A Small and Tall Collection

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Chapter Eleven | Remedies and Apologies

It took Soren a few minutes in the bathroom to compose himself after witnessing what he did with the miniscule woman. She was so small – so real. She could've been mistaken for being human if she were average height. The minute facial expressions were so clear that Soren could picture them if he closed his eyes. It was lucky that he was so good at reading people after the past few years of training.

Also, the girl didn't have a poker face.

After pinching himself for the dozenth time and realizing this was no dream, he splashed a few handfuls of lukewarm water onto his face before heading for the kitchen. The sight that was waiting for him in the other room, however, made him wish it was a dream.

Dorian and Rey were both crestfallen on the couch. Shoulders were slumped. Eyes glossy with tears. Bottom lips trembling. Both boys sat on their hands and were holding still as they sat. Soren knew the position, since he was the one who implemented it. Well… his mom did anyway…

It was the position of punishment – time out.

When he did something wrong, his mom would make him sit on a chair quietly, usually with his hands under his legs, while he thought about what he did wrong. Soren didn't experience this a lot as a child, but it was an effective method meant for him to reflect on what happened.

What was more astounding was the fact that Dorian and Rey were there. Soren hadn't told them to go sit on time out. He'd just told them to go to the kitchen. Did they do this themselves? For feeling bad for what happened? Soren cleared his throat and both boys glanced over their shoulder, Dorian reaching up and wiping his nose on his sleeve, before looking away. It was a pitiful sight, but Soren was glad that the two of them seemed to recognize that they had messed up.

He walked around the couch and sat down on the wooden coffee table so he could face the two of them. His hazel eyes flicked from boy to boy before he took a breath and said, "Did you two put yourselves on time out?"

Both boys nodded.

"Do you know why you put yourselves on time out?" asked Soren. Both of them nodded before sniffling, their little brows furrowing as they shifted uncomfortably under Soren's gaze. "Care to tell me about it?" Dorian was the first to pipe up between the two of them.

"Because," he sniffled, snot rattling around in his nose. "I hurt the little person. I… I didn't mean to. She was falling off of the desk and… and I didn't think I grabbed her that hard. But… I'm sorry. I'm the one who said we shouldn't bother you." Soren clenched his jaw and nodded slowly before glancing at Rey.

"Rey? Why did you put yourself on time out?" asked Soren. Tears spilled down the cheeks of the young, pale blue eyed boy.

"Because I… I knew I should go get you and I didn't. She was hurting all night because I didn't do the right thing," Rey said, his trembling voice tugging at his oldest brother's heart strings.

Gosh… they've grown up so much. Mom… you'd be proud.

"Thank you both for apologizing," stated Soren softly. "But remember what I said in the other room? I might not be the one you need to apologize to. Yeah?"

"H-how is s-sh-she?" asked Rey. "Is sh-she mad at us?"

"Right now, I don't know. She hasn't said anything as of now, but I think it's just because she's a bit scared; and it's okay to be scared. If you think about how big the world is to us, imagine what it would be like coming from her perspective." The boys nodded in agreement, so Soren continued. "She's doing well right now, but she's going to need some time to feel better and recover. I think she's sick, probably with what we all had, and her arm is going to be sore.

"So, if you weren't feeling well and were hurt, what would be something nice for someone to do for you?" asked Soren. The boys' brows furrowed as they glanced at each other. As their caregiver, it was up to Soren to teach empathy and problem solving skills; and this was the perfect opportunity to test his two young brothers.

It only took a few seconds for Rey to speak first, muttering, "Get a comfy blanket?" It came out like a question, but it was a good start.

"Good. If she's cold or wants to rest, a comfy blanket would be very nice to get her," stated Soren.

"Let her pick the show she wants to watch," suggested Dorian.

"Also a good idea. She might just want to rest at the moment though, but we can ask when she wakes up," agreed Soren.

"I could make her something so she doesn't have to use her hurt arm to reach for stuff," Rey said eagerly.

"Also a good idea. We'll need to spend time making it for her though. It has to be the right size and something she can use on her own," Soren reminded.

"What if… what if we share some of our toys? She maybe could use some of them since she's so small," Dorian said.

