually happy you're able to communicate with me, but I've noticed... You're using single word sentences?" I asked.

Ymyr nodded, and tapped a finger on her chin while staring at the ceiling, to emulate 'thinking.' "Nature...?"

I pondered heavily what she could mean by that. For something to act by nature means that's something like their first instinct. Maybe she was only capable of single word sentences? Maybe she wasn't 'talking' to me at all, but sending concepts to me instead, with my mind filling in the blanks? It was the best answer I could quickly come up with, given the limited information I had on hand.

Eventually, I was directly standing in front of her, and adrenaline was still rushing through my veins. Maybe I died already, and this was just some strange dream my mind was hallucinating.
Ymyr smiled sweetly at me, and very slowly slid one hand towards me, with her pointer finger outstretched.

"Shake!" Ymyr sounded bubbly.

I cautiously reached my hand out, and rested it on her finger. She carefully moved it up and down. How did she know arbitrary human customs like bowing and handshakes?

"Nice to meet you, Ymyr," I replied after the handshake was concluded.

Ymyr practically trembled at my greeting, seeming excited.

"Friend!" Ymyr announced joyously.

This was a bit surreal. What were the odds of meeting a friendly giant alien on an ice planet?
My vision started to go... dark. It was just now I realized how absolutely cold I was.

"I... I'm a bit c-cold, I--" I felt myself lose balance and landed sideways on the ground, one of the last things I saw was Ymyr's face. Her smile was gone from both her mouth, and her eyes. Her face was replaced with genuine concern. Worry? Fear? I didn't know. I didn't have time to think much about anything.

***

Once again, I woke. I felt extremely warm, now. I must have passed out, but where was I?
I felt around. I was on something squishy. It was wet, moist, and constantly undulating. I was covered in a thick, warm liquid. I slowly opened my eyes, and noticed I could see a small sliver of the cave I was just in, and now I was in a pink cave surrounded by giant white teeth.

"What the--" I spoke aloud, before the pink floor pushed me up against the roof, and a force pulled most of the thick liquid off of me, somewhere behind me.

Suddenly, it all clicked. I must have been in Ymyr's mouth, and she was swallowing the excess saliva that coated me. I started to panic.

"P-Please don't eat me!" I began to beg, and tried to squirm my way towards the light. Ymyr pressed her tongue slightly firmer on me, pinning me in place. I felt very powerless, and could hardly struggle free.

"Warmth!" Ymyr answered, still sounding a bit nervous.

I stopped struggling, and remembered I just fainted from the cold outside a little bit ago.

"Oh... Oh! You're just... Warming me up, Ymyr?" I managed to ask, trying to get a hold of my breathing again.

"Yes!"  Ymyr enthusiastically replied with her usual telepathy.

I stopped struggling, and let her tongue have its way with me. A few moments later, her lips parted a bit more, and her tongue relaxed, dropping into a resting state again.

"T-Thank you, Ymyr... You probably just saved my life, if I'm being honest," I admitted. While it was a bit odd, I welcomed the sudden warmth compared to the bitter chill of the outside.

"Friends!" Ymyr repeated herself, sounding happy as usual.

I smiled, and began to relax a bit more. The 'cave' of Ymyr's mouth also changed shape as well, suggesting she was smiling on the outside, too.

I found myself feeling extremely grateful now. Ymyr was actually acting kind of... Sweet? I considered everything I'd already been through, and considered myself very fortunate. I decided I should probably trust my new friend if I wanted any chance at survival on this bizarre new planet. I had nothing else to do, so I decided to get to know her more.

"You've been very gentle and nice to me so far, Ymyr. What made you want to be friends with me?" I asked.

I no longer felt any fear from her, despite being in her mouth, which could easily spell my doom if she had the desire to eat me.

"Lonely..." Ymyr replied, with notes of sadness creeping into her voice now.

I actually felt bad for her now.

"Well, not anymore!" I replied happily.

Through Ymyr's lips, I watched as she brought her silhouetted hands up and made the shape of a heart with her fingers. The display melted my heart.

"So, how old are you?" I asked. I had all the time in the world, and befriending this giant telepathic alien woman was all I currently wanted to do.

"Megaannum," Ymyr replied.

"I've never heard that one before, but I'll just assume it's a long time," I replied with a nervous chuckle. "I'm twenty-six, if we're going by Earth years."

"Earth?" Ymyr asked, sounding confused.

"Oh, it's a long story. Are you sure?" I asked.

"Absolutely!" Ymyr responded, sounding intrigued.

"Well, okay..." I began my story.

***

"--and now I'm here in your mouth. It's very comfortable, by the way! Not unbearably hot, surprisingly," I finished my story.

Ymyr waited for a moment before finally responding. "Amazing!" She finally answered, sounding genuine about it.

"Yeah, I thought I was a goner. First that creature out there, and then, I was also scared of you for a minute or two... But you've proven you're a huge sweetheart, honestly," I admitted. Normally I'd get tongue-tied saying something like that to a normal woman my size, but somehow that nervousness didn't translate when I was complimenting an ice planet giant...ess? I think that's the term for a female giant.

"Creature?" Ymyr asked, before opening her mouth and pointing directly at the beast that was threatening me earlier. My blood went cold when I saw the thing again.

"Y-yeah, that's the one," I replied, a bit shakily. "It seemed pretty vicious when it was chasing me earlier--"

"Yummy!" Ymyr cut me off, and started walking towards the creature. Her footsteps were making a lot of noise, so the animal started running at her.

What did she intend to do? She... Didn't seem afraid of the thing at all. I watched, a bit curious. The thing was far too small to hurt her. In a swift motion, I watched her pick the creature up with her right hand.

"Nice. But what are you--" I began to ask, but started to genuinely panic once she started bringing the creature closer to her face. "Whoa whoa whoa!"

I started to scramble away from Ymyr's lips as she brought the roaring creature closer. Ymyr's tongue pushed my entire body to the left side of her mouth, resting on some of her teeth. They were pure white, and I suddenly remembered that teeth were very good at crushing things. I felt uneasy, but stayed put. It only took a moment or two, but Ymyr popped the beast on her tongue, and started working it toward the back of her throat. The creature was putting up a huge fight and making all sorts of angry noises, before her tongue pushed back and thrust the beast into her throat. I couldn't even hear the thing at all anymore. I stared at the abyss of Ymyr's throat for a moment, her uvula and tonsils had returned to their usual state, and it was almost like nothing even happened in the first place. Ymyr then re-situated me back in the middle of her tongue... But that was it. I was back where I was originally, but her tongue made no effort to swallow me like it had with that vicious beast from earlier.

"Filling..." Ymyr eventually stated, sounding satisfied.

My mouth was still agape in horror at what I just witnessed. That thing was so easily overpowered and sentenced to digest in her stomach, when on my own it could have gored me to death. I instinctively backed away from Ymyr's throat, but only by a little bit. My rational mind reminded me that I shouldn't be in danger.

"That was... an experience," I mentioned. "I've never watched anyone eat food this closely before," I began to laugh.

