Chapter Text
Jacob woke up to pounding on his door. In the summer, he didn’t bother with a sleep schedule. He slept whenever he felt like it, or whenever he had nothing better to do.
And right now, when Jennie was home, he had nothing he wanted to do outside of his bedroom.
“Wake up, you little insect!” Jennie shouted through the door. Jacob groaned, looking around at his room.
He had posters up on every surface he’d managed to stick them. Some for bands he’d seen, some he’d stolen from the store. He even had a stop sign he’d stolen a few summers ago. He had a thin, cheap blanket tacked over the window so it was always dark.
What time was it?
“What?” He shouted, sitting up and running his hand through his hair. It was getting a little greasy, but it didn’t really bother him.
“Are you dressed? I don’t wanna see you being all disgusting and boy in there.” She snapped.
“Jesus, I’m dressed!” Jacob shouted back.
Jennie threw open the door, her pink-glossed lip immediately curling when she looked around.
“Holy shit, it REEKS like guy in here.” She sneered. “You’re so disgusting.”
“You’re disgusting.” Jacob shot back, crossing his arms. “I don’t remember inviting you in here.”
Jennie straightened her tight black skirt and tossed her curly dark hair over her shoulder. Her eyes were lined with black, with long, fake lashes.
“I’ll leave.” She said, narrowing her eyes.
“Jesus, what do you want?” Jacob asked, sighing.
“I’m going out with Tina and Ray.” She said, checking her long, purple nails. “If you wanna ride somewhere, it’s now or never.”
Jacob’s heart skipped and beat and he sat up. Alex. He could go see Alex. He just had to get through this encounter with his stupid sister first.
“Yeah, I wanna ride.” He said. Jennie’s face twisted into a nasty smile, and she swung the keys around her finger.
“Ooh, who you gonna go see? Some girl?”
“God, no. Screw off.” Jacob said, glaring at her. He grabbed one of his worn leather jackets at threw it on.
“Oh, I forgot.” Jennie said, dabbing her lips. “You’re not INTO girls, are you? What did they call you last year? Jag the fa—”
“Jesus, oh my fucking god!” Jacob snapped, looking away. “None of your fucking business! And for your information, I was JUST out in Mornsley park with Rachel, so fuck off!”
“Ha, as if you’d be attractive to ANYONE.” Jennie snapped. “Last I heard, gay guys have higher standards than girls. They’re classy. You’re trash.”
“If I’m trash, you’re the whole fucking dumpster.” Jacob shot back.
“WhatEVER! God, the fact that you think some girl would EVER be into you just goes to show how much further feminism has to go.” Jennie said, pointing at him with her nail.
“Shut the fuck up!” Jacob said.
He snapped, quickly spraying on some of his cheap, strong deodorant. Jennie coughed.
“EW! You smell like a boy’s locker room!”
“You smell like a Bath and Body Works crossed with a cigarette factory.” Jacob shot back.
“Aww, compensating for something?” Jennie said, laughing nastily.
“Yeah, for how much my sister’s a colossal BITCH.”
“Jesus, you’re such a little ingrate.” Jennie said, turning around. “Meet me in the car in five, or I’m leaving you here.”
“Whatever!” Jacob shouted at her retreating back.
His face was red, and his blood pressure was high, but he was actually pretty relieved. It had been an entire day since he’d been able to get out to see Alex. He knew Evan had made it once, and Tyler had been out there at least once a day, but he knew from experience that nights were the roughest.
And Jesus-freak Evan and Americana apple pie-Tyler couldn’t sneak out of their houses at night.
When he slung himself and his backpack into the car, Jennie wrinkled her nose.
“Jesus, what’s in the backpack?”
“Do you really wanna know?” He challenged. Jennie grinned, winking at him in the dim light. The sun was already setting.
“No.” She said, shrugging. “Do whatever you want, I don’t give a shit.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jacob said.
Let her think it was full of weed or beer or whatever. He’d actually packed a cheap blanket and a sewing kit he’d shoplifted from Walmart, plus an entire box of Gushers. And a two-liter of Cherry Pepsi.
Jennie pulled out a pack of Marlboros and tapped out a cigarette, placing it between her lips. She lit it quickly, flicking the lighter with practiced competence.
The car immediately filled up with smoke.
“Gross. You smell like a hooker.” Jacob said. “Look like one, too.”
“Oh, good one from the American reject himself.” Jennie said, rolling her eyes. “Where am I taking you?” She asked.
“Mornsley park.” Jacob said. Jennie smirked.
“Mhm….” She said. “Man, the SHIT I used to get up to when I was your age out there…”
“You’re nineteen. Shut the fuck up.” Jacob sighed. Jennie ignored him.
“Man, did I ever tell you that that’s where I used to meet Brad, after his football games? He’d bring the beers and I’d bring the con—”
“Oh my god, NOT interested!” Jacob said, looking away. Jennie laughed.
“Just cuz you’re still a virgin.” Jennie teased. Jacob flushed.
“I’m NOT.” He snapped. “I just don’t want to tell YOU.”
“Uh huh.” Jennie said, her lip curling. “Spend enough nights out here and you won’t be anymore.”
“Jesus Christ, do you ever shut up?” Jacob snapped, staring out the window. Jennie laughed, then cranked up the radio on her top-40 radio station. Jacob groaned and wrapped his collar around his ears while she sang along.
It was only ten minutes to the park. He just had to make it to then.
Finally, Jennie pulled up at the lonely turnout, raising a plucked eyebrow at the lack of cars.
“Huh, just out here for some… alone time?” She said. “You know you can do that at home, too.”
“Whatever.” Jacob said, opening the door and hopping out. “Don’t bother picking me up. I’ve got a ride home.”
“Whatever.” Jennie said. The second Jacob slammed the door, she peeled out of the parking lot, gravel spraying him in the face. He flipped of the car, then sighed, putting on both straps of his backpack. He had a long way to go.
He hiked through the woods, carefully tracing the familiar path. Ever since Tyler had led them through the woods on that first, fateful night, Jacob had gotten really good at finding his way back here.
He wasn’t afraid of the dark. He wasn’t afraid of the animals out here anymore. He felt more comfortable out here in the quiet darkness than he did anywhere close to his own home. He took a long breath of the cooling summer-night air and sighed.
Finally, he was at the mouth of the cave. Without pausing, he flicked on his flashlight, ducking inside.
He wasn’t too stupid to admit that it used to freak him out to be in here. There was no light once he turned the first few corners. It was too dark to see the hand in front of his face. Noises echoed through the passages, making it impossible to track where he was.
Water dripping, quiet scraping, even bats squeaking.