"Again, good thinking. Remember we don't want her to feel like a toy though. A person's a person, no matter how small, and giving her pieces of toys or actual toys might give her the wrong idea," Soren stated, which made Dorian's features fall ever so slightly. His mind was in the right place though. Soren remembered the boys had some play toys that were forks and plates and knives, all things which the miniscule woman would be able to use. 

"Um… Get her something good to drink? And maybe eat?" asked Rey. Soren smiled and nodded, which brought back that little bit of twinkle in the boys' eyes.

"I think that's a great idea; and, while she's resting, we can make something for her and for ourselves," Soren smiled. "Now, who's going to come help me in the kitchen?"

Both Dorian and Rey glanced eagerly at one another before looking back at Soren. Their collective illness had left them eating the minimum amount each day and, finally, they had an appetite again. They would have a chance to have a good breakfast for the first time in a week, and they would get to do something nice for their new little friend.

So, after Soren gave them a quick hair ruffle, the two youngsters trotted along behind Soren to help make things right.

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Darkness. Bliss. Quiet. Warmth. Aching. Throbbing. Worry. Panic. Ease. Confusion. Exhaustion. The different feelings and thoughts and sensations swirled around her mind as she attempted to open her eyes for the first time in who knew how long. There were a few things that stood out to her.

One, she was still sick. A clogged nose and sore throat told her that much. She silently thanked her lucky stars that she wasn't nauseous anymore. It probably had something to do with the cracker piece and cap of water Soren had given her before she'd passed out.

That's right!

Ashlynn's groggy senses sharpened in an instant as the clear memory of her simply laying down and falling asleep with a human within arm's reach of her flashed before her eyes. Her body lurched involuntarily as she attempted to sit upright, but the immediate twinge in her arm told her she needed to move slower if she didn't want to hurt herself more than what she already was. A fuzzy blanket was draped over her shoulder, which she vaguely remembered pulling onto her body as she fell asleep.

What kind of idiot Borrower am I? Falling asleep with a human so close by? I'm just asking to be… Ashlynn looked around the room while she felt her chest tighten as her thought tapered off into a single word. Caught…

The word rattled around in her head.

Caught. I've been seen. I've been caught. How on earth am I going to get out of this one?

Ashlynn glanced up at the ceiling, a sense of vertigo tugging her nausea back into the forefront of her mind. The Borrower woman tore her eyes away as she focused on her surroundings. The bottle cap filled partially with water was still in front of her. The cracker fragments were within arm's reach. The red bag and container with the blue lid were gone, as was the human.

As far as she could tell, nothing else had been touched or removed. The only main difference was that the door was completely closed instead of being slightly propped open. On any other day, Ashlynn would be able to hear everything going on in the apartment and be able to pick up on faint scents that would be dangerous or good for her. Nothing was worse than losing your senses as a Borrower, and Ashlynn had lost two plus her injured arm.

Everything inside of her felt heavy, as though she'd spent the entire day borrowing and climbing. The spark of energy from earlier was depleted, and it was likely not going to come back without more rest. She reached up and ran her fingers through her hair. The piecemeal ideas coming to her were poor attempts to escape from the top of the bed and survive until her arm felt better.

I could try and climb down. No. Not if my arm keeps twinging like this. I'll drop and fall. I could have a one handed line and lower myself down. No. I don't have a line or safety pin. I might have that in my bag. Did I bring it with me? Shoot… it's in the drawer. I can't climb that again. I could try and make the jump to the bedside table, but… no… that's not going to work either.

Ashlynn wasn't sure how many poorly thought-out ideas came and went, but the ultimate realization came as she attempted to move her arm to test mobility.

I can't leave… Not on my own… and not like this.

Her chest tightened, constricting her breathing, while her eyes started to burn again. It was a crushing realization. The autonomy she'd so enjoyed for all of her life had been crippled. The dangerous thought of whether or not she could even survive on her own even if she did get away began to grow stronger and stronger.

Before she could spiral completely into this new, crushing thought, Ashlynn felt the ground beginning to shake ever so slightly. It was low, deep, and rhythmic – all pointing to the signature human footstep approaching. The Borrower's instinct was to flee and hide behind the edge of the drawer, but that dangerous thought of being unable to escape her current fate left Ashlynn planted firmly on the bedspread.