"Hungry?" Ymyr asked me. The inflection in her tone suggested it was a question rather than a statement.

"Me? I suppose. What's here for me to eat?" I asked.

Ymyr paused for a moment.

"Ymyr?" I asked, my laughter dying down a bit.

"Trust?" Ymyr asked me, and let me watch her hand tap against her chest, referring to herself.

Trust? I... supposed I did, but why was she asking that?

"I..." I hesitated. My life was in her hands, and she had done right by me so far. If I can't trust her, I have nothing else. "I trust you."

"Enter..." Ymyr brought a finger inside her mouth, and pointed at her throat.

I blinked. There was no way I understood that right.

"You... want to... eat me?" I slowly asked.

Ymyr removed her finger and shook her head, along with me inside her mouth as well.

"Safe!" Ymyr replied, sounding desperate to communicate something to me.

I swallowed a lump in my throat and began to inch my way towards the back of her mouth.

"If I go down your throat, I won't die or be harmed?" I finally asked the absurd question that had been burgeoning in my mind.

"Promise!" Ymyr answered, her tone sounded genuine.

Here, in this moment, I was scared as much as the moment I first met Ymyr. I weighed the options in my mind, and decided to trust what she was saying. After all, I had considered suicide the minute my spaceship crashed on this forsaken planet. What difference would it make if this was the way I die? There's nowhere else to go, no other humans left alive. I'm eons into the future, and the only thing I have left to my name now is Ymyr. If this is all just a game to her, then I'll die a pathetic death like I initially thought I would. On the other hand, if going into her stomach won't actually kill me, if she's telling the truth and has some type of plan, then...

I laid on my stomach, head first peering into Ymyr's throat.

"I don't have the... courage, if you understand... But I trust you, Ymyr," I finally spoke up.

Ymyr seemed to understand what I meant. I couldn't step into her throat on her own. She would have to choose to swallow me.

"Brace!" Ymyr politely instructed me.

I shut my eyes tightly, and tensed up, in preparation for what was to come.

Ymyr's tongue rose, guiding my feet above my head, and escorted me into her throat. A few moments later, I felt the muscles of her esophagus pulling me in further and further, until I was entirely inside of her throat, being sent down into her stomach. The long fleshy tube kept undulating around me, guiding me down and coating me in saliva. I had been swallowed, and it was probably the most terrifying and bizarre experience I've ever felt. Funnily enough, my it popped my spine in just the right way, and relieved some stress I didn't even know I had built up back there.

A moment or two later, I reached the entrance of Ymyr's stomach. My head was the first part of my body to pop through the entrance, and I noticed Ymyr's stomach acid was bioluminescent-- it glowed a dim turquoise color, barely illuminating the rest of the organ's walls.

I fell a short distance into the acid, expecting it to sting or feel unpleasant... or something. I was completely submerged, and wasn't prepared for the liquid to get in my eyes or mouth, yet it did.

And...

And...?

I felt fine. It was as harmless as water. I scrambled my way to the surface, and climbed onto a relatively drier part of her stomach's wall.
Why didn't any of this hurt? Why was the air in this organ easy to breathe? I couldn't wrap my head around it.

Suddenly, something popped back up in my mind. I was now down here with the animal Ymyr had previously eaten. If it was down here too, then surely...

I glanced around frantically, and noticed a commotion in Ymyr's stomach acid. Soon, something emerged from underneath the surface. It was the strange creature from earlier. It was thrashing around, squealing horrendously. My eyes went wide as I noticed it was bleeding, flesh halfway melting off already. It was getting the 'true' digestion experience I expected I would also get. I almost felt bad for the creature, if it weren't an aggressive predator.

The spectacle before me was surreal. Within a minute or two, the creature was entirely dissolved, blood and all, as if it were never in here in the first place.

"Niall?" Ymyr's voice projected into my mind again. She was able to talk to me in here, too?

"Y-y-yes ma'am!?" I answered, heavily shaken up.

"Drink," Ymyr replied.

"Are... Are you sure?" I asked. I don't think my conventional assumptions about how things work would come in handy anymore. Everything Ymyr has asked me to do so far hasn't killed me yet, though.

"Yes," Ymyr replied again, in her characteristically happy tone.

Again, my loyalty would be tested. I returned to the edge of her stomach acid, and scooped some up with two hands. I brought it to my mouth, and sipped some.

It didn't burn. It tasted like plain water. I wasn't sure how much I needed to drink, so I just lowered my head and sipped up as much as I would at a water fountain.

After I was done, I realized something. I was no longer thirsty, nor hungry. It was such a counter intuitive method of sustenance, yet it had worked.
It seemed every second I was with Ymyr, questions kept popping in my head.

"So what happened to that pig-bear looking animal?" I asked.

"Digestion," Ymyr replied happily.

"But not me?" I asked.

"Correct," Ymyr answered.

"But how?" I asked again, still dumbfounded.

"Choice," Ymyr responded with a delightful tone again.

"Choice? Do you mean you can just choose what you want to digest or something?" I asked, incredulously.

"Correct!" Ymyr replied once more.

"Hmm... I'm a bit confused on how your stomach acid can nourish me, and yet eradicate something else entirely," I mused, and rubbed my fingers against the temples of my forehead.

"Complicated..." Ymyr answered, in a neutral tone.
Hmm... I was still on the fence about it, despite all the evidence in front of me. A small test would confirm my suspicions. Was I just dreaming all of this? Was it a hallucination?

"Hey, Ymyr? Can you jump in place just one time for me?" I asked.

"Sure?" Ymyr replied, and it was the first time her voice sounded curious.

Soon enough, me, and the rest of Ymyr's stomach acid were briefly launched in the air, and slammed back down in place. I fell to the very bottom of the pool in her stomach, and began to swim upwards, afraid I might suffocate. However, a bit did enter my lungs, and nothing happened.

So, I truly was in her stomach, and Ymyr seemed to have complete control over what happened inside of it. My head breached the surface of the glowing pool.

"You can even control whether this liquid will drown me or not..." I said aloud, accidentally.

"Friends!" Ymyr replied, in a very deliberate tone.

Talking to Ymyr was neither hard nor easy, she seemed to truly be limited to one-word replies, meaning I have to carefully consider the interpretation of each word she said to me. So why would she choose to say "friends' in response to that question? Eventually, I decided on an answer that made sense to me, even if it was a bit insane. Ymyr obviously had total control of how everything in her body worked, and she wouldn't let me die inside of her-- not by digestion or even asphyxiation. She really did consider me to be her friend, so of course she wasn't going to let me get hurt in here.

She had spared me, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude came over me.

"You're actually very kind, aren't you?" I eventually stated. It was pretty obvious, or at least to me it was.

Ymyr let out something that sounded like a happy squeal, using her own vocal chords, and not telepathy. It was a bit endearing to listen to, and immensely exotic. There was no way I could replicate the noise I just heard come from above.

"Cozy?" Ymyr eventually asked me, once she was done celebrating in her own way.

