The Shrink Program

Chapter 102

No! Wait! I've changed my mind!

But it was too late, and there was nothing I could do but struggle as Jack pulled me out of the only sanctuary I had left.

Fingers made clever from years of violin playing, and magic tricks shifted around me, A long forefinger hooking over my throat to pin me to the giant palm.

Trembling with rage and very real fear, I shoved at the suffocating digit, trying to create room for me to breathe.

Being held down sucks. Being held down by your windpipe sucks even worse.

I was raised up to Jack's eye level, my breath catching as I found myself held before soft purple irises.

Volunteering to go out and face the giant psychopath all on my lonesome... my only weapons being my razor-sharp tongue and my somewhat selective genius...

Who would have ever guessed that I would regret that decision?

"Hello, Maddison." Jack smiled, the fingers pinning me down growing tighter. I writhed against the hold, even as my vision blurred.

Not just my throat, but my entire body burned as the air was squeezed out of me.

"I have to admit. "Jack said, ignoring my desperation completely. "You make quite a pretty sight, so small and fragile."

Stop. Before I get angry. Or break...

As suddenly as it had started, Jack released me, the sensation of my bones about to snap fading with several painful throbs.

Crap. That. Hurt.

The sound of my own painful gasping echoed in my ringing ears, the sudden rush of blood to my face making me sound feverish.

Still, I struggled up onto my hands and knees, refusing to lay like a fish out of water in Jack's palm.

A metallic taste filled my mouth, me biting my own tongue as I struggled to calm my breathing.

I couldn't stop shaking, even when the pain began to fade.

Afraid.

Not of pain. I wasn't afraid of being hurt. Anything can hurt you, no matter what size it is.

But the instinctive feeling you get... the knowledge that this huge, uncontrollable, moving thing could easily crush you...

I hadn't felt so powerlessness until now.

My family, my friends, the supervisors, even Apollo. I had been handled by so many giants, had felt their overwhelming strength and size.

There had always been a logical mind behind the giant people around me.

They listened to me, I had some control over what they did with me.

They had morals, they cared about me, and they weren't insane enough to actually want to hurt.

I didn't have to be afraid because, despite the size difference, we were all human.

Panting, I squinted through the curtain of my golden curls.... meeting Jack's gently amused eyes as he held me up before his face.

And found nothing there.

Humans did bad things. But they had reasons, they had feelings, good, bad, painful and just plain arrogant.

But Jack's eyes revealed nothing. No hatred, no glee, no triumph. Just friendly concern.

And that is why I was afraid of Jack, where no person, giant or otherwise, had frightened me before.

Because to me, Jack wasn't human.

Great.

... Now that we have established the fact that you are totally scared out of your mind right now let's move on to the reality of this situation.

Even if you curl up and be afraid, you won't get any compassion from Jack.

Might as well be a total bitch instead.

"Hey, Jacky." I greeted finally, internally wincing as my voice rasped painfully.

Grinning at him like the devil, I shoved myself up to my feet, praying that I wouldn't fall off his palm.

I'm already screwed. The only thing I can do now is to attempt to go down in style.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to shake the box?" I sneered. Go me, slap the giant in the face with his own mommy issues.

Jack tilted his head, eyes wide with concern.

"You seem upset. Don't tell me that I hurt someone?" He asked, and even though his guilt-stricken expression, I could read that he very much wanted the answer to be yes.

"Sure did." I held up my middle finger for inspection. "I got a hangnail."

"Want me to kiss it better?" Jack innocently fluttered his lashes at me, and I couldn't help it when my gaze dropped to his giant mouth.

No thanks, I choose Life.

"... The thing is Jack, I don't want to risk catching whatever it is that makes you a messed up psychopathic scumbag." I casually put my hands on my hips and away from the teeth."So yea, I'll pass on the healing smooch if it's all the same to you."

Jack blinked at me for a second, then let out a rueful chuckle. The soft sound not the least bit reassuring.

The hand beneath me jerked without warning, causing me to yelp and fall on my ass.

...I thought we agreed to go down in style...

I tumbled backwards as the hand continued to move, twisting desperately as I tried to get some kind of hold.

Grabbing only air.

For a sickening moment, I thought that I would fall to my death.

Fingers tightened around my calf and the next thing I knew after the world stop spinning was that I hung upside down in Jacks grip, looking the evil creep in the amused eye.

Deja vu much? Meh, at least I'm not wearing a skirt this time...

"This is what I like best about you, Maddison." Jack quipped, holding me high above his head like I was some sort of dangly Christmas decoration.

"You make me feel like I would be doing the world a favour by getting rid of you." Jack smiled, his eyes closing with the peaceful expression.

"Believe it or not, I get that a lot," I said, striving to be as annoying as possible, but my focus had shifted to the box Jack held under his other arm.

The door faced upwards now, making it impossible for the tiny teens inside to climb out. Jack walked as he spoke, taking us down a long corridor.

"Charming." Jack sarcastic tone certainly didn't match his sweet smile as he gently began to swing me by my ankle. I gripped my hands over my mouth, stifling any urge to scream.

Or, you know, throw up.
An explosion of sound caused the swinging to come to a stop, and Jack froze mid-step.

I recognised the echoing sound as the doors of the corridor crashed open. At this point I didn't care who it was that had arrived, I was just grateful that the swinging had stopped.

If I ever get out of this, I am never going to complain about motion sickness again.

Silently and sincerely, I thanked God that someone had come.

An act, unfortunately, which has a tendency to end in tragedy.

"Look Garmen, they already have the kids!"

"I can see that Havoc."

"What are we going to do?"

"How should I know?"

....Seriously God? You couldn't have sent anyone else?