5. Forbidden Doors

The next week was the most boring of Miki's life. Godzilla only appeared at dinnertime and they spoke very little, so Miki mostly spent the days puttering about the house. She explored the other four rooms around the corner from her bedroom. The first door was the bathroom-decorated in a rose motif like on her bedroom window. Next to it, she discovered a closet full of old clothes next, mostly vintage nineteen-fifties tuxedoes. When she went to touch one, a very old, faded black and white photograph fell out of the pocket. Miki picked it up and squinted. The photo showed a rather dashing young man with dark eyes and wavy hair framing his face. His face took her breath away. She'd never seen such a beautiful human being before.

Shrugging, Miki pocketed the photo and walked across the hall to discover a large, windowless home office. It only contained the bare minimum-a desk, a big chair, a telephone, a desktop PC, writing utensils and file cabinets. Godzilla's color scheme for this room seemed to be shades of forest green.

Miki moved on. The last room was a library filled floor to ceiling with books in practically every genre. Its seventies-style orange shag rug felt nice under her toes. One corner had a little reading lamp on the floor, and underneath lay a bookmarked copy of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Nice to know he's well-read. Miki thought as she left the library and descended the stairs with one hand on the iron banister. A doorway at the foot of the steps was open, revealing another staircase. Its only illumination came from a naked light bulb on the ceiling. Faint piano music filtered gently under the floor. Curious, Miki tip-toed into a very short hallway and down a long flight of wooden steps. The sounds came from behind a plain metal door. She knocked politely. The music abruptly stopped and Godzilla pulled the door open a few moments later. He took up almost the entire doorway and the overhead light made ugly shadows cross his gray face.

"What?" he asked, blinking down at her.

"Oh!" Miki gasped, startled. "I'm sorry...I was just wondering where that music was coming from."

Godzilla made a soft grunting-growling sound. "I'm dinking around on the piano. Does it bother you?"

Miki's day was suddenly a lot more interesting.

"You-play?"

At that, Godzilla's eyelids fluttered and Miki got the impression that he'd just rolled his eyes at her. He stepped from the doorway to reveal a gigantic room paneled entirely in wood that made it acoustically perfect. Miki cautiously made her way past Godzilla and looked to the right. She gasped. The room was filled with musical instruments. More than she could count, and some of which she'd never seen before. Here and there were microphones and equipment to record the various instruments.

Miki glanced sideways at Godzilla's clawed hands. They looked so big and clumsy. How did he play the piano with those claws in the way?

"What kind of music do you do?"

He shrugged and walked back to the huge grand piano in the corner. "Classical, mostly. I've dipped in jazz and soft rock on occasion as well."

"Ooh! Classical piano! I've always loved Beethoven's Für Elise."

Godzilla's lips twitched into a smile. He sat down, rested his fingers lightly on the keys and began to play Für Elise. He did it perfectly and easily, and the notes flowed around the room like a delicious scent. It was an odd sight to see this seemingly horrible beast play the piano. Miki walked closer to watch his hands move smoothly about the keyboard, his fingers always finding the right keys by touch alone. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be off in a completely different world. Miki found that Godzilla didn't look at all frightening while he played the piano.

The song came to a gentle end and Miki rewarded Godzilla with soft applause. He took a little mock bow and said, "Name an instrument and I'll pick it up and play it. I can play them all...except for the flutes, the trumpet family and double-reeds for obvious reasons," he pointed to his snout, looking a little embarrassed.

"I understand," Miki smiled. She felt slightly uncomfortable, but went ahead and let her eyes wander around the dimly lit room. "How about the violin?"

"Okay, but this time I get to pick the song," said Godzilla as he heaved himself up off the piano bench. There were no words he could say to express how wonderful it felt to perform for someone again, even if it wasn't singing. He just couldn't bring himself to reveal his voice to Miki. Clearing his throat, he picked up the violin, tuning it briefly before setting it against his shoulder. Miki thought way he positioned the violin made it look very awkward. He said, "You might recognize this if you like Shakespeare."

Then he set the bow on the strings, bent slightly forward and began to play. Softly down, then gently up...and then he slid smoothly into a haunting melody. Again, Miki was transfixed by his hands. His fingers moved fluidly against the violin's neck and he slid the bow delicately over the strings. His eyes were closed, but his forehead and the corners of his closed mouth showed quiet tension. And somehow he transformed the violin from a piece of wood to a thing of utter beauty. He was a painter for the ear. With his bow as the brush, the violin his palette and the silence his canvas, he created a stunning auditory masterpiece. The song pleaded to her with notes that fell together like autumn leaves, mourned the loss of two tragic lovers and then swelled into a brightening dawn.