But he knew the way at this point, and it only took him a few minutes of following his steady flashlight before the noises changed.
Scrape. Sniffle.
A long, loud breath.
Another scrape. A long, wet sniff.
Jacob began to whistle as loud as he could, the jaunty little song from Kill Bill. He did it every time, so he could give Alex a chance to collect himself.
The first few times, Jacob had walked in on Alex desperately trying to hide the fact that he’d been crying just seconds before. He never wanted to admit it.
So Jacob gave him plenty of warning. If Alex wanted to be caught crying, then that was his choice. But he didn’t feel right not letting him choose, where there was so little he got to control like this.
He finally rounded the corner, flicking his flashlight beam up and grinning at Alex’s massive, 50-foot form, curled up against the wall.
“Hey, man, heard you might be free tonight.” He said, taking in the sight.
Alex’s eyes were clearly rimmed with red, but he was sitting back in a relaxed posture, smiling.
“Yeah, uh, you might have heard correctly.” He said, after clearing his throat. He set his hand down on the ground, and Jacob immediately stepped in.
“Thank god. My bitch of a sister is on my last nerve today. I needed to get out of there.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to come here. It’s been a little.. uh…” Alex swallowed and looked away. “It’s been a rough day.”
“I heard Tyler couldn’t make it today.”
Alex shook his head, looking down.
“N-no. Evan didn’t show either.” His voice was really heavy.
“How long have you been in here?
“I don’t really know how long.” He whispered. “A day, maybe.”
“God. I’m sorry.” Jacob said. He looked around, flashing his light onto the walls of the cave. “Oh, shit! You’ve been busy!”
Across the walls were chalk drawings. They started messily, but quickly got better. Alex didn’t draw many faces, but he was actually pretty good at drawing action poses. And on one wall, he’d clearly been working on a hand, with all the muscles and tendons and everything.
“Yeah.” Alex said. “Evan brought this for me.”
He pointed down at the floor, where three absolutely massive pieces of chalk were sitting. They looked like they’d been made in a 5-gallon bucket.
“Evan brought those?” Jacob scoffed. “How?”
“Apparently there’s a way to make chalk by hand.” Alex said, picking up one of the pieces. It looked like about half of a stick of sidewalk chalk in his massive fingers. “And Evan had all the ingredients. Plaster and food coloring and stuff. He said his church does it to make art without artificial dyes. Did you know this is colored with beet juice?”
“God, his family’s weird.” Jacob said. “But this is sick! You’re really good.”
“Thanks.” Alex said, setting it down. He cupped his hands together, and Jacob let himself stretch out in his hands, like it was a lounge chair. Alex smiled, and Jacob felt himself relax. “There’s… not a lot else to do.”
“Right, yeah. I’m still working on a better radio for you. Or maybe you just have to accept that you have to listen to the ads sometimes.”
“Hey, I didn’t… I mean—” Alex started, his massive face flushing. “I didn’t MEAN to break it. It was just trying to change the station.”
“Yeah, I know. But that was my only radio, and I’m pretty sure Jennie would notice if I tried to steal hers.”
“I’m sorry.” Alex said, hanging his head. “I’m glad you’re trying. I didn’t—”
“Ah, it’s fine.” Jacob said, waving his hand. “It was an old piece of junk anyway. I have to see if I can get down to Salvation Army. They always have a ton of cheap shit for sale, and people don’t care as much if you steal shit.”
“Oh my god, you can’t steal from Salvation Army!” Alex groaned. “It’s a charity!”
“Who cares?” Jacob said airily. “It’s not like they paid for it, either!”
“B-but… charity!”
“Oh, charity, right, I forgot.” Jacob pulled off his backpack and pulled out a bag of Gushers. “A place that says it’s doing good in the name of God or whatever when kids like Evan aren’t allowed to eat anything that isn’t rice bran and is scared of going to hell if he sneaks out and has a little fun. Oh, no.”
“Rice… bran? I don’t think that’s a thing.”
“Whatever, I don’t know! Do I look like I eat rice bran?”
“…No.”
“Exactly my point.” Jacob said, munching on the sugary snack. “Who cares.”
“What are you eating?” Alex asked, his hand just barely beginning to tremble.
“Dinner.” Jacob said, taking a long swig out of the Cherry Pepsi. “Want the rest?”
“Yes.” Alex said, sadly. “But I can’t. I’d barely taste it.”
“Well, let me finish, and then we’ll go out and get YOU something to eat.” He said, ripping open another bag of Gushers. “Oh, and I brought something to fix that rip in your shirt. It’ll look ugly as hell, but it’s better than letting it get any bigger.”
“Oh my god.” Alex said, his voice suddenly thick.
“W-what?” Jacob asked, eyeing his giant friend and the way his big brown eyes were suddenly full of tears.
Suddenly, Alex’s fingers closed around his backpack, hoisting it away and setting it on the floor.
“Hey, wait!” Jacob said, but then, before he could blink, Alex shifted his hands around him, and he found himself pressed to Alex’s face. “Hey!”
“I’m s-sorry.” Alex said, but he didn’t let him go. “I just… it’s been a really… REALLY long day.” He whispered.
Jacob felt hot liquid drip down into his hair. With a sigh, he pulled his arms free and pressed them to Alex’s face, reciprocating the hug as best as he could.
“It’s okay, buddy.” He said.
Alex’s hands were braced behind him, basically cuddling him like he was a Ken doll. His knees were pressed by Alex’s other hand up against his neck, his chest against Alex’s cheek. His face had ended up just under his eye.
Which… explained the tears in his hair.
Alex squeezed his fingers even closer, tightening around his chest and legs, and Jacob squirmed a little.
“Hey, I gotta breathe too, man!” He said. But he could feel the desperation in Alex’s hands, and he didn’t keep on fighting.
And it didn’t even feel awful, in a way he’d never admit out loud. He hated showing anyone affection, in any capacity. Jesus, he’d patted Tyler on the back ONE time, and they’d called him a slur for the entire school year. And God forbid his sister or parents see him do anything. The teasing would never end.
But nobody could see him here.
Alex let out a long sniffle, the muscles in his jaw tensing against Jacob’s body. His hands tightened again, almost unbearably.
Then he lowered him down, setting him on the ground so he could hide his face.
“S-sorry.” He mumbled. Jacob brushed himself off, and ruffled his own hair, getting the tears out of it.
“No worries, man. Just a hug between bros, right?”
“Hah… yeah.” Alex said, rubbing his face.
“Now come on, let’s start getting you out of here. You’ve gotta be starving.”
He gathered up his backpack and carefully repacked it, checking to make sure the top on the Pepsi was fully closed. It had spilled a little when Alex moved it, but it didn’t really matter. Jacob didn’t mention it.
