What was I thinking? The moment I saw Sara's text, I knew she was up to something. She mentioned wanting to 'try tinies' before, but I never imagined she would go through with it! Worst of all, I gave Nick a front row seat to that horror. How can I call myself his protector, let alone his friend? 

I broke my promise.

Hunched over the sink, I twist open the tap to wash my face. The cold water helps me to recompose myself. He must think I'm heartless, or even apathetic, but he couldn't be more wrong. Watching that nearly broke me. I knew that people were enjoying the 'garnish’, but seeing it at my own table shook me. I'm ashamed to admit that in times like these, I'm thankful that Lillis are so difficult to see and hear. Their horrified shrieks would have kept me up at night. Unfortunately, most of my people don't think twice about it. That's reality.

I only wish he hadn't found out firsthand.

Twisting the tap closed, I grab some paper towels and dry my face. I take a few slow, deep breaths before I address this. As I speak, I gaze at the reflection of my earring in the mirror.

"Nick, I need you to know how sorry I am that I put you through that. When we left home this morning, I was looking forward to a fun day together. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

When he doesn't respond, I feel a sense of dread. This silence is painful.

"Talk to me, Nick. Please say something." I try again.

"I don't know what to say." Nick says. His voice is scarily somber. It's worse than when we first met. "Those were people, Jeannine. My people, my kind."

"I know, Nick. It's horrible, disgusting, and downright wrong."

"Then why didn't you do anything?"

I was waiting for him to ask that. I prepared a response that should calm him down somewhat.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. You see, the problem is-"

"No!" He cuts me off. "Don't give me that shit!"

His outburst startles me. The shift from shock to rage is so sudden. Directing it at all at me seems unfair. I only need a moment to explain, if he'll just grant me that.

"Nick, please give me a chance to-"

"You're the big one! You're the powerful one! Yet you did nothing. If I was big, I would have stopped her!" 

"You're right. I could have done that." I tell him sternly, my sympathetic tone gone along with my patience.

"Then why the hell didn't you?"

"Because it wouldn't have changed a thing! She would have done it next week, or maybe the next. Sooner or later she would have done it. I can't police her, nor any other paying customer. It's not my place to do anything but try to persuade her." I pause for a moment to calm down, considering my next words carefully. "As long as 'garnish' is in demand, places like these will serve it.”

Nick goes silent again for about a minute. I give him the chance to process what I'm saying. I know how hard it must be to be hearing this, most of all from my mouth.

"What if it had been me?" He asks me softly. "On Saras's plate. And she was going to eat me. Would you have stopped her then?"

What a ridiculous question. I'm sure he already knows my answer. It hurts that he feels the need to ask it in the first place.

"Absolutely. I would never let anything happen to you on my watch, least of all ending up on some Brob's plate."

"Ohhh, I get it now. So I'm special then, huh? Wow, how great!" He scoffs. "I guess that makes everyone else food for you."

There it is again. His anger at the world is being projected at me. I clench my fist, becoming more frustrated by the second.

"That's not what I mean and you know that."

"It isn't? Then what does it mean? Sounds to me like your 'caring' is highly selective, if not whimsical."

I frown, glaring at my earring in the mirror. What bothers me is that he's partially right. My justification is full of hypocrisy. In a way, I'm also part of the problem. Even so, he has no right to speak to me like this. We're friends, aren't we? 

With my right hand I reach to my ear and remove my earring. I hold it out in front of my face, close enough that I can see into it. There he is, a tiny dot stowed away inside of my accessory. 

More importantly, I want this to be as 'face to face' as possible.

"Nick." I begin. "I shouldn't need to point out how cruel the 'big' world is, least of all to you. People like me, people who genuinely recognize your kind as people, are a rarity. Sara actually isn't that bad, compared to the vast majority."

"When did mass murder become 'not that bad'?"

"You're right. She's wrong even if it was 'just one time'."

"Finally we agree on something."

