NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 2 – Taken
Rosa didn't know for how long she had cried, but at one point she got so tired that she just fell asleep. She only woke up when she felt horrible hunger pangs gnawing at her stomach. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was still in the same gloomy room with no windows. But before she could properly assess her surroundings, her stomach growled with almost painful intensity.
Is this really how babies feel hunger? The feeling is so excruciatingly strong that it is painful. No wonder that babies cry so loudly when they feel hungry.
Despite being an adult mentally, Rosa barely managed to hold herself back from screaming. But before she could begin to worry about it in earnest, a man with a bushy, brown beard appeared in her view, saying something in a calm voice. His voice didn't suit his appearance at all – it was soft, like a woman's voice. Rosa thought she saw a smile behind the bushy beard, but it was hard to tell. The man apparently took the fact that she hadn't begun crying as a good sign and picked her up while carefully holding her head.
Rosa realized she wasn't naked anymore, instead she was dressed in a soft and warm cotton onesie. As the man held Rosa close, she also understood that she was mistaken. This was not a man, but most definitely a woman as she could feel the large, soft breasts on HER chest.
But how can a woman have such a large beard? A woman having a beard wasn't impossible, of course, there were illnesses that could cause that as well as a simple hormonal imbalance. But I've never actually seen a woman with such a luscious beard.
Much to Rosa's delight, the bearded woman did not have any horns or tail. She murmured something to Rosa and then produced a glass bottle with a nipple for the cork.
I'm not supposed to eat that, am I? Just suck on the bottle as a baby? Well, I am a baby now and I am hungry, but there's no way I'm just going to accept it so easily.
As the woman brought the bottle closer to Rosa's mouth, she considered whether she should just kick it away. But the sweet smell of milk reminded her of how hungry she actually was. And she didn't exactly have teeth to chew things with. Begrudgingly Rosa latched onto the bottle and drank the milk. It was thicker and creamier than cow's milk, but also more filling. She quite liked it. The bearded woman nodded in satisfaction as she drank, a smile peeking out from behind the beard.
Rosa was almost done with her bottle, when the door was thrust open with a loud clang and the same Demon Man from before entered. That's how Rosa decided to call him, for what else is he supposed to be? He is no doubt at the core of her misfortune – pulling her away from her own world for his own nefarious plans.
With her stomach full, Rosa began to worry about her world.
How can I get back? What happened to my body? Am I just dead and have no way of going back? Did I drown? Or perhaps somebody saved me and my body is being kept alive in the hospital – attached to machines and tubes? But even if that is the case how can I get back?
These horrible thoughts overwhelmed her so much that she began crying again. The bearded woman grumbled something towards the Demon Man who awkwardly scratched his head. Rosa wanted to scream at him to send her back to her world, but her baby tongue and lack of teeth made her completely unable to speak. The bearded woman rocked her in a futile attempt to console her.
After a few minutes Demon Man bent down to pick Rosa up from the woman's hands. She then realized how much taller Demon Man was than the bearded woman.
Was he actually a Giant Demon Man? No, that's not quite right.
Looking down at the bearded woman Rosa saw how short she actually was. If she were to break her down proportionally for a drawing, then she would be five heads high. Normally humans were about seven or eight heads high. This woman was a dwarf.
Good gods! I was pulled into some world filled with weird, inhuman races. Do humans even exist here? And what about all the technology? Phones, computers, cars and other daily conveniences? What about movies? What if they didn't even exist in this world?
Rosa frantically looked around the dark room they were in, trying to find any sign of some sort of modern technology. But the room was decorated like some goth's nursery – dark walls, a dark crib with tacky frills, dark plushies depicting some monsters in the corner of the room, a dark changing table which no doubt contained everything a baby needed. She looked up at the ceiling and saw that there was a lamp there. At first she was relieved, thinking it was an electric lamp, but looking at it more carefully it was different.
The dwarf woman noticed her interest and clapped her hands twice. The light turned off and everything turned dark. Then she clapped once and the light came back. Rosa outstretched her hands towards it, hoping that Demon Man would bring her closer to the lamp so she could inspect it properly. He asked something to the dwarf woman, who nodded her head and then he brought Rosa closer. It was still high up on the ceiling, but she saw that there were no actual light bulbs on it. Instead there were tiny little glass balls that had some odd liquid moving inside it – almost like a lava lamp only much smaller.
What is that even? How does it work? Even if it is some sort of technology, it certainly isn't the same kind as on Earth. Then… it's very unlikely that there is something here like computers or TVs.
The thought was so painful, that Rosa barely managed to hold back her tears. Demon Man smiled and wiggled his finger above her, no doubt hoping that she would grab it.
