literature

The Greatest Gift Pt. 2

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Liz gazed down in wonder at the tiny form lodged within her grasp. Through her keen eyes she could make out the intricacy of the human's being, the countless details that riddled his frame. He seemed a work of art, a fragile but valuable sculpture that she had stumbled across by chance.

Through her fingers the miniscule boy's heart beat frantically, the tiny thumps just barely perceptible within the grasp of the obsidian fingers. It was clear he was panicked, likely fearing for his life as he gazed into the eyes of a creature so monstrous in comparison to his own physical stature. Though it pained her to see the anguish etched across the smaller creature Liz found that she also felt somewhat empowered by the prospect of being in her position.

It was known that humans possessed a limited intelligence. It was said that, at times, the larger denizens of the world could manage conversations with the brightest of them. It was on this knowledge that the dragon drew, bringing the captive between her claws closer to her muzzle in preparation.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" she asked, her voice intentionally soft though somewhat playful. Silence met her words and she frowned, giving the youth – one that was likely no older than herself – a persistent shake to encourage some reaction.

"Who are you? What is your name?" she demanded, this time more directly.

* * * * *

"I'm Alex." I managed, trembling slightly in the dragon's grasp. She seemed satisfied with the response and gave a great nod.

"I'm Liz." She said in introduction, giving me a smile wide enough to swallow a small neighborhood.

"How do you like my home?" she asked, prodding me on.

"It's very… big." I returned. A giggle shook the mountainous form above and around me, a second hand moving to cover the terrible maw that loomed far, far too close.

"You clearly have a lot of money." I went on, attempting to win my life through flattery. "Everything here is very lavish."

"Well thank you." Liz said, clearly taking the compliment wholeheartedly. "You're so sweet."

Her words seemed to inspire her and she narrowed her eyes, her tongue licking the corner of her lips. She seemed enthralled at the prospect of her observation, possessed by the dark desires that undoubtedly brewed throughout her form.

* * * * *

Liz found herself enjoying the company of the human more so than she had initially thought. While she had initially expected choppy responses (the typical Neanderthal "Me Alex," and "Very pretty house!") she had been pleasantly surprised with the clear, intelligent speech the youth offered in addition to his adorable reactions, made all the cuter by the inherent fear behind his every syllable.

It pained her that he was so afraid; but other opportunities, prospects that had only just started to enter her mind, were more overpowering than her desire to put Alex at ease. With the tiny scavenger she was given dominance in its purest form, a chance to rule over another individual.

It was true that Liz had a great deal of money, a benefit awarded to her high position in the world of employment. She managed a group of hotels and, through her second-in-command status, the lesser members of the company readily complied with any of her orders or instructions.

Yet with her fellow dragons, wolves, and other such titanic beings, it was simply ranking that drove their actions. With the human she was truly in control; it was not the force of her words but the strength behind her, the prowess hidden in every muscle and bone that influenced her captive's servitude.

Knowing he could do nothing to stop her, that his words were powerless against her size, Liz leaned forward. Her breath spilled out over the human in her grasp as, ever so slowly, her tongue snaked from her mouth, giving the youth wedged between her fingers a long, wet lick. She sighed as she drew back, an exotic, sugary tingling dancing across her taste buds.

"You are sweet." She cooed, a feminine chuckle shaking her frame as her eyes began to glow with hidden prospects. Her initial intent of sending Alex on his way with food and a merry "Good luck!" fell away as she shifted her attention back to the main room of the house, marching from the kitchen towards the lavish couch and still crackling fire.

Her body draped itself across the violet fabric before the fireplace as she allowed the human out of her grasp, placing him at her side. He could have attempted escape but, with the drop to the ground being well over three stories in height, his doing so would be far from likely.

Liz slowly lowered her muzzle, her chin coming to rest feet away from where her captive stood. Her teeth parted, revealing the gaping cavern that was the maw of the beast. Fetid air wafted from between the glistening fangs as her gaze shifted past the open gums towards the cowering form nearby.

