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Sophie was exhausted, yet still could not fall asleep. Old habits die hard, I guess. She was lying all tucked into her crows nest bed, staring at the large cave ceiling.
It was dark out. A singular moon beam shined from a crack in the curtain onto the wall. It was beautiful. The way the light seemed to dance as if it were alive, its glistening form moving in tandem with the flow of the curtain. The girl smiled tensely at it and curled her blanket tighter around herself. It was teetering on the edge of being too cold.
It’s not like she didn’t want to sleep, it was all her body was screaming for, but every time she closed her eyes, all she could see were those terrible giants. She shivered at the thought. She could have easily died today, she almost did.
Earlier that day, a few of those brutes decided to pay the Bfg a visit. She couldn’t even remember what the reason for them barging in was anymore, probably just to torment him. The Bfg kept trying to make them leave, but all that earned him were a few kicks and his home being used as a playroom. They were there for what felt like hours! If any of them had found where she was hiding… Well, she didn’t want to think about that.
Sophie tried to ignore it, to be brave and not let it affect her, but she couldn’t help the anxiety that riddled her body, like a stabbing pain in her chest.
Even though the Bfg was just right below her, sleeping himself in their pirate ship bed, she still felt alone. Sophie wanted to go down there to be closer to him, but she didn’t want to wake him up. She felt safe around the Bfg, in spite of everything, and that’s all she wanted to feel right now, safety. Sophie knew the Bfg intended on staying up to be able to give her a dream, but she thinks the weight of the day got to him and he passed out almost immediately after eating dinner. The little girl could hear him loudly snoring below, softly rocking the boat with each long breath.
Should she go down there? Maybe if she was quiet enough, she wouldn’t wake him and be able to finally go to sleep.
She knew it was silly to think this way. She is ten for goodness sake, not a baby! She shouldn’t need such arbitrary comfort, she’s far too old! When she was hit with these insomnia spells in the orphanage, she dealt with them herself and that was fine. No matter how much she yearned to have a parent that she could run to, she couldn’t. She knew it was futile to dream of such things.
But…are things different now? She likes to think so. Sophie actually has someone taking care of her now, someone who is kind to her, someone who she could run to now. But what if he laughed at her? He said it himself, giants don’t have families. It would probably be better if she just stayed in her bed.
Just then, a large creak from the boat sparked another intense stab of anxiety. Sophie jumped up and started climbing down the ladder in almost a frenzy. She’s scared, she’s not safe, she needs her dad. He’ll keep her safe.
As silently as she could, she kept climbing down the ladder until her feet reached the base of it. She looked over at the Bfg to see if he moved at all. When all seemed clear, Sophie started tiptoeing as swiftly as she could across the wooden planks, getting closer and closer to the Bfg’s sleeping form. Almost there.
Sophie got to the edge of the planks where his bed began and was about to climb down the short ledge when the Bfg shifted.
“What is you doing up, Lass?” The Bfg asked, eyes barely open.
“Eep!” Sophie’s heart jumped ten feet in the air. “I’m uh sorry for waking you.” Sophie squeaked out.
The Bfg yawned, “It be alright, my little frogglefrump. Is you alright? Is you frigidy cold?” He asked, concern lacing his voice.
Sophie shifted on the balls of her feet where she stood and looked at the wood grain pattern on the ground. “I um- Could I sleep with you?” She asked in a voice so quiet, it could barely be described as a whisper. The Bfg, though, heard her clear as water.
The Bfg’s eyes softened. “Of course you can,” he said and before he could pick her up, she very quickly scampered as fast as she could down the ledge and climbed up onto his chest. He blinked.
“Is you ok, Sophie?” He asked, eyes now fully open.
Sophie curled in on herself creating a little Sophie ball and grasped a bit of the Bfg’s shirt. “I know it’s a little silly seeing as I was just right above you, but um, I was feeling a little anxious and l-lonely and the boat was making a lot of creaking sounds and I just couldn’t fall asleep so I-“ The giant cut off her ramblings by taking his hand and slowly petting her head and back, then repeating the action.
“Shhhh” he consoled.
Sophie felt herself visibly relax, all tension leaving her body as relief washed over her. She felt her eyes getting heavy like they were being weighed down by pure exhaustion.
“I is understanding” the Bfg murmured. “You does not need to explain yourself.”
She smiled.
Sophie let her head drop to his chest no longer fighting her fatigue. He understands her. He’s welcoming her. She sighed. With her ear to him she was able to hear his rhythmic and slow heart beat and the whooshing of air as he inhaled and exhaled. Each breath lifting her up and down with the raising and falling of his chest. It’s like being slowly rocked to sleep.
“Thank you,” she said. “I like listening to the sound of your heartbeat, it makes me feel safe.”
He chuckled, “Does you really? I is forgetting sometimes that other creatures is not hearing those thingalings all the time. I is happy to be bringing you comfort.” He said.
They stayed like this for a few minutes, the Bfg gently caressing her head and back with lidded eyes and Sophie smiling, feeling sleep finally approaching her.
Though after a moment, “Bfg?”
He hummed in response
“Do you ever dream?” She asked.
The Bfg took some time to think. “Sometimes” he said. “But very rarely. Dreams is not wandering to giant country often and my bottles makes it hard for any to be escaping. So I is only dreaming once in a blue baboon.” Sophie cracked a smile at his idiom.
“Maybe one day I could make my own trumpet to give you a nice dream.” Sophie said.
“That would be a nice gift you’d be giving me. But now you is needing your rest.” The Bfg said continuing his slow ministration’s. Sophie felt her eyes grow even heavier and let out a huge yawn.
“Ok. I-“ Sophie paused. “…I love you Bfg.”
The Bfg felt warmth blossoming in his chest then yawned himself, now much happier that his child was with him safe on his chest.
“I is loving you too, my little flogglefrump.”