New World: Past Tense

Ramona Part 3: Ordinary Day

Ramona woke with a headache. The alarm buzzed in unison with the rhythmic pounding against her skull. She raised her arm to stop the persistent noise only to find her limb heavy and unresponsive. With a determined grunt and marked persistence. she  cut off the painful sounds. She  forced herself upward  and leaned against her bedframe. She was surprised to find her body covered in sweat. Her top clung tightly to her skin and overall she felt different, uncomfortable, constricted.

“I must be coming down with something.” she thought. She twisted herself off the bed and reluctantly rose to her feet. Everything felt strange and disorienting like somehow her entire perspective had shifted. Her body was like a sauna and she overall felt five degrees too hot. She shuffled toward the bathroom and turned on the lights. The bright fluorescents  stung at her fresh eyes and she needed time for them to adjust. She blindly groped the air until her hands found the sink. She turned the knob and let the cold water wet her hands. She splashed her face and the chill seemed to soothe her and cool her body. She slowly opened her eyes to greet her reflection and what she saw completely shocked her.

She had a pimple.

“Great.” she groaned. She pressed a finger against it and winced at the dull pain.

She’d have to take care of it after her shower. She went to the tub and twisted the handle. Immediately a hot stream of water rushed from the faucet. Normally she was an adamant supporter of hot showers but she still felt like she was inside an oven. She turned the lever and the water went from hot, to warm, to cold. She shedded her clothes, took a deep breath, and stepped in.

THe cold shower did the trick. As the water cascaded down her body in crystal clear beads she let out a sigh of relief. She swore she  felt steam lifting of her body. With newfound comfort Ramona allowed her mind to drift. Yesterday’s events played back fresh in her mind. Her mom was a giant….an actual real life giant! She’d seen them on t.v. . Hell she even knew one! Emily’s younger sister Megan. They had been friends in elementary school. She had managed to separated herself from it. It had seemed too incredible.  Yet now, when it was thrust in front of her face it was too hard to ignore. For better or worse it was now a part of her life. Then there was Walter. He was so fast! How long had he been like that? It had to be a trick , right? It was clear things were changing and it terrified and excited her.

“My mom’s a giant!” she giggled.

After her shower Ramona went back to the mirror with a long towel wrapped around her midsection. She scanned her countertop and the numerous creams  and toiletries that made their home there until her eyes locked on a tube of Pro-Active. She grabbed it and squeezed a dollop on her index finger. She gingerly applied it to the unwelcome protrusion and let it sit. While the Pro-Active went to work Ramona busied herself with the rest of her morning routine. Brushing her teeth, combing her hair, soon she was fully dressed and ready to start her day. She returned to the mirror one last time to see if the Pro-Active had done its job. She wiped off her face and grimaced. The pimple was still there standing proud. THere was only one way to fix this.

Ramona went to her dresser fishing through her underwear, bras, and other unmentionables till she came upon a series of wool beanies of different color and design.After a moment of deliberation she settled on a dark purple almost black one with a poison mushroom patch on ironed on it. She put it on delighted that it covered the persistent pimple She analysed herself. The beanie didn’t quite match her blue and white striped t-shirt. She smiled. She had the perfect top to compliment the cap. She weint to her closet and retrieved a black top with an image of 2D Mario jumping up block stairs to the flagpole. She switched tops and checked the mirror one last time. She grinned. She was officially repping the gamer girls today.

Ramona headed downstairs and was surprised to discover the house was empty. She checked the downstairs rooms and to see that Mary was nowhere to be found. This wasn’t uncommon, her older sister moved out over a year ago.. It was about the time Walter stopped disappearing for days at a time and upgraded to weeks, even months. It was usually just her and her parents which was fine most days except today. Both were gone. Dad was stuck in a plane a mile above the earth and mom was bunking at the “facility”. This left her with few options for getting to school. Maybe she would skip. She was a senior. There was also Greg. He had a car, but his “crapwagon” as she called it was unreliable so he mostly used the bus.

Ramona sighed and headed toward the kitchen. She checked the clock. It was 7:14. The school was a little over a mile away, she could walk if she really opened the freezer and grabbed two blueberry Eggo waffles and popped them in the toaster. She would have breakfast to go this morning.