"Be a dear, sweety," she cooed "and help me clean out my teeth, will you? It's been such a long day and I don't think I can manage on my own…"

It took every fiber in the dragon's will to prevent another giggle from shaking her as she human clearly fought a battle of unimaginable proportions on an internal scale. Once again there was a twinge of pain inside Liz as she considered that she was giving the scavenger an unhealthy dose of fear and the demeaning task of becoming what amounted to a slave; yet the pained feeling was replaced by the bliss of the dominating role she was playing, the joy of absolute power and control.

* * * * *

My options were limited as fear coursed through every vein and vessel that lined my body. To disobey the deity was to certainly invoke her wrath, something that would be far from beneficial to my life, practically holding the Grim Reaper's hand as I was. Yet to follow the influence of the goddess's words would place me in the place I most dreaded, a place from which, undoubtedly, no human could escape: the maw of the beast.

It was with hesitant steps that I approached, realizing that another attempt to run for freedom would be as futile as the first. In less than a dozen strides I was close enough to reach out and touch the parted lips, a prospect that far from appealed to me.

As slowly as the seasons themselves changed I reached out and put a hand on Liz to steady myself, using my grip to heave my way up into the organic world that awaited me. Inside the mouth saliva lay strung about like the discarded webs of some great spider, falling down to attach itself to my flesh like a hungry leach. As my form became dotted with spittle the light seemed to abandon me, remaining outside as I made my way deeper into the confines of the horrid cave.

As I slipped beyond the lips my feet touched down in the shallow lake that filled the wretched place, the saliva seeping in through the soles of my shoes to coat my toes. Remaining fixed in the singular point just before the front teeth I found that the clear fluid was beginning to build up around me, my captor salivating as her image shifted closer and closer to that of a relentless, man-eating monster.

There was a clearing of the throat beyond the pearly fangs and I gulped, remembering my reason for being within the terrible realm in the first place. There was movement at my back and I found my string – the grappling hook that had gotten me caught – fitted part way between the gums, clearly intended to serve as a tool in my daunting task.

Taking the end of the human-sized rope I brought it towards the first of the two nearest teeth, fitting it between them to dislodge a tiny particle of either food or plaque. The miniscule morsel floated away, possibly unregistered by the titanic being to which it belonged as it disappeared beyond the point of no return, lost to the darkness of the throat beyond.

It was with caution that I proceeded further, moving to each pair of lower teeth in turn to heed my new master's bidding. At length – what might have been something akin to half an hour – I returned from the back of the gum line to spill from between the still open jaws, my body soaked with the maw's fluids and wracked with the pains of physical exertion.

"Ah," Liz purred, speaking for the first time since I entered her mouth as she ran her tongue across her teeth "nice and clean. You deserve a reward for such wonderful work."

As if I were a dog the dragon produced a single piece of popcorn, waving it before me as though expecting me to sit and beg. When I didn't she seemed to shrug and dropped the human-sized snack down before me, watching expectantly for me to tear into it.

I wasn't hungry.

Somewhat putout the dragon withdrew into the confines of her mind for several long moments, pondering a new source of torture, it seemed. At length she snapped her fingers and, returning her red eyes to my form, gave me a wicked grin.

My life quickly turned into a series of demeaning tasks as darkness fell alongside the snow outside.  

I first set to work on the exhausting task of transporting individual pieces of the white, flakey popcorn between a bowl near the dragon's waist and the shadowy depths of her maw, forced to watch as she blissfully chewed away at the cornels. Through each bite she would regard me hungrily, as though I was much tastier than any other morsel I could find for her.

At length she had her fill of the popcorn and turned her attention to her own physical upbringing. I was set to work with several teeth of a comb, working any imperfection from her silky hair as her red eyes followed my every movement. This, too, quickly bored Liz; quickly I was set to work with a small fraction of a fingernail file, working away at her claws as the fears of being impaled on any individual digit entered my mind. This amused her for a long while and it was almost regretfully that, well after sunset, she ordered me to cease my fawning over her fingers.

"Well that was fun." She sighed contentedly, flipping onto her back to recline restfully on the large purple sofa. Despite my clear exhaustion the reptile seemed to have tired out more so from her ceaseless demands and, very quickly, began to fade into sleep.

