(Hey guys, so I know it has been a while since I posted this one…if you need to catch up, chapter 1 and 2 are in the Stories and Anthologies section, sorry for the delay, as I said before…there has been a lot going on over here on my end, but hopefully I’m back into the swing of things now….)

It had taken Feronica and her family a grand total of eight minutes and forty seconds to find Sarra, it would likely of been much shorter had they initially noticed her escape when it happened, rather than simply continue arguing amongst themselves. The recapture was baffling to poor Sarra, who couldn’t for the life of her figure out how the titans had located her so quickly.

Humans back at the farm often came to their own mislead conclusions about the nature of titankind based on what little information they could gather. They were large, immensely so in fact, they didn’t seem to get old, and they had all the power. Titans made all the decisions, they could do what they wanted, they were nigh unstoppable, and to a tiny, young human being, were basically gods. Most humans knew this wasn’t the case, but armed with such superior technology and size, most of which a vast majority of humans like Sarra didn’t understand, it felt as though they may have well been gods, for all it was worth.

Feronica took Sarra home to her one bedroom flat that night, and took several precautions to insure another escape didn’t happen. Though the events leading to her recapture seemed miraculous and confusing to Sarra, for Feronica it was a simple matter of checking her mobile data pad’s GPS to locate Sarra’s ID chip. It was how she was able to find her pet the first, second, and each consecutive escape attempt Sarra made. It was incredibly frustrating for poor Sarra, but it didn’t deter her one bit.

Sarra, was focused, and determined!

In the passing weeks, Feronica had tried just about everything she could think of to bond with her new pet. She tried using food, affection, toys, she tried giving her more space, and she tried affectionate cuddles. Feronica read books, called friends who were experienced with caring for humans, and even tried introducing Sarra to a host of other humans…nothing seemed to convince the frightened, nervous little human to trust her more.

“Yea, Yek brought Teema and Faruza over, she seemed interested in them, even seemed interested in interacting with them a little…but the second they showed that they trusted Yek and I, she went all crazy and feral again and hid from them. I just don’t get it Ma.” Feronica sighed as she flopped backwards onto her pillow.

Her mother, Tassa sighed from the other end of the short range broadcast. “Sometimes, even our best isn’t good enough. Maybe it’s time to admit you can’t handle her, and let somebody else try?” Tassa spoke with a calm voice, but not so much that it took away from her confidence, or maternal prowess.

“I don’t want to give up on her Ma.” Feronica said with a crackle in her voice. She had vanished from her mothers view in part to hide the tears that were beginning to streak down her face.

Tassa however, knew her daughter far too well. “Have you ever stopped to think that maybe what’s best for Mookie, is in fact to be with somebody else?” Tassa asked gently.

Feronica didn’t answer.

“Humans are a lot like us you know. Of all the animals we’ve encountered, they have the largest capacity to love, to care, and to feel hurt. What happened to Mookie can’t be fixed with a few bells and whistles and a fancy new cage. If she feels she can’t trust you, I’m not sure there is anything you can do to change her mind.”

Feronica squeezed her eyes shut and ran her sleeve over them quickly, she took a few deep breaths before speaking up. “Tej let me borrow Unna for a few days. He is a real sweetie, I asked him if he would try to talk to Mookie, I’m going to try that first ok?” Though Feronica Yots was old enough to act independently of her three parents, there were times she valued their input more than others, this was one of those times.

“There is a rehabilitation process you might want to look into. I heard the president of the HoS talking about it a few days back on the morning feed. Lyroo Prenn has a lot of experience with difficult human beings. She successfully rehabilitated the other survivor of the Rutger incident…she may be able to do the same for Mookie?” Tassa said, with hope in her voice.

“Mookie isn’t violent, she would never hurt anyone Ma!” Feronica snapped quickly.

“I didn’t say she was.” Responded Tassa. “But it’s not just for dangerous humans, anti social and poorly domesticated ones can benefit as well.

“Dangerous humans? What does that even mean…how can a human be dangerous?” Feronica asked in a pout.

“There have been a lot of surprises in the news lately sweets… I’m just saying…they are very clever creatures, and a lot more intelligent than most give them credit for.”

“Mookie isn’t dangerous, not to herself, not to me…ok? She is just scared, and she doesn’t need to be scared even more by some…some…human abusing bully!” Feronica sat up and glared fiercely into the screen at her mother.

Tassa was quiet, though not amused. “I can see you’re a little upset, we’ll talk later, ok?”

