#doomau

Her mom was so brave, and smart! And always found new coloring books and goodies. Before Heather’s mom left this last time, she had said they could leave the basement bunker soon. 

Mom had told Heather all about the boat she found and that still ran. She was so excited to go on the boat, Heather sort of remembered being on boats when her dad was still with her and Mom. It was before the monsters came, Heather missed her dad.

Heather missed her mom too.

Mom had been gone for days now, and Heather was trying really hard to save the soup cans that were her mom’s favorite. The girl had already eaten the pre-made meals her mom had left. Before she could open a tuna can and try to figure out how to make the yummmy tuna can noodle thing her mom would make, she felt the odd vibrations that meant that the Monsters were moving about. 

Heather had climbed on the chair, then onto the big dresser so she could reach the window. Heather had to be really slow as she peeked first, then climbed under the curtains, making sure it covered most of her head until she got used to the light outside. That’s when she saw the big thing.

It was a really Big Thing! 

She could see it… him? Him from all the way down the hill. She could not tell if he was making those odd vibrations like the Monsters did. Though the girl could tell that this new big thing did not like the monsters, or he did?

It almost looked like this strange armored big person was playing with the monsters at the distance. This was puzzling enough that Heather braced on the wall, so she could stay in spot better, though not lifting her head farther. Just watching as the Big One started uphill after one of the ‘smaller’ Monsters.

Were they playing chase?

The Big thing with the green and tan armor launched at the smaller monsters, tackling two and wrapping his arms around them. The monsters vanished into a swath of glowing, almost glittering stuff! 

That was cool! 

It was also really impressive when a bigger monster tackled this new big thing and they rolled onto one of the cars out there. Heather tilted her head and watched with wide eyes as part of the car- not the one her mom hid behind the building. 

Was her mom scared to come back because the monsters were playing with this new thing? Heather would be scared of being out there too, but then again, her mom could hear the monsters coming. 

Heather gasped as teh two rolled onto the yard of the building the bunker was under. Saw them wrestling and rolling over one after the other. Breaking apart and then launching back into the weird wrestling-tag game of theirs. But at one point the girl realized a big seeming difference between the new thing and the Monsters. 

Other than the new thing being the only one in full armor, he had a tail! 

It looked part metal, and Heather wondered if it… he… had lost part of the tail? Needed a new tail? Tails were important to animals she knew, was it just important to this person to keep balance?

Heather ducked down and looked behind her, not for the first time wondering why she could not have a tail like the cats or something pretty like with birds-? 

There was a massive thud and it had Heather yipping a bit and looking back up at the window. Brown eyes widening as she looked up through the window to see her reflection in the silver of this new person’s helmet. Heather reflexively ducked a bit from her nose just over the window still to just her eyes. 

Did the monster throw the big thing?

There was dirt up against the window and Heather gasped as the helmet tilted, and then who was inside seemed to focus on her. She was just able to see the basic outline of features of a face that was more human like then any of the monsters. There was a reflection of green, or so it seemed like under the visor. The girl watched as a just massive hand lifted- he was so much bigger then she had thought until right up close like this. 

He took up the whole window.

For a moment, a big hand lifted and touched the window that Heather was peering out of. Touching the glass between them and Heather reached up to touch the spot and then tapped the glass over one of the big finger pads. Two thick digits seemed as big if not bigger than her hand.

Then that bigger Monster was back, it seemed a lot more mad up close as its teeth sank into this bigger new person's shoulder and Heather yipped in fright. Just as she was dropping down she saw the Monster see her and she whined as she scrambled to climb down while the whole wall of the bunker seemed to vibrate and shiver.

Had Heather made the monster mad by distracting the big person from that weird game they were playing? 

She climbed down to the ground, almost missing the demonic arm reaching through the broken window. Just seeing the claws skimming close to her shoulder before it was jerked back and out. 

Heather grabbed the stuffed Easter bunny her mom gave her before all the monsters came. Running to the other side of the basement bunker and climbing under the big thick table that was in front of the cubby in the wall that her mom made for her. This was where Heather was supposed to hide if any of the monsters outside saw her.

Heather closed her eyes and pushed her face into her old easter bunny. Trying to use it to help control her breathing. She had to be quiet, no squeaking and had to make sure she did not feel herself making any sounds. 

Even when her legs twitched and tingled from being curled up in the hidey-hole. Even if it got cold, she had to be quiet and still, feeling the vibrations from above come and go until it did get cold from the broken window and Heather worried if she could fix it somehow. The bunker was supposed to be safe because the monsters could not smell them in here?

…right?

…could Heather stuff a blanket into the broken window once the monsters moved on if they got distracted?

It took a little longer than normal in this weird spot to recognize a certain vibration. The bunker door opening.

Was her mom back?

