[Original Novel] Champion of the Little People, Part 10

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I took the opportunity to lug the erector set out to the settlement and build the crane. Also set up the music player in a central building and ran its charging cord back to the upturned plastic tub with the battery and power electronics under it. By now they’d added floorboards, windows, a nicely carved wooden door and the other accoutrements of a proper power plant.

They hadn’t the means to make glass, but instead cut panes of transparent plastic out of the sides of empty soda bottles or other containers I brought them. The X-acto blades were well received. The little one I’d been treating as their representative seemed to understand immediately what I intended them for, and sent them off to what I soon discovered by examination to be an armory.

Outside of it, row after row of the little men wearing armor made from bits of metal cut out of empty coke cans rehearsed movements both offensive and defensive. The armor looked meticulously crafted. Shame it would do nothing to stop a Tyrant’s jaws. They’d fashioned a sack cloth Tyrant dummy to practice on, and at the high pitched command of the trainer, would surround and stab it with pikes.

I’d stopped sending them supplies recently as they were now effectively self reliant. In part because of this, they’d emptied out every train car so it could hold passengers in the event of an evacuation. Still wouldn’t hold them all, but the rest could follow down the tunnel behind the train. I studied the stacked farm, finding each layer dutifully cultivated by little fellows in overalls and straw hats, tilling the fields.

Perhaps the most surprising development was the sparrow they’d confined to a cage fashioned from twigs. It hopped about nervously, pecking at a worm they slipped through the ‘bars’ for it. I worried for their safety. Nearly any wild animal was larger and stronger than one of ‘em, and would be difficult to kill let alone safely handle. I trusted there was a method to their madness, though.

My attention was drawn to a commotion around the central hut. They’d discovered the music player. To them, more like a computer with a massive touch sensitive display, replete with useful information. It was an absolute sensation. There was bickering over who got to use it and how long until the representative, who I now understood to be their leader, organized lines. Not too shabby.

Suddenly they all froze in place, then fled into their homes. I couldn’t grasp why until I heard a voice behind me. “Wow, you built all of this? It’s amazing.” In flash I spun around. Only to see Jennifer standing there, nose bandaged and eyebrow stitched shut, waving sheepishly. “H-how did you find this p-place?” I stammered.

“Easy dummy, I followed you. Came over with some videogames, figured if we’re both suspended we may as well….do you not want me here?” For a moment, she looked unsure. What little sense I have kicked in. “No, I’m glad to see you. That you’re okay. I just didn’t expect you right then.” She seemed reassured, and plunked herself down next to me.

“The detail is insane. How long did it take you to make all this?” First I demanded to know how she knew where I live. Turns out she lives in the next cul-de-sac over, sees me biking home every day. I found that a little weird, which she picked up on. “I mean, it’s not like I make a point to watch you. I just happened to see you a couple times. When nobody answered the door I went around back and saw you crossing the field.”

I found if I didn’t limit how long I looked at her, my ability to form sentences would rapidly diminish. So I stared at my feet as I replied. Not wanting to lie to her and feeling sincerely as though she was someone I could trust with the information, I spilled my guts. About the witch, the Tyrants, and the Homunculi. She sat there enraptured by all of it, remaining silent for a while after I finished to let it all digest.

“You have the wildest imagination of anybody I’ve ever met.” I took exception to that and was about to argue before she started kissing me again. She’d discovered a way to silence me when needed, against which I had no viable defense. So I gave up on convincing her of any of it, and we went for a walk.

I read once that life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but never preserved. It only sort of made sense to me, I always assumed if I were into gardening it would clear the rest up. But the thing about perfect moments rang true. Never more than as I was walking along the shore of the lake with Jennifer.

A light wind tossed her golden hair about, seeming to catch the sunshine as it fell and trap it within each radiant strand. Eventually she noticed me staring and just grinned really wide as if something was funny. She didn’t say what, but her cheeks grew flush. Some sort of physiological response to observation?

“I never knew this was back here. I wish we had a boat or something. Hey, we should go swimming in there this Summer! Although I’m kinda afraid of deep water since you can’t see what’s down there.” I told her I’d already been to the bottom and aside from the submerged glass colonies populated by tiny people it was mostly just small fish and crawdads.

She gaped at me, waiting for a punchline. When none came, she punched me in the arm and told me to be serious. I replied I was quite serious and had in fact recovered the starter population of those little guys from one of the sunken glass jugs. She crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes and smirked. “You’re so full of shit. You’re lucky you’re cute or I’d call you out on it.”

I’m cute? I parsed that one for a while. Was it a joke? I’d never given any thought to my own appearance except that everything’s where it should be. My face works well enough for basic everyday face stuff, like facing different directions, opening up so I can put food in there, and absorbing punches. I guess it’s alright as faces go.

“I….also like the way you look. Your hair contains sunlight.” She raised an eyebrow, but smiled. I’ll take that. “Listen….I’m sorry about the fight. I wish I could have done something.” She stopped and took my hands in hers. “You did do something. You stood up for me, and I stood up for you.” It was sweet, but some part of it felt hollow. “I still couldn’t protect you. I wish I were stronger.”

She pulled me close and rested her head on my chest. I strained to hear as she murmured “Real strength is fighting for what you care about even when you know you can’t win.” For the first time in a year I felt tears coming out. I panicked as I’d gone to such pains to condition myself not to show any sign of weakness. But the panic subsided as my body gradually accepted there was no danger. This was a good weakness.

When I returned to school following my last day of suspension, an unexpected new dynamic awaited me. Upon entering the classroom, the usual chatter died down and all eyes were on me. Trevor was now sitting in the outcast chair, normally mine, and one of the skater kids invited me to come sit with them. What? I don’t skate.

Then the kids with the dyed hair and eyeliner invited me to come sit with them. Then someone from the girls’ group. Some sort of ploy? Once I sat down they’d dump something foul on me, I felt sure of it. Then it struck me like Dan’s fist; Violence impressed them. That was the only interpretation of this change that made sense.

Somehow, picking a fight with the biggest, meanest idiot in school had elevated me somewhat in their view. Above Trevor anyway. Now he was back on the bottom rung and I had an in with my choice of groups. Instead, I sat with Trevor.

They all seemed confused by it, but none more than Trevor. “You know you can sit anywhere now right?” he whispered to me as the teacher began setting up the projector. I whispered back “I guess I’m just a contrarian at heart. I always side with the little guy.” He puzzled over that one, muttering “What the fuck is a contrarian”, then turned his attention to the lesson.

Jennifer took the seat next to mine, a welcome distraction. It was English class, not a subject I struggle with, so I didn’t need all my blood going to my brain anyway. I set about drawing something for her. Little fellows, each making a heart with their arms, but also standing together in the shape of a heart. I slid it over to her. She studied it closely, smiling.

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^{Stay Tuned for Part 11!}