(TATB) Ch 6: The Eye On The Other Side!

(MEARA)

I slowly opened my eyes, the fog of unconsciousness lifting. My head throbbed as I sat up, groaning and rubbing the ache away. The world around me was strange, unfamiliar. I blinked, trying to make sense of it, relieved when I saw familiar faces stirring on what seemed to be a glass floor.

Sydney, George, Holly, Conner, Nate—they were all here, alive. A wave of emotion hit me, happiness so strong I almost wanted to cry, and that wasn't like me at all.

We'd spent so long trapped in that glass cage, knowing that one day we'd be sold to a Brob, used for whatever twisted games they had in mind. It was something I had accepted. My fate. I knew death would come eventually, hopefully quickly. But the thought of going through it alone? That had always terrified me.

"Wait a minute..." I muttered as I realized someone was missing. "Victor." I whispered, scanning the strange room again.

Then I saw him—along with two people I didn't recognize. One of them, though, was all too familiar. He was one of the gangsters from the glass cage. I clenched my fists, anger rising. "Of course."

Finally, I spotted Victor. He was standing, unlike the rest of us who were either sitting or sprawled on the floor. Relief washed over me for a moment, but then I noticed something strange. Victor wasn't moving. He was staring at something.

I got up and walked toward him. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked, but he didn't respond. My curiosity got the better of me, and as I approached him, I saw what had him frozen in place.

A massive black iris, surrounded by a wall of brown.

"Oh my god," I whispered in pure fear. A huge eye. An eye so enormous, it felt impossible. Every instinct screamed at me to run, to curl up and hide, to deny the reality in front of me. But instead, I found myself turning to Victor, shocked at how calm he looked.

I glanced back at the eye and the realization hit me like a punch. The face of the woman I had seen before flashed in my mind. It was her. It had to be. She had bought us.

But why? What was she going to do to us?

***

(SKYLAR)

I held the small glass case between my thumb and index finger, bringing it close to my eye. Inside, the Lilliputians moved around, so tiny and fragile that it almost felt unreal. I had only ordered ten—ten little lives, the most I could afford—but the case could easily hold hundreds, if not thousands more.

A pang of sadness hit me as I thought about the others still trapped in that horrible cage. I wished I could've saved them all, but for now, I had to focus on the ones in front of me. I'd managed to rescue these few, and that was what mattered.

A soft smile spread across my face as I looked at them. They were so cute, so incredibly small. I knew I'd have to be extra careful, every movement deliberate and cautious, as I carried them home. "Don't worry, you're safe with me," I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur, unsure if they could even hear me through the glass.

Gently, I placed the case in my pocket, making sure it was cushioned between a few soft items to keep it from jostling too much. The last thing I wanted was for them to get hurt after everything they'd been through. I wanted to run, to rush back home, but I forced myself to take slow, measured steps, making sure every footfall was gentle.

Today was the best day of my life, and I wasn't about to ruin it by being careless.

***

(VU)

"Nemu, did you find anything?" I called out, my voice echoing through the darkness. I squinted into the black void, the dim torch in my hand barely cutting through the gloom.

"No food, no water," Nemu's voice came back, sharp and frustrated. I turned to see her slump to the floor, her face tight with anger. She wasn't wrong to feel that way—this place had been unforgiving, and the longer we searched, the more hopeless it seemed.

But we couldn't give up. I wouldn't let us.

"We'll find something," I said, more to keep my own spirits up than anything. I glanced over at Avery and Sawyer, who were also scouring the shadows with the same desperate hope. "There has to be something. We can't go back to the colony empty-handed."

With renewed determination, I pressed forward, my torch flickering as I walked deeper into the unknown. And then, as if the darkness itself was giving way, I came face to face with something unexpected—a drop of water, suspended in the air, massive and clear. It was easily dozens of feet taller than me, a shimmering sphere in the blackness.

"Water!" I shouted, my heart leaping. "I've found water!"

Within moments, Nemu, Avery, and Sawyer were by my side, their faces lighting up in disbelief and relief. We stood before the giant droplet, staring at it like it was a miracle. And in a way, it was. Smiling, I extended my hand, scooping a small portion into my palm and lifting it to my lips.

The water was cold and smooth, but the moment it hit my throat, I coughed violently, the taste sharp and off.

"Are you okay?" Nemu asked, stepping closer, her concern clear.

"Yeah," I managed, rubbing my throat. "It just... tastes weird." I shook it off, determined not to let this find slip away. "Alright, everyone, fill your sacks. We're taking this back."

As we began to fill our bags, the excitement of the find dulled a bit, replaced by a growing unease. The ground beneath my feet trembled, ever so slightly at first. Then again. Harder.

A booming sound echoed through the cavernous space, sending shockwaves through the ground. My torch flickered violently, and I saw the same fear reflected in the eyes of my companions.

"A Brob..." I whispered, sweat beading on my forehead. "A Brob is coming."

The rumbling grew stronger, and with a sudden, blinding intensity, lights burst on from overhead, chasing away the darkness we had been navigating. The sudden brightness seared my eyes, and I shielded my face, blinking away the sting.

As my vision returned, I looked out into the distance, my heart hammering in my chest. There, on the horizon, blurred by distance but unmistakably massive, was a figure. A silhouette that stretched beyond comprehension, towering so high it seemed to scrape the sky itself.

I swallowed hard, unable to tear my gaze away. "Is that a woman?" I asked, disbelief and terror mixing in my voice.

The figure moved, and with every step, the ground shook beneath us. We were nothing more than insects in the presence of a god.