"That said," I continue, through gritted teeth. I do nothing to hide the irritation in my voice. "You should have been prepared for the worst. I only brought you out on your request. I even warned you several times."

"N-No, that's not fair-"

"Actually, it is." I interrupt him, for once. "You said you were ready, insisting you could handle it. That means you were prepared for the worst, and I can't think of anything worse than this."

Nick finally goes silent, allowing me to continue.

"I have never harmed a Lilli, nor do I ever intend to. I'm not the monster here, Nick." I tell him, my tone becoming softer. "I'm doing my best. Despite all of that 'power' you think I have, I'm no goddess. I'm only one person. I'm sorry that I can't save everyone."

There's another pause. I hear him sighing through my earpiece. I think I finally got through to him.

"Sometimes I guess I forget that... You're right. I'm sorry for yelling, you didn't deserve that."

I give him a sympathetic smile.

"Apology accepted. Don't get me wrong, you're right to be angry. I'm furious too, but we shouldn't lash out at each other. We're on the same team. Oh, and I'll be giving Sara a piece of my mind later, don't you worry about that."

"Yeah. Let's head back to her, we've been gone long enough."

"Sure." 

Knowing him, I'm sure he's using this as an excuse to end the conversation. I put the earring back on and leave the restroom. Upon returning to our table, I find Sara paying the bill.

"That sure took a while. Everything okay?" Sara asks as Becca walks away.

"Yes. Just needed to freshen up."

She stands up and together they walk out. They stand outside while Sara scrolls through her phone.

"Alrighty! I'm off to the wedding."

"Wedding?"

"Didn't I mention that? Yeah, my cousin's getting married tonight. Gotta be there a few hours early to help out, hence the dress. See you!”

Sara hails a taxi and leaves the two of us alone. At last, we can talk again.

"You know, I was planning to take you to the movies and then the mall. Considering all that's happened, maybe we should just go home?"

"I'm alright now. Still shaken, but alright. Those ideas are wonderful but the mood's gone. How about something quieter? I'd still like to see things, be they good or bad."

 I smile, impressed by his resolve. His ability to bounce back is astounding. If it were me, I never would have wanted to go out in the first place. A scene like at Gigi's would have broken me. I'd like to salvage this outing if possible. Somewhere that's quiet and full of interesting sights? I've got the perfect place.

"Let me show you the park. You're going to love this, I promise!"

Fifteen minutes later we arrive at our destination. The area is full of all kinds of people. Kids are playing on the jungle gym, some elderly folks are sitting on the benches, and some people around my age are hanging out on the grass. Even the sun has poked out through the gray sky to brighten the day. It's a picturesque scene.

"Wow..." He whispers under his breath. "It's really beautiful. Those flowers and that bird feeder and the fountain...and..."

I giggle. His sense of wonder is so cute, a stark contrast to his earlier mood, and a welcome change of pace. 

"I can get closer. Tell me what you want to see."

"That red flower, first. Please."

"Aye, aye, captain." I say, jokingly.

I lean in close to the flowers to smell them. It serves to give Nick a much better view as well. I linger there, giving him a chance to take it all in. Judging by his reaction to nature, it's clear that he rarely got to go out. These are all firsts for him. It must be so special! 

The two of us go around the park, exploring wherever he asks me to take him. I was only joking about him being a 'captain' before, but come to think of it, I am like ship or vessel to him. It's a funny feeling. Our walk continues along the mile-long, twisty loop of a trail.

"This has certainly been... A day." Nick sighs. "I didn't-"

"Hold that thought, my legs are getting tired." I interrupt him. "You've had me holding squats for two hours. Let's find somewhere to sit first." I tell him, taking a seat on the nearest bench. I slouch, letting my head fall back. Sorry. You were saying?"

"Yeah. I didn't think I'd learn so much in such a short time."

"I'm glad that got something out of it." I smile, relieved that he isn't regretting coming out with me. "I enjoyed your company."

"Same here. I wouldn't mind doing this again."

"I'd love to! I still owe you a bite of that steak, right?"

