Erica

As I set out towards my family home, I found myself overtaken by a sense of twisted familiarity. The immediate area around our settlement had changed, quite drastically, for that matter. To expedite my journey, Willow had used her magic to clear a path for the first few miles, something that I found quite beneficial, and more than a little disturbing. Having a place that had become so familiar change so drastically just felt wrong.

I guess that was a preview for what I was in for at the end.

As the minutes turned into hours, I finally reached the end of the path Willow had prepared. It was nothing but dark forest ahead of me. I realized, standing before this tangled web of trees and vines, that this was my first time traversing our broken world completely alone.

I know my request was foolish. Venturing out with no weapon, no ally, and no quick means of escape would mean almost certain death for anyone who wasn’t me. Fortunately though, I was me, and to be perfectly honest, I’d rather live a little more dangerously than bare this particular part of my soul to the others.

After all, my last visit to this house hadn’t exactly been… pleasant.

Shaking myself free of the memory, I pushed myself forward. Like walking into the jaws of a great beast, I passed the tree line, and was swallowed whole by the woods.

Aoife

There’s nothing quite like the wind on your scales as you soar above the trees. The freedom, the power, it’s exhilarating. One by one, your troubles just slip away until it’s just you and the open sky. That being said, I did have a job to do.

On the far southern border of Willow’s range, a giant camped in the boughs of a massive tree, and it was on me to make contact. Initially, I’d thought the description I had was far too vague. Every tree was massive now, after all, but Willow assured me I’d know it when I saw it.

She was right.

Even though most of the other local trees had grown to well over a hundred feet tall, this one was over double that, easily surpassing two hundred and fifty. I circled around it at a distance, trying to spot the giant among its vibrant green leaves, when I finally spied what I was looking for. A spiral of light gray smoke was rising near the tree’s base, and I could smell…

Meat! The giant was cooking meat!

Without a second thought, I allowed myself to plummet to the ground, flaring my wings at the last moment to turn my dive into a run. It smelled so good! What was it? Would they be willing to share?

I trotted towards the glow of firelight without a care in the world, hissing with pleasure at the beautiful aroma. That’s when a flying telephone pole struck my head with all the force of a car crash.

“For fuck’s sake! I leave for two minutes to take a piss, and some kind of lizard tries to steal my food!” 

A booming voice echoed through the trees, followed by a second telephone pole, this one striking my back. Where the hell? I looked around frantically, scanning the forest for my assailant, but finding nothing.

“Go on, get outta here! Damn thieving lizard!”

Another pole came soaring towards me, but I was ready for it this time, dodging nimbly to the side as the pole smashed into the earth. That’s when it hit me. Willow said the giant lived ‘in the boughs’, not beneath them.

Before another one could be sent my way, I focused hard on my magic, wincing at the sudden spike of pain as I did. Looking up, I saw my target: a thirty foot tall thirty-something with a thick beard, releasing yet another telephone pole spear as time slowed around me. In an instant, I was on the branch next to them, shifting into my hybrid form before time resumed its normal march.

“Hey, take it easy! I just wanna talk!”

The giant turned to me in surprise, falling backwards onto the branch, and causing it to shake violently in the process.

“You’re- you were- how did you-? I’m so sorry I just tried to kill you.”

I gave the giant my warmest smile as I stood on two legs.

“No worries. You aren’t the first.” I shook my head to clear it up. “That really did hurt though. Good thing you couldn’t pierce my scales!”

We just stood there in silence for a moment, neither of us really sure how to continue the conversation. Great job making a first impression, Aoife. Right as the giant opened their mouth to say something, my stomach let out a mighty growl.

“Uhh… So about that meat…”

Erica

I never really liked thanksgiving.

Even without considering the holiday’s regrettable origins, the celebrations themselves almost never went smoothly. I’d never made it a year without some kind of drama between my cousins, or grandparents being homophobic, or parents judging my life choices. The food wasn’t even all that good either. I’m sorry, but turkey’s meant to be eaten on a sandwich or not at all.

My last thanksgiving had to be the worst though.

It was a smaller affair than previous years, just me, my parents, my boyfriend, and my grandfather. The family dog, Lilly, was there too, I suppose. The holiday started out smoothly enough, they always do, but it quickly took a turn. As I was digging into the stuffing my mother had enlisted me to create, she asked the question that ruined it all, one question that set the dominoes in motion.

“So, Erica… you and Caleb have been together for what, two years now?”

I nodded.

“Any thoughts about tying the knot?”