The waffles sprung from the toaster and as she went to grab them the house shook. . She froze. It couldn’t be, Could it? The house shook again and a tiny ripple of anticipation slithered up her spine. Another shake more  intense this time caused the dishes to rattle in their cabinets.

“Mom?” Ramona whispered. The shaking stopped and for an instant she wasn’t sure if she hadn’t imagined the quakes. Then there was as heavy thump on the roof and the house creaked.

“Ramona, honey!” came a sing songy voice. “Are you awake?’

“Mom!” Ramona squealed. She rushed to grab her bag and waffles and sped out the door.

She looked up and shivered. Her mom was bent down on her knees peering through her bedroom window. She was wearing a large red jumpsuit and basic white sneakers with a blue T on the toe.

“It’s time to wake up sweetie. Are you in the shower?” her mom continued.

It dawned on Ramona that she hadn’t notice her run out the door. She approached her knee and briefly flashed back to when she was a kid and she would cling to her mom’s legs while she cooked. She was so small back then. She placed a hand on her knee and felt her muscle, her breath.

“Mom, I’m down here.’ she said.

For a moment nothing happened and she thought her mom hadn’t heard her. Then the muscle contracted and she felt herself being pushed back. The light disappeared as her mom turned to find her .

“You ready for school?” she asked like she did every morning as if nothing had changed.

It was a different world up so high. People , cars, buildings all looked so tiny. Ramona considered her neighborhood as a nice one. so even though her family didn’t live in one most homes were three story manors. Even they didn’t reach much past her mother’s waist. She held her position hands locked on her mom’s  middle and index finger. The digits towered over her by a good two feet and every now and then they would close securing her when her mom felt she was too close to the edge.

“Careful.” she warned. Ramona turned to regard her. She  looked different and not just because her face was the size of a movie screen. She looked younger, prettier, How? Her mom glanced at her and smiled.

“What’s the facility like.” Ramona asked

“It’s just a warehouse. Mostly empty except for a few class 2’s.”

“Like Megan?”

“Yes!” her mom laughed. “You should come visit her. I think she still remembers you.”

` “Maybe.” Ramona turned her head. She hadn’t seen Megan in years. True they used to go to the same high school but they were in completely different circle. Megan was a jock she was a nerd. “Are you comfortable there?”

“It’s okay. They give us cots, and clothes, and even recommend different housing options.”

“Really?”

“They’ve been developing new neighborhoods for a few years now. THey even have a school!”

Ramona paused in contemplation.

“I still have to talk to your father but it will probably happen within the year. I just don’t know what kind of home we’ll need. I want a big house but with you graduating i won’t have anymore kids to shelter.  

“You just assume I’ll move out?”

“I’m not as oblivious as you think. I’ve known about Greg for months.” She  gave a toothed grin and Ramona blushed.

“We have...ideas.” she admitted.

“I’m happy for you. He’s a nice boy?” She moved her other hand and brushed her head with a massive digit. “Plus you probably won't want to be around when I get my hands on your father.” she winked.

“Gross!” Ramona gagged.

Being dropped off by her mom garnered more attention than Ramona expected. Because of her size she wasn’t allowed close to the campus, but even from down the street a crowd gathered around her ankles. Phones were out, pictures were snapped, and video was recorded. When her mother placed her on the ground she was swarmed.Questions came in from left and right in such a high frequency that it quickly devolved into incoherent babble. She tried to work her way through but the crowd was too intense and she was knocked to ground. Then the crowd stopped. Gloria had lowered to a crouch her face hanging over the crowd staring at Ramona.

“Are you okay?!” she asked with urgency.

Ramona nodded and was quickly lifted to her feet by a giant finger propped against her back. Two large lips pressed against her right side and there was an intense suction as she was brought into her mother’s plush smooth lips. She heard a loud MWAH! before being released.

“Have a nice day!” she said with a cheer before her face turned stern “And you kids giver her her space!”” she ordered . The crowd nodded in unison.

As her  mom vanished into the horizon the crowd dissipated until only one tall, lanky man with wild hair remained. She ran then jumped into his arms catching him off guard. She kissed  him on the cheek and rubbed his rough three day scruff.

“Wow!” Greg said.

“I know, it’s crazy right.!?”

“Crazy how hot you are.” he cheesed.