"Y-yeah, I guess..." 

He goes quiet. I realize I probably shouldn't have mentioned food, given what happened earlier. That was careless of me. I patiently wait for him to ask me to show him something else in the park, but he doesn't. I understand if he's not feeling as talkative as usual, he's so quiet that I could forget he's even there...

"Alright. Let me know when you want to keep going. Until then I'm going to relax a while."

I remain on the bench for another half hour, enjoying the pleasant weather. A gentle breeze blows through my hair as a shut my eyes and relax my body. This is nice. I hope Nick feels the same, even if he can't experience it from in his little cabin.

Out of nowhere, the events from Gigi's encroach on my peace, replaying through my mind. Thoughts of our argument spoil the mood. Was I too harsh to him? He's so capable and responsible that I often forget that he's only seventeen. They say trauma can force a person to grow up too fast. Come to think of it, I've never yelled at him before. Maybe I should say something?

"Hey, Nick. This is the last time I'll bring this up, but are you-" 

"Jeannine, hold that thought!" He cuts me off. 

I immediately shut my mouth, taken aback by his outburst after a period of complete silence. His tone isn't the slightest bit angry. No, he sounds serious--similar to how he speaks to me during our meetings. He pauses for a moment, leaving me to somewhat confused. I'm about to speak when his voice returns in my ear.

"That tree over there. No, it can't be... Can it?"

"What's the matter?" I ask, touching my earring gently.

"It's that tree in front of you." He explains. "Right there, on its roots. I might be totally off, but I think that's a Remnant settlement."

"No way. You're kidding..."

I get up and walk over to the tree. Kneeling, I inspect its base. Nothing seems out of the ordinary to me? Then again, some things are far too tiny for my eyes to see. I squint hard, looking closely for anything out of the ordinary. Still, nothing. 

"I don't see anything."

"Well, yeah. There isn't a sign that says 'Displaced Lilliputians Here!'. Jokes aside, it's only a hunch. My dad used to tell me stories of Remnants who would live in burrows around tree roots."

"That sounds..."

"Insect-like?"

"That was the first word that came to mind." I admit, feeling guilty. "Sorry. I know it's awfully demeaning."

"Don't be. It's a fair comparison, all things considered."

"Wait, we passed a hundred trees on our walk. What about this tree is so special?"

"Like I said, it's just a hunch. All I know for sure is that the tree has to meet three criteria. It has to be near a source of water, have no animals or insect nests near it, but most of all, it can't 'stand out'. Can't have the big people snooping around, lest they..."

"Hurt you." I finish his sentence for him.

"Precisely."

Looking around confirms all that he told me. A drinking fountain next to my bench is constantly dripping water, forming a small puddle in the grass. There are no bird nests or beehives or any immediate hazards that I can see. 

If he hadn't brought my attention to the tree, it would have easily blended in with all of the others in the park. I guess there are some things only a Lilli will notice.

Suddenly, I'm very curious. 

"Forget it. There's no way to know unless I get super close. I'm not going to ask you to get down on your hands and knees for that."

"Who said anything about that?" 

I stand up and walk over to the tree. Squatting down just off of the trail and look around for any moving specks, finding none. I am far too big for this sort of thing.

"Want to take a look?" I offer.

"Um. Yes, but-"

I remove my earring and set it down on the grass, right next to one of the roots. That should be close enough, even at the Lilli scale.

"Mm. It's... It's like a... Crap, I'm not sure. Possibly..."

"So?" I ask, slightly irritated by his cryptic demeanor. "What do you see?"

"I see traces of life, but they're super old. Lillis were here at some point. Whether they still are is the real question. How very rare..."

"That's incredible! Do you see anything else? I can move you if you need." 

"That won't be necessary. Leave the cabin, I'm coming out."

Nick's words trigger all the alarms in my head at once. I see no outcome to this where he returns unscathed. There are a million ways he could get hurt. No way... Absolutely not! 