I waited until the rhythmic breathing of slumber overtook Liz's frame before I set to work finding an escape route from atop the mountainous couch. A leap of faith would be far too dangerous; a fall from the height of the dragon's perch would be undeniably fatal. Instead I needed to find another path to the ground, the hardwood safe haven that I knew to be my only chance to regain freedom – perhaps even to live.

I once again glanced up at my draconic master, watching her eyes continuously to be sure her vision was lost in the depths of some sinister dream. Confident in her lack of consciousness I strode down the length of the sofa, my eyes set on a single occasionally flicking member: the giantess's tail.

The tail was massive to one of my stature but, thankfully, it was draped over the legs of the woman so it was close to the edge of the fabric cliff. Gripping the tip and heaving with all the strength present in my miniscule body I tugged at the member, heaving it back towards a point at which gravity could take over. At length it reached its destination and, with a dull thud, dropped to the floor.

Quickly I scrambled down across the tail, black scales passing beneath my fingers in a blur as the hardwood neared. Towards the bottom the slick obsidian plates caused my fingers to give way and, with a grunt, I fell several feet to the floor. The rushed descent was painful but, thankfully, far from scarring; I would recover with perhaps no more than a bruise or two.

Rising to my feet I brushed off my torso, perhaps attempting to remove any lingering fears from my temporary capture. Glancing back up at the dragon with a mix of terror and contempt I shook my head, hoping to forget the dregs of my imprisonment. After a long, hateful glare, I turned back towards my home at the far side of the room, the crack that offered me protection from the hated woman.

Two steps towards my safe haven there was a great stirring above me. Though I should have broken into a run my renewed fear halted my heart and my legs both, freezing all but my neck which, fueled by horror, turned back towards the precipice on which the onyx terror lay.

"Human," a whiney, demanding voice ordered "bring me some more popcorn, will you?"

I didn't move.

"Human!" Liz barked, her voice losing its softness. A single red eye cracked open and scanned across the sofa, searching for the servant she had lost. Clearly missing me she rose to a half-sitting position and frantically scanned about, perhaps afraid of the prospect that she had rolled over on me and lost the chance to administer a more fitting end for someone so helpless.

Ever so slowly, as though she were waiting for the next Christmas (only a day away), the dragon came to shift her gaze towards the floor. As her crimson eyes locked on me their fiery depths seemed to reawaken my blood, my heart slamming against the walls of my chest as though it was attempting to escape.

My head shot back towards my home and I took off at a sprint, my feet slamming across the floor in a desperate lunge for safety. Behind me there was a gargle of surprise, shock clearly weighing down the goddess's limbs as she recognized I had managed to escape.

Surprise did not halt the inevitable pursuit, however, as the crashing of Liz's footfalls started up behind me moments in to my head start.

* * * * *

The dragon had felt bad about shouting at Alex as soon as she had stirred from her light sleep. Despite her joy for dominance, for her hold over the tiny being, her heart had continually nagged at her. What she was doing was wrong; she would – quickly to ensure no lingering contempt – have to make it up to the youth.

But all hopes for a brighter relationship – a friendship she figured would be necessary for those living under the same roof – were dashed against the rocks of despair as she came to the realization that the human, the one she had treated as a slave, was gone.

It was worse than the simple fact he was gone, however: he was escaping, his body streaking along in a mad dash for his home. She had overstepped her bounds and was several hundred feet away from losing the adorable little human she had come to find affection for.

"Stop!" she ordered, though the command had lost all traces of its overpowering tone. It was a plea from the lips of a friend; but, to the human, it would be registered as nothing short of a threat from the devil herself.

As Alex neared his destination his pursuer picked up speed, putting on a burst that sent her ahead of the fleeing micro. Just before he found his safe haven a great obsidian form came to stand before the entrance, her breathing slightly heavier under the influence of her jolt across the den. A compassionate flame burned behind her blood-red eyes as she gazed down at the exhausted form of her would-be servant, his terror building yet again.

"I'm so sorry…" she began, attempting to find words to serve as repayment for her behavior. Instead she found the apologies falling on deaf ears as the human yet again bolted, slipping beneath the legs of a nearby chair. Not wanting to lose her opportunity to make things right the reptilian giantess leapt forward in pursuit, her claws prying beneath the large piece of furniture in an attempt to reprimand the escapee.