“Shut up!” Ramona blushed punching him in the chest. “ I look awful today.” she pulled back her cap to reveal her pimple.

“You’re like a unicorn.” Greg commented . He then bent down and kissed her between the eyebrows right on her pimple.

“You’re a dork.” Ramona laughed.

Greg continued to carry her to the front of the school and right past the front entrance. By the time the warning bell rang they were in the parking lot.

“Greg, class starts in five minutes!”

“We’re not going to class.” he revealed. “Seniors are skipping today. We’re going to a party!”

“Greg, I don’t know if you’ve realized this but we’re kind of nerds. We don’t socialize.”

“We’ve got to learn sometime!”

The party wasn’t what Ramona expected not that she knew what to expect. For one it was at the beach which was on the other side of town. It took over a half hour in the crapwagon just to get there. When they finally arrived it was mindblowing. There were hundreds of students: far more than those who attended Kinsington. ….and elevated!

A class 2 girl danced in the mass. She was a smaller one , under a hundred feet but she still towered over the other teens. Different sized students mingled, and danced, and drank , and made out. There was a stage and a band , and someone brought large widescreen t.v.’s. and were playing Street Fighter IV.

“I know where I’m going!” Greg stated.

Then a girl landed in front of them.  She had bright red hair that even managed to out bright Ramona’s with what looked like feathers mixed in. She was even height with Greg, but even more surprising were her wings. Red beauties that spread far out to either side of her.

She greeted them. “Hi I’m Robin, and welcome to the first annual Graduation Jam!” She placed a floral necklace around both of them before taking off to greet more arrivals.

“I’m surprised how elaborate this is.” Ramona said to no one. Greg had already taken off and was waiting at the tail end of a long line for Street Fighter. She huffed and followed suit.

“You aren’t actually going to spend at least an hour waiting in line to play a game you already own?” Even as she said the words she could taste the hypocrisy. She had waited over twelve hours to be the first to get a PS3.

“I’m not in line to play, I’m in line to sign up there’s going to be a tournament!”

“You’re the last in line!”

“The prize is two DS’s” he grinned.

“We own DS’s” she produced and aging  silver monster with a broken hinge and a copy of Animal Crossing Wild World  wedged in the holder. “

“Not just DS’s but DS Lites!”

Ramona’s face turned serious. “Win them.” she ordered.

The party was energetic as teens got drunk and partied. Greg was fixed like a barnacle to the Street Fighter event and was actually making progress leaving Ramona to her own devices. She wasn’t an experienced party girl and was subsequently spending the day perched at the bar nursing a fruit drink she was sure had alcohol in it.

She was watching the matches from the bar on the giant t.v. when she was surrounded on both sides. Two girls sat on each side of her both of amazonian proportion.

“Hey.” One girl said . She had dark skin and long hair tied in a braid. She looked fourteen.

“I like your hat.” Said the other. She was athletic like she played volleyball and had blonde hair in a pixie cut.

“Umm..thanks.” Ramona replied with a nervous smile. “Can I help you?”

“One of our friends wanted to talk to you.”

“I don’t think I really know anyone here.”

“You know her.” said the younger one.

At once each girl lifted Ramona up by her arms and she was abducted with an audible “EEP!”

One hundred yards made a difference. Just a hundred yards away separated by little more than a steep slope of sand and a ridge of rocks was an entirely different party. It was more akin to a sporting event. A volleyball court was set up and more amazon girls were competing in a doubles match. She was carried right past it toward a young class 2 girl sitting legs out against the side of a cliff face. Her legs surrounded them . Ramona looked up and recognized the face. Young features, blue eyes, auburn hair tied  up., face full of freckles.

“Megan!?”

The giantess’ hand extended and Ramona was off the ground and against her cheek.

“Ramona!” she beamed. “ It’s been awhile.”

“Only three years.” Ramona dismissed. It had been awhile. She remembered when Megan would follow her around on the playground asking to play with the big kids. Then Ramona went to high school and by the time Megan got there they were two entirely different people.

“What are you doing here?” Ramona asked. “I thought this was a party for seniors. “Freshmen.””

“It’s a party for elevated. The seniors just sort of adopted it into their party. “

“Sorry.”

“I don’t mind. You guys brought booze!”

It was the final round in the final match of a best of  three and Greg had made it. He was worried. The opponent was a twelve foot elevated machine named Aiden. Worse he was a Bison player. He’d dismantled the other players with multiple perfects and ultra finishes. He nightmare boosted to the top spot in an exercise of dominance, while Greg barely scraped by with his high offense Cammy.

Aiden took the first match and Greg barely snatched the second thanks to a dropped combo punish. Now it was tense. THey both had a round and each were down to half health. Greg was applying pressure with EX Cannon Spikes but he got punished by a grab into a mix up demon stomp. Aiden went for a Psycho Crusher to chip Greg to death but he backstepped and the move whiffed giving Greg the perfect opportunity for a bread and butter. Low kick, low kick focus cancel to crumple state. He activated Gyro Drive Smasher. It connected full animation!’ Greg jumped in the air!
Ramona rushed toward him from nowhere. Her shirt was tied in a knot at the waist showing off midriff something he knew she was self-conscious about. She looked different. Thinner maybe? Her pants were hiked up and her balance was off. She tripped and fell into him.

“Are you okay?” Greg asked.

“I’m happy! New DS Lites!” she cheered. “I’m also pretty wasted.”

“I can see that!”

“You won’t believe who I met here.” She started.

“Bullshit!” came a booming voice. It was AIden his face was plastered with rage. “You blocked for half the fucking match!”

“Ummm...yeah.” Greg agreed.

“Rematch!” Aiden demanded.

“No thanks.” Greg rejected.

“REMATCH!” he repeated standing at full height. He dwarfed the both of them.

“Easy, bud.” Greg said calmly. He moved Ramona behind him to face Aiden himself. “It’s not like it was for money or anything.”

“No way a fucking “Normal” beats me. Rematch me or you forfeit the DS Lites for being a bitch.”

“No way man!” Greg argued. “You lost. Get over it!”

“Just let him have them!” Ramona insisted.

“No!” Greg insisted. “We shouldn’t have to sacrifice just because this guy thinks he’s superior.”
“I am superior.” Aiden stated evenly. Then he went into action grabbing Greg by the arm and wrenching his DS from his hands. Then he was casually tossed ten feet into the sand Ramona rushed to his side dropping her own new DS.

“Greg!” she helped him up as he  spit sand out of his mouth. They turned to see a group of onlookers and Aiden lording the devices.

“We should go.” Greg relented. “I’m covered in sand, you’re drunk. I’ll just buy us new DS Lites with my first paycheck.”

“NO!” Ramona snapped with shocking anger. “He can’t get away with doing this to you!” She took off toward Aiden.

“Hey asshole!”  she shouted.

She stormed up to Aiden but Greg was on her grabbing her by the arms.

“Don’t mind her she’s drunk.” He defended.

“Let me go!” Ramona shrieked. She pushed at Greg and he went to the ground with a shocked expression.

:”Little lady has some spirit!” Aiden chuckled. “You got something for me?”

“Yeah! You’re an asshole!” she slurred and stumbled into him. “If you weren’t the size of a monster truck I’d kick your ass!”

“Don’t let that stop you!” Aiden smirked and lowered his face. “Take your best shot.”

Ramona wasn’t sure why she did it. Maybe it was the ooze, maybe it was all the eyes on her, maybe it was Aiden’s shit eating grin or the fact her body suddenly felt like a furnace. She reared back and struck Aiden open palm with everything she had!

Aiden didn’t expect to feel anything. This little girl looked like she was outweighed by a bag of flour. She’d have her his , probably hurt her hand in the process, then realize like her boyfriend that she was nothing to him.

At first he didn’t realize it. It didn’t register to him till he was head first in the surf. The slap hit him with the destructive force of a freight train sending him skidding through the sand a sizable trench marking his trajectory.

Ramona instantly sobered. The slap caused a  shockwave that blew her hat off and a strange rush through her body that seemed to counter the effects of the alcohol. Her eyes went wide and her mind expanded. She couldn’t focus through the cheers of the teens around her.

“You slapped the shit out of him!” came a voice from above. It was Megan!? When did she get here?”

She turned to Greg still on his ass, staring at her in awe.

“Sorry babe! Are you alright?” She went to help him up and was slightly surprised to see him at eye level. No, he was a little shorter.

He touched her forehead. “Your pimple is gone.”