Last day of freedom

Today is my last day of freedom. I remember this day so clearly, it makes fresh crystal water have a run for its money. I remember every little detail, where everyone was and where they were going.

I wake up tired, but refreshed and ready for the day to begin. I throw my legs over the bed, stand up head to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day. After traveling through the tunnels all day and night to meet up with Mai in her home town, a refreshing shower sounds nice.

After washing myself off, I dry my hair and put it up in a loose braid. Jeans and a low cut shirt fits the warm spring day the best and I head downstairs where I see Xavier making pancakes for himself and me. I'm glad he's cooking I'm not a good chef.

He decided to come with me a few nights ago to see Mai. We're staying in an apartment like hotel where you cook your own food and have separate rooms. Xavier was kind enough to pay for it since I didn't have the luxury to pay for the two of us.

Mom and dad had only given me so much money.

"Ooh, pancakes." I sniff the air. It's a sweet scent. "They smell nice."

Xavier turns around and smirks. "Well, I couldn't let a youngling like you starve."

I roll my eyes and take a seat at the table. "I'm almost fifteen, Xavier. I can take care of myself. Plus you're only a kid yourself. Being a big tough sixteen year old and all."

"That's not what your mom and dad told me when they begged me to go with you," Xavier responds. He hands me a plate and a cup of orange juice. "Besides, you're not the best cook."

"You only slowed me down." I retort before picking up the glass and taking a sip.

Xavier responds with his own eye-roll. "Sure I did."

He takes a seat next to me and we eat in silence, too busy stuffing our faces with fluffy pancake goodness to talk to each other.

Xavier has been a life long friend of the family since our parents knew each other well. It's also because they're neighbors in the small community of Charles, a branch off from the larger city that's not far from it. Adria is like the New York of the new world. It's in Canada where Tinies and giants treat each other equally.

Canada was the first place to adapt to the changes of humankind that happened well over two hundred years ago.

After an overwhelming amount of growth in the Amazon, like tree's reaching the skies and plants the size of cars, small animals started to become affected by this form of evolution then it went on a global scale. No one knew what was going or how to fix it when the first person grew to a large scale.

When more grew, scientists quickly realized that evolution was to blame. It spread throughout South and North America before it reached Europe and Asia. Russia went dark as well as China, but China has recently come back on the map fifty years ago. North and  South Korea no longer exist. Australia, surprisingly, is still up and running since it's the last continent to be affected by the evolution. People are still popping up every day there.

"You know we're on the opposite side of the border right?" Xavier says without batting an eye.

I nod, setting down the empty glass. "Yeah, I know. That's why mom and dad wanted you to go with me."

"Yeah, to make sure you don't get caught." He says.

If only I knew then that he's the reason Joejoe town and its people were figured out. If I knew that he made a deal with American snatchers, then I would have run home. I would have warned the mayor, the police, but I was oblivious of Xavier's plans.

"America is a dangerous place, Caesar," Xavier explains with caution. "And I don't want to come home and explain to your parents that you got caught. They'd hang me for it."

I look at him. Xavier looks pale and sweaty, he's rubbing his wrist where his stupid blinking watch flashes a red light every now and then.

I should have questioned him right then and there, but I was young and dumb and didn't understand what he was really saying. He was warning me of course, but I didn't understand.

"Don't worry about me, Xavier," I say, slapping Xavier's back as I got up from my seat. "I can look after myself."

"I hope you can." He mutters.

I didn't catch what he said at first, but when I looked back on the memory later I realized what it meant.

I walk down the street. The Sunday morning breeze is nice as people chatter and birds that haven't been affected chirp and sing songs to each other.

It's a peaceful day if I knew what was coming.

"Caesar!" I freeze mid-step and turn to Xavier running after me. He looks afraid and paranoid.

The way he looks makes me a little scared myself. "What's wrong, Xavier?"

He catches his breath, his watch blinking like crazy. He looks at me with terror. "I'm sorry, Caesar. I'm so so sorry."

Now I'm flat out confused. "Xavier, What are you talking about?"

My question is answered when something heavy shakes the ground. It makes everyone freeze.

Xavier's face grows paler than white. "They're here."

I turn around to see giant men come stomping into town causing chaos.

I've seen giants before, but none of them act like this. These ones stomp on cars, destroy buildings, snatch every one of all ages off the ground and throw them into cages.

The giants yell and cheer as people run below them scream and cry while running away.

"Xavier, what the hell..." I turn around to see the teen, my best friend, gone. The red blinking band on the street is all that is left behind.

I stand there shocked to the core, unable to process the hell that is happening around me.

"John, grab that one!" One giant commands.

I'm shoved to the ground when large steps knock me over. "I'm sorry about this little lady, but I need the money to help my family."

Fat fingers surround me and I'm swallowed up in darkness.

"No, no no!" I scream and cry, fighting to get out of the man's grip. "Please, stop! Dad! Mom! Someone-"

"Help!" I wake up screaming. That same cold sweat from the other night covers me up while fear rakes my body and digs itself into my heart.

The nightstand lamp clicks on and I see Samantha move to sit up. "Caesar? What's wrong?"

I hold my hands over my eyes and think for a moment. I do my best to pull myself together and keep myself together. It's a hard memory that I want to forget completely, but I can't, it's impossible.

The bed shifts dramatically and I pull my hands away to look up and see Samantha who has rolled onto my side. "What happened?"

"It's... nothing. Don't worry about it, Samantha." I say weakly.

"It didn't sound like nothing. Caesar, you know you can talk to me right?"

"I said it was nothing!" I snap.

Samantha reels back, surprised.

I sigh and rub my temple. "Sorry, I'm tired and the stress of school starting tomorrow is getting to me."

"It's okay," Samantha cups her hands around me and picks me up off the pillow. "When you are ready to talk about it, I'm here to listen."

Samantha rolls over on her side again and lays me against her chest. "I don't know what's going through your head right now, but it's okay to talk about your problems."

I frown and look up to see the underside of Samantha's chin. "You're being hypocritical, Samantha. Telling me to open up when you yourself won't."

The large chest rises and falls with the heavy sigh Samantha releases. "I'm sorry."

She's too tired to argue and I'm too tired to care at the moment.

Samantha leans over to turn off the light. I quickly stop her though.

"Please leave the light on." I plead. "I need the light on right now. I can't..."

"There's no need to explain yourself," Samantha responds, sinking back into the bed and pulling the blankets up to her chest to cover me up.

I snort, clutching the loose t-shirt. "You really need to make up your mind. You want me to talk about my problems then you tell me I don't need to explain myself or my problems to you? Gods, Samantha just pick already."

Samantha sighs, putting a hand over my body and rubbing my back with a finger. "Now is not the time to talk about personal stuff. It's almost two thirty and we have to get up early for school."

"I know," I say.

"Good night, Caesar."

"Night, Sam."