12. The Man in the Boots

The rest of the week passed by slowly and I was more than aggravated by it. My friends were all on edge every time they came within a hundred feet of me; even Dylan was bad about it. Sam pretended the fiasco didn't happen, for now I was fine with him not believing me. What as I was happy about though was that all of my friends, sans Dyl, were pretending that the other day didn't happen so everything was going back to normal.

And that definitely put a damper on my still new relationship with Anna.

Dylan was being a huge help though. With my tolerance getting thinner by the day I was close to snapping on everyone all too often. Thankfully he was there to help calm me down and make sure that I didn't kill anyone. He also warned me every time my eyes changed, which also happened a lot. What we found was that it seemed to be based on my mood.

On the other hand he was also insanely obnoxious now that he knew the truth, err most of the truth. All he wanted to do was ask me questions about what I could and couldn't do. And in all honesty since I had no clue what the extent of my abilities were I couldn't really answer him. Plus it was all he wanted to talk about as if I wasn't a normal person anymore. And well I wasn't but that wasn't the point. Weird Halfling thing or not I was still Matt.

Ms. Tall tried to get my attention a few times, but now I was ignoring her. I had no clue what to say to her and even if I did I needed some space. Right now I didn't need any more half-ass answers from her. It was time to figure this out myself.

And that was why I was standing in the middle of the woods with Dylan. We're spending our Saturday figuring out what the hell I can do and maybe give me some answers. Personally I would rather spend it with Anna. But she and Lindsey were on some shopping spree together. And Sam said he had some family obligation. Or that was what he said; it may be so he could put distance between us.

No matter the reason it did allow Dylan and me to use the time for research purposes. Well that was what he called it, I called it torture Matt time.

"Come on you can do more than that," Dylan yells and ties a bigger rock around my ankle before blowing his whistle signaling me to run some more. He was trying to test my endurance, strength, and speed all in one. After he tied a bigger rock onto me I ripped it off and threw it.

"Dude this is getting to be a little bit insane."

"Come on we've gotten a lot of information."
"You mean watching me in pain?"

He nods, "Basically."

I groan, "Well at least I'm not doing this with a rock half my weight and in the water with no air and only one way out."
"What the hell?"

"Um I don't know," I admit.

"Seriously you've been saying a lot of weird things lately, even more than this Halfling this probably entails. It's like you're talking about another life."

"Um, err," I stumble not sure what to say

"What are you keeping from me?"

"I have a secret identity. You see me as Clark Kent but you have yet to see my Superman."

"I don't know you're more of a Bruce Wayne to me."

We both snort, knowing all too well that the superhero thing was a lie but I didn't want to talk about it. After that he has me run some more laps. About an hour later I was sweating my ass off. I had run about fifteen miles and even jumped from tree stems through half the forest.

Overall I felt as if my muscles had turned to jello and I could barely move. Even worse was that my pain caused Dylan entertainment. I feel my eyes change and take deep breaths to calm myself down.

Five minutes of a break later I'm testing to see if I have any mind powers. First I stare at an object and will it to move…it doesn't. Then I focus on Dylan and try to read his mind…fail once again. I cannot set things on fire or teleport either. And apparently I cannot shape shift either. Well we're pretty sure I can't do any of these things. There was only so much we could do.

And even though I was just staring intensely at stuff it still made my head hurt. Groaning in agony Madame Octa appears on my shoulder. Arachnophobic Dylan must not see her since he doesn't comment. Damn I wish she wouldn't do that and just appear to everyone. It's a bit weird to see her when no one else can,

Suddenly Dylan jumps back, "When did she get here?"

I frown, "She's been here."

"No she appeared out of thin air."

Right she was invisible, but why did she appear to him the second I thought it. Ms. Tall did seem to be able to communicate with her. I send my thoughts out to her, Can you hear me? She nods and suddenly I remember the flute incident a few weeks back Stand on one leg. To my surprise she obliges.

"What's she doing?" Dylan wrinkles his nose.

"Apparently I can control her and communicate telepathically with her," I say with bewilderment.

""Seriously what are you?"

I sigh, "I wish I knew. Can we be done for the day now Vanez."

"Who's Vanez?"

"Again I have no idea." I laugh and he joins in. Ugh why the hell do I have to have these memories that I can't understand. In the end he allows me to take a break.

By now we were both starving so we head out to downtown, not that it was really big or anything. He was craving tacos and I wanted a steak again. But since there wasn't really any steakhouses open for lunch I settled with Mexican. Anything sounded okay as long as it wasn't soup even though the reason was also foreign to me.

Once lunch was over we went back to the forest and began to test me some more. Obviously the only nonphysical ability I has was to control and talk to a spider. And as I can tell that isn't going to help me defeat any weird purple people. Although it may help if it was like a dragon or a herd of spiders.

Dylan was still convinced that I could do something more so I spent another hour staring at him and was now trying to make him move. Obviously it didn't work and I was just getting fed up with him.

This was getting redundant and making me feel like crap. "Dyl can we please just stop?"

"Did Michael Jordan stop when he didn't make the high school team?"

"Um I suck at basketball that's why I went out for wrestling," I remind him.

He snorts, "I'd bet that now you'd be the best on the team. But okay did Joe Montana ever stop practicing? Or did Brett Favre quit after all of his seasons or did he keep playing even though he didn't necessarily win all of those super bowl rings he may deserve?"