He was playing the theme from the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet.

Miki never wept at the sound of music before. She did right then.

Godzilla finished the song and opened his eyes. He saw tears streaming down Miki's cheeks. "Miki? Are you okay?"

She wiped at her cheeks, embarrassed. "I'm fine. It's just...I've never heard that song done on one violin before. That was amazing!"

"Thank you," said Godzilla. He set the violin and bow back on the stand next to a cello. Then he glanced at a clock mounted on the wall. "Wow, it's dinner time already. Where did the day go? Heh...c'mon, I'm hungry."

"What are we having?"

He replied from stairs, "Chicken!"

At dinner, they had a rather animated conversation about music and both agreed that classical was a genre that needed to come back into the mainstream. Miki was so busy talking that when she mentioned G was her favorite singer of all time, she didn't notice that Godzilla nearly choked on a chicken bone. Their chatter continued while they did the dishes. They debated, laughed, threw suds on each other and generally had a great time. It wasn't until Miki got back to her room that she realized how normal it all felt. She'd entirely forgotten about Godzilla's frightening appearance.

It's funny... Miki thought as she waited for perfectsomeone35411 to come online, he doesn't seem like a terrible guy at all. Just scary looking. Is this really the same Godzilla that destroys cities?

Then perfectsomeone35411 came online and Miki hurried to tell him about her day.

.o

It was after midnight when Miki woke up to gnawing hunger pangs. Sometimes her stomach begged for a midnight snack. Miki threw on a white cotton yukata, slid her door open and tip toed past Godzilla's room-only to discover the front door wide open. He was off pillaging Japan for nuclear materials. Cold ocean air blasted through the deep blue rectangle of the door. Occasionally, flashes of light shone from the moon glinting off distant waves. Miki made a face at the chilly air and hurried downstairs to the fridge. Godzilla's refrigerator had practically everything from Beluga caviar to carrot sticks. She decided to make a tuna sandwich and washed it down with some milk.

Miki turned and blinked. The door to the garage was standing ajar. She moved to close it, but froze...Godzilla would think she looked in the room if she shut the door.

Daddy always did say I'm too curious for my own good, Miki scoffed to herself. Against her own better judgment, she felt for a light switch and turned it on. The lights came on with a loud click, revealing Godzilla's recording studio in all its splendor. A CD rom was open, baring a gold tinted compact disc that glinted in the neon lights. It was labeled "DEMO" in red ink. Miki stepped into the booth, pushed the CD into the console and picked up a pair of headphones to listen.

The first thing she heard was a jazzy piano. A soft, understated guitar joined in.

Then G's voice came out.

"Where is that old friend gone?
Lost in a February song.
Tell him it won't be long
'till he opens his eyes...
...opens his eyes..."

Miki put her hands on the headphones and closed her eyes, listening to G's, no, Godzilla's beautiful spun-silk vocals. She couldn't believe it. She never would have guessed!

Suddenly, huge hands grabbed the back of Miki's robe and jerked her upright. The headphones were knocked off her head. She found herself spun around and staring into narrowed white eyes. "G-Godzilla!"

"I told you not to come in here! How much did you hear?"

"Th-the door was open...I didn't mean anything by coming in here! I-I was c-curious!" Choking, she whispered, "G-Godzi-"

"HOW MUCH DID YOU HEAR?"

"I-I..." Miki sobbed, trying ineffectively to break his grip, "I h-heard you sing...just a little bit...b-but I heard you..."

Godzilla bellowed at the top of his lungs. His roar turned the small booth into a clamoring wall of cacophony. He shoved Miki towards the door and his dorsal spines began to crackle. Demonic shadows crossed his hideous face. He bore his huge, sharp teeth and screamed, "GET OUT!"

Terrified, Miki sprinted out of the garage and towards the stairs. "Deal or no deal," she sobbed, "I can't stay with you!" She slammed her bedroom door and immediately started throwing things into a suitcase.

Godzilla stood in the recording studio with a hand over his face. He'd just blown his chances with Miki...all thanks to his temper. He hurried towards the stairs to apologize. "Miki?" he called, "Miki! Wait, I'm sorry!"

But Miki didn't hear him because she was so busy packing her essentials, anything that fit in her smaller suitcase. Then she threw the door open to Godzilla's face on the other side. "AAH! Get away!" Miki pushed her suitcase into his chest. Godzilla had no choice but to step back.

