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Patton didn’t know what to do. He had never expected this to go so wrong. In all the fairytales, Jack had climbed the beanstalk just fine. He came down rich and the mean old giants never caught him.
Unfortunately, Patton did not share the same fate. The moment he climbed to the top of that great stalk, it was as if the giants were waiting for him. The rest was a blur, hands and jars and wide peering eyes. Now Patton sat in an ornamental birdcage, dangling in front of the kitchen window. He no longer feared that the giants would add him to the pot being stirred on the stove, but that didn’t mean the sight of Roman cooking put him at ease. Still, at least Roman left him alone. The Giant kept to himself, humming a tune unfamiliar to Patton as he chopped up some vegetables.
Patton gazed out the window, watching as the snow drifted slowly to the ground. Up here the flakes were as large as his fingers. He distantly wondered if it was snowing down on Earth yet. Would Ma have been able to prepare for the cold season all on her own? Patton had been gone an awful long time by now. He had lost count of the days, and sometimes he even forgot there was a time when he was amongst people his own size.
“Songbird, what’s wrong?” Patton blinked, realizing he was being addressed. He turned to see that Roman was looking over in his direction. “It’s just snow, it won’t hurt you.”
“Oh, ah I’ve seen snow before.” Patton informed him. It seemed the giants often thought he didn’t know about things. “I’m just…” Patton let his sentence trail off, looking back to the window. What was going on? Why was he feeling this way again?
“Sing with me, songbird.” Roman suggested, coming closer with a smile. “You’ll feel better.” He began humming that same tune.
“I don’t know that song.” Patton shook his head, pulling his knees up to his chest. He appreciated that Roman was trying to make him feel better, Patton had always loved singing, but right now it just felt...wrong.
“Well, then could you sing me a song?” Roman suggested. “Please?”
Patton paused. He didn’t think he wanted to sing, but as soon as Roman made that suggestion a certain tune had resurfaced in his memory. A lullaby his Ma had taught him when he was young.
“Okay.” Patton gave a shaky nod. His voice started off soft, almost scared, but with an encouraging nod from Roman his volume increased. It wasn’t exactly a happy song, telling the story of a child getting separated from their parents by fae and the mother searching far and wide for the rest of their life.
Patton began to picture himself in the child’s shoes, his mother running across the fields calling his name over and over again. Was she the one who cut down the beanstalk? Patton had seen it disappear from the garden a while ago. His Ma had no idea what he’d done. Patton had told no one where he was going, and now he would never see them again.
Patton sniffed, bringing the song to an early close so he could wipe at his eyes. He wasn’t sure when he had begun crying.
“Uh…” Roman looked uneasy, given the fact that singing had had the opposite intended effect. “Songbird, how about we try a…. happier melody?”
Patton shook his head. “I don’t know any.”