“Alright, you ready?” Jacob said, heading to the back of the cave. Alex nodded, sniffling, and lowered himself down to his stomach. “Let’s go. And don’t forget, I’m right here. Not going anywhere without you.”
Alex slowly shuffled forward, following Jacob into the back tunnel.
Jacob hated watching him do this. If he thought walking through the tunnels was freaky, he couldn’t imagine trying to shuffle through on his stomach, compressed on all sides by unforgiving rock. And seeing Alex’s face, constantly distorted by fear and pain, all while he led him through the rocky corridor and tried to keep him from panicking… sat on his shoulders heavier than he wanted to admit.
The first time he’d done it, Alex had started freaking out, and had gotten himself stuck. He was sobbing, panicking, breathing and straining, all of which only served to wedge him tighter into the tight passage.
His hands had been trapped forward, grasping helplessly at the unforgiving rock.
Jacob had needed to calm him down by telling him about his elaborate and ridiculous plan to get him free. It had started with him saying he’d climb between and dig him own. Then he’d talked Alex through building a pully system. Then he’d looked up how much it cost to rent ponies to pull on him.
Eventually, after his plan had gotten ridiculous enough, Alex had begun to breath, his muscles relaxing, and he was finally able to slip through.
Since then, Jacob always kept a few bottles of vegetable oil through the passage, just in case.
But even when Alex wasn’t panicking, it was still a long, arduous process. It did take about two hours to get him through the tunnel one way, which meant he only had a few hours outside the cave during the night before he needed to crawl back in.
Jacob knew that every second he spent outside mattered. Even if he only had a few minutes.
This time, Alex seemed extra determined, sliding through the cave quicker than ever before.
“Damn, you’re like a snake, today!” Jacob laughed, skipping backwards out of Alex’s reach. It was the most fun way he’d figured out to pass the time. Alex would stretch his arms out, wiggling down the passage that way, and try to grab Jacob, who would stay just out of reach.
Jacob would tease, let Alex’s finger brush him, but always dance out of the way before he really got caught. Then he’d let Alex toss him around when he finally got free, full of energy and adrenaline.
“If I’m… a snake…” Alex huffed out, inching himself forward, stretching his fingers. “You’re… the mouse.”
“I am SO not a mouse.” Jacob said, kicking Alex’s finger and avoiding the sudden pinch. “Hey! Don’t snakes eat mice?”
“I think… so…” Alex heaved, pulling himself further. “Never… had one.”
“A snake or a mouse?”
“…Either.”
“Well, you better NOT eat me.” Jacob said, flipping him off. “I’d make your stomach hurt so bad. And I won’t bring you out here anymore! You’ll be stuck with Tyler and Evan. And the only songs Evan knows are like… Bible songs. Tyler’s fine, but let me tell you, he’s a little bitch when we go camping and he doesn’t get his full morning routine.”
“Not… gonna… EAT you.” Alex said, laughing through his clear exertion. He swiped forward with his fingers. “Dammit…” Alex sighed. “So… close!”
“Gotta be quicker, or you’re never gonna catch me.” Jacob said, taking a few steps forward.
“G-going… as fast… as I can!” Alex said, shuffling forward even faster. Jacob checked his watch. They were already halfway, and it hadn’t even been 45 minutes yet!
“Yeah, seriously!” Jacob said, skipping backwards as Alex swiped again. “We’re gonna make it out half an hour early at this rate!”
“Fine… with me!” Alex said, squirming forward.
Jacob darted out of his way. He liked playing the game, but deep down, he couldn’t deny the primal part of his body that responded to being hunted by something so huge. Something deep in his gut REALLY didn’t want to be caught.
“Hah! Nice try, colossus.” He said, flashing his light forward. He used to shine it in Alex’s face, so he could see him. But enough practice had showed him that Alex moved faster when he could see what was coming. So he kept the flashlight turned forward, letting the giant follow behind in the dark.
They proceeded through the tunnels, even beating Jacob’s estimate.
“One hour twenty!” He shouted, pumping his fist in the air. Alex, now covered in sweat and cave dirt, panted, then hauled himself forward a few more feet.
Jacob ran forward into the moonlight, and waved from the entrance.
Alex finally crawled out of the cave, letting out a massive breath so heavy it rustled the leaves in the trees. He let out a long sigh, then grinned, reaching down to grab Jacob in his hand and hoist him into the air.
“Gotcha.” He breathed, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Jacob smiled back, trying not to pay attention to the way his heart was pounding.
“Hah, yeah. You got me.”
Alex raised him up, and set the smaller boy on his shoulder. Jacob immediately slung his leg over to straddle his shoulder and gripped his hands into the thick flannel fabric.
“Alright, giddyap, horsie!” He said, kicking his feet into Alex’s back. Alex laughed, shaking his head.
“I’ll shrug you off if you don’t stop unsettling me.” Alex joked back. Jacob snorted.
“Hey, you finally got it!”
Alex didn’t respond. Instead, he began to walk through the woods, pushing his way through the trees that were as tall as he was. Jacob heard his stomach rumble, and he steeled himself for the next part of the night. Luckily, it was a full moon, which made things feel less creepy and intense.
Alex stopped once they’d walked to five minutes into the deep woods, where even hikers didn’t go. There, he paused, reaching up to wrap his fingers around Jacob. He set him down on the ground, before grabbing the massive, patchwork tarp.
He pulled it aside, throwing it in a pile next to the massive hole. Jacob swallowed.
It was fun to joke about in the day, but even he couldn’t deny how creepy this place was, especially at night. It was filled with the bones of the animals Alex was eating, along with the remains of a few fires they’d made. It really did look like the kind of place that would be haunted.
“Alright, go check your snares, and I’ll build the fire.” Jacob said lightly. Alex nodded, then disappeared into the woods. Jacob watched him leave, then carefully slid down into the bone pit.
He shivered, unable to help himself. He’d feel awful if Alex knew how much it freaked him out to be alone here. But instead of getting caught, he kept himself focused.
He walked to one of the ashy remains of one of the fires, and kicked the coals around until he found some still glowing. Then it was just a matter of going back and forth between the wood pile and the growing fire. Alex would tear up and break apart trees and big branches for something to do, and Jacob started having him pile them up so he could build the fire.
About halfway through, he heard the high-pitched squealing that meant Alex had caught something, probably a pig, in one of his snares.
That had been Tyler’s idea, after reading a wildlife book. It was simple enough to buy a bunch of rope and have Alex build them and set them every night. Still, the sound sent a shiver down his spine, like it always did.