The door cracked open followed by a few distinct taps. Ashlynn could see Soren's face as he opened the door and peered in. The sight alone was unnerving, sending a chill down her shivering spine, but she stayed seated. Whether she was freezing or simply too exhausted to move, Ashlynn wasn't sure anymore. What she did know was that there was something warm and inviting in Soren's smile as he pushed the door open a little more so he could step partially into the room.

"Hey there, little miss. Sleep alright?" asked Soren, his deep, melodic voice drifting through the air like warm cinnamon sugar. Ashlynn remained silent, still debating whether or not she should break the last Borrower rule and actually talk to the human in front of her.

When he didn't receive a response, Soren nodded and pointed further into the room, asking, "Is it okay if I come in?"

Ashlynn wasn't sure what to do. Did she respond? Nod? Shake? Say nothing? Or could Soren simply discern through whatever method he was using earlier to simply read her mind? A smile tugged at the corner of Soren's lips as he nodded.

"Still not sure, huh?" he muttered. "I can come back later if you'd like. We just wanted to see if you were hungry and felt well enough to eat a little something." Ashlynn chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought about the question. She didn't really feel hungry, but then again she could probably eat. Was she actually not hungry? Or was it because she was feeling stressed and sick that kept her appetite at bay?

I have to do something.

Is nodding considered against the rules?

Would it be so bad if I nodded or shook my head?

"I'll come back in a few minutes. Sound like a plan?" Soren's decision took care of Ashlynn's predicament, which was a relief. He'd be back sooner than later though, and she was no closer to a proper answer.

In what felt like only a few seconds, there was another set of short taps on the door as it once again swung open. Ashlynn's heart skipped like a boulder down the mountain, crashing against her ribs in solid thuds, as her blue gray eyes snapped back to the door. It was Soren again. This time, however, he had something in his hands.

"Hey there, little miss. Thought any about if you're hungry or not?" Ashlynn's insides felt hollow, but still no appetite came to her. I need to eat something, probably. Alright… I… I have to do something…. I hate this. I hate this. I hate this!

Ashlynn looked back up with reluctance into Soren's reassuring golden hazel eyes, the curiosity and fascination they held obviously being kept at bay and replaced with concern, before tearing her eyes away and doing something she hoped she wouldn't regret.

She nodded.

The Borrower rules were always adamant, as were other Borrowers she'd met along with her family members, that the rule was, "Do not speak to a human. Don't let them know you can talk." The second part was, "Don't let them know you can understand them. Otherwise, you'll never be able to leave." Ashlynn was purposefully ignoring that part of the rule in hopes that Soren, a human, would be understanding and let her go; or, at the very least, not stop her when she was well enough to leave. 

She felt her insides churn when she saw Soren's eyes widen, even from across the room, as he registered her acknowledgement of his question. What was going through his mind? Was he contemplating if it was a fluke? Or was he making plans to keep her now that she'd made her intelligence known? At the moment, it only prompted him to ask another question, which was, "Is it okay if I come in? I have a few things I hope you might like."

Again, Ashlynn forced herself to swallow the bile in the back of her throat as she nodded again. Her chest compressed. Everything felt tight. She listened to the approaching footsteps and shut her eyes tight, wishing herself to be anywhere but here. The comforter nearby shifted, telling Ashlynn that Soren was within a foot or so of her. She flinched away involuntary, which only made her arm twinge.

She felt herself starting to shake as she chewed the bottom of her lip. The dry flecks of skin pealed off easily from her teeth scraping against them, creating a nasty flaking paste in her mouth. To keep herself from gagging, she reached up and spit out the substance into her sleeve while wiping her mouth.

Thud.

Thud.

Ashlynn thought it sounded like Soren's knees hitting the ground one at a time, and a quick glance up revealed she was right. Soren was indeed only a few feet away, further than she thought, and an immense wooden tray was to her left.

It was then that she heard something she wasn't expecting – a nervous exhale. Ashlynn glanced up just in time to catch the slightest bit of nerves in Soren's eyes as he attempted to smile with some reassurance.