That was a loaded question. Cozy. Yes, the place was comfortable. The stomach acid was warm and pleasant, and the stomach walls were squishy and soft. I could probably sleep in here if I so desired.

"Yes it's very comfortable, but are you asking me if I want to stay in here?" I asked. I hope she didn't intend on keeping me prisoner.

"Yes," Ymyr replied.

"I could stay in here for awhile, but I'd also like to hang out with you on the outside again at some point as well, even if it's cold," I replied. "I'm guessing you can let me out somehow when I'm ready?"

"Yes..." Ymyr responded, but this time she did not sound as confident as usual.

A sinking feeling crept back into my stomach. I would trust Ymyr with my life, I've already done so several times already, but why was her last reply so... shady?

...Don't tell me.

"Ymyr... Are you able to regurgitate?" I asked. A very important question.

"...No," Ymyr responded, sounding distraught.

I gulped, and looked around. It was a normal stomach with two holes in it. One led to the esophagus, and one led to the duodenum.

"If you're unable to throw me up, then does that mean--" I asked, and Ymyr quickly cut me off.

"Forgive!" Ymyr responded and sounded extremely embarrassed. It was one of the few times she didn't sound in control.

"I'm... not upset with you, it's okay my friend. Is that path at least as safe as your stomach is?" I asked.

"Yes..." Ymyr replied, but still sounded like she was hiding something.

I sighed.

"Is the pathway out the back door free of debris?" I asked, preparing myself for the worst.

"...no..." Ymyr eventually answered, and I could swear it was the tone of someone who wanted to hang themself.

Excellent. If I wanted to leave Ymyr's body, I would simply have to dig my way through her shit, or let her expel it and give me a heads up when the time is nigh.

I sighed, but decided to count my blessings. I wasn't dead, Ymyr was good company, and she seemed to care about me.

Exhaustion, however, started to hit me again like a ton of bricks.

"I think I'll try take a nap for now, Ymyr. I'm a bit tired after all these miniature heart attacks and it's pretty comfortable in here. Thank you for your help thus far. I will be looking forward to your company again when I wake up..." I paused briefly, then added something brazen on a whim. I was feeling very comfortable with Ymyr already to the point I felt like I could say it. "Say goodnight for 'Goodnight', or say Niall for 'Goodnight Niall, I'll miss you bunches and bunches until you wake up.'"

Ymyr didn't miss a beat. Not even a half second passed before she basically shouted:

  "Niall!"

 It was a Friday night. The weather outside was dark and stormy, with rain already beginning to pepper the ground. Tara, my step-mom, already had one foot out the door. She was leaving for a business trip, leaving me alone with...

"Heidi," Tara addressed my step-sister. "Liam is in charge while I'm gone. Please do what he says, and don't give him a hard time."

Heidi nodded, but I knew damn well how this would probably end up going. Tara turned her attention to me. I was standing on the floor, next to Heidi's right foot, her fuzzy purple sock dominated a fair amount of my peripheral vision.

"Liam, help her hold the fort down until I get back. Have her call me if you two need anything," Tara finished up, "I love you both. There's pizza money in the counter, enough for two days if you use the coupon on the mobile app."

"Bye Mom!" Heidi said enthusiastically as the door closed. A chill went down my spine, I could just feel my sister's gaze land upon me.

I turned my head cautiously slow to look up at Heidi. I was halfway dreading this. As soon as I made eye contact with her, I saw she was sporting a mischievous grin. She moved her foot and lightly poked me with her big toe, causing me to tumble onto my back. Soon after, I was held underneath said foot, with only my head left free from the soft purple prison that was her sock. The pressure was a little firm, but she wasn't pressing enough of her weight on me to harm me.

Currently, Heidi was wearing athletic shorts and a spandex tank top which sufficiently showed her toned body, replete with burgeoning abdominal muscles and defined yet delicate muscles. She wasn't a beefcake by any means, she was just very fit. Her hair was done into Dutch loop braids, one circling around each of her ears. It was her favorite hairstyle and allowed her to move around without her hair flopping into her face during whatever exercises she wanted to do. So, the issue is, if Heidi wanted to dominate someone, she wouldn't have much trouble even if they were around her own size. And here I was, tiny as a baby carrot, at this girl's mercy.

"Hello, Liam!" Heidi happily greeted me, looking down basically at her own foot.

I cocked an eyebrow, and kept a neutral expression on my face. Show no fear!

"Hello to you too, dearest sister," I spoke calmly.

Calling her my sister was of course only halfway true. Her mother, Tara, had brought Heidi here from Germany to get away from Heidi's abusive biological father. I lived solely with my dad, who eventually ended up with Tara, but he passed away, leaving me alone with the two of them. Tara treated me quite kindly, and Heidi had a habit of toying with me.

Heidi kept up her predatory smile.

"Hmm... Mom said you're in charge..." Heidi said, sounding almost confused about it. I was a little older, but not by much. I was only eighteen, and Heidi was seventeen.

"I... I suppose she did," I acknowledged solemnly.

"Oh, indeed she did... So..." Heidi began. She knelt down on her left knee, while keeping her foot on me. She rested her right arm on her right knee, and stared me down. I felt like how a muffin probably feels at in a bakery behind a glass shelf... and Heidi was a very hungry customer.

"Since you're in charge, older brother, why don't you command me to do something then, sir?" Heidi asked. She was very obviously trying to point out something-- that I had no way of enforcing the authority Tara placed on me.

I broke eye contact first, an obvious sign of defeat.

"Umm... Uh... I... Could you..." I began to stammer. Heidi cut me off.

"What was that? Aww, it's kind of hard to hear you down there, big bro..." Heidi teased.

I spontaneously needed to cough, for some reason. For a split second, Heidi's face changed to worry, before returning back to her typical power trip.

"Well since you're all tongue-tied tonight, how about we play a game? It's been years, and I'm really missing it..." Heidi began to pout.

"S-Sure. What game would you like to play?" I dared ask.

"Cat and mouse!" Heidi instantly replied, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

I gulped. We hadn't played that game since we were twelve, and last time she got in trouble for jamming me into her mouth after catching me-- like a cat catching a mouse.

But, we were older now, surely she wouldn't do something so reckless and gross again. We weren't exactly enemies, but Heidi did find pleasure in making me her plaything. I felt bad for anyone she would try to date in the future, because she would absolutely be the domineering type.

"Sounds... Fun..." I managed to squeak out.

Instantly, Heidi stood up, and removed her foot off of me. She was jumping up and down in childish excitement.

"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Heidi squealed, and then cut to a slightly more serious tone. "You should probably start running, by the way."

I largely considered myself to be of average intelligence, but there was one fundamental truth I'd learned would be easy to understand no matter your mental acumen. If you're a tiny person, and Heidi tells you to run, you run. Simple as that.

And so, the chase was on. Barely five minutes of hiding behind furniture and random objects and I was quickly becoming winded. Heidi, however, seemed to be enjoying it as a workout. Up and down, pretty much doing pushups on the floor trying to reach me.