"No." I order him. "Stay inside. The moment you leave that cabin is the moment your safety is compromised. Worse even, what if they aren't friendly?"

"Relax, Jeannine. Lillis rarely ever fight--we're too busy trying to survive. I'm switching to my earpiece. Just trust me, okay?"

My every instinct scream at me to stop him. All I would need to do is pick the earring off the ground. I can always take his choice away, if necessary, but it isn't something I would do. Abusing my power over tinies is wrong. Plus, I've never known him to take unnecessary risks. Against my better judgement, I concede.

"Fine. Please be careful."

"Thanks. I won't be long." 

I hear lots of noise as Nick explores the area. I put a hand to my fluttering heart, praying that nothing goes wrong. He pants and groans as he climbs what must be like five millimeters. My hand moves to help him on instinct, only to pull away when I realize how bad of an idea that is. He must do this on his own.

"Nick? Is everything okay so far?"

"So far, so good. I hate to disappoint, but I don't think anyone has been here for years."

Nick goes on to describe what he sees. There are a few carved-out rooms within the tree root, all of which are mostly empty. Some contain rags and what used to be makeshift beds made of leaf trimmings. Others contain small containers filled with polluted water after being stagnant for so long. Another area has been dug out beneath the root itself with an access tunnel leading into it. Unfortunately, it's long since caved in. I consider using my nail to dig it out, but ultimately decide not to. There's a very good chance that I'd kill him.

"So that's it then?" I ask, the disappointment in my voice clear as day. "Not even one person?"

"Seems so. I was highly skeptical but I wanted to be certain." He sighs. "I'm going to head back to the cabin now."

I wait until he confirms that he's returned before putting the earring back on. It feels as though an enormous weight just lifted off my back. I check the time and decide to start heading home. Our conversation continues as I walk back.

"What a shame. You managed to find a settlement only for it to be abandoned."

"Meh, it was good exercise. I had to climb so high up just to reach one of the rooms. Whoever built this place needs to learn a thing or two from our engineers. Terrible workmanship."

"Can you blame them? You all lived a similar life before meeting me."

"Some of us, not all. But yes, their quality of life looked bad. Being outdoors is a risk for us; that's why we tend to hide out inside, away from danger. 

Technically, I was a 'Borrower', not a 'Remnant'. They lead very different lives."

"How miserable. That's the epitome of struggle."

"It makes me thankful for what I have. Not everyone gets to be saved by a nice Brob and be allowed to live without fear."

I think about the thankfulness he described. Though it may be superficial, I am thankful that the mood is so much better. Both of us are in high spirits, able to make the most of the day even if it didn't go exactly as planned. As I walk, our conversation slowly dies down until we're both silent. Unlike before, it's a very comfortable silence. I don't feel the least bit anxious, and I suspect he feels the same way.

Around halfway home Nick finally says something. I nealy jump, startled by the unexpected voice right in my ear.

"Hey. Thanks for today."

"Anytime."

"By the way, I was thinking about something. It's kind of crazy, if I'm honest."

"Oh?"

"When we discovered that settlement it gave me an idea. What if you didn't have to spend so much of your hard earned money to save us? What if there was a way to save more of us at no real cost, other than time?"

"Okay..." I say, having an idea of where he's going with this. "Go on."

"What if we went around looking for Remnants? I can find the settlements where no one big person would look. You could bring them back to the town. Just one settlement could add over a hundred to our population. You said you wanted to make a difference--to stop being part of the problem. This is it."

"Are you suggesting I abduct them? We Brobs are terribly scary to your kind. Who says they'll want to come home with me?" 

"Let me handle that. Once they see the cabin and hear me explain, they'll be convinced. Nothing about our relationship would make sense if you were some evil and sinister giantess out for blood. Why else would I be vouching for you?"

The more I listen, the more I'm convinced. This idea of his is great. I wish I'd thought of it myself. It's something neither of us could have done alone. I really like it!

"I agree. Naturally, there will be problems, but overall, it's a solid plan."

"Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes. Let's do it."