He wasn’t naïve. He’d been on those field trips to farms and stuff, and he knew that meat had to come from animals. But the sound always threw him off.
And the sight of his friend eating… well, as much as he liked teasing Evan about it, he couldn’t deny how freaky it was. Alex was always starving, and he needed to rip into an entire deer with his teeth to get at the meat. They couldn’t butcher it, so it would bleed and tear while Alex used his nails and teeth to get the meat off the bones.
At night, lit only by the firelight, Jacob was reminded of how much smaller he was than Alex. Seeing his chin and teeth stained with blood while he picked out organs to swallow made him look less like a human and more like…
More like the creature that hunted him through the cave tunnels. It was just a game, when they had to navigate the darkness, but out here, Jacob couldn’t help but remember that it wasn’t always a game to Alex.
He didn’t want to think about it anymore.
He shook it off, and kept throwing wood into the fire, letting it burn bigger and bigger. It had to be massive for Alex to actually cook the animals. And Alex wanted warmth, too.
Just a few minutes later, he heard the rumbling of Alex’s footsteps. He perked up, stepping away from the fire, but then…
He heard something else.
“L-let me go! Don’t DO THIS! Don’t kill me!” That was a human voice. And it wasn’t Alex or Evan or Tyler.
That was a girl voice.
Alex appeared at the side of the pit, and Jacob looked up, his eyes immediately homing in on Alex’s hands. In one, he had a deer laying limply in his fingers. In the other… he was holding a girl. A normal girl, that looked about their age.
She looked so small in his hand, even though Jacob knew exactly what it felt like to be there.
Jacob watched the girl’s face take in the pit, sweeping over the myriad bones and the now roaring bonfire, and her eyes widened in terror. Her struggling redoubled.
“DON’T EAT ME!” She squealed, his voice breaking. “PLEASE! Let me go, I swear, I won’t tell anyone! Don’t do this to me, pleeeeeease!”
“Dude!” Jacob shouted, running forward. “Alex, what the FUCK? Who’s that?”
Alex looked guiltily down at his friend. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the girl saw Jacob and locked eyes.
“Oh my god, PLEASE, help me! T-tell him not to eat me! I – please! I don’t want to die!” She screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Jesus Christ, Alex, what were you thinking?”
“She was caught in one of my snares!” Alex said sadly. “I couldn’t just leave her! B-by the time I realized she wasn’t an animal she’d already seen me! I – I couldn’t just leave here there, s-so I… I got her out, but then I… didn’t know what to do! I thought m-maybe I’d bring her back and she could talk to you!”
He lowered himself down, gently setting the girl on her feet. She ran immediately to Jacob, throwing her arms around him.
“W-whoa…” He said, his eyes wide. He gingerly rested his arms around her.
“Oh god, please don’t let him eat me…” She sobbed into his chest.
“Dude…” Jacob said, glaring up.
“I tried!” Alex said, stepping over him and sitting down by the fire. He set the deer on the ground and held his hands by Jacob’s raging bonfire. “I swear, I tried! Obviously, the first thing I said was that I wasn’t going to eat her! I told her a million times, I promise!”
“He’s LYING!” The girl said, shaking in Jacob’s arms. “W-why else does he have HUMAN traps in the woods?”
“To catch deer.” Alex said, sighing. “I was afraid if I – if I let her go, she’d go call the cops, and they’d… they’d FIND me.”
“That’s the FIRST thing I’m gonna do when I get out of this goddamn NIGHTMARE!” The girl shouted, her voice trembling. “I’m calling the cops, then the national freaking GUARD, then… then a SWAT team!”
“Oh…kay.” Jacob said, swallowing heavily. Then, before he could say anything else, the girl’s eyes snapped up, and she shoved him away.
“Wait, WHAT is going on, here? Why are you here with him? Are you… are you in league with this fucking monster?”
“Uhh…”
“Oh my god, I’m so stupid!” The girl said, her face reddening. Her long curly brown hair had been in a ponytail, but so much had shaken free that she looked insane. “You’re the bait! Y-you’re like his pet! That’s why he hasn’t eaten you! Dammit, dammit, Kris, you fucking idiot!”
She looked around before snatching a branch and holding it front of her like a sword.
“D-don’t come any closer! Or… or I’ll hurt you!”
“Woah, chill!” Jacob said, lowering his eyebrows. “Okay, first off, I’m NOBODY’S pet. Get that right through your skull.”
“W-well fine! That’s worse, then! You’re… a traitor! A traitor to humanity! Y-you’re out here helping him eat people!”
“He doesn’t eat people!” Jacob said, stepping closer. Kris raised her stick, which shook violently.
“Y-you could just be saying that!” She snapped, glancing between him and the giant boy huddled near the fire. “What if… what if you’re just trying to get me closer, so he can eat me! A-and then you’ll laugh about how stupid I was for believing your lies!”
“It’s not a lie!” Jacob said, huffing.
“Shut up!” Kris said, looking around at the walls of the pit, which were too high to escape on her own. Even Jacob needed Alex to carry him out. “Oh… shit…” She whispered, her face paling.
Jacob felt terrible, but he sprang into action while she was distracted. He batted the stick out of her hands and grabbed her wrist.
Kris let out a terrified squeak, but Jacob decisively pun her around with her wrist, pulling her back to his chest. He gripped her other wrist and tucked his elbows, keeping her contained in his arms.
“O-oh my god, don’t – don’t bring me to him! I’ll walk, I’ll… I’ll go myself!” She whimpered.
“Okay, you gotta calm down.”
“CALM DOWN?” Kris screamed, struggling against his arms. Jacob gritted his teeth. He wasn’t tall and athletic like Tyler, but he was tough in his own way. He didn’t let her go. “How am I supposed to calm down! I – I got caught in a freakin’ TRAP, captured by a GIANT, and taken to his freakin’… cannibal DEATH PIT!”
“It’s all deer and pigs, dumbass!” Jacob said, keeping himself tense. “He’s not a monster, and you better stop calling him that.”
“I… I call it like I see it!” Kris said shakily. “W-what else do you call something that kidnaps and eats high-school girls?”
“Well, has he eaten you, yet?” Jacob hissed. Kris swallowed, then shook her head. “Okay. And he’s not going to, either.”
“I – I don’t believe you!” Kris wailed. “You’re lying!”
“Jacob…” Alex said, leaning closer. Kris let out another terrified scream, and Alex immediately pulled back, his face stricken. Jacob’s face hardened.
“Oh my god, if he wanted to eat you, wouldn’t he have already done it?” Jacob snapped.
“H-he…” Kris paused for a second, heaving in rapid breaths. Then she started to struggle again. “He’s going to eat me LAST!”