I was in the middle of sprinting from the TV stand to the couch, when I tripped. Heidi was holding back the entire time, but this time, her hand landed squarely on top of me. The force of the impact was more startling than anything, and I yelped in fear.

"Sorry little mousey, but looks like you're food," Heidi warned me, and held me upside down above her face.

Damn it! I was going to get coated in saliva if I didn't think of a way out of this shit.

I started swinging back and forth, but Heidi kept a tight grip on my legs.

"Struggle all you like, you lost, and you have to accept what defeat entails," Heidi explained.

I glanced down in horror to watch her mouth open wide, tongue out to greet me. Strands of saliva stretched across her maw, and got thinner and thinner until they snapped and fell towards the dark abyss of her throat. Part of me knew it was silly, but what if she truly intended to eat me this time? What if she went too far?

A few seconds before I was to get coated in spit, a lucky lightning strike happened outside, causing Heidi yelp and accidentally drop me. I safely bounced off of her chest, and tumbled down her thigh until I landed face first on the floor.

"Hey, are you o--" Heidi began to ask sympathetically, but I had a trick up my sleeve.

I stood up as quickly as I could, and ran underneath the smaller living room couch before Heidi even had a chance to process what was happening. Fortunately, I made it in time, and Heidi's hand slapped around underneath the couch, trying to reach me.

I backed up as far as possible, basically against the wall. This was a heavy, solid couch. Leather and all. It was also wedged between extra furniture, so moving it would be highly inconvenient for Heidi.

  "Alas, it appears the mouse has reached the hole in the wall," I called out to Heidi. She couldn't quite reach me, as I had made my way to probably the safest spot I could manage, given my limited options.

Heidi's hand retreated from underneath the couch, and then I saw her face lower to the floor, trying to get a better look at me. I knew she hated losing, and I expected to see an annoyed look on her face.

Surprisingly, she didn't look mad. She just looked, well, determined. As if the game wasn't over yet. I raised a hand and shot her the bird.

Heidi's face cracked into a grin again. "Oh, you're really in for it once I get to you, Liam. I wonder what I'll do to you? Ahhh... the possibilities!"

I laughed, dryly. "I am trembling in my little bootie-wooties." This was a lie. I was not wearing boots, nor bootie-wooties. And I was not trembling. In fact...

Heidi spent quite a bit of time trying to get me out of my spot. She tried every promise and every threat. I wouldn't budge. It was going on nearly ten minutes, when another lightning bolt struck outside.

Suddenly, the power was knocked out. My mood changed in an instant. I was no longer interested in taunting my sister. The house was dark, and...

I heard Heidi's voice in the darkness. "L-Liam...?"

Shit.

"H-h... Help... me," Heidi slowly stammered, hardly able to keep a normal tone. Her voice was becoming high pitched, fear was obviously starting to settle in.

Heidi had nyctophobia. The whole house was usually illuminated with night lights during the night, but since this was a power outage, they were all off. Even the street lights outside, as well.

I started blindly making my way out from underneath the couch.

"I'm coming! Keep tapping your hand on the floor so I can figure out which way I am headed," I said, trying to sound as comforting as possible.

Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap...

The system was working, and I was getting closer to where I needed to be. Heidi might have been a handful sometimes, but she's never actually hurt me before, whether verbally or physically. I needed to be the big brother for real this time.

Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap...

I had once asked Tara why Heidi was so afraid of the dark, and she gave me a short answer, letting me figure out the details. It was a question I would never ask again. When she was younger, Heidi's father did things a loving parent should never do-- and it was always in the dark. The piece of shit did eventually go to prison, but the damage had been done, and would remain forever. A side effect of her trauma was an overwhelming fear of the darkness.

Eventually, I reached Heidi's hand. I was immediately snatched up, she then quickly hopped onto the couch, and pulled a throw-blanket over us both. I was being held against the soft spandex shirt covering Heidi's chest, right above her heart. It was pounding furiously.

"L-Liam?" Heidi simply stated my name.

"I'm right here! Everything is okay..." I answered.

Heidi nervously fidgeted her fingers over me, keeping me glued to her chest in what I would consider her attempt at a hug.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, in a serious tone.

She was very likely on the verge of a real panic attack. Eventually, she did answer.

"N-no, you're... Just keep talking, I would... like that..." Heidi answered softly.

"Okay, you got it," I answered confidently. Heidi ran a finger on my hair.

I took a deep breath, and got to work.

"Well, first off, I don't think I could ask for a better step sibling. You obviously enjoy teasing me, but you're always careful to never take it too far. I can count on one hand the amount of times you've actually hurt me in some way with your pranks, and each time you apologized profusely. We've known each other for years, and I'm still impressed with how dedicated you are to staying in shape. Mom mentioned you recently signed up for a martial arts class? I think that's bad-ass, and I bet you'll be one of the best ones there. I am genuinely excited for you and hope you enjoy your time when you do go. Also, I know you think you're slick, but I notice when you help me in the background. It's sporadic, but I've realized you have been watching out for me for awhile. You're always looking out for and disposing of insects or bugs that make their way into the house. I also wondered why my bullies at school randomly stopped messing with me, one by one-- that was your work as well. You watch your feet a lot more than a normal person should when you're at home, and you magically just stop doing it whenever you locate me. I know it can be hard sometimes, I know I'm tiny, but I appreciate you immensely--"

The power flicked back on. It wasn't out for very long, thank goodness. I faced Heidi and--

She was staring directly at me, tears freely streaming down her face. I wonder... how long had she been crying?

"Thank God the power's back on, huh? I hate when it goes out. Put me back under the couch and we can continue the gam--" I began, but was cut off.

"Let's... Can we, uh... Let's just lie here for a minute, please," Heidi cut me off, trying to halt her sobbing between each word.

I didn't say another word, and I was once again pressed near Heidi's heartbeat. Her shirt was warm, it was flexible and thin, and her body felt soft underneath. Her hand rested on my back, and despite what had just happened, this hug-- this cuddle-- was the most peaceful moment I've had in a long, long time. I laid my head down, and closed my eyes, trying to burn it into memory.

  Over the centuries, mankind's cruelty has proven time and time again just how depraved it can truly be. Countless deaths have been prolonged for the sake of inflicting as much suffering as possible. Others are much shorter, but have the added knife twist of humiliating the victim-- a crowd amassed in front of a guillotine, with jeers and sneers and rotten tomatoes in their hands, for instance. 

  Take a look at once such practice: walking the plank. Humanity has even harnessed the unforgiving nature of the oceans, and have used it as an effective tool in their cravings for brutality. During this, a man may have his hands tied behind his back, and a blindfold donned on his head to facilitate even more psychological torture.

  The Devil's Sapphire is widely accepted as the second largest ocean in the world, but by far the most risky to travel across. Hateful storms and giant, voracious aquatic creatures have made it abundantly clear that humanity will never truly conquer this part of the planet. However, this doesn't stop humanity from traversing it anyway.

  Dread Pirate "Barney the Feeder" is one such man who tends to visit the Sapphire, but only when he's in the mood for a spot of entertainment, or pissed at a prisoner. Sometimes both. 