I had to admit he did have me there by naming the two quarterbacks I idolize most as one myself. And when he put it that way he did have a point. But seriously I had been at this for hours, "One more sprint through the woods and that's it."

"Maybe," he concedes and I roll my eyes. Dylan was making the worst trainer ever.

Regardless I started to jog through the woods anyway. I had already done this multiple times but I hope if I made it back fast enough then I wouldn't have to do anything else. Because a Halfling thing or not I still obviously got tired. Halfway through the run I have to stop and grab my stomach in pain as I hear it rumble and I bend down to grab it,

Throughout all of this training I had notice myself getting hungrier and hungrier and weaker and weaker. And of course my lunch didn't even hit the spot. Now running through the woods even more it's getting worse and worse, thus why I stop.

A strange thumping comes from a tree behind me and without consciously aware of my actions I start stalking over there. And yes stalked, not just walked like a normal person. The closer I got to the sound the more out of it I got. Before I knew it a squirrel was standing on a branch above me.

My next move surprises me and suddenly I grab the animal with speed I didn't know I possessed. With a crunch I wring its neck and take my fingernails and nick it to create a small opening. Suddenly I realize what I'm doing and scream in fear of myself. Why the hell would I kill an animal? Backing away from the tree with trepidation my stomach rumbles in protest but I manage to ignore it.

The wind blows around me and where there was nothing a second ago is now a short and fat man with yellow rain boots and round spectacles. It was the man who threatened me in my dream. An involuntary shudder shakes me and I see him smile.

"Hello Matt, quite a pity you didn't finish that. It would have set my plans in motion a bit faster although I must agree with your taste. Small critters are for the unrefined tongue. I prefer the mellifluousness of the young myself."

The thought of him eating children doesn't strike me as odd but it scares me nonetheless.

Before I can ask him anything I hear the crunching of leaves and Dylan runs up to my side. "Why'd you scream Matt?" Before I can answer he looks across from me and sees the strange man, "Um who are you."

"So glad you asked Dylan Williams so of Martha and David, boyfriend of Lindsey Jacobson unlike your friend here you seem to have some manners. My name is Desmond Tiny although most call me Mr. Tiny or if you're lucky Des."

I think about this for a second. Desmond Tiny…Des Tiny, "Destiny," I whisper and he claps.

"Ah Master Nash you're smarter than even I could foretell. Now Matthew what is it that you know?"

"I prefer Matt."

"Of course, I apologize Matt, although we both know that isn't exactly what you would prefer to be called."

Dylan gives the two of us a weird look and I groan; now I'll have to explain the other parts to him. "You appeared in my dream."

He nods in agreement, "That I did but that insolent Crepsley was not meant to interfere as much as he did." His anger rises and he squeezes the heart shaped pocket watch making the two of our chests hurt. "If I could castigate him for that I would, but of course he is out of my reach. Your friend here I am able to hurt though." He squeezes It again and Dylan drops to the floor and screams in agony.

"Don't you dare hurt anyone I care about," I growl and feel my eyes swirl in fury.

"Apparently the stories about you have been true."

My fists clench in anger and even though it seems pointless to engage in a fight with this godlike creature. Dylan steps in front of me "Leave us alone you bastard."

He clucks his tongue, "Nuh uh Mr. Williams you don't want to mess with one like me who can change anything in a heartbeat. You wouldn't want your family to get hurt now would you? Human lives are much more fragile than you could ever imagine."

Dylan steps forward to hit him and I growl, "Dyl back down." He doesn't listen and this time I feel my eyes erupt in a molten silver color, "I said stand back."

As if I was controlling his mind he steps back and I can tell my eyes are now just red and black and swirling.

The fat man smiles, "It seems my minions were more than correct about your power Matthew. You are much more powerful than anyone could have anticipated."

"You're controlling the purple eyed creatures?"

He laughs, "Of course I am my child, who else would."

"Why?"

"Right," he chuckles. "I almost forgot that you know next to nothing. You don't even know what you truly are."

"A Halfling."

"But what is that?" For this I have no answer.

"Matt maybe we should leave," Dylan says slowly.

I glare at him and my eyes blaze, "Stay where you are and be quiet."

He tries to move and can't. "Maybe this will be harder than I imagined," Mr. Tiny muses. "Are you positive you are on the same side as last time?"

"How would I know? I don't even know what I was on last time. I don't know what a Halfling is and I don't know anything unless maybe you give me some answers."

"Sorry Matthew it's not the time for answers as of yet."

"It doesn't matter anyway I wouldn't pick any side where people kidnap and try to kill me."

"Well," he sighs, "they weren't meant to hurt you. All they were instructed to do was bring you to me but apparently their other true leader told them differently."

I store the information about there being two leaders and finish my earlier statement, "And either way I would never join any side with you on it. I may not remember much but from what I do know from seeing you you're evil, manipulative, and conniving. I would never work with someone like that."

He clucks his tongue again which I figure is something he does a lot, "Well then I bid you farewell for now," he frowns and disappears the same way he came.

I turn towards Dylan who is still frozen and sigh, "You can move and I guess you're right about me having more powers."

His face contorts between a mixture of irritation, confusion, and anger, "Don't you fucking dare control my mind again."

"I'll try but I can't promise anything saying that I don't exactly know how to do it."

"On the bright side you're eyes are green again. But what the hell have you been keeping from me?"

I take a deep breath and tell him the entire story this time including the past lives yet skipping the blood.