“He’s not going to eat ANYONE! Stop screaming!”
Kris threw her head back and wailed into the night, and Jacob clapped his hand over her mouth.
“Okay, you calm down now, or we’re going to have a problem.” He said into her ear.
Kris took a few shaky breaths, but then she started to relax, little by little.
“We already have a problem.” She spat, before stomping her foot into Jacob’s and breaking free.
“Aw, dammit…” He growled, kicking his foot into the ground. Kris sprinted for the edge of the pit and started to climb desperately, but even Jacob knew from experience she wasn’t getting out without Alex. “You’re not getting out of here!” He called over.
“That’s what you think!” She shouted back, tumbling down. She was immediately back on her feet, trying to scramble upwards again. Jacob sighed and stepped over to Alex.
“Feisty. I like her.” Jacob said, pulling his backpack over and pulling out his box of Gushers. He opened a bag and started eating them.
“You’re not gonna…”
“She’ll tired herself out trying to get out of here.” Jacob said. “And if she gets close to the top… you can get her, right?”
“I feel terrible…” Alex said. “She thinks I’m a monster.”
“Well… you did catch her in a trap.” Jacob said, glaring at her back as she slid down the hill again. “But let her calm down, okay? She’ll see. Just like all of the rest of us. I freaked out at first, too, remember.”
“Y-yeah…” Alex said, looking down at his hand. “Because I picked YOU up, too. Everyone freaks out when I—”
“Hey, hey.” Jacob said. “It’s just cuz it makes us feel small. But Evan didn’t freak out at all, remember? He was chill the whole time.”
“Right…” Alex mumbled, closing his hand.
Alex sighed sadly.
“I hate this. I already feel like a huge freak. I hang out with you guys and you make me feel normal… and then… I have to eat a deer or something like this happens and I just… remember.”
“I know, man.” Jacob said, looking up. He smiled. “But you’re not a freak. Just huge.”
Alex grabbed the long, sharp stick he used to roast the meat and glanced at Jacob.
“You might wanna look away.” He said sadly. Jacob complied. He’d seen it once, and that was enough. He still heard the awful, squelching, cracking noise as Alex impaled the animal. After a moment, he looked back, shrugging like nothing had happened. “God, I’m so hungry…”
“I’m sorry.” Jacob said.
In the background, Kris continued her desperate attempts at escape.
A half hour later, as the deer was beginning to really cook, she stomped over, standing next to Jacob.
He looked up at her, then held out his box of snacks.
“Gushers?” He asked. Kris narrowed her eyes, then snatched one out of the box and flopped down to a seat across from Alex.
She tore open the bag and ate them furiously.
“Hungry?” Jacob asked, raising an eyebrow. She glared at him.
“Tends to happen when you get caught in a TRAP all damn day.” She snapped. Jacob put his hands up.
“Whoa, sorry.” He said. Kris sighed, eating another Gusher.
“So… what?” She asked sharply. “Now that I’m calm, you’re gonna eat me? L-like that deer?”
She eyed the carcass with wide eyes. Jacob scoffed.
“No. We’re just talking.”
“Talk. Yeah right.” Kris snapped. “Do you always talk to your food before you eat it?”
“Jesus Christ…” Jacob sighed. “Do you?”
Kris chewed her Gushers for a moment, then looked at the little bag in her hand.
“No.” She admitted quietly. “What’s your name?”
“Jacob Neier.” He said, pulling out his two-liter of Cherry Pepsi and cracking it open. It was warm, now, but it was better than nothing.
“And… who’s that?” She asked, nudging her chin at Alex.
“That’s Alex. Alex Whittacre.” Jacob said, raising the two-liter like a toast. “We go to East High. Or… I mean, he DID. Now he lives in a cave and sneaks out at night to eat.”
“No way.” Kris said, her eyes widening. “You’re… like… not a giant?”
“I am now.” Alex said mournfully, turning the deer on his makeshift spit. “I wasn’t always.”
“Okay, w-well, if you go to East High, that explains why I’ve never seen you. I… I’m Kristina Neubecker. I got to West High.”
Jacob spraying his mouthful of Pepsi into the fire. Kris and Alex both leaned back. Jacob coughed.
“Neubecker?? Oh, shit! Alex, you idiot, you caught the goddamn sheriff’s kid!” He put his hands in his face and groaned.
“I-is that… is that bad?”
“Jesus, yes, it’s bad!” Jacob said into his hands. “They’re gonna come LOOKING for her! One word from her, and it’s over, man… She really CAN call the national guard! He’s gonna believe his daughter! Dammit, and we took her right HERE, too! Dammit…”
“S-shit…” Alex whispered, the deer on the spit beginning to shake.
“No, no, don’t panic.” Jacob said immediately. “We’re… we’re gonna figure this out.”
“How?” Alex said, lifting his free hand to chew on his nails. “I – I don’t wanna get… you know… captured! O-or killed!”
“I know, I know.” Jacob said, massaging his temples. “We’re gonna figure out a way to get her home without her REMEMBERING anything! Goddammit… we can’t just keep her here, they’ll have a search party out here by morning! Hell, they probably already HAVE one out!”
“Oh god…” Alex said, his eyes watering. He started to sniffle again, and Jacob was immediately up, running over to pat his ankle.
“No, no, it’s okay! Let me call Tyler, okay? We’ll figure it out.”
“No, we won’t!” Alex sobbed, burying his face in his knees. He dropped his stick, and the impaled deer fell to the ground next to the fire. “I – I knew it! It w-was only a matter of time!”
“Alex, please…” Jacob said, his voice shaking. “Please calm down, okay? I promise, they’re not gonna find you. W-we’re going to figure it out.”
“U-um… are you even going to ask me?” Kris asked. She gotten up, and was walking closer. Jacob glared at her.
“What? You wanna sit here and negotiate?” He spat. Kris’s eyes widened, and she stepped back. “Y-you want money for my friend’s life?”
“No!” Kris said, putting her hands up. “I… I wanted to say something!”
“Whatever. Say it.” Jacob said furiously.
“I… um… I won’t tell.” She said, and Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah, okay. What is it? What do you want? Because I’m telling you right now, neither of us have shit. I’m fucking poor, and he’s a giant living in a cave and eating DEER. So whatever you—”
“Jesus, will you calm down?” Kris said, running her hand through her hair. “I… Jeez, I just… I didn’t know, okay? I didn’t know he was just a person. I – I thought he was going to kill me.”
“Right, because he’s big, you just ASSUMED—”
“Yeah! I assumed!” Kris shot back, her face reddening. She stepped closer, sticking her finger in his face. “Because he caught me in a trap and carried me to this nightmare!”