  With all that said, my name is Edwin Baldecrest, and right now, I have the pleasure of Barney's sabre poking at my spine.

~~~

  The creaking of the galleon, the crashing of the waves below, the warm sun caressing my skin, the salty smell of the Sapphire. I can't see anything, but I can hear and smell it. There's no mistaking where I am, no matter how much I wish I weren't here.

  "Another!" Barney growled at me.

  So, I cautiously took another step towards the end of the plank. I'm barefoot, and my toes curled over the very edge of the slippery wooden board.

  "Hold still boy, she's almost here," Barney instructed.

  At first, I had no clue what he meant. But then, it hit me. Metaphorically and physically. Barney the Feeder. And I was to be the bait.

  Barney expertly slashed the back of my head, barely knicking my skull. The dingy white blindfold fluttered away in the wind, and I'll be damned if I wasn't half blinded from the surge of light hitting my eyes.

  The first thing I managed to see was the intense blue of the Sapphire, and I then made the mistake of looking below. Deep in the depths, I could make out a shape. Something was swimming upwards, growing larger by the second.

  I shrieked, and took a step back, but Barney's blade once again poked me back into place.

  "Aaargh! She be here!" Barney announced, prompting his crew to rouse into a modest cheer.

  Soon, 'she' breached the waters below me-- an enormous woman with the tail of a fish starting at her waist. If books and tales are anything to go by, this would have to have been one of the mermaids of the Sapphire.

  The crew behind me fell silent. I, and everyone else, were likely experiencing the same thing. Only her head and shoulders had breached the surface of the water, but what we beheld in front of us was breathtaking. The beauty of this oceanic predator far exceeded any mistresses we may have known back on land. Water dripped off of her skin and hair, eager to return to the ocean.

  Her white-turquoise skin was flawlessly smooth and with nary a blemish. Her hair was quite long and wavy, and it cascaded down, partially floating in the ocean around her. It was seafoam green, and shimmered in the light like scales with each slight movement. Her eyes were a similar color, perhaps aquamarine, and they were the most captivating of all.

  However, her eyes were solely focused on me. Her expression seemed rather upbeat, and the loveliest smile made those eyes slightly squint in turn. I'd have been in love if the circumstances were different, I'm sure of it.

  Alas, I've never been a lucky man.

  She wasn't here to date me. And Barney isn't a matchmaker.

  About fifteen feet below me, the mermaid's mouth went from a smile to open wide. Her tongue also made its way out to serve as a guide to her maw as well. Looking inside was a mistake. There was enough sunlight to see strands of her saliva thin out and break, and the entrance to her throat that was accompanied by her uvula.

  As beautiful as she was, she was to be my executioner. By the end of the day I'd be below the sea, mixed up with whatever else she was digesting, broiling in her intestines. Shit. It was not a comfortable thought.

  I had no time to think. So far I'd been mostly quiet. But Barney kicked me in the back, sending me soaring off the plank and through the air. I screamed bloody murder, and the fall seemed to last a lot longer than I anticipated. The pirate and his crew erupted into laughter as I fell, and I managed to actually form words for once.

  "Help me! I don't want to diiiieeee!"

  I landed face first in the mermaid's throat. I was certain it wasn't exactly as she planned, because she immediately reflexed and swallowed me whole. The very last thing I heard the captain shout at me was something along the lines of 'fish food.'

  I continued screaming as the mermaid's esophagus ferried me to my disgusting grave. Her heartbeat sounded faster than I expected it might, and the slimy passageway kept manhandling me even further down. I realized something-- it's one thing to be actively getting devoured. It's frankly quite terrifying. But when the entire process is happening and you can't see anything because there's no light, and you realize you'll soon be die in a painful manner, well... That's something else beyond fear. It's a mortal terror.

  Another quick fall, and I splashed into a small, warm pool of liquid. I immediately sprang up and began to scramble away from it-- all whilst still having my hands tied behind my back. I panicked, and let out the most pathetic, heart wrenching wail I've ever made in my life.

  ~~~

  *Gulp*

  Shit.

  Shit! 

  Shit!

  I didn't mean to. He just... I thought... I was just going to catch him on my tongue, and shut my mouth. Swim away, release them somewhere far away, somewhere safe. Just like always. But he flew in at the wrong angle, and I gagged on him, and actually swallowed the poor man. My heart rate spiked. I fucked up.

  For months, I've been pretending to eat whoever these bastards toss into the ocean. I didn't want to get my hands dirty. I've never killed anyone before. The only reason I left the pirates alive was so they'd keep bringing the people to me instead of killing them somewhere else. Well, that, plus I generally had considered myself a peaceful type.

  I stared at who I assumed was the captain of the ship, with a dumb-struck expression on my face. They were still cheering and saying the most hurtful things about whomever I just ingested. I... quickly found myself losing my temper. This was it. This was the final straw. No more of this. Ever.

  "Oi she really fucked that one up...! Gah har har... Eh...? That's weird, she usually swims away by now--" the pirate captain wondered aloud.

  He didn't get another word out. I slammed my fist straight on top of him, splitting the ship in half. I immediately dove underneath the small vessel, creating a suction in the water. The ship followed the current I made, and effectively sank with all its hands. Today is the first day I've ever decided to attack humans at all. 

