The Giant and His Heart. [Light at the end of the tunnel]

Chapter 16 - "The Breakdown"

He was punching James's face hard repeatedly. Oh my gosh! It was a scary and terrible sight people. Everyone was screaming - actually Diana was screaming. Sophia was crying for the giant to stop and Robert was trying to intervene which proved to be futile because the giant was a force to be reckoned with. I didn't know what to do with myself. My body had locked itself in shock mode so I was literally immobile. Robert was trying to get the giant off James but he was failing...I mean...we're talking about the giant here people. James's face was getting unrecognizable...it was all bloodied up. Suddenly the giant stopped and a broken-tortured cry came out of his mouth. I will never forget how that cry sounded like. My heart squeezed in pain. He got up to his feet and marched to the nearest wall, and then he began to punch the wall whilst crying out the same broken-tortured cry. That was when my body decided to unlock itself from shock mode. I went to him shouting that he stopped what he was doing but it was like I wasn't talking at all...I wasn't getting through him. He was punching the wall like he was punching a punching bag. The spot on the wall where he was punching was bloodied up. I was now full on screaming and crying...begging him to stop what he was doing. After a while he fell down to his knees and I followed him to the floor. He was heaving and breathing out short breaths. His hands were a mess...blood was dripping from his hands to the floor. Some of his skin had peeled off from his hands. My poor giant! I grabbed his face with both hands forcing him to look at me. The vulnerability I saw in his eyes broke my heart. There was so much pain...so much torture reflected there. But what broke my heart even more were the silent tears that were rolling down his cheeks. I pulled him to me and wrapped my arms him and sobbed. For him to even cry told me that what James had said about his biological father was all true. That his father used to whip and burn him; that is why his back was covered with scars and burnt marks. And also that his father had killed his mother and sister. This is what I couldn't get my mind to wrap around in - the fact that a man who is a husband and father would kill both his wife and child! I can't even begin to imagine the pain and suffering the giant must be feeling.

I heard sirens blaring. I opened my eyes. Diana was standing beside the giant and I...she had tears rolling down her face.
Diana: "I called the ambulance. The paramedics have arrived." Her voice was all choked up. As soon as she told me, I saw paramedics entering led by Robert. The other went to James who was lying on the couch all bloodied up, and the other one came towards the giant and me. When I tried to pull away from the giant so that the paramedic could attend him, he protested.
Me: "Zano, the paramedic has to take a look at your hands." I told him softly. He released a tortured sound that came deep from his throat. A sob threatened to escape from me but I held it in. I had to be strong for him... "Zano please. Let him look at your hands. They're hurt very badly." I begged him. I pulled away slowly and he finally let me go. The paramedic attended to him.

We were at the hospital. Both the giant and James were taken in because their conditions were declared as being emergencies. James apparently needed stitches and his nose was broken. The giant also needed some stitches...some bones in his hands were fractured. We were sitting at the waiting room while they were being attended to. Actually I was sitting, I was pacing the floor. I was worried about the giant. Earlier on when the paramedic was checking his hands, he seemed broken. He wasn't the giant I knew and that worried me. To be honest, I couldn't care less about the state James was in. This was entirely his fault. Did he have to say all those things he said about the giant and his traumatic past? He really provoked him, and his intention was to hurt the giant, and he succeeded. The dick! Diana and Robert were worried for both of their sons but they were more worried for the giant. Diana kept muttering "please don't let this be a setback for him". Whatever she meant, I also hoped the same. The word 'setback' wasn't a positive connotation so I knew whatever setback; it wasn't going to be a good one.

After waiting for what seemed like a decade, we were allowed to see them. A short debate between Diana and Robert occurred about who they were going to see first. It was obvious for me who I would see. Sophia plainly made it clear that she wanted to see the giant. They came to a decision that Robert would go to James and Diana would go to the giant. We got to where the giant was located, and he was sitting on the bed staring into nothing. Both his hands were all bandaged up. Sophia went and hugged him...no reaction whatsoever from the giant. It was like he didn't acknowledge our presence. Sophia let go of him, then Diana also hugged him.
Diana: "How are you feeling honey?" She asked softly. The giant didn't respond. The way I wished I could cry. This was all wrong. This was not my giant. I wanted my giant back... "just wanted you to know honey that I love you. You're my boy. I don't care what anyone says okay?" She told him in a choked up voice. She sighed sadly when the giant didn't respond. He didn't even grunt. I wanted him to at least grunt like he used to! I walked slowly towards him and stood on his line of sight. There was so much brokenness reflected in those eyes. I held his face gently with both hands.
Me: "Hey Zano. Talk to me." I said softly. No response. He was looking through me like he couldn't see me... "please Zano." I begged. My voice shook. No response. Not even a blink. Diana released a sob and I blinked back the tears threatening to come out. I refused to cry... "remember me...Busi...your woman." I kissed him on his mouth. Just a peck. He blinked. He was looking at me now. But his eyes were still broken...tortured but at least he wasn't staring into nothing.
Zano: "Busi..." He said in this small and broken voice. I gave him a watery smile. I couldn't the tears rolling down my cheeks now.
Me: "Yes. Busi...your woman."
Zano: "Busi...my woman." With the same small and broken voice. I pulled him to me and hugged him tightly... "Busi...my woman." He kept on repeating that same line over and over again like it was prayer to him. Where had my giant went?