Jacob chewed his tongue, but Kris was already talking again.
“But – and give me a second – I remembered him, okay? H-he played basketball against my brother.” Kris said, looking up at the gigantic senior, who looked up with his swollen, red eyes. “You totally fouled against him a-and they called you A-anvil Alex in the school paper.”
Jacob snorted.
“Dude, what?”
Kris glared at him.
“I-if that’s true… I don’t want him to die, okay? I know you think I’m fucking crazy, but can you blame me? But just because I freaked out doesn’t mean I want people to get… shipped off to labs or whatever! That… would be messed up.”
“R-really?” Alex asked, and Kris looked up into his eyes, swallowing heavily.
“Yeah. I… I’m sorry.”
Alex looked away. He didn’t say anything else. But Jacob wasn’t having the same problem.
“Why don’t you and I take a walk, huh?” He asked, stepping over to where Kris was standing.
“W-walk?” She said. Jacob nodded toward the deer on the stick.
“Yeah. I don’t think you wanna be around while he eats that. And we gotta talk about what we’re going to do.”
Kris eyed the entire deer, still roasting near the fire. Alex flushed, but then his stomach growled.
“Uh… okay.” Kris said, taking a step back. Jacob closed his hand around her wrist and pulled around to the other side of the pit, where the stacked dirt and remains of old bonfires blocked their view of Alex.
“So.” Jacob said, letting her go. Kris yanked her arm back and glared at him. “Let’s talk.”
“Yeah, about what? How you’re totally bungling this whole ‘taking care of a giant’ thing?” Kris shot back, folding her arms. Jacob went red in the face and sputtered.
“W-what? Shut up! You have NO idea what you’re talking about!”
Kris rolled her eyes.
“Sure. I mean, I’m only the one who your giant CAUGHT and then KIDNAPPED.” She said harshly. Jacob grit his teeth, but Kris put her hand up to stop him. “Okay, I get that he’s not going to eat me. But still… you just have these unmarked massive snares in the woods, and a giant coming to check them? Dude, it’s only a matter of time before you catch someone really crazy.”
“We… we’ve never caught anyone before.” Jacob said defensively.
“That’s just stupid.” Kris said. “Because once it happens once, it’s going to happen again. And let me tell you, that’s NOT the way you want to introduce people to your giant.”
“He’s not ‘my giant’.” Jacob huffed. “His name is Alex. He’s my friend.”
“R-right. I know. “Kris said. “But my point stands. Those snares are sloppy, and you’re going to get in more trouble if you don’t end up changing things. Like what happens if you'd caught my dad, huh? Or a little kid? What if you caught someone with a gun?”
“We…” Jacob went warm. They hadn’t thought about any of that.
“Yeah, exactly my point.” Kris said. “Caught, captured, and brought to a terrifying pit of bones isn’t exactly the best first impression. And a LOT of people aren’t going to wait around for a second one.”
“Well… fine then!” Jacob snapped. “What do you suggest?”
Just then, Jacob heard the telltale crack of Alex beginning to split the dear apart. His heart ramped up, but he refused to let Kris see. But she was too busy staring the direction of the sound, her eyes wide.
“W-what is…”
“He’s eating.” Jacob said. “Leave him alone, it’s awful enough already without us making a scene out of it.”
“But he’s…” Kris said, taking a step to peer around the dirt. She blinked in the flickering firelight. Her hands rose to cover her mouth.
Jacob stepped over, glancing at the grisly scene of Alex, tearing out a chunk of the bloody red deer and tearing it apart. Blood was smeared around his mouth, some kind of white tissue dangling from his lips. Viscera spilled out onto the ground. Just as Alex reached down to gather it up and raise it to his mouth, Jacob pulled her away.
“Don’t watch. I promise, you’ll sleep better tonight.” He said quietly. Kris nodded and let him pull her away.
Kris shivered, her eyes still wide and slightly unfocused.
“H-how can you trust him?” She whispered. Jacob watched her clasp her hands so tight the knuckles went white.
“Easy.” Jacob said, leading her even further away. “Because he’s still Alex.”
“B-but he’s… I mean he looks like…”
“Imagine yourself in his place.” Jacob said, cutting her off. “I – I mean, really, sit there and think about it. Suddenly, you can’t go home anymore. You can’t eat pizza or drink soda or… even walk into town. You have to hide in the woods, and live in a cave so dark you can’t even see. No forks, no knives… and you’re still hungry.”
Kris’s eyes began to shine, and she looked down.
“He spends 15 hours inside a dark cave without food, in the pitch dark, unless one of us is there to talk to him or help bring him out here.” Jacob continued. “I’m not going to sit here and make him feel shitty about what he’s forced to do. Because… can you imagine that? How lonely and hungry and desperate you would be? I spend most of the day in my room and I’m already going crazy.”
Kris bit her lip.
“I… I guess.”
“Alex didn’t aske for this, you know? And it could’ve happened to anybody. It could’ve been ME, you know? And if it was me… I want to believe that people would help me. He’s still him, I’d still be me. And just because he’s desperate and hungry doesn’t mean that he suddenly lost everything that makes him human. Just because he has to eat deer with his hands doesn’t mean he’s also a cannibal.”
He sighed, looking down at his own hands.
“You know, if I suddenly ended up huge like that… I wouldn’t eat anybody, no matter what. I’d starve first. And… I think Alex deserves that same respect.”
For a moment, they were both quiet.
“He’s really… Alex Whittacre?” Kris asked, swallowing hard.
“Yeah. He’s the same person. Just… bigger. And lonelier.”
“Fuck.” She whispered.
Jacob sighed.
“Yeah, I know.”
“So… what’s the plan?” Kris said, turning to him, her eyes alight. “Because we CANNOT let him get caught.”
“We?”
“Yeah, we.” Kris said, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “You literally don’t have a choice, okay? Now that I know about him, I’m NOT just going home and pretending I never saw anything.”
“Are you serious?” Jacob scoffed.
“Uh, yeah, I’m serious!” She said, narrowing her eyes. “Clearly, you guys need someone smarter to help you figure out how to keep this all under wraps. My dad’s the sheriff. I KNOW what it takes to get him out here.”
“Yeah, so—”
“Which MEANS…” Kris said, interrupting him. “I also know how to keep him away from here! And you’re also clearly not meeting his nutritional needs.”
“What?” Jacob snapped. “We’re doing what we can! He’s eating as much as we can get him!”
“Well, when was the last time he had anything with fiber? Or salt?” Kris asked. Jacob sputtered.
“Wh – but how important is that?”
“VERY!” Kris said, exasperated. “God, what do YOU eat for dinner?”
