Wait For Them

I stayed rooted to the spot, heart pounding as the Big Daddy lumbered closer. Its heavy diving suit clanked with each step, the sound reverberating through the narrow hall. The entire torso was covered by a thick metal carapace, dented and scratched from previous fights. The head protruded forward from the upper chest, encased in a hemispherical helmet studded with eight glowing portholes that acted like eyes. On its right arm, just forward of the elbow, was a massive conical drill, its surface stained dark from use.

Beside it skipped the little girl, her bare feet making faint slapping sounds on the grimy floor. She looked… wrong. Her grayish skin had an almost waxy quality, and her eyes glowed yellow. Her dress, once frilly and pastel, was now stained and frayed. Clutched in one of her hands was a large needle—no, an injector—almost as long as her arm, the glass cylinder filled with a red liquid.

She was humming a nursery rhyme.

When they stepped into the room, they saw me and the girl stopped, tilting her head curiously. “Hello,” she said in a singsong voice, her smile too wide, too cheerful. “Are you here to play with Mr. Bubbles and me?”

I froze. My baton suddenly felt like a toy in my hands, utterly useless against the thing standing before me. My throat was dry, my voice barely audible. “Uh... hi.” Smooth, Taylor. Really inspiring confidence.

The Big Daddy groaned, the sound deep and metallic, like steel bending under impossible weight. The drill on its arm spun once, its mechanical whine cutting through the tense silence. Everything in me screamed to run, but the girl just giggled, patting the monster’s thick, armored leg like one might soothe a nervous dog.

“It’s okay, Mr. B. She’s not an angel.” She turned her bright, unnatural eyes on me. “She doesn’t glow.”

I had no idea what to say to that. My swarm shifted restlessly, crawling in the walls and ceiling. The Big Daddy tilted its helmet slightly, as if watching me. The green glow of its portholes lit up the grime on the walls. My voice cracked as I finally managed a weak, “Uh… right. Definitely not an angel.”

The girl giggled, twirling the needle in her tiny hands. “You’re funny. Not like the angels. They sleep so quiet.” The girl suddenly pointed her finger like she was giving a lecture. “But if you hurt Mr. Bubbles, I’ll stick you.”

I tensed at the casual threat. “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” I said quickly, raising my hands in what I hoped was a non-threatening gesture. “I'm... Bug. What’s your name?”

She blinked at me, her smile faltering for a moment. Then she shrugged, as though the question didn’t matter. “I’m me!” she chirped, spinning the needle in her hands.

I took a cautious step forward, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. “Okay, can I ask—”

The Big Daddy groaned, cutting me off. Its drill spun to life again, the sound deafening. Before I could react, it charged, the ground trembling beneath its massive weight. My body moved on instinct, diving to the side just as the drill smashed into the floor where I’d been standing. The **** of the blow sent cracks spider-webbing through the concrete.

What the fuck did I do?

“Mr. Bubbles, no!” the girl shrieked, but the monster wasn’t listening. It turned toward me again, its movements slow but still faster than you would think something so large would be. My bugs were already swarming its helmet, crawling over the glass portholes in waves, but the thing didn’t even flinch.

My heart sank. Its armor was sealed tight. There was no weak point.

The drill spun again, a blur of rusted metal, and I barely managed to roll out of the way. I scrambled to my feet, trying to think as my bugs kept the Big Daddy busy. My bugs couldn’t hurt it. I couldn’t hurt it. But maybe I didn’t need to. My eyes darted to the broken door and the sparking control panel beside it. The exposed wires crackled faintly, the occasional arc of electricity jumping between them. It wasn’t much, but if I could get it to charge…

The Big Daddy turned, slower than before but no less menacing. I had some of my bugs move out of the way of it's sight, just enough for him to see me waving my arms. “Hey, over here! Come on, tin can, is that all you’ve got?”

The Big Daddy charged again, its footsteps thunderous. I waited, my heart hammering in my chest, and then dove out of the way at the last possible second. The monster slammed into the door with a deafening crash, its bulk tearing the control panel apart. Sparks exploded, and electricity danced over its armored body. The Big Daddy groaned one final time, the sound warping into a low, mechanical whine as it collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Silence fell over the hallway, broken only by the faint crackle of electricity. My chest heaved as I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breathing. My bugs swarmed over the Big Daddy, confirming it wasn’t getting back up.

And then I heard it.

Sobbing.

The girl had run over and was kneeling beside the fallen giant, her tiny hands clutching its massive arm. Tears streaked her gray skin, and her glowing eyes were wide. “Mr. Bubbles… wake up… please…” Her voice broke, the words dissolving into quiet, hiccuping sobs as she buried her face against the cold metal.

I took a hesitant step forward, and her head snapped up. Fear and fury burned in her glowing eyes as she clutched the needle like a dagger. “Stay back!” she screamed, her small frame trembling. “You hurt him!”

I froze, hands raised. “I didn’t want to,” I said softly. “I didn’t have a choice.”

She shook her head, tears streaming down her gray cheeks. “You’re a bad person! You’re mean! You’re—” Her voice cracked, and she buried her face against the Big Daddy’s arm.

I stood there, paralyzed, my baton hanging uselessly at my side. What was I supposed to do? Apologize? Defend myself?

The echoes of her sobs filled the broken tunnel, and I felt my chest tighten with something I didn’t want to name. I didn’t know how to fix this. I didn’t know if I _could _fix this.

What kind of fucked up rescue mission was this?

Eventually, I...