Here we go.

“It’s uh… financially speaking, it’s not really in the cards for us right now. Maybe once we’re both out of college..?”

I trailed off. Caleb took my hand under the table, gently running his thumb across its back. We both knew where this was going.

“Ah well. I guess it can’t be helped. It’s a shame though, I’d love to have some grandkids running around.”

There it was. I was twenty one years old, nowhere near financially stable, and yet she'd still been pushing this shit for almost a year. Not for much longer though, I'd had enough. I couldn't keep letting her push me around.

“Ahaha, about that… I’m actually- I uh…”

Caleb squeezed my hand tight and we locked eyes.

“Do you want me to tell her?”

It was barely a whisper. Hardly anything, but she heard it anyway.

“Tell me what, Erica?”

“I have… an appointment scheduled.” Breathe. “It’s lined up for next month.” Just keep breathing. She can’t stop you. “I’m getting my tubes tied…”

It was silent at the dinner table. Well, mostly silent, grandpa just kept eating. There was a tension in the air though. I could see my mother silently repeating what I’d said, my father giving me an understanding nod, and Caleb, still holding my hand.

Eventually, after several seconds of this agonizing silence, I got my response.

“What?”

“It’s called a tubal ligation. It’s a kind of permanent birth con-”

“I know what it is, Erica.” She cut me off. “I just don’t think that’s the best decision.”

In and out, Erica. In and out.

“I don’t want kids, mom. I never have. This is just peace of mind.”

“And how can you be sure you’ll always feel that way? You’re twenty one, for Christ’s sake. What’ll you do if you change your mind later? What if Caleb wants kids? What then?”

Caleb spoke up before I did.

“Well, I don’t want kids, for starters, and even if I did, that wouldn’t change a thing here. This is Erica’s body we’re talking about, and she should get the final say. I don’t much appreciate you trying to drag me over to your side, by the way.”

“So I just don’t get to have grandkids, is that it? You know, I tried very hard to be understanding about your little ‘bisexual’ thing a few years ago, Erica, but this is pushing things sweetheart.”

Yep. She was so understanding. As long as I only ever talked about the men I found attractive, as long as I kept shoving everything sapphic under the rug, as long as I was only bisexual in theory, rather than in practice.

So accepting.

You know what? Fuck this. 

Fuck breathing, fuck staying calm, fuck her.

“Do you honestly think I haven’t thought about this? Do you honestly believe that I haven’t been questioned about this before? Do you have any idea how many doctors I had to see, how many times I got told no?!? You’re too young! You’ll change your mind when you get a husband! I won’t do it until you’ve already had kids!” I was on my feet now. I’d tried so hard to be civil about this, to be polite, to calmly explain myself, but enough was enough. For years, I’d been pushed and pushed and pushed around. It was only on those fishing trips with Dad, far away from this manipulative control freak of a mother, that I had ever felt like a part of this family. “I am sick and tired of people telling me what I can do with my body. I don’t want kids! I don’t want them! I never have! You’re coming up with all these bullshit excuses about why I shouldn’t do this, when the truth is, the only reason you give a damn is because you want grandkids!”

Caleb was on his feet too, hands on my shoulders, trying his best to support me. Mom shot up as well, and Dad quickly followed suit.

“You are going to regret this, young lady! Don’t come crying to me when you do! I’m the one who carried you, I’m the one who fed you, and I raised you better than this! You suddenly think you're better than that? Better than me?!? It’s because of all that bullshi-”

“Christine!” Dad interrupted her. “That’s enough. She’s made up her mind, and you’re not gonna change it.” He locked eyes with me. “You might wanna go to that hotel you were staying at, Erica. I think we could all use a break.”

I kept a straight face all the way to the car, but the moment I was inside, the dam broke. I started sobbing, loud and messy, and kept it up all the way to the hotel room. It felt like something snapped that day, the last dregs of whatever relationship I had with my mother had gone up in smoke. Somehow I knew, even then, that I’d never see her again.

I was still crying, albeit much more softly, when I got a text.

Padre: Well, I’ve certainly had better thanksgivings.

               I’m sorry about your mother

               I can’t say I understand, but I want you to know I support you

Me:       Thanks dad <3

               I really appreciate that

Padre: Anyways

               Since you’re in town, and dinner tonight ended… like that

               Want to grab some drinks or something tomorrow?

               Just you and me

               And that Caleb guy, I guess

For a moment, quiet laughter broke through my tears

Me:       Sure dad

               I’d like that