“You saw it earlier!” Jacob shot back, the redness creeping into his face. He hated feeling this dumb in a conversation.
“What? You mean…” Kris’s eyes widened. “Gushers and Pepsi? Holy shit! Oh my god, you guys are both feral!”
“S-shut up!” Jacob snapped back. “That’s… I just…”
“Okay. New plan.” Kris said, massaging her temples. “I need to go home, like, ASAP. I was NOT supposed to be out this late, and I’m going to be SO screwed if my dad has to FIND me in the woods. But second… I’m meeting you out here tomorrow night, and we’re figuring out something different for dinner. Because he might have to eat deer… but it doesn’t have to suck that bad.”
“Fine.” Jacob conceded. “You can come out tomorrow. But I’m calling a team meeting.”
“Team… meeting?”
“Yeah, you didn’t think I was the only one out here with him, did you?” Jacob asked, his mouth quirking in a smile.
“I mean, yeah, I kind of did, considering how stupid the snares were.” Kris shot back.
Jacob’s smile faded into a scowl.
“Well, the snares weren’t even my idea!” He snapped, and Kris giggled. “Whatever. Listen, IF you go home, and IF you keep your promise not to tell anyone… THEN you’re meeting Tyler and Evan, and we’re all going to decide what we do.”
“Fine.” Kris said, huffing.
“AND I’m not telling you where he actually lives.”
“I said fine!”
“And… and I’m going to hang around here all day tomorrow, okay? So if I even sniff one hair on your dad’s head, or see someone out here looking for Alex… it’s all over, okay? You’re out.”
“Jesus, I said FINE!” Kris shouted. “Whatever it takes, okay? You’ll see.”
“Fine!”
“Fine!”
“Oh my god, can you guys just QUIT?” Alex shouted from the other side of the pit. “That or at least put me out of my misery?”
“Jesus.” Jacob said, looking away from Kris and flushing. He stomped away, letting her follow him back into the firelight. Alex was licking off his fingers and carefully piling bones behind him.
He flushed when he caught Kris staring at the pile. Jacob tore his eyes away from the bones that had been stripped so bare they had Alex’s gnawed teeth marks on them.
“U-um… so what’s the plan?” Alex asked. Jacob sighed.
“Well, it doesn’t look like Kris is going anywhere.” He said. “But the good news is it looks like she plans on helping us.”
“R-really?” Alex asked, his face softening. He looked like a giant puppy.
“Yeah.” Kris said, flipping her hair. “But apparently I have to meet the rest of your friends first.”
“Nice.” He said, his shoulders relaxing.
“Don’t get too comfy yet, buddy.” Jacob said. “She still has to keep her promise not to tell. So the plan for tonight is to get her home… and then we have to hide you again. Somewhere she can’t find you.”
“Oh.” Alex said unhappily.
“I know. But… you’ve been hiding this whole time.” Jacob said, smiling sadly up at his friend. “Just one more day. And we’ll see what Tyler says. He’ll… he’ll know what to do.”
“But for now, I really need to get home.” Kris said, looking up at the moon. “I was supposed to be meeting some friends out here, and it’s REALLY late. And my dad’s gonna freak if I don’t come home.” She said, kicking her foot into the ground.
“Oh, r-right.” Alex said.
“And then we have to go back.” Jacob said.
“I know.”
Kris sighed.
“I… I’m sorry. I wish you didn’t have to hide.”
“Me too.” Alex said, curling himself a little tighter.
For a moment, they all just stood there around the fire. But then Kris cleared her throat again.
“S-so… how do I get out of here?”
“Oh.” Jacob said, looking up at the wall of the pit. “Alex has to carry you out.”
“What?” Kris said, alarmed. Her eyes flew to his hands, which had just been tearing a deer apart into bloody pieces. Alex swallowed nervously.
“Yes.” Jacob said, before either of them could say anything. “And it’s fine. Here, I’ll go first, okay?”
“I mean… h-he did hold me… b-before.” Kris stammered, but Jacob shook his head.
“Yeah, but that was different. This isn’t scary, I promise.” He said, stepping over to Alex. He patted his denim-clad leg. “Ready?”
Alex nodded, then carefully reached down, sliding his fingers around Jacob’s waist. He lifted him in a loose fist, then set him in his other hand, like a chair.
“See? Not bad!” Jacob called down to Kris, who was still standing on the ground and staring up.
“I – it’s… um…” She said. Alex stood up, then stepped over to the side of the pit, where he lowered his hand for Jacob to jump off.
“I’m fine! We do this all the time!” Jacob said, brushing himself off. Kris swallowed as Alex turned to her.
“F-fine. I’m ready.” She said, squeezing her eyes closed. She tensed every muscle in her body as Alex kneeled down in front of her.
“Um…” He said, reaching out. He paused, readjusted, then paused again. His face went red. His hands looked so huge next to Kris.
“It’s like picking up Evan!” Jacob shouted over.
“Yeah, but Evan… he’s not… scared of me.” Alex said, wincing. Kris cracked one eye open to look at the nervous giant in front of her.
She blinked up at him, then swallowed.
“I’m not scared either.” She said firmly. She lifted her arms up and motioned him closer. “I’m ready.”
Alex bit his lip, then slowly reached down, closing his hand around her waist. She let out a quiet noise as he lifted her up, but he braced under her legs with his other hand, gripping as gently as he could.
Gingerly, he set her on her feet next to Jacob and let her go, opening his hands and moving away slowly.
Kris straightened her jacket and shook out her limbs, then stared at Alex, who, while standing in the pit, wasn’t much taller than they were.
“…Wow.” Kris said breathlessly. “That’s… that’s cool.”
“Right?” Jacob said quietly, smiling at Alex. “I know.”
They watched Alex kick dirt and ash over the fire, dousing it. Then he stepped back to the side.
“Okay… coming out.” Alex said, putting his hands on the side. He jumped up and out of the pit, rising to his full height. Kris swallowed.
“You good?”
“I forgot… what he looks like when he’s standing up.” She whispered. Jacob nodded. He spent a lot of time around Alex, so sometimes he forgot just how big he was, especially when Jacob stood by his feet.
Alex’s head eclipsed the moon. Standing tall, he was equal with the old trees in the forest. Jacob watched him look longingly into the sky, his face illuminated by the light of the full moon. He took a deep breath, then he looked down.
“Alright… I’m ready.” Alex said, lowering his hands. Jacob jumped in automatically, but Kris stayed back, eyeing him warily.
“What, you don’t want a ride to the waterfall?” Jacob said, scooching over into Alex’s left hand and patting the spot behind him.
“A ride?”