This is all your fault! You pulled me into this world, didn't you? Even if I said that a demon would make for a better parent, that doesn't mean I actually wanted for that to happen.
Rosa took a deep breath and then began screaming for no other reason than to annoy Demon Man. This was the only thing she could do at the time, being a baby. But as she let her little voice carry loudly through the room, forcing Demon Man to wince in displeasure, she swore an oath to herself.
One day, I'll find a way to go back home. No matter how long it takes, I'll keep getting stronger and keep searching. I'll become an animator that I've always dreamed of becoming even if it takes me a hundred years.
***
Rosa stared at the demon, and the demon stared back. Neither of them said anything or did anything. She – because she couldn't, he – well, she didn't know why he was silently staring at her. His expression was incomprehensible to her, neither angry, nor sad, nor excited. But there was something in his face. Curiosity perhaps? Or perhaps something exclusive to demons.
How long are you going to keep staring at me?
The dwarf woman said something, a question judging by the tone of her voice. The demon blinked and finally turned his gaze from Rosa, saying something to the dwarf woman. She nodded and a small smile was peeking out from behind her beard. Then she left the room in a hurry.
Hey, don't leave me alone with him!
Their awkward staring contest resumed, and Rosa began counting seconds until the dwarf woman's return. After exactly three minutes, the demon lifted his arm and Rosa flinched, fearing what he might do. Seeing her reaction, the slowly lowered the arm and the excruciating staring contest resumed.
Thankfully, it didn't take long for the dwarvish woman to return with a baby bath in tow. It was made out of metal or something akin to it, and seemed too large and heavy for such a short woman to be carrying. Much to Rosa's surprise, she put it down with one hand, as if it weighed nothing at all.
The demon nodded at her and then put the bath closer to Rosa's crib.
Are they going to wash me? I suppose a bath doesn't sound so bad.
The dwarf came up to the bath, holding some sort of large marble ball in her hand. Before Rosa could begin to ponder its purpose, water poured out of the ball as if from a tap.
Is that some sort of magic?
Noticing Rosa's interest, the demon bent down closer to her and said something in his incomprehensible demon speech.
I can't understand you. And even if I could, I can't answer you.
The demon waved his hand above the rose and a little ball of water formed in his palm. Rosa marveled as he moved the water ball above her head, making it bend and turn, inflate and deflate.
That definitely is magic. That's amazing! He just created water out of thin air. Or are there perhaps some rules that he has to follow to do that?
Much to Rosa's surprise the demon chuckled. A large demon man with black horns and horrifying black eyes who no doubt killed puppies for sport – just chuckled. And not in a creepy, evil maniac kind of way, but in a human kind way people laughed when they found something amusing.
No, it must be a ploy to make forgive him for this forced kidnapping. Not today, you evil demon. I will not fall for your Stockholm Syndrome plan.
Rosa hardened her expression, attempting to glare at the demon, but he had already turned towards the dwarf woman, discussing something with her. The bath had been filled with water and there was a towel and a bar of soap then on a little tray on the side of the bath.
The demon approached her, and then began unbuttoning her onesie.
You intend me to bathe me? No, no, no. No way I am letting a demon wash me.
Rosa opened her mouth to scream, and the demon instantly stopped wincing in anticipation of her scream. When the scream didn't come, he resumed to open the buttons and Rosa opened her mouth once more. He paused again, but didn't remove his hand entirely. But as soon as he tried to open another button, she let out an earth shattering screech. The demon backed away and appeared annoyed.
The dwarvish woman said something soothingly, and came up to Rosa to finish the task. Ideally, Rosa would have wanted for the man to leave instead of gawking at her naked baby body, but she had a feeling he wouldn't leave no matter how much she screamed. She'll accept his presence for the time being.
Once underdressed, the dwarf gently lifted her while supporting her head and then deposited her into the warm bath water. It was pleasant and warm, but at the same time the bath was filled with water all the way to the brim. Her body floated helplessly in it, and suddenly she remembered how the violent sea waves had dragged her under water.
No… I don't want to go into the water!
Rosa began flailing and screaming as much as her little hands allowed her. She slipped out of the woman's grip and her head went under water. But before she even realized what had happened, strong arms pulled her out of the water. She coughed up the little amount of water she managed to swallow as the demon cradled her close to his chest, and angrily shouted something at the dwarf.
The woman lifted her arms defensively and muttered something while shaking her head. The demon commanded something at her while pointed at the bath, and the dwarf bowed profusely and then hurried to lessen the amount of water in the bath using the small marble ball.
That was the first time Rosa felt gratitude towards the demon.