Only the warmth still crackling from the fireplace reached her fingertips, however. With a snarl – one that, even to her, sounded far too menacing – the dragon threw the chair back, tossing it to the side in a hope to reveal the form cowering beneath it. The youth, however, had long since gone; the hardwood floor was bare and offered nothing save for suspicion.

Running two hands through her long white hair the house's owner stood to survey the massive room, her eyes flitting between chairs, bookstands, the couch, and even the towering Christmas tree in the corner. There were more places to hide than Liz was feet tall; needless to say the human could have scurried virtually anywhere.

Mindful to keep an eye on the crack in the wall – a point through which Alex would move well beyond her reach – the dragon began making her sweep around the den. The shadows beneath the nearest bookshelf offered nothing save for forgotten dust and tiny lost odds and ends; the feet of the closest lamp stand concealed nothing save for dirty cobwebs. At length Liz sighed and moved towards the tree on the far side of the room, hoping the human had made for the point furthest from his pursuer.

* * * * *

My panting stopped as, from behind the button, I recognized the presence of the great red eyes. My heart itself seemed to sense the danger and quieted its own rush to pump my life blood as I awaited discovery, hoping, calling on the magic of the season to shroud me in the darkness beneath the bookshelf.

And then Liz was gone, moving on to search elsewhere for a human she would not find. At her departure my breath came again and my heart seemed to swell with morale.

Cautiously I maneuvered to the edge of the shadowed region beneath the great shelf, watching the dragon go about her inspection of the room. She was frantic, evidently far from pleased at the prospect of losing such a helpless servant – a slave that, judging by her tastes, could easily become a snack.

At length Liz moved on towards the tree in the distant corner of the room, scanning through the handful of presents that dwelt beneath its eves and even going so far as to sift through the lower branches. She was as far away as she could possibly go; it was my best chance to reach my home.

My feet pounding almost as loud as the heartbeat in my ears I sprinted from beneath my cover, my eyes trained on the singular target of the crack in the wall. Perhaps through some superb hearing or through the uncharacteristic noise I made Liz's attention returned to me and, with a shout of horror, she ran forward.

It was a race against time, both of us attempting to be the first to the wall. Should she make it first I would be too close to find escape and certainly would once again be put to work until the moment in which the house's master decided I was fit to eat; should I make it in time I was free, far beyond the reach of the groping monster.

The angel atop the distant tree seemed to sing a song of security in my ears as, moments later, I crashed through the crack in the plaster. Behind me there was a terrible slam, one that shook the very foundation of the house.

Liz was a moment too late.

I fell back away from the light of the fire and twinkling tree as a finger attempted to fit its way through the wall behind me. Yet, just as with the burners hours before, the digit found itself larger than its quarry.

I was free.

"No…" came a moan as another crash – that of the draconic huntress crashing back into a sitting position – shook the room. "No… no… no…"

An eye attempted to peer through the darkness, its burning red depths piercing into my very soul and causing me to shiver as though I were outside in the snow. There was the hint of a tear hidden inside the crimson void as Liz looked at me pleadingly – though, clearly, she could not see me.

"Please come back." She begged, her tone allowing me to visualize the quivering lip just beyond.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise! I got carried away and I'm sorry for scaring you and humiliating you. Please…"

I ignored her, settling back into the darkest recesses of my home in an attempt to avoid the demonic gaze. Twenty-four hours before Christmas Eve found me hungry and far from expecting any sort of holiday meal.

It felt less like a season of magic and more like a nightmare.
Part 2 of my Christmas story for the year. I didn't proof it; let me know if I have a typo or two or if certain elements don't make sense.

I admittedly haven't typed up Pt. 3 yet. I have been distracted over the holidays. Spend time with family and friends tomorrow and be sure that I will work out the final segment of my story before Christmas Day ends.

To everyone peace on Earth and have a Merry Christmas!
© 2011 - 2024 Bowtothedrow
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JTIron's avatar

You should really post links here to parts 1 and 3, it’s near impossible to find a specific story using the search bar in this.