Feronica took a long, much needed exhale and nodded. “Ok Ma, say hello to everyone for me ok?”

“I will.” Tassa made a kissing motion to the screen “Be well, make sure you eat supper tonight, and if you need any money let me know!”

“Thanks, I will.” Feronica blushed, then smiled.

Tassa smiled back, then closed the transmission.

Feronica took a moment to compose herself, then looked across the room to the small enclosure where Mookie and Unna were confined. “I hope you’re doing better than I am Unna…”

Had Feronica been paying close enough attention, it is likely she would have picked up on Unna’s attempt to get her attention via frantic arm waving and leaping up and down. Feronica’s hazel eyes glanced quickly at the terrarium before focusing elsewhere. The titan gathered her strength and slowly stood, lumbering lazily out of the room, leaving Unna frantically pounding against the plastic enclosure. Moments later, Feronica shuffled back into the main room, armed now with a steaming hot mug of hot gokma, and a fresh crisp bag of dried desert saffron leaves, a salty Ler snack popular among titans as well.

Feronica’s hard heavy steps shook Unna in his enclosure, but did little to deter him from trying to get Feronica’s attention. The titan however was exhausted from an evening spent battling with a stubborn, anti social human, and didn’t seem remotely interested in paying them any attention for the remainder of the night.

“Go to sleep Unna, it’s late and I’m tired fella…” Feronica flopped heavily down on the couch, and lazed back as the broadcaster began to automatically play the moment she sat.

Unna continued to plead for the titans attention, his tiny fists made only a soft sound against the plastic, which didn’t travel well, and his small voice did little against the loud noise coming from the holographic entertainment broadcaster.

Feronica’s eyes glassed over as she munched away at her snack. Unna screamed and yelled and slammed his hands and fists against the plastic, until he grew exhausted. He wasn’t likely to succeed now, Feronica was lost in her zombie like trance. The titan would soon drift off to sleep, as she often did, watching her shows.

Unna looked around the empty enclosure with a panicked look. He didn’t know how, and he wasn’t sure why, but Mookie had escaped, and by the time he would be able to tell Feronica, something terrible might happen and then it would be too late.

“They’re going to be mad at me.” The young human whimpered, and hugged his knees. “I did a bad thing…and there gonna be so mad.”

***

Sarra had managed to do quite well for herself while the overstuffed titan woman slept. During the exceedingly long titan sleep, Sarra had foraged for food via the dropped saffron leaves Feronica had been snacking on found crude cover for her nudity, and scowered the apartment for a means of escape. On that last part, Sarra had come up short.

The door that lead to the outside world stood ominously above her, and refused to open for the likes of her. Sarra had tried everything she could to trigger the doors sliding reflex. She leapt up and down, she ran into it, she even tried pushing it apart in vein. There was no way around it or under it, and it was far too thick and strong to break down. It was a defeat, but hardly enough to put an end to Sarra’s struggle! This was the longest Sarra had managed to evade her omnipotent captor, she planned on using every precious moment to her advantage.

Her through survey of Feronica’s apartment convinced her that escape with out titan assistance was simply impossible, but she was able to learn the apartments layout, if she could remember, there was always the chance she could use that to her advantage.

As the sun began to rise, it’s position in the back window told Sarra that her captor would soon wake. Sarra had gathered what little provisions she could find, small things she could hide on her person, she had to hide objects well, past escape attempts had taught her that once she was captured, Feronica would strip her of anything she thought was ‘dangerous’. This didn’t stop Sarra, it only forced her to be more cunning, more creative, more desperate.

As the hour of reckoning approached, Sarra briskly jogged towards the spot she had chosen to hide. Along the way she passed a messy collection of foot ware piled hastily near the large door. For a while, Sarra found herself unable to look away. It didn’t seem fair, none of it did. Feronica was a woman, just like her, she had hair and legs, hands and feet…she wore nice things like shoes and boots and coats and pants, and bought things she liked with currency. She had friends and went out, had conversations and expressed her opinions. She had such a wonderful, fulfilling life, but for some reason, Sarra herself, and Unna, and every other human like her were simply denied that.

Sarra stared at a pair of soft red suede boots, she liked how they looked, the curvy black heel, the smooth material they were made from, The shiny buckle, and the sparkling rock like things encrusted in the black material. She could picture them on herself…would they feel nice, she didn’t know, she had never worn shoes, her feet had always been bare, dirty and cold, naked like the rest of her.