Weird for him to be nervous. He's the human here, not me. He's got the power. He's in control. Why is he nervous?

"Feeling any better?" Soren asked. Ashlynn clenched her jaw, completely entranced by his eyes, before looking down at her feet that she'd pulled closer to her, and shaking her head. Again, a faint, nervous breath from Soren. "No? Well, that's to be expected. You were only asleep for a little while. You'll need more sleep and, well, pretty much everything else if you want to get better.

"Speaking of which, we weren't sure what you'd like so we made a little spread. We have some cut fruit, cream of wheat, pancakes, sausage, a bit of bread, and some of the soup that I made for the boys. They call it magic broth, but it's just a bunch of vegetables and meat that'll help you feel better. Sorry if that was a lot all at once. And don't feel obligated to finish anything, especially if you don't like it. Okay?"

The list was enough to make Ashlynn's head spin. It sounded like he listed off an entire pantry's worth of food, and yet it was all there on that tray. Honestly, crackers sounded the best because she hadn't been sick after eating one of those. Plus, she hadn't heard of a bunch of the things Soren talked about; but, if it made her feel better, she was willing to give it a try. Getting out of here was the goal, and the sooner the better.

"Do… you need help up? Or do you just want to move over here at your own pace?" asked Soren. Ashlynn's expression, even before she shook her head, must've said it all because Soren smiled and chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I'd probably say the same thing if I were in your shoes. Just two more things and then I'll leave you alone. Deal?"

The question was an earnest one, and he was obviously seeking some kind of confirmation, so Ashlynn nodded. It made her insides twist uncomfortably, but it was with the promise that she would be left on her own.

"Alrighty. Thing one is whether or not you feel up to taking some medicine." The word made Ashlynn's insides clench. Medicine? Like the stuff that made me throw up and got me into this whole mess in the first place? "I don't know if you want to take any, but it might make you feel better faster and let your body get some essential rest. I also don't know what you can and can't take, so we can play that by ear if you're willing to try it.

"Thing two, and you'll probably say no but I want to ask, is that the boys want to apologize to you."

Ashlynn's blood ran cold.

Apologize?

The boys?

Have those two young boys near me again?

"I know, and I figured that would be your reaction; but, I promised I would ask. They feel really bad about everything that happened last night and want to say that they're sorry. It's up to you, obviously, but it would mean a lot to them. They could just stand by the door and not come in if that's what you're worried about," explained Soren. "But, anyway, I wanted to ask on their behalf."

Ashlynn wasn't sure what to think. Much like the dilemma with whether to nod and shake her head to communicate roughly with Soren, there was no clear answer that made her feel confident. If she said no, it might make Soren and the boys angry and lead to some kind of punishment of some kind. If she said yes, she would have to see the two young humans and possibly have to interact with them as well.

Soren, thankfully, had given her the choice and simply pleaded the boys' case. After a brief silence, Soren left the room and Ashlynn was once again alone. She still felt weak. Every part of her felt tingly and brittle, like she'd fall apart at any moment. It took nearly five minutes just to stand on her feet and prop herself against the wooden drawer that was once her prison. With a little effort, she managed to make it up onto the tray to view the enormous buffet in front of her. Everything was in some kind of bottle cap or tin foil, perfectly laid out along with what looked like a small plastic bowl and a few tiny utensils that looked like they belonged to a doll house.

She'd never seen so much food. Not only that. Ashlynn had never seen so much food untouched and unspoiled, just ready to eat. It made her head spin that humans could have so much at hand while her and every other Borrower had to fight every day for unspoiled scraps. Days of not eating well made her mouth water at the mere sight of the display before her, even though her appetite wasn't completely back. She recognized almost everything, but decided to focus on the "magic broth" Soren had mentioned.

Ashlynn walked over, sat down, and cautiously dipped out a small portion into the tiny plastic bowl she'd been given. Her sense of taste was skewed, but it was still warm and, from what she could tell, delicious. She'd never had something so mouthwatering before. Between that and the bread, she nearly finished the entire bottle cap as she sat there in silence as she picked up fragments of sound in the apartment.

