Godzilla Lives!
A Godzilla fanfiction by Travis J. DeSantis
Chapter Twelve
Miki screamed.
The young woman sat bolt upright, her hands and eyes casting about in the darkness. Finally, reason kicked in. She was back in her apartment, safe in bed. There was no lava, no explosions, no...Godzilla. It was just a nightmare. Just a horrible, dreadful nightmare.
But then, why was she sweating so much? Miki was breathing heavily and the too-big tee-shirt she wore as a night gown was totally soaked through. She peeled off the wet garment and tossed it aside, then sat with her legs curled up under her chin.
Her bedroom window was open; the chirping of cicadas and the dull roar of Tokyo's nightlife could be heard from her sixth floor apartment. A warm summer breeze wafted in through the window and wrapped around Miki's slight frame, soothing the chill that ran under her skin.
Memories of the past day's events were returning to her now. She vividly remembered the eruption of Mount Mihara and the return of Godzilla. Even now, Miki could still hear the beast's terrible roar echoing in her ears. And in her mind, the psychic felt the scars of his mental contact. Miki didn't expect a monster to have such a tremendous presence. The paralyzing terror she was exposed to yesterday remained. It was buried, forced down, locked away. But every now and then, Miki felt a pang of that frightening, exhilarating sensation.
Though she had overcome him in that conflict, the woman could not shake the feeling of being dominated by Godzilla's mind. To be so totally wrapped in another's presence, it was an experience very much akin to making love. Miki had almost forgotten what it was like, but the comparison was disturbingly accurate. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it. She felt like swooning and retching at the same time.
For the remainder of the night, Miki lay in a fetal position on top of the covers, eyes staring blankly into the darkness. The same scenes played over and over in her head. She kept asking herself the same questions. Why now? Why me? The young woman always knew she had these powers for a reason. To feel the lurking darkness in her thoughts, was that her purpose? Were her 'gifts' not that, but instead a curse?
There was a knock at the door, causing Miki to jump. The sound was sharp and hollow in the quiet apartment, seeming even more so due to her languor. She buried her face in the pillow, willing the visitor to go away, but the knocks persisted.
As much as she wanted to disappear today, Miki resigned herself to the task of answering the door. She threw on some pajama pants and a robe, then shuffled across the cold wooden floor in her slippers.
"Yes?" Miki mumbled, cracking the door open a bit to peek at her visitor.
"Well?" asked a familiar voice. "Should I stand out here all day?"
"Oh, I'm sorry," the younger woman apologized, letting her partner walk in.
Asuka Okouchi entered the apartment and set down some groceries on the kitchenette counter. "I noticed you were running low, I hope you don't mind," she said. The older woman was acting very fussy and scrutinized Miki with a motherly eye. "All things considered, you seem to be all right."
"I feel like a train wreck," Miki sighed, leaning against the door.
"Don't you mean 'natural disaster'?" Asuka asked, laughing mirthlessly. "Ha, sorry. This really isn't the time for jokes. You went through a terrible ordeal yesterday, Miki. I'm surprised you're up and about already." Asuka trailed off and she seemed to be actively avoiding the other woman's eyes.
Miki experienced a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and promptly sat down on the apartment's old, ragged couch. "Asuka, you know I don't need my powers to tell you're hiding something from me. What is it? Please don't tell me..."
"No, it's nothing like that. You really did drive off Godzilla." Asuka sat next to Miki. "The UN's Godzilla Countermeasures Center is holding an emergency meeting today. But you were still unconscious when those scientist guys brought you in. They started babbling about what happened to anyone who'd listen. Even G-Force's fancy new weapon couldn't accomplish what you did. So naturally, they demanded you show up."
Miki groaned and slumped on the couch. "I knew I should have stayed in bed."
"You and me both. Anyway, I demanded you have enough time to rest. At home, not one of those creepy military hospitals. I thought you'd want some time to relax before having to relive that madness in front of a crowd. But now that you're awake, you'll be expected to attend."
"So when is this meeting?"
*Knock knock*