"Miki! Wait! Don't leave! I-I'm sorry!" he protested, holding his hands up.

"MOVE!"

"Miki-" Godzilla grew even more frantic. "I didn't mean it! I lost my temper!"

"Exactly! Next time, you might kill me!" Miki gave him another shove with the luggage bag.

"Come on! Radiation makes me go crazy when I eat it!" he placed himself again in Miki's path. "Miki..."

"Get out of my way!" Miki yelled, thrusting her suitcase into Godzilla's chest as hard as she could. His arms suddenly flailed in the air. She heard him shout something like "help!" or "stop!" which was abruptly followed by the sickening sound of a body crashing down the stairs. The staircase was steep and long, and Godzilla tumbled head over heels for several seconds before landing in a heap at the bottom. The back of his head broke the basement doorknob off with a horrid crunch. He'd come to rest in such a contorted position that Miki wasn't sure if he was still alive.

Miki grabbed her suitcase and waited. Godzilla didn't move. Crimson blood began to collect along the wall behind his head and dribble towards the huge sofa. Upon seeing this, Miki dropped the suitcase and covered her mouth with both hands. Oh, God! What if I killed him? Tears sprang from her eyes and she rushed down the stairs to Godzilla's side. He was still breathing.

Putting her head in her hands, Miki let out another sob. She scrambled into the kitchen for paper towels, dumped ice cubes into a baggie and grabbed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Then she scurried back and straightened his body out a bit. Without thinking, she put Godzilla's head in her lap to examine the wound she inflicted. Not as bad as she thought...but it bled like a stuck pig and looked like someone shoved a golf ball under his skin. Miki wiped up as much of the blood as she could, then poured on the peroxide. The gash sizzled and turned white.

The pain seemed to rouse Godzilla. He moaned. Miki grabbed his shoulders, "Don't move. You're hurt."

"I feel like I fell down the stairs," he mumbled.

"You...did."

"Oh."

She asked, "What's the last thing you remember?"

"You pushing me."

Miki's face flushed. "C'mon, hold this." She put the bagged ice against his head and placed his hand over it. "Now we're going to get up and walk to the couch." He nodded, she slipped his free arm over her shoulders and helped him up. They hobbled together to the couch.

Godzilla flopped down on his back and Miki, exhausted, toppled across his chest. She sat up right away, blushing a little as she pulled him into a sitting position. Godzilla was still too groggy for Miki's liking, so she patted his cheeks until his eyes locked on hers.

"What?" she blinked.

"I can't believe you pushed me down the stairs."

Miki reached around to press the ice pack against his head. "I can't believe I pushed you down the stairs. Oh, Godzilla, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"I deserved it." He stiffened in pain when she hit a tender spot. "I made a huge dick of myself back there."

"I was a jerk for invading your privacy." She stroked his ridged forehead with her thumb, "Let's just call it even, okay?"

"Sure," he replied. His eyes began to look a little more alert.

"By the way," Miki went on, taking her hand off his forehead, "you have an amazing singing voice."

Godzilla's mouth slowly uncurled into a toothy grin. "Thanks."

.o

Far away in Tokyo, Hideo and a few others emerged from an underground Godzilla shelter. Godzilla's rampage on the city had been short, abrupt and totally unexpected. Worse, he seemed to dodge the military's new armor piercing missiles like he'd been warned. Hideo knew exactly why, too, but the generals just laughed at him when he told them that Godzilla had human-like intelligence.

Oh, Miki...and you have to live with that horrible thing! Hideo thought as he walked quietly along the unusually empty street. It was dark and nearly silent, the only sounds being cars passing on the road. Most of the damage was over a mile away. Too close for his liking. I can't imagine what Godzilla must be like in his own home. You're probably miserable, Miki...miserable, alone and afraid...

The light of a passing car caught Hideo's attention. He reached up to wave at the dusty black Mitsubishi. Wagura pulled over and shoved his passenger door open, "Hey, Hideo! Need a lift?"

"Thanks," he climbed in and buckled his seat belt with dirty, trembling hands. Wagura offered him a rag that he used to wipe the grime off his fingers. "There's something about Godzilla that you should know."

"Another one of your crazy stories? Okay." Wagura pulled back onto the road, grinning, "I'm all ears."

Later, Hideo managed to contact a general in charge of the attack on Godzilla. He tried to tell him the same story he told Wagura. The general laughed him out of the building.