  Then, I swam away. I needed to get somewhere safe, and fast. With no options springing to mind, I decided my cave was the nearest and safest place to try and extract the man in my stomach before he starts getting digested. Today is the first day I've ever chosen to hurt anyone, and I did not want him to meet his fate like this after what he's been through.

  ~~~

  I'm not sure how long I'd been screaming my head off. Ten minutes? An hour? It's hard to keep track of time when you're in a panic. Eventually I stopped and steadied myself against the wall of the stomach, trying to stay out of the pool of acid nearby. The environment was hot, humid, and smelled atrocious. It's not a place meant for the living.

  I'd been crying my eyes out, reflecting on my life. I haven't accomplished shit. I didn't even have a wife waiting for me at home. My parents are near death. I wonder if they'll actually survive me.

  As I stewed in my misery, the stomach started flexing violently. I was thrown into the acid before I even had a chance to comprehend what was going on, and then I felt myself being forced in some unknown direction. All of a sudden, I could see again. I kept holding my breath, and I suddenly realized I was spinning in the water. Once I was able to get a grip of my surroundings, I saw the mermaid in her entirety. She was larger than any ship or building I'd ever seen. Her hair danced around her in the water's current. She smiled and made a quick wave of her hand at me.

  I naturally screamed, and lost the only air I had in my lungs. Yes, she had regurgitated me for some reason, but the last time she smiled didn't exactly end up well for me. Water flooded into my lungs, and I began to flail. Her face instantly changed and she looked... Afraid? Next thing I knew, her hand enveloped me.

  I'd never been moved so fast in my life, but I was grateful to soon find myself on solid ground. I was lying prone on a large rock in a cavern. I coughed for all I was worth, trying to get the water out of my lungs.

  After a few minutes of hacking, I finally was able to take a proper breath. I spun around, to look at the shore behind me. Sure enough, the mermaid was there, watching me. Her face was flushed, and tears streaked down her cheeks. I stood up and started to take a step back.

  "No! Please don't be afraid--!" the mermaid began to speak to me, before making a quick gasp and throwing her hands over her mouth.

  Her voice was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard in my life. She had an English accent, but it was as if a synchronized quartet of women were serenading all at the same time. Her voice wasn't natural, but it was magical all the same. In fact, I couldn't quite stop my mind from focusing on it. Fear started to tug at my heart once again. Reports of mermaids made no such mention of their voices being so supernatural, merely their beauty and carnivorous tendencies tended to be the main takeaways. No, this... This was no mermaid...

  I found myself simply unable to resist, but I began walking towards her. My feet walked on their own. And I knew, in an instant, that I had no control over my own will anymore.

  "F-fuck... I... I'm s-sorry," the Siren apologized, "I... I didn't mean t-to..."

  I kept walking forward, very likely about to drown for a second time.

  The siren put her hand in front of me, and I walked into it just before I was about to enter the waters again. She tenderly wrapped her fingers around me, and lifted me a bit closer to her face.

  I was unable to do anything. I was spellbound. No one has ever survived a Siren when they heard their voice. They either drown themselves, or end up eaten. I wanted to run, scream, do anything... But I was no longer able to command my own body.

  The Siren fidgeted nervously, obviously debating on something. Eventually, she let out what seemed like a defeated sigh, and spoke again.

  "I guess there's no way around it. You've heard my voice, and... Well, y-you no longer have control over your own will..." the Siren spoke tenderly.

  I kept staring at her, unable to move. I could hear and understand her, but wasn't able to choose how I reacted. It was the most unnerving thing I've ever been through, and that's even after having being swallowed alive.

  "I'm Marina. What's your name, sir?" Marina cautiously asked.

  "Edwin Baldecrest," I answered, not even expecting to hear my own voice.

  "I like your name, Edwin..." Marina replied, and smiled at me. There was an air of sadness behind her smile, though. "I'm very sorry of what I've put you through today. I didn't mean to eat you, I was just going to take you somewhere safe and carry you in my mouth. Things didn't go to plan, and now... Well, I'm sure you've already guessed, haven't you?"

  Indeed. I have already guessed. But I couldn't even as much shake my head yes or no.

  "Unfortunately, I have no way to control it. You're cursed now, Edwin. I can't give you your freedom back, as much as I wish I could... but..." Marina trailed off.

  I felt her thumb begin to stroke the hair on my head.

  "-- I promise you that I will let no harm come to you." Marina explained, and flashed a heartfelt smile at me. "All of this is my fault, but I swear I will make sure you are well taken care of, dear."

  I felt a tear trickle down from my right eye. I was relieved that Marina at least seemed like a kind spirit, but I knew my life had changed now, permanently.

  "W-Well! It's n-not all bad, Sir Edwin...!" Marina began, "I really hate the idea of holding dominion over anyone, it's why I try to avoid talking, but, if I give you any commands you do regain a small amount of freedom to carry them out..!"

  With that, Marina set me back down on the stone upon the cavern's shore.

  "Take a deep breath," Marina instructed.

  Without hesitation, I took a deep breath, and held it. A moment later, Marina spoke up again.

  "Okay, release it and return to breathing normally," Marina instructed.

  I did as told. We repeated this a handful of times until my heart rate seemed to return to normal. I was no fool, she was trying to help me calm down. And I honestly appreciated it.

  "Do you feel okay?" Marina asked.

  "A bit better, yes ma'am," I replied freely. It seemed I could answer as I wished.

  After that much, I was unable to speak any further. It was really quite disconcerting. I stared into Marina's eyes, and felt myself becoming quite thankful she wasn't cruel. I could absolutely understand why running into any other siren had such a high fatality rate.

  Marina clapped her hands together in excitement. "Splendid! I swear I will try to make things easy for you," she promised.

  ~~~

  I couldn't help but feel relieved. Maybe things would be okay after all. Marina spent a bit of time rambling about how she found this cave, and her time trying to save people from the pirates that tried to kill me. Her voice remained enchanting as always, but despite my lack of self control, I was thankful. If I had to bend knee to anyone, I'd want it to be a decent soul just like her.

  "Do you have any family, Edwin? Where are you from?" Marina finally asked. An innocent question, but we knew I'd never be the same again. Not enough to function at where I came from. It was a tad disheartening.

  "I have a mom and dad, but they're not long for this world. I'm from Hodinshire but tended to keep to myself," I replied automatically. It was obvious no one would miss me if my parents passed.

  "I see..." Marina replied, appearing deep in thought. 

  Then, she asked probably the best possible question I could have answered.

  "I know you're unable to take control of your body right now. I wish I didn't have this stupid enchantment on my voice. So... what can I do to make you feel better? Or is there anything you want to say?" Marina asked.

  Immediately, I regained control enough to speak freely.

  "Thank you for sparing me," I choked out. Between walking the plank and spending time in her stomach, I had truly believed today was the day I would die.

  Marina gasped loudly enough to echo in the entire cavern. Her expression changed to something between concern and shame. I began to feel bad for making such a lovely lass upset. But...

  Marina exited the water and dredged herself onto the land. Stories mentioned that sirens are amphibious, but they predominantly kept to the water. Next thing I knew, she brought her face down close to mine. Ordinarily I would have ran, trembled, or anything else. But the curse of the siren kept me steadfast-- making me a perfectly simple prey. Thanks to their hypnotic tone, sirens are one of the best known predators at catching humans.

  With her face so close to mine, I started to feel nervous.

  "Edwin, can I talk to you about something I've been struggling with?" Marina asked, out of the blue.

  "...Um, yes?" I replied, genuinely curious.

  Marina averted her gaze at this point.

  "Why do you think I spared you, and however many others?" she asked, point blank.

  The question really confounded me. I hadn't the faintest idea why. By all accounts thus far, sirens and mermaids were supposed to be opportunistic predators-- there was no reason she should've let me live, much less talk to me so amicably.

  "I... I don't know..." I replied, probably sounding quite confused. "Because you're nice?"

  Marina shook her head 'no.'

  "Right, well, I'll tell you. But you might not believe it..." Marina relented.

  That last sentence sounded like an invitation for a reply, and I found myself able to continue speaking.

  "It's already unbelievable enough you allowed me and others to continue to live," I added. She was a siren, and supposed to be a man-eating monster.

  Marina returned her gaze to me.

  "Edwin, I hate the very thought that I have to choose whether to spare someone or not, now. Long ago, I used to be... Human."

  I blinked. The word hung on the air for a moment. I decided to at least entertain the idea. It definitely explained why she cared about valuing my life.

  I couldn't reply, as Marina hadn't yet asked me to. This curse was seriously starting to irk me. But my face definitely portrayed shock as best as I was able.

  "I know what you must be thinking. How did this happen to me? Can it be undone? Well the short answer to both of those questions is that I was cursed, and maybe."

