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No One's Listening
…
Strange glowing fish disappeared from Amara's vision as she snapped into consciousness. Idle chatter and the smell of food filled the humid air inside the stone hut. Firelight flickered across the walls, illuminating jars of dark crystals set upon surfaces as if they were lamps.
Next to her, Whyley was sprawled on his stomach, one arm bent under his head, and the other rested on the cold floor between their sleeping bags. Quiet snores escaped his mouth. It was the first time she'd seen him really sleep since they got to the Hollow Earth.
She sat up, rubbing her eyes before cracking her neck. Even if it didn't alleviate the soreness of her body, it was nice to pretend it helped.
Ilene and Nathan bid her good morning while Jia made a gesture that Amara acknowledged with a little wave.
Seated with them were the Iwi twins who were cooking meat on the fire. The sister passed Amara a stone cup and filled it with white liquid from a crystal jug.
It looked a lot like milk. She held it up to her nose and subtly sniffed. Smelled like milk too. Her thoughts wandered back to the woman milking the sheep-like creature. Her gaze then fell back on the meat on the fire.
"I saw them butcher one of those sheep yesterday. They handed out a little bit to the entire village. My guess is it's a special occasion thing," Ilene said before taking a sip of her own milk. "It's not that bad."
Amara nodded and took a small drink. Ilene was right, it definitely had a unique flavor, but the fattiness was welcome after so much dehydrated food.
"Yesterday they gave us an egg for supper. Like one egg, probably from those bird things." Nathan raised his hands for scale. "Must have been twenty pounds, made an ostrich egg look tiny!"
The sister smiled and covered her mouth as if giggling to which her brother shook his head.
As they waited for the meat to finish cooking, Ilene and Jia began trying to communicate with sign language to the brother. Ren watched on, his eyes trailing between the trio gesturing towards each other with a look bordering on disdain. Eventually, his eyes caught hers and he raised a brow.
"Is the military escort waking up anytime soon?"
Amara crossed her arms. "This is the first time he's got to relax since we got here, give him a break."
"'m up," Came Whyley's voice, then a yawn. "If I knew you were so scared Ren, I woulda come over there and held your hand last night."
Ren only rolled his eyes in response, taking the meat now offered to him on a small plate by the brother.
Amara passed Whyley her unfinished milk before passing on a plate to him as well. Also on the plate were the aforementioned berries and mushrooms Ren had warned them about.
Together it made an interesting breakfast. The berries were on the tarte side and the mushrooms had a weird rubbery texture. The meat was very overcooked and was therefore tougher than the mushroom, but overall it was nice to eat fresh food for once.
Everything felt back to normal…almost. Everyone talked while Jia and Ren stayed silent, though Jia was much more involved, signing and reading lips whenever she could.
Finally, the twins left, turning back and giving a very specific small wave before exiting the hut.
"I swear that's them saying we're too noisy," Nathan said as soon as they were out of sight.
"Of course it doesn't! It's clearly goodbye," Ilene countered.
"I saw them do it earlier when we started talking."
"That was different, they had two fingers up for that one. Goodbye uses a thumb as well, didn't you see it?"
"No, I was too busy trying to calculate the degree of their wrists."
Instead of a retort, Ilene pursed her lips and went for a notebook behind her. "Good call, I should make a note of that…"
"So have you guys come up with a plan yet?" Amara asked before anyone started a new topic.
"I thought we already told you," Nathan said. "We learn some of the language and figure out as much as we can about the Hollow Earth and that Godzilla. Then we go from there."
"But won't that take a long time? This is a whole new language."
"We only really need to learn words for one subject. If I can get your guy's help, we can come up with a pool of needed words and vocabulary. Forget studying anything else, we just need to learn about Godzilla and possibly Kong. Jia and I'll worry about the more complex stuff, you guys just focus on learning as many relevant nouns as possible. Godzilla, Kong, crystal, weapon, whatever. Draw pictures if you have to."
"That's still going to take weeks. We don't have that kind of time!"
At this, the others stopped eating and looked at her.
"Nathan has a sprained ankle," Ilene said. "We can't get back to camp any sooner. We have food, water, and shelter thanks to the Iwi's hospitality."
Nathan nodded. "We could probably stay as long as we wanted thanks to Jia and Kong."
Amara looked between them. They really were content just staying here. "You're not worried about the Hollow Earth Godzilla destroying this place?"
Ilene leaned back on her hands. "The Iwi don't seem the least bit concerned, and they would know better than us."
"Kong too," Nathan added.
Amara and Whyley glanced at each other before he spoke.
"But this is another Godzilla. Wouldn't it stand that there would also be a rivalry between it and Kong too?"
Ilene shook her head. "I doubt that Godzilla is threatened by Kong. Or anything for that matter. We haven't heard a roar or felt a footstep since we climbed out of the river. For all we know, it went back to sleep."
Amara resisted the urge to let out a sigh of frustration. They really weren't concerned about Hollow Godzilla at all? Instead, putting all their faith in Kong and the Iwi, neither existing on a scale long enough to have experienced this Godzilla before. Or were they just that much more focused on finding out more about this ancient civilization?
"I don't think it would go back to sleep after waking up like that—professionally speaking from my experience working with our Godzilla, they're known to…wake up in a bad mood if you know what I mean. He—it—could be on its way right now."
"You think it's a male?" Nathan asked. "Or are you making an assumption based on the one other Godzilla in your control group?"
Whyley glared at Nathan. "Monarch wanted a Godzilla expert down here, and when she gives you advice in her field, you ignore it?"
"I don't think it's professional for the military escort to take sides," Ren said lowly.
"Well sorry lieutenant Whyley for not taking Dr. Rey's opinion when I know her job description entails sitting on a beach on a remote island and taking notes whenever Godzilla sneezes. Meanwhile hiding any actual research that would better mankind."
"Mankind doesn't need any more betterment at the cost of the Titans. Yes, Godzilla's radiation heals. It heals endangered marine life, coral reefs, the bumps and scrapes of the people on Yonaguni—"
"Bumps and scraps? It was prolonging life expectancies. People were going into cancer remission without treatment! What could you possibly gain from hiding that information from the world?"
"I have nothing to gain from it! Godzilla's biggest threat since emerging hasn't been Ghidorah, the MUTOs, or even Destroyer. It's humanity! And I will protect him by any means necessary!"
The room was quiet after her outburst. Nathan was frowning, Ilene looked down at her empty plate. Jia had tears in her eyes. Whyley looked ready to yell at the next person who spoke.
"You're just like my father," said Ren. "Defending a radioactive lizard like it's some god. He's just a mindless animal that feels the need to destroy anything that threatens him. He's killed more people than any other Titan, being put down and used as a cure for cancer would be a fitting end."
Before Amara knew what she was doing, Whyley was holding her back and Ren was jumping away. The room was red. Blood pounded in her ears. She grabbed Whyley's arm, about to twist it and felt him flinch.
She froze, but her eyes stayed glued on Ren. "If you ever talk to me like that again, I'll break your nose."
With one last look, she tore past Whyley and out of the stone building.
Just who did these people think they were? Godzilla protected the planet they lived on and all they do is call him stupid and wish him dead. Did they not realize that if Godzilla hadn't come down to the Hollow Earth when he did, they'd all be dead?
"Amara, where are you going?" Whyley called from behind her.
"To find the river."
Whyley caught up to her and fell into step with her brisk pace. She didn't really know where she was going, just following the ever-present draw to water.
"You should have let me wipe that little smirk off his face," she said.
"You and me both, but you know that's a bad idea."
"Every time I try to have a conversation with any of them, it turns into an argument. They all hate me. They all hate Godzilla. And if you keep siding with me, they're going to hate you too."
"Amara, you know that's not true. They just have completely different experiences with Godzilla than we have. They worked with Kong, Kong and Godzilla fought, so naturally they're going to take sides."
"And that's fine, they can be Team Kong or whatever they want, but I swear it's getting worse. They don't want to listen to me. They'd rather listen to Kong and his lackluster senses or the Iwi who probably haven't had to deal with that Godzilla for hundreds or thousands of years."
By now they were in the trees outside of the village. The sound of running water wasn't far off.
"You said Hollow Godzilla is after Kong, right?"
"Yeah. Goji thinks Hollow Godzilla sees Kong as the biggest threat."
"So you don't have to convince everyone."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we can all leave, or we can just get Kong to leave."
They stepped out of the trees onto the bank of the river, though the area was far from secluded. Many Iwi people were filling up jugs with water. Some kids were playing in the river, happily splashing each other.
Amara finally looked up at him. "So we just need to convince Jia that Hollow Godzilla is coming for him."
"Yeah, exactly."
"Whyley, that's genius! Come up with a way to convince her while I go for a swim," Amara said, taking off her shirt.
"Wait—what are you doing?" Whyley's face turned bright red as he hastily averted his gaze.
Amara rolled her eyes, throwing her shirt at him. "Not like I'm getting naked. I've got a sports bra on."
"Everyone's looking now!" Whyley hissed while half-heartedly folding her shirt.
"Yeah because we're noisy foreigners. Now start thinking."
Before Whyley could say another word, she jumped into the water. The coldness pricked at her skin like thousands of tiny needles. Then a rush of overwhelming anxiety hit her.
He is coming. You need to move.
I'm working on it. Do you know how far he is? When he'll get here?
Instead of a response, a feeling etched itself into her mind. Like the invisible compass that led her to Kong, another now pointed back in the direction of Godzilla. A different signature. Similar to Godzilla's, but different enough to be distinguishable. At least unlike the manmade titan, Destroyer, this one was clear.
Hollow Godzilla was in fact, closing in on them. Slowly but surely moving. Unaware of exactly how she could tell, it was a matter of days—if that—before he got to the village.
The sooner you leave, the better.
Even Godzilla's sense of urgency was quickly being dulled by exhaustion. He was fighting to reach her.
I'll leave as soon as I convince the others to.
Leave without them if you must.
I'm not letting them die. Whyley has a plan to get Kong to leave the area so Hollow Godzilla won't attack the village.
You are willing to put Kong at risk for their safety?
There's no other way unless I can convince them, which I can't without sounding like I'm crazy or I know more than I'm letting on.
Do not put yourself at risk, Amara. I cannot protect you so you must be smart. You will put yourself first for our sake.
Don't worry, I'll find a way out of this. I'll get us both out of here.
I know you will. Now go, you need air.
She rose from the water with a gasp.
"Jesus, I was about to jump in! How long can you hold your breath?" Whyley extended an arm.
Amara took it. "About four minutes. Still working on it though," she said between breaths.
Once she was on land, Whyley sat down beside her, handing over her shirt. Most of the Iwi were not so subtly staring. A couple made the "goodbye" or "noisy" gesture before leaving. Huh. It really could have been one or the other.
"Well, what did he say?"
"We only have a couple of days at most. I can feel Hollow Godzilla now, and he's closing in on us." Amara put her shirt on over wet skin and rung out her hair.
Whyley leaned in. "I was thinking…what if we told Jia the truth?"
"Like the truth about me and Uncle Gary?"
He nodded. "She's got her thing like you do. I think she'd keep it a secret. Not to mention she'd understand why you're always fighting with Nathan."
"I don't know. I mean, we don't know if our things are the same. Look at Ling and Ilene, their thing with Queenie is emotionally based. I don't know what level Jia is at. I don't think she has the pain issue and I'm not sure if she's on speaking terms if you know what I mean."
"You're overthinking it, 'Mara. You both have things, that's it. Kong found us in the middle of nowhere in the Hollow Earth, that's enough to prove that it's a big enough thing to be significant."
Amara looked away from his mismatched eyes and let out a sigh. "Can we try convincing her without telling her first? I only want to tell her the truth if it's the only option."
"Sure, I'll shake to that." Whyley put out his hand between them.
Amara rolled her eyes. "I'm not shaking your hand."
When he dropped it and pouted, she leaned over and gave him a hug. "But thank you for being here for me. And stopping me from attacking Ren," she added.
He put an arm around her. "I can't believe I flinched when you grabbed me. Must have PTSD from when you threw me last time."
"Rightly so. You're just lucky I have slightly more control than my big scaley counterpart."
"Slightly," he reiterated.
"Come on, we should go find Jia."
Yet neither of them was quick to let go of the other.
…
They found Jia with a group of kids playing hide and seek in a patch of tall grass where the Iwi kept the large dinosaur birds.
Whyley had been pointing out a saddle on one of the bird creatures when he tripped over a child lying face down in the grass. He had been halfway through apologizing when the child sprang up, spooked the massive bird, and fled, only to trip on another child a few meters away.
"Can you tell her that playing dead in a pasture full of dinosaurs isn't a good idea please?" Amara said when they finally got Jia to come with them to the outer wall.
He relayed the message adding, "Do you want Ilene to worry?"
Jia only batted her eyelashes at him.
"I'm serious," he said while signing.
Whatever she signed back made Whyley scoff.
"What'd she say?"
"She said 'And I'm Jia'."
Amara covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her laugh.
"Don't laugh at her dad joke!" He turned back to Jia and began to sign as he spoke. "We have to talk to you about Kong."
The second Whyley mentioned Kong, Jia's face sobered. She gestured.
"She asked if this is about your argument earlier."
Amara nodded at Jia. "Yeah."
She signed again.
"She knows you think Hollow Godzilla is coming. She wants to know why you think that."
"I think," she began slowly as Whyley translated. "Hollow Godzilla is like our Godzilla. That he'll go after the biggest threat to his territory, which is Kong right now."
"Ilene said that that's not true. That Kong isn't a treat to Hollow Godzilla." Whyley spoke on Jia's behalf. "She says Kong and the Iwi know best."
"We don't know that for sure. There's a chance I'm right and we should be preparing for that chance."
"Ilene told her that they'll be prepared to run at any moment in case Hollow Godzilla comes."
Amara rubbed her temple. Why wouldn't anyone believe her? What had she ever done to be the least credible person on the team? What even was the point of being here?
"So we run while Hollow Godzilla attacks the village? Jia, we have to be proactive! Do you want this whole place to be destroyed?"
"Slow down," Whyley muttered, signing it out.
"All you have to do is send Kong a little ways out of the village, in case Hollow Godzilla is after him. It's—"
"What are you doing?"
All three of them turned to Ilene who was marching up to them.
"Who do you think you are, cornering her like that? You can't convince us that you know better than the people who've lived here for thousands of years, so you'll go after a little girl instead?" Ilene's glare flashed between Amara and Whyley.
"Dr. Andrews, we were only making sure Jia is aware of the situation—"
She cut Whyley off. "Don't you Dr. Andrews me. I know damn well what you two are doing. Whatever issues you have with Nathan and I, you need to keep Jia out of it." She then turned her gaze on Amara. "And if you think you can use Jia's gift to further your own agenda, I will make sure this expedition is the end of your career."
"What agenda? All I'm trying to do is protect us and these villagers from a titan attack!"
Well you should figure out a way of doing that without manipulating a child or threatening violence on one of our pilots." With a final glare, she turned her attention back to Jia who was looking anxiously between them. "We're going," she said while signing.
Jia rushed forward and took Ilene's hand. While Ilene didn't look back, Jia did.
There was fear in her deep brown eyes.
Whyley slumped back against the wall. "Great, now we're on everyone's shit list."
"Maybe Goji is right…" She mumbled. Whyley looked at her. "Maybe we should just leave and save ourselves."
"You mean Uncle Gary."
"Who even cares." Amara leaned against the wall next to Whyley and let herself slide down onto the grass. One of the bird creatures looked over at them. "I could tell them the truth right now and all they'd do is tie me to a chair and call me crazy."
"Maybe you should tell them," Whyley said, sitting down next to her.
"If it were up to you, the whole world would know."
"Yeah, you're probably right. Down here it's just me and Kong." Suddenly he perked up. "Kong knows!"
"Yes, and?" she said when he looked at her.
"Kong knows." He said again. When she still didn't say anything, he punched her shoulder. "Kong will believe you if you tell him Hollow Godzilla is coming."
"How in the hell am I going to tell him—oh my god sign language!"
"Now you got it! Come on!"
This time they got up and went straight to Kong. Seemingly bored of his throne, he sat on the floor. The twins were entertaining him with a choreographed dance that included lots of flips and jumps. Others were also seated, enthralled by the dance.
There was no sign of the others there, which was a relief. Amara and Whyley sat towards the back of the group trying to be as quiet and undisruptive as possible.
"I'm not sure now's a good time," Amara whispered in Whyley's ear.
"I doubt he's ever going to be alone in here. And don't suggest the middle of the night because I'm not risking sneaking out and getting caught by Ilene," he whispered back.
"So how are we going to get his attention?"
"Like you always do."
She pushed his face away from her. Why did he always have to be right? Kong always made a habit of glaring at her whenever he could. Though, the day before he did seem more cordial than usual.
She focused on one of his eyes. Staring into it as if she were staring into his soul. Trying to imagine the invisible thread that led from Kong to Jia and tugging on it.
And it worked.
Kong lifted his eyes from the twins until they landed on her. He grunted, then returned his attention to the performance.
"Do it again!" Whyley said in her ear.
"That was everything I had!" she hissed back.
"Were you channeling your inner scaly counterpart?"
She swallowed. Godzilla felt so far away. So weak in her mind. But his presence was there. The thread, the magnetic force that connected them through time and space that not even thousands of miles of earth itself could truly separate.
No matter how far, if she called loud enough, he would hear.
She focused on his presence in her mind. The part that Kong could sense, the part that made him spite her.
Let me channel your authority. Let me get Kong's attention.
Her head ached as she reached for Godzilla. He was weak so it was up to her to bridge the distance.
This was so much easier in the water.
Still, she concentrated. Her pulse beat against her brain like a drum.
Then, when she opened her eyes and looked at Kong, Godzilla saw him too.
And Kong felt it. Like a pulse of invisible energy, Godzilla made his presence known.
No one else gave any indication of the change in the air. No one else felt it. The feeling of an Alpha Titan asserting its dominance.
"Start singing," she said quietly.
Whyley did as he was told while Kong watched.
"Other Godzilla coming. Leave," he repeated over and over.
Kong stood so abruptly that all the closest Iwi scattered in fear of being crushed. He began to pound his chest, slow at first, then faster until he let out a roar.
Turning from the people, he pushed open the titan-sized door and disappeared into the forest.
Godzilla's presence faded from her mind.
"I can't believe that actually worked!" Now let's get out of here before Ilene finds out we're behind this!"
"Yeah," Amara said, letting Whyley drag her past the crowd of people running towards the door to see where Kong went.
Out of everyone…it was Kong who finally listened.
Hopefully Jia wouldn't be too upset.
…