Consumed - Chapter 5

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Waking slowly, Glanni blinked his eyes. This wasn’t his apartment… as his eyes adjusted, he realized where he was. Somehow, he ended up back in LazyTown and his mother’s home. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, confused as to how he got there. Almost as if summoned, his mother, Roberta, walked into the bedroom.

“Oh, good, you’re awake!” she sat on the edge of the bed, next to him.

Glanni opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, she spoke once more.

“I grew concerned when I called you and there was no answer, nor any call backs. So, I decided to come find you.”

“How did you get in my apartment?”

“You gave Robbie a key, remember?”

“That little shit…”

“Oh, come on now. Don’t get mad at him. We both wanted to make sure you were alright. Found you passed out in the floor, needle still stuck in your arm. I don’t understand why you do this…”

Glanni huffed, rolling his eyes. “Because.” His mind tried to piece together the events of the prior day. The jewelry store robbery... Ásdís... he leapt up, nearly falling on his face, still woozy from the drugs.

“Where are you trying to head off to in such a hurry?” Roberta asked, grabbing Glanni and setting him right back on the bed.

“I have to get back home.”

“Oh, no you don’t. You’re in no shape to be going anywhere.”

“Mamma, you don’t understand… I have to get back home. I have urgent matters to attend to.”

Roberta looked at him, confused. “Urgent matters? What sorts of urgent matters? I can help if you need me to.”

“N--no. It’s fine, I can take care of it myself. Please, just let me get back home.”

Roberta looked very confused, and slightly suspicious of her eldest son.

“Alright. At least shower before you go. You’ll feel better. I’ll get your clothes.”

Glanni sighed, reluctantly slinking into the bathroom. A shower would just cost him crucial time, but so would any more nagging from his mom. As he stood under the hot water, Glanni’s mind raced with thoughts of Ásdís. He had to get back to her and make sure she was safe. The drugs he had taken made it difficult to focus, but he knew he had to push through the fog in his mind.

After finishing his shower and getting dressed, Glanni made his way to the front door. Roberta followed close behind, studying him closely.

“Are you sure you’re okay