“You wanted to walk all the way back yourself?” He said, waving her over. “Come on, it’s way faster to ride Giant Express.”
“Oh.” She said, stepping over. Carefully, she sat down next to Jacob.
Alex lifted them up, and Kris let out a little noise again. Jacob realized belatedly that she’d wound her arm around his. She was close enough that he could smell her, a mix of fruity shampoo, campfire smoke, and sweat. He swallowed.
“See, he’s got us.” He said quietly. Kris nodded, letting out a long breath.
“Wow… this is crazy.”
“Right? If you’d have told me a month ago that I’d be letting some giant dude carry me around, I think I’d have punched you.” Jacob said. Kris laughed, and his felt his face get warm. She had a surprisingly nice laugh.
“If… if you’d have told me this morning that I’d get trapped in a snare, rescued by a giant, and end up here, in his hands again… I don’t know WHAT I would have done.”
“Hopefully you wouldn’t have punched me.” He said. Kris snorted.
“I mean, depending on what you told me. I think I would’ve thought you were insane.”
“Well… look at us.” Jacob said, shifting slightly, feeling the skin of her hand brush his arm. “I mean, isn’t this insane?”
“Yeah.”
The two of them were quiet while Alex kept walking, keeping his head ducked under the treeline.
“So, Alex.” Jacob said, looking up at the underside of Alex’s jaw. Alex looked down.
“What?”
“I’m pretty much free for the rest of the night. And… day.” He said, shrugging. “And I brought a blanket. I was gonna fix your shirt, but if you don’t mind the company, I figured I could stay… you know, until we get the rest of the guys together.”
Alex bit his lip, then looked up and sniffled.
“Y-yeah, if… if you want to.” He said thickly. Jacob nodded. It wouldn’t be a fun time, stuck in that dark cave with nothing but his friend and some chalk, but it was the least he could do after Alex was forced to lose almost all of his time outside. He could get through it.
Because Alex was doing it, constantly, completely alone.
“You’re gonna stay out here all night?” Kris asked, raising her eyebrow.
“Well, we won’t—” Jacob clamped his mouth shut, realizing he was just about to give away their location. “I mean, why not? My parents are out of town, and I promise, my sister doesn’t care.”
“Oh.” Kris said.
Alex stepped closer to the waterfall, and carefully lowered his hands. Jacob jumped out and held his hand out, gently guiding Kris back onto stable ground. Her knees wobbled a little, and she took a few steps forward.
“Woah, you’re okay.” Jacob said gently.
“I… I’m fine.” She said, brushing herself off. “How do I look?”
Jacob blinked at her.
“Uh…”
She looked half rabid. Her curly hair was now a messy disaster from all the events of the night. Her clothes were covered in dirt and ash, and her face was scraped up from when she’d been in the snare.
“You look like you got attacked by a wolf.” He said, wincing. Kris sighed, trying to smooth her hair down.
“Great. I’m gonna tell my dad I fell down the mountain, and… hope that he believes me. I don’t think I’m bleeding, anyway.”
“I don’t think so.” Alex said from above them.
“Uh, so…” Kris said, grabbing her hair and pulling it back into a thick ponytail. “T-thanks for the ride, Alex. And I’m sorry for… like everything.”
“No, I’m sorry.” He said, sighing and ruffling their hair. “I shouldn’t have set those snares. And I really shouldn’t have taken you away from there.”
“I… um… I might’ve done the same thing.” Kris said, looking up at the giant teenager. “I don’t know, you know?”
“Well, thanks.” Alex said, smiling wryly.
“Okay, get out of here.” Jacob said. Kris huffed.
“Wow, can’t wait to get rid of me, huh?”
Jacob rolled his eyes.
“But come and meet me here tomorrow at… 5.” He said, checking his phone. “I’ll get the guys together, and we’ll talk. If you really hold up your end of the bargain… Then we’ll take you to see Alex again.”
“I will, okay? You can trust me.” Kris said, nodding. Jacob shrugged.
“Show me, then I’ll trust you.” He said. “Hey, give me a lift?” He turned his face up to look to Alex. He winked, and Alex smirked.
“Sure.”
The giant teenager swooped down, his hand wrapping around Jacob. He yanked him roughly off the ground, tossing him into the air.
“Woah, hey!” Jacob protested, but Alex caught him easily, then set him on his shoulder. He forced himself to look nonchalant, smiling down at Kris’s dropped open jaw. He shrugged, gripping his fists into Alex’s shirt. “See you tomorrow. I hope.” He said.
“S-see you tomorrow…” Kris whispered. Alex turned and walked into the woods, leaving the girl behind him.
He waited a few minutes before daring to speak.
“D-do you really think she’ll be back?” He asked nervously. Jacob nodded, kicking his foot into Alex’s collarbone.
“Yeah.”
“How can you tell?”
Jacob grinned wide, looking up at his friend’s giant face, lit by the light of the moon. He could see the fine hairs on his cheek, the twitching muscles near his eye, the glint of his teeth in the light.
He could feel Alex’s muscles shifting underneath him. Alex could reach up and crush him in his hands, and tear him apart like the deer earlier. And he never would.
“Because.” Jacob said. “She’s like me. You can’t see this and stay away.”
Alex scoffed.
“See what?”
Jacob shook his head and looked forward, clutching Alex’s shirt.
“Forget it. Let’s go. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
“Got eyes on the subject, sir.” A woman said into her walkie-talkie. Her earpiece crackled.
“Good. Any changes? Any… unforeseen consequences?”
“No, sir.” The woman said, watching the giant teenager crash through the woods. It made her heart race to look at him, but the idea of getting even closer to him scared her more.
“Then the experiment is progressing well. Do you have eyes on where they’ve been storing the beast?”
“Not yet, but… I believe they’re heading back now.”
“Make sure you follow them.” The man said. “I want that GPS signal. As long as things go well… I plan on beginning Phase 2 in the next few days. Just get me his location.”
“B-but sir—”
“Marcia. Do I need to remind you of your obligation to Arelocorp?”
“No sir.”
“Do this, and I’ll consider allowing you a visit with your son. Is that understood?”
“Yes… yes, sir.”
“I will.” Marcia said. She sighed, but the man on the other end didn’t say anything else. She shivered in the cool summer night air, stepping quietly through the woods.
She didn’t want to be doing this. She really didn’t want to be any more involved n this project than she’d been forced to be in the first place!
But what was she supposed to do? At this point, trying to walk away from the company would lead to worse consequences for her… and for Mason. She closed her eyes and took a long breath in through her nose.
Just a few more nights… and she’d see him again. She just had to do this job, and they’d let her be near him again.
She followed in the giant’s footsteps, her son’s face in her mind.