  Marina rolled away and laid prone on the shore. Her arms were crossed below her, and her bare breasts rested upon them--

  I wanted to turn away, but couldn't. My face started to heat up, I imagined I was blushing hard. I had been too busy going through a traumatic experience that my mind hadn't fully registered that the being before me had the appearance of a gorgeous woman in her late-twenties. I'd only focused on her face until now.

  Marina seemed to notice. "Edwin... are you okay? Why are your cheeks so red?"

  "I-- Uh... They are?" I played dumb, attempting to downplay the subject.

  "Yes, I think so... are you dehydrated or something?" Marina asked, and then began to crawl closer to me. Each time her hands touched the ground, her breasts swayed side to side.

  I tried to block it out of my mind. The last thing I need right now is an awkward erection. Marina placed a finger on my face, attempting to check my temperature.

  "Hmm, you don't seem to have a headache..." she stated. A few moments passed, and she dropped the subject. "But, listen, there's something else I wanted to mention."

  I listened. 

  "If we can find a way to lift my curse, well... I think the siren's curse will lift from you, giving you full control over your actions again!" Marina exclaimed happily. "Doesn't that sound nice? Will you help me?" 

  Once again, I felt myself able to answer. "I owe you my life for rescuing me from Barney. I would be honored to help in any way I can."

  Marina squealed, and flung a hand out behind me, then pulled me into a hug right against her bare chest. The surface was incredibly smooth and still soaked from her time in the water. It was warm, and plush. If I had conquered the rush of lust earlier, I was definitely losing the battle now. She kept the hug going a lot longer than I expected her to, and I was going mad with desire. Damn it. Was she just playing coy earlier, asking about dehydration and a headache?

  Once I was released from my comfortable, sexy prison, her smile said it all. Yes, she was being coy.