Titans adorned themselves with pretty colors, they put things in their hair, changed its color on a whim. Titans made themselves prettier when they felt ugly, covered themselves in layers when they were cold. Sarra went from contemplative to downright bitter. There was absolutely no reason the titans deserved to live this way and not humans! Sarra’s disdain for her captor only continued to grow.

Sarra hated how they lived, she hated how they spoke, she hated how they sounded, their loud, booming, rude voices. Sarra hated being in their shadows, she hated being grabbed and handled, she hated hearing their condescending words, she hated being told what was best for herself. Feronica tried endlessly to dominate her, to break her, she was confident all it would take was time. She didn’t want to befriend her, Feronica wanted to break her.

A loud groan tore Sarra from her trance. Panic washed over the little humans face as a thud signaled the waking of the titaness. In the distance, the towering being pulled herself off the sofa and stretched her arms into the sky in a wide mouthed display of terror, well…to Sarra it looked that way, to Feronica it was simply a yawn.

Sarra took off in a mad dash towards the building sized structure that held the collection of hastily placed foot ware. She pushed her way past the shoes and boots and discarded rolled up socks and hid in the back, in the dark, dusty, dingy underbelly of Feronica’s shoe rack, and waited.

At first it was quiet, silence always came first. Occasionally the distant sounds of the monsters foot falls could be heard. Sarra closed her eyes tightly and made herself as small as she could. Her thin fingers gripped her knees and she buried her head in her lap. Over and over she whispered quietly to herself.

‘Please not this time…please just not this time. Just go away…look somewhere else…please just this once.’ Sarra thought to herself, she trembled as the heavy foot falls grew louder and more numerous.

Then the sound that always broke Sarra’s last nerve.

“Alright Mookie…enough is enough!” Feronica never sounded angry, but neither did she sound happy either.

Sarra’s knuckles went white, if she could make herself even smaller, if she could disappear altogether, she would.

“Seriously, come on…I’m so getting tired of this.”

“Please go away…please go away…just this once please just go away!” Sarra pleaded through sporadic leaping breaths.

“Fine.” Feronica said flatly. “Every Gorram time…I thought humans were supposed to be affectionate and lovable!” The irate titan could be heard grumbling to herself as her footsteps, heavy and determined shook the ground.

Just like the last time, and the time before that, and all other times Sarra tried to escape, before too long, the unrelenting giant pinpointed her location just moments after she stopped talking. It was the same thing every time. First silence, then the footsteps, then the shadow…and finally the sweet voice dripping with venomous condescension.

“I see you.” Feronica’s voice, none to impressed broke Sarra from her repetitive pleading.

‘No!” Sarra screamed in frustration. It was the only sound she could make, and even that was difficult. Every time, every damn time like clock work! Sarra balled her fists and held them tight to her side. “Uh…uhuh! No!” Sarra had never spoken to her captor before, but the anger swelling inside of her was too much, the sounds had burst with out Sarra even realizing she had done it.

“You’ve been out all night, you’re just scared, come’mere sweetie.” Feronica cooed and slowly reached past the shoes and under the rack. Though she was surprised, and pleased to hear her little pet attempting to speak again, she felt this wasn’t the time to press on the matter.

‘No! Don’t touch me! Don’t you touch me!’ Those were the words Sarra had wanted to shout next, but all that came out was mumbled grunting and gurgling, and the odd hardly audible word. Sarra couldn’t use language to protest her captors treatment, so she did so the only way she knew how, she ran. Sarra made a desperate last attempt to scramble away, but she never had a chance, Feronica was larger, faster, and had leverage on her side.

Sarra screamed and struggled like a wild woman for as long as she could muster the strength. She beat her tiny fists against the titans thick fingers, and bit into her owners flesh as best she could, but her firsts made no impression and her teeth broke no skin. She screamed, as much as she can, she didn’t even care how much it hurt. Sarra forced the sounds to come out of her sore, dry throat, but it didn’t seem to have the desired effect, in fact it only seemed to make her captor more touchy and grabby.

“Shhhh, it ok sweetie…momma’s got you now. Shhh.” Feronica cooed and pulled the little human close to her chest.

Sarra’s struggles slowly died out, her pitiful wails for help ceased, and she went limp in the giants palm.

“There we go…nice and calm…that’s a good girl…nice and calm…nice and sweet.” Feronica whispered adoring, cuddling the little human to her breast.

‘I hate you…’ Sarra thought to herself bitterly, ‘I fracken hate you.’