Giganterra (G/T)

Chapter 41: Nothing to Lose

"Let's go. Now."

Millie flinched, flabbergasted. "What?"

"You heard me."

"B-b-but, that's impossible! We can't!"

"Yes we can."

"I've told you, there's no escape! Even if we miraculously sneak past Ajax undetected, Chester will hunt us down by scent! He'll catch us, and when he does..." A shiver coursed from her head to her toes. "We're done for."

"I don't care, Millie. I'm going to escape or die trying. You may have the will to persevere, but I can't survive living like this for another second. I'm leaving."

"Candy, no! You can't!" Millie hissed frantically, even as Candy inched forward, shrugging off the weight of the giant's immense hand. She gradually wiggled free of his fingers and started crawling slowly across his chest, careful not to wake him. "Candy!"

"Come with me," Candy whispered back. Both girls froze in place as the giant king shifted in his sleep. He settled back down, breathing steadily, his tremendous chest rising and falling beneath them like the flow of the tide.

"I..." Millie swallowed hard. "I can't."

"Please, Millie. Can't you see this is no way to live, groveling and worshipping a demon? You need to try. What do you possibly have to lose, at this point?"

Millie thought a long moment before replying. My life. All the goodwill I've built up over the years. Friends that could've been saved, if the fickle king hadn't been cross in the moment. All of it. Everything. Evaporated into the ether, all because of my own failings, because I was too weak. Her voice dropped to a pitiful whimper, barely audible over the whoosh of voluminous lungs. "I'm scared."

"Millie..." Candy looked at her with eyes shining in the shrouded moonlight. "It'll be okay. Trust me."

Millie contracted her throat again, gulping down her fears. She was willing to put her faith in Candy. The allure of freedom was too tempting to refuse, if she dared to wish it. "Al... alright." Trembling violently, she crept out of the arch of digits and joined Candy. Her fellow human encouraged her along as they crossed the plain of skin. They reached the hillside of the giant's bicep and carefully descended, keeping their steps as light and soft as possible. Candy sighed in relief when she jumped to the mattress. Millie's shaking had only increased. Her knees knocked together as they crossed the vast topography of lavish silken sheets, until they finally reached the edge. The two women stared nervously over the precipice, to the impossibly long drop below that would undoubtedly kill them if they fell.

"C-C-Candy, I d-don't think I can d-do this," Millie stuttered.

"We can't stop now. We'll find a way down. We just have to climb."

"No, I mean... m-maybe we should just forget this whole thing and go back." She pointed at the mass of man looming above them on the horizon. "It's not too late. W-we can just climb up to his chest again, he'll never know we were gone, we can sweep this whole thing under the rug and he'll never know, he'll be none the wiser and we won't get caught and punished—" Her voice raised in pitch as she started to hyperventilate in her panic, spiraling out of control as she vomited out her words in clumsy haste.

Candy grabbed her shoulders. "Millie, get a grip!" They both froze when the mattress moved beneath them, as the behemoth stirred in his sleep. He settled in and resumed his snores. Candy let out a relieved sigh.

"Millie, I know you're strong," Candy continued. "Don't turn back now. We need to get out of here. Both of us. I'm not leaving you behind."

Millie inhaled deeply, then exhaled, hugging herself with her arms. "Okay," she whispered.