So… they eat like this every day? What is there to ever complain about then? It must be nice, not having to worry where your next meal is coming from…. Maybe… being a pet wouldn't be so bad…

It was an intrusive thought, jolting Ashlynn out of her stupor.

What?! What on earth am I thinking?! I'm not a pet. I'm a person. I'm a Borrower. I shouldn't even be out here! I'm just here until I'm better. Right? Just until I break this stupid sickness and then I'll be back in the walls, with or without my arm feeling up to snuff.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The soft three wrap knocking on the door snagged Ashlynn's attention and directed it back toward the door where, sure enough, there was Soren. He was standing there with a friendly and hopeful look as he cracked open the door a little wider.

"Hey there, little miss. How are you feeling? Is it okay if I come in?" Ashlynn thought about the question for a minute while she huddled on the tray before nodding. She wasn't sure what he wanted, but noticed once he came in that he had a couple of small cups in his hands. Well, small for him. For Ashlynn, they looked like wash bins for dishes or clothes.

When Soren was close enough, he once again knelt on the ground a few feet or so away from where Ashlynn was sitting, making her heart jump into her throat, as she glimpsed at what Soren had in the cups. The nausea in the back of her throat reared its head when she noticed the dark teal liquid in one of the cups.

"I hope you're feeling better. Looks like you enjoyed some of the soup at least," Soren said. Ashlynn glanced down bashfully, unsure if she was supposed to have as much as she did or if it was just a ration, before Soren continued, saying, "If you want any more, just let me know.

"Anyway, I'm back to see if you've thought about the two things I mentioned earlier. One about the medicine and two about the boys. Any thoughts?"

Ashlynn found herself chewing on the inside of her cheek again nervously. She hadn't really given it much thought, and now Soren was expecting some kind of answer. She pulled her injured arm closer to her torso, making it twinge once again, while averting her eyes.

"Not sure? You don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought it might help you get some decent rest," stated Soren. "And… for the boys? Is that also a no?"

Ashlynn swallowed dryly, her sore throat forming a tight lump and making it difficult for her. She could still taste the sick mucus coating her throat as she did. It made the Borrower want to gag. This time, however, her apprehension seemed to ease as she thought about the pale blue eyes of the youngest boy.

That one… Rey… he didn't seem angry or malicious when he was holding onto me. And… the other… Dorian… it feels… like an accident. He shouldn't have grabbed so hard, but… Soren's right… he's just a kid. Both of them are. They're just kids who want to say they're sorry. Maybe… I owe them that much? I guess it's all Soren can ask of me. If letting the boys say sorry is the only "payment" for patching me up and letting me go, then it is a small price to pay.

She couldn't believe it, but Ashlynn let herself shake her head. Soren's eyes gleamed happily as he asked cautiously, "You… just shook your head? So, that means yes? That you'd be okay with the boys apologizing?"

Ashlynn nodded slowly, but tensely.

"That's… great. Seriously, thank you. This'll mean the world to them. I'll keep them by the door for you, if you're okay with that," Soren said. Ashlynn nodded again.

Soren's heart was racing as he marveled at the hand sized woman sitting on the tray in front of him. Her responding to "yes" and "no" questions was both a shock and novel experience. Soren suspected she could understand him, but it was only confirmed with that first small nod. He could only hope that her responding mixed with his efforts and his brothers' apology would help form a little more trust with the miniscule woman.

He stood as carefully as he could and stepped out of the room to see his two brothers eagerly waiting by the edge of the kitchen table. Both of their pale blue eyes looked at him with hopeful anticipation as he stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him. With a smile, the boys knew immediately that their request had been granted. Before they could start cheering, however, Soren knelt in front of them and laid a heavy hand on each of their shoulders.

"Okay, you two, we need to be on our best behavior. She agreed, but you will have to stand by the door. She's still a bit apprehensive of all of us. Speak clearly and gently. She's still sick and hurt. I'm sure all of this is a lot for her. More importantly, she's a person with thoughts and feelings. We need to respect that. Understand?" asked Soren. "A person's a person, no matter how small."

"Yessir," both Dorian and Rey said simultaneously. Soren smiled, coaxing the boys forward as he stood, before tapping on the door again.

