Something in the Woods

Chapter 22

If there was anything above Tymere's pay grade, babysitting a giant kid would probably be it. For weeks, they had been holding him up in one of the hangers, chained up like he was an animal. How they got chains big enough to hold him, he'll never know, but when there's enough taxpayer money, the government will give them whatever weird things they need.
Tymere spent weeks being on duty watching that boy. He had so many scars on his face and arms from General Martin blowing holes in him, it was a surprise the boy didn't die. He didn't speak, he barely ate, he just sat there with a distant expression on his face. He reminded Tymere of his little sister before she moved in with him; he knew there was something on his mind, and if there was anything he could do… then maybe his conscience wouldn't weigh as heavy anymore.
"I'm gonna go and see if I can talk to the boy."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Asked Commander Price.
Tymere raised an eyebrow. "He's chained up like Gulliver, do you really think he can do anything else?"
"I wouldn't trust him."
"He's a kid!" He scoffed. "Look, if something goes wrong, I'll holler."
Price shook her head. "Just keep your AR ready. You never know what he might do."
Tymere sighed but went into the hanger. The lights had dimmed for the night to help the boy sleep, but Tymere could see that the boy was still awake. The kid's green eyes narrowed as soon as Tymere got close enough.
"Hey, uh… was it Barrett?"
But he did not say a word, he just kept glaring at the young soldier. Tymere had to admit, it was rather intimidating at first. To be looked at like a helpless mouse that was cornered by a cat that just wanted to kill for sport. But that's not who the boy was. He was hurt and scared and the only reason he gave this murderous look was because Tymere was dressed and armed like everyone who shot at him. He went to remove his AR that slung from his shoulder.
Barrett jerked away as soon as he saw the gun but he couldn't get very far with the chains that weighed him down.
"No it's okay! I'm not going to use it!" Tymere reassured as he slowly set the assault rifle on the ground. The poor kid watched with fearful eyes, looking for any trick Tymere might be trying to pull.
But Tymere only backed away from the gun; just enough to be out of reach and show Barrett that he truly meant no harm. "See?"
The boy let out a sigh of relief but weariness still lingered on his face. "Your weapons are much more dangerous."
"Do you not have them in your world?"
He shook his head. "Nothing like that at least."
"So what do you use for war?" Tymere asked.
"It's been a long time since the last war, but I know we've used swords, axes, spears, and other stuff like that."
"So mostly melee weapons… interesting."
"Where's Katie?" The boy asked. "Is she alright?"
"She's fine, but I haven't heard much else since she ended her friendship with my sister." Tymere said.
"Oh, I didn't know they stopped being friends."
Tymere raised an eyebrow. "Really? Cause I would have thought you were aware of this, considering the friendship ended because of you."
Barrett's eyes widened. "I had no clue."
"Well, from what I was told, Katie was gonna go to your world, but Byssa didn't think it was a good idea. So Katie ended her friendship with her."
"And then she told you about me, didn't she?"
Tymere didn't say a word, but his silence was enough of an answer for the giant.
"Figures," He scoffed. "She must have stopped liking me after I got mad at Katie for ditching me to hang out with you too."
"That was the day you literally kidnapped Katie, right?"
"You're making it sound so bad!"
"Then please, explain to me how a giant boy taking a teenage girl into the woods against her will doesn't sound bad?!" Tymere snapped back. "Especially when this town has already had numerous disappearances!"
"I'm not responsible for any of that!" Barrett shouted with such force that it made Tymere's heart skip a beat. "I'm so tired of being treated like a monster here!"
"Maybe that word is a little extreme," Tymere admitted. "But it's hard for others to think differently when you got someone killed."
"Oh gods…" Barrett whispered, tears formed in his eyes. "I never wanted to hurt that lady, you have to believe me!"
"Then what did you want?"
"I just wanted to go home and see my mom again!" The giant burst out crying as tears and snot dribbled down his face. "I tried to avoid humans for months, b…but then I met Katie and wanted t…t…to help her out! She hated it here, but I didn't want to hurt anyone, it was an accident!"
None of this was right, giants and alternative universes were just fiction; yet Barrett, a literal child, sat here chained up like an animal! But the military will ship Barrett off to Area 51 and then they'll probably do horrible experiments on him. And he'll never see his mother again. There were so many people in the past that fell through that portal and never saw their families again, what if the roles were reversed and Byssa fell into that portal and was held captive by people? Tymere's stomach twisted at the thought of that.
"Listen, if I got you outta here, could you do me one favor?"
"What's that?" Barrett sniffled.
"If we can get you home, I want you to try and find out what happened to people who fell through the portal into your world."
Barrett looked at him with shock. "But I wouldn't even know where to look."
"I know, the last known case was ten years ago, and some of them probably don't have happy endings." Tymere admitted. "But those people have families who never got answers, your mom is probably worried sick about you, desperately hoping you will return one day. those people deserve to have closure too."
Barrett had to sit in silence to take all that information in. It was a lot to ask a kid, but maybe this experience could help him understand what it's like to be missing for so long and where one would be if they were in another world. "I'll do it."
Tymere let out a sigh of relief.
"On one condition." The giant stated. "Katie has to come with me."
Tymere raised an eyebrow. "You can't be serious?"
"I am," Barrett said. "She has to come with me, it's what she wanted, plus I might need her to help find people!"
"Barrett please, she has a family now."
"She didn't even want to get adopted!" Barrett snarled.
"What she wanted was to be loved by people who would always be there with her!" Tymere snapped.
"How do you know?" The giant scoffed. "Did you spend hours talking with her about how everyone she ever had in her life left her behind?"
"She can still find good people here."
"From who? David, who shot her only friend up?"
"That-!"
"Or how about Byssa?" Barrett cut off. "Who betrayed Katie because she was jealous?"
"SHE ONLY DID THAT BECAUSE YOU WERE THE ONE WHO WAS POSSESSIVE OF KATIE!" The cheeks on Tymere's face burned in anger, he didn't care if this giant was going to resent him forever, he's not going to badmouth his little sister anymore. "Look, you both did what you did to protect Katie, but she is her own person and I'm not promising to give her to you like she's some toy."
"But she agreed to go with me!" Barrett whined.
Tymere shrugged. "Then that is her call to make tomorrow, but you have to accept that you might have to go back to your world alone. I can not make that promise, kid."
A sigh released from Barrett's lips. "Fine but can you do me one favor?"
"What's that?"
"Please let me see Katie again, before I go."
"I will do everything I can to make sure she is there at the lake."
"Thank you."
Tymere nodded and looked at his watch. It was almost time for him to end his shift. He waved goodbye to the giant and headed out of the hangar. A pit formed in his stomach, Tymere had no clue how he was going to free Barrett and get him home without anyone noticing. Even if he somehow did get the kid home, there was no way he wouldn't get into any trouble doing so and he may lose everything he worked for by doing this. But there was no way Tymere could live with himself if this kid gets sent off to Area 51.