  From that point forward, the last shred of fear I had of Marina was finally obliterated.

  ~~~

  Before we decided to venture back out into the world, we needed to test the limits of Marina's abilities. Her voice was a potent tool for her to hunt humans with, yet I was the first to accidentally fall prey to it. So far, all we knew is that I would constantly try to approach her. Once I get close, I remain still. The issue with that is, usually a siren stays in the water, and the victim will drown themselves. This makes a fuss-free snack.

  The hypnosis also had one other effect. If Marina instructed me to do something, or was actively addressing me, I could somewhat choose how to fulfill her needs. If she asked me to crawl down her throat, I would either do it slowly, or do it quickly. I could even dance on the way there. A pseudo-freedom, in a sense.

  The cavern Marina claimed as her own was massive. A hundred yards away, an entire galleon lie broken in a corner, landlocked and forgotten. How it got here was beyond the ken of Marina and myself, and she mentioned it was here before she arrived seventy years ago. As luck would have it, my test was a seemingly simple one.

  "Go investigate that ship," Marina requested, before following up with more etiquette. "Um... Please..."

  Marina made it clear that she didn't like the fact that she had stripped me of my free will. With this short quest, we could see the range of my freedom during a command.

  "I'll be happy to do that," I replied, and suddenly found myself able to move all of my body. I felt compelled to walk towards the ship, and trying to walk in a different direction felt impossible. Next, I wanted to see if my speech was limited as well.

  "If I take too long, would you call out to me and have me retreat?" I asked. I had no issues speaking, and this seemed like a good thing to ask.

  Marina smiled brightly. "Oh don't worry, I was planning on something like that anyway. Thank you for doing this, I'm too big to mess with that ship and didn't want to risk breaking anything important. It's been bugging me for a long time."

  I quickly nodded my head, and departed towards the ship. This part of the test would see how far I could get away from Marina, and whether or not the siren's curse would weaken.

  The further away from Marina I got, I couldn't really tell a difference. I was still unable to deviate from my path, and still felt an urgency to have a quick look inside the ship. On the way to the ship, I noticed something shiny on the ground, covered up with a bit of dirt. It was close enough to my target, so I decided to bend over and see what it was. 

  I rubbed my hand on the ground to knock away some debris, and uncovered a dusty tiara which appeared to be made of solid silver. I thought nothing of it and hung it halfway through my belt. Maybe we could sell it for some money if the need ever arose.

  Eventually, I did make my way to the top of the galleon. The craftsmanship was superb for it to have lasted this long. The ship looked positively ancient. I came across a trapdoor, and decided to tug on the latch.

  *pop*

  The trapdoor swung open, as the lock had rusted long ago.

  Peering down inside, it seemed dark, but I could still see fairly well. I turned to wave at Marina, who did a cutesy wave back at me from the shore. I then climbed down a creaky ladder, and found myself within what appeared to be a dormitory of some kind. Hammocks and beds were everywhere, but along the walls I located an unlit torch. A tinderbox had its contents spilled on the floor underneath a nearby bed and I was then able to get my torch lit without much trouble.

  I smiled at my crackling fire. I had already done so much on my own and it was refreshing to at least have some sense of self control again. Of course, Marina had quickly proven herself to be my ally, and I rather enjoyed her company even if it meant letting her have control over my actions. It was the strangest thing to befriend what was supposed to be a giant oceanic predator, but the level of safety she provided felt unmatched. I had no doubt she could punch a hole through this ship and pluck me out if she so desired. But at the end of the day, she had the heart and soul of a fellow human.

  The interior of the ship was incredibly quiet. Every step I took made a creak, and coupled with the relative silence of the ship... Well, after having recently been rescued from a bustling pirate ship, to be completely alone in an ancient empty vessel gave me an unnerving sense of kenopsia.

  The second floor of the ship, however, was a much different atmosphere than before. Corpses were scattered around, and the bloodstained floor of this level spoke of an untold tragedy long ago. I immediately felt uneasy, as if this was somewhere I shouldn't be. Still, my curiosity got the better of me, and I crept around the various skeletons, trying to look for anything of note. I explored this floor thoroughly, because there was only one more level below here and it was probably the cargo hold. After finding nothing of value, I descended once more.

  This area of the ship actually had quite a few barrels that remained intact. There wasn't much else down here, so I decided to see if there was anything in the barrels. After tipping one around, I heard the sloshing of a liquid.

  "That's strange," I mutter to myself.

  I pop open the lids of one of the barrels and I am practically knocked back from how strong the contents smell. It is an extremely old wine, probably seventy-five barrels of the stuff down here. Holy shit. I should probably tell Marina about this, and we can party like there's no tomorrow. Well, I'm assuming she can still get drunk even in her current form.

  I make my way back up one floor, only to notice that all of the skeletons had disappeared except for one that stood beside a door I previously hadn't seen. Adrenaline started pumping through my veins. Of course this wouldn't be easy... Of course this ship had to be haunted...

  The skeleton turned away from me, and walked into the door. The door wasn't open, and as soon as it made contact, the skeleton crumbled into dust. I now had an important decision to make: get the hell out of here, or investigate the new door.

  Against my better judgement, I decided to try and see what the spirit had shown me. The door looked plain enough, and the bonemeal at my feet seemed relatively mundane now. I opened the door and stepped into a small room. It looked like an alternative version of what the Captain's quarters should have been... perhaps a small study. In the center of the room was a treasure chest, already open. I peeked inside to see two scrolls.

  I grabbed them out, and read them. My eyes went wide as I realized what they were. In certain cases, wizards could bind magic to a scroll for a one-time use. However, these particular scrolls were of the rarest variety. I triple checked what I was reading. They were both the same thing.

  "Scrolls of Wish..." I uttered aloud, stunned.

  I've heard enough horror stories to know not to use these in any large way. Things could become catastrophic if I wished for something stupid and it ended up backfiring on the whole world. I decided to try a small wish to test the authenticity of them. I held one scroll in front of myself and wished I was immune to the hypnotic effects of sirens. 

   The scroll burst into flames and immediately, the effects were noticeable. I now felt like I could run away from Marina if I so wished, but still felt no desire to. I didn't know where I was, and she seemed to be a good person. I wasn't alone, and that was a good thing. I stuffed the other scroll into my satchel, and began to exit the ship to tell Marina the good news.

  As I got closer to Marina, she began to smile and wave at me. Her raidant beauty was worth crashing a ship for even without her siren powers. I was almost too nervous to approach her... Almost.

  "Welcome back!" she practically sang. "You were gone for a bit longer than I expected... Maybe an hour? Anyway, did you find anything cool?" 

  ...An hour!? There's no way. It didn't feel that long. I'm almost afraid to return to the ship now. The thing was bloody haunted.

  I pulled the tiara out and handed it to Marina. "Well, I found this thing. Think we could sell it or something?"

  Marina studied it for a moment. "I have no idea where this is from, but it does look like a treasure. Yeah, we should hold on to this."

  "And I found something else, something I think you may like..." I mentioned, and reached for the other scroll.

  Marina brushed some of her hair out of her face and flashed a charming smile at me. The way her eyes squinted and dimples formed on her cheeks was practically magical. But I guess that's a woman's charm for you.

  "What did you find, Edwin?" Marina asked, with stars in her eyes.

  "A scroll of wish!" I announced giddily and held it in front of myself. "Isn't this great? We can fix your curse with this!"

  Marina's face went from joy to... something else. Nervousness? Shock? I wasn't sure. After a moment, she spoke. And her voice was shaky, like a child in trouble.

  "Erm... E-Edwin, I... I need to tell you s--" Marina began. Her face was fraught with fear.

  I suppose I acted too hastily. I should have let her finish, but I was just too excited to help this poor lass return to a normal body. I activated the scroll and wished aloud.

  "I wish you were back to your original form, Marina!" I announced excitedly, and my words echoed through the cavern. The scroll burst into flames, and I stared at Marina expected some divine miracle. I expected to the a beautiful human woman in front of me, ready to fling herself into my arms with gratitude. Seconds passed, and then, a quarter of a minute. My words hung in the air, but nothing was happening. The scroll was gone, meaning it had done its job. But...

  Marina was still a huge, enormous siren. Granted, she was still the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, but I was completely confused on why she hadn't returned to her human self yet. Marina's cheeks were flushed red, and she looked incredibly guilty for some reason. I couldn't understand.

  "... I'm sorry..." Marina finally spoke up after what seemed like an eternity.

  Finally, it clicked in my head. The scroll worked. Nothing changed, because this is Marina's original form. She wasn't a cursed human. She was a legitimate siren. An enormous huntress of the seas, and her eyes focused on me, full of fear.

  She had lied about being a human.

  Feelings of dread threatened to dredge themselves up, grasping at my heart with icy tendrils. But, the rational part of my mind fought to make sense of it all.

  "W... Why?" I asked.

  "I... just wanted to make you feel safe around me. I was being honest when I said I wanted to go exploring with you, perhaps on an adventure. I figured you'd trust me more if you thought I was a human at heart," Marina explained. She was becoming teary eyed.

  I shook my head. This was so stupid.

  "Marina, you already have a human's heart. You've had God knows how many chances to devour me already. I trust you regardless of the fact that you're a siren. You've been sweet to me so far, and--" I was interrupted as Marina quickly snatched me up off the ground with one hand. It didn't hurt, it just shocked me.

  She lifted me to her lips, and for a brief moment, I was afraid I'd be made a fool. I was lunch after all, and this was all just some sick joke. She was going to eat me and there wasn't shit I could do about it. Well, fortunately that fear lasted only a second or two. The minute I was pressed flush against her supple, plush lips, I knew I was wrapt in a kiss I'd never forget. It was one of those memories that would last a lifetime. Seconds later, a loud pop happened, and her sloppy kiss left me lightly covered in her saliva. I made a mental note to delay my next shower.

  Marina was blushing and averted her gaze. "Sorry that I misled you. You wasted such a powerful scroll on me..."

  "Actually, I had two. I already used the first one to break free of that pesky hypnosis that you can't control," I replied with a slight chuckle.

  Marina turned back to me in surprise. "And you chose to come back to me!?" she looked... Well, ecstatic.

  I nodded. "Well of course! It's hard to go on an adventure alone!"

  Tears trickled down Marina's face. I got the gut feeling that she had been abandoned by humans before.

  She wiped her eyes with her arm, and put on a new, resolute expression. I didn't know where we would go, but I felt my heart pumping. I was present, in the moment. Sound, clear. I decided I could see myself marrying this woman, despite having briefly known her. My personal mission was simple... I'd make sure she would have more human friends. Perhaps some local beach village somewhere. Somewhere with an officiant for us in the future.

  "Okay, Edwin," Marina looked embarrassed. "I'll have to carry you through the ocean again, so..."

  Once again, that was a concerning statement. "In your stomach again!?" I took a slight step backwards in her palm.

  "No, no, no, no!" she quickly and gently secured her fingers around me. "Just in my mouth, with a bit of air. It won't take long..."

  "Oh... Oh, that makes more sense," I relented.

  "Okay, then climb in!" Marina opened wide, and laid her tongue on her palm for me to climb on to. I'll admit, the sight before me was indeed one to remember. If anyone were watching us right now, they'd think I was just another poor victim ready to fill her stomach. Her big, pink tongue was moist with saliva, and her throat loomed menacingly a short distance away. I knew I'd never be going down there again, though. She'd already proven she didn't want to eat me.

  Just before I was about to climb in, I remembered something important.

  "Aah, hold on. Have you ever had wine?" I asked. I found myself wondering how we would get along if we were drunk. I doubted she had enough before to get drunk, but now we had an enormous supply. We could probably sell a few barrels somewhere, and I'd give Marina a truly human experience.

  "Um... no," Marina answered.

  "Well," I looked back at the ship, "I'd like to celebrate. Today is a special occasion, my friend."

  "What's the occasion?" Marina replied, and blinked twice, with a tilted head.

  I laughed aloud.

  "Because I met you today!" I answered, grinning from ear to ear. Was I really flirting with a siren?

  From the look upon Marina's face... yes. Yes I was.