When the door opened again, Ashlynn saw all three humans consuming the doorway from one side to the other. It was an unnerving sight, and it made Ashlynn squirm ever so slightly. Still, true to his word, Soren kept the boys by the door as they spotted her. All six eyes were fixed on her body, making her feel like she was standing under a magnifying glass, a thing she found unnerving in the last home she lived in.

"Um… miss?" spoke up the youngest as he glanced up at Soren before looking back at her. "I'm… well… we're really sorry about last night. We shouldn't have put you in the drawer, and we should've seen if you were okay before we went to bed. I should've gotten Soren to help check on you, and I'm sorry I didn't do that." Tears glistened in the boy's eyes as he sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve.

"I'm sorry too, miss," Dorian said, his voice shaking ever so slightly. "I didn't mean to hurt you or your arm. I thought I was helping you by keeping you from falling off of the desk. I shouldn't have grabbed so hard. And I should've gotten help sooner with Rey. I hope you can forgive me."

Seeing the two human boys with glistening tears rolling down their cheeks sent Ashlynn back into her memory. She remembered seeing her younger brother apologize like this when he had broken her first borrowing and, in that moment, Ashlynn could only sense genuine remorse from the two young humans.

It was a pitiful, sad sight. It made Ashlynn's heart flutter and left her nodding subtly before tearing her eyes away from the three humans. She missed the look of surprise and relief on Dorian's and Rey's faces when they saw her nod, but what she didn't miss was Soren ushering the boys out of the room and walking back over to her.

"Thank you…"

Ashlynn glanced into Soren's eyes just for a moment and, like every other time, saw fascination, but also gratitude. It made his eyes shine like the evening sun on a summer day. Ashlynn wasn't sure if it was her fever or the sudden thrum in her heart beating faster, but her cheeks and body suddenly felt completely flush.

She looked away quickly, hoping Soren didn't notice, and listened as he asked about whether or not she wanted to take either of the medicines he brought. The teal one was something called NyQuil, which helped with fevers and cold symptoms as well as her pain. The other one with a much longer, technical name that Ashlynn had no hope of pronouncing, was meant to help reduce the fever and help with the pain. Though she hated both options, especially how they smelled, the one that could handle it all was, to her dismay, the teal NyQuil.

"You don't like the smell or taste?" asked Soren. Ashlynn shook her head as she stared at her muted reflection in the viscous fluid. "Well, that's good. Means your like everyone else who's ever taken it. Word of advice. Hold your nose as you swallow and drink something immediately after to get rid of the taste. It'll make the experience less miserable."

Ashlynn remembered Soren saying something like that to his brothers before they took this medicine, and she intended on taking his advice. Taking a deep breath, she only took a single mouthful as she held her nose and swallowed. It felt like the same mucus coating her throat as the liquid traveled down her throat. There was a burning and cooling sensation happening all at once, making her gag as she had done the night before. Quickly though, she stepped over to the cup of water Soren had brought and drank as much as she could muster before gasping for air again.

The moment she breathed, she could feel the cooling burn the medicine left behind, but it was nowhere near as bad as what had happened the first time she put the teal liquid into her mouth.

"Better?" asked Soren. The Borrower woman nodded as she drank a little more water to soothe her aching throat. "Good. Well, you should try and get some more rest, okay? That medicine will let you sleep long and hard, so take advantage of it. I'll make sure the boys don't come bother you, but I'll be back to check if you need anything. Sound good? And don't worry about the food. I'll leave it here if you get peckish."

Ashlynn watched as Soren once again vacated the room, surrendering it completely to her. She breathed a sigh of relief as she made her way back to the wooden box and retrieved her blanket. She pulled it over to the corner and made a comfortable place before laying down, eyelids drifting lower and lower as relaxation flirted with her desire to sleep.

I'll be better soon. I just have to make it a few more days and then I'll escape. I hope I'm better by then anyway…

And Soren… he's been so kind. Maybe… maybe he's not such a bad human. Maybe none of them are…. No. Don't worry about that now. Get some sleep. Feel better. Find a way to thank Soren… eventually.

With that, Ashlynn succumbed to sleep once more, the first signs of being on the mend on the horizon.