Heather stayed in her spot as something was off about the vibrations felt… odd. Not bad but still so odd that it confused her. When she was confused she was supposed to stay still and hide, or play dead.

If she was not so stiff and somewhat cramped Heather might have jumped as she felt the bigger vibrations then finally saw the big, metal foot being carefully placed. The air seemed to vibrate in that odd way it did with the invading monsters but… different. Not prickling a warning about something, like the all of you could be lost if those monsters found you. This was…

Rumble-y. 

It felt like what rock slides seemed like they should sound like. Like the earth was grumbling at you but not mad at you… like the vibration the big crocodile mommas were supposed to make? She could feel it in her chest and behind her ears. It made Heather wonder if this was what sound was like?

It was not dark in the bunker, but not as bright as outside. She could see the green armor of the big new person, and as they…he? He was lowering himself down and rested one of those massive hands on the ground. The basement bunker was so big normally, but now seemed like it was almost as cramped to this Big Thing as the hidey-hole was to her.

It took a moment and Heather realized the tan was not the color of his armor but dirt or clay from outside. It looked like it had been scrapped off mostly before he came into the bunker. There was another hand bracing on the ground that Heather could see from her spot and she tilted her head, surprised again that this bigger-big person seemed even bigger then before at the window.

She could see the main body of him as he seemed to be moving slowly through the bunker. He was moving to the bed away from the two windows, where Heather and her mom slept. The girl watched what she could, taking note of the slow, almost gentle movement from her point of view near the floor.

Movement had the girl’s attention. She blinked before remembering that this bigger-big person had a tail! …monsters outside did not have tails, did that mean this was one of those safe people her mom talked about finding?

…had he already found her mom and got her safe?

Could Heather ask if he could find her mom if the safe people had not?

The tail slid closer to her then swayed away, then slowly back, as if feeling where the table was and the underside of it. Heather was not really sure how or why, but she let go of her easter bunny and reached. Her fingers brushed against the metal tail, and it froze midair. 

There was that low, rumbly feeling again before the bigger-big person slowly lowered and turned. Looking back, and then keeping the tail still before lowering it as if to press against her hand then forearm. Then he lowered even more and Heather saw the helmet tilting to look back and then moving back and forth as if they were not sure she was there.

Was her hiding spot that good?

Heather pulled her hand back from the tail and gave a small wave, still staying quiet as this stranger started to turn around. Her hidey-hole mush be really good after all, he was acting like he was not sure she was there. Even sitting back before the helmet was taken off and set down on the ground. Then this Bigger than big person was backing up and lowering himself onto the ground to look under the table.

There was green before, large, piercing green eyes that scanned under the table before settling on her. Heather tilted her head, watched as this new person did the same, both just as confused as the other at what they saw. This bigger then big person seemed human, or human ish?

Those green eyes seemed to almost glow, watching her as intently back. Studying the girl as much as she was him. There was just something a little… off about him? Not really wrong though but Heather could not place it. His face did not look like the monsters, nor like he was mad at her.

Heather gave another little wave around her easter bunny again. She looked around and back, then she watched as one massive hand- again it seemed a lot bigger than by the window, it slid forward. Under the table and towards her, Heather watched the big gloved hand until it stopped just shy of the hidey-hole. Then inched closer for two digits to touch her arm and curled up knees. 

The hand was… warm, and Heather found herself focusing on those massive digits before reaching over and touching the thick… thick…

Claw?

Bigger than big, he had a tail, claws and glowing eyes?

Was… this not a human after all and one of those… the… what were they called? Heather remembered her mom trying to come up with a sign. Mountain man? Man of mountain? Mountain guard?

He definitely seemed as big as a mountain.

Those big claws were not hurting her, the big hand that was still edging closer was not snatching or grabbing but slid around her. Heather squeaked finally, saw the other finally blink before she was pulled out of the hidey-hole and then out from the table. This massive mountain of… big was moving, not dropping the girl as he sat back and upright. Both hands coming up and wrapping around Heather under her arms, holding her up between them and blinking slowly.

Wide brown eyes blinked back, the girl never looking away at first. Though looked really confused as this mountain person slowly brought her closer to and sniffed. He sniffed her? Her head and shoulder were definitely sniffed.

Heather tilted her head, and offered her easter bunny to the strange person for inspection next. It was the only thing she could think of doing. He could not have her easter bunny, but if he wanted he could sniff that too.

Those almost glowing green eyes did not seem as harsh as they did at first. The bigger than big man sniffed at the stuffed toy before shifting his hold. Heather was lowered into his lap and she looked around puzzled until one hand let go to awkwardly pat her hair and back. Heather shifted and still holding her easter bunny grabbed the other hand before it could leave. Just holding onto the top finger and then hid her face against his hand. She missed her mom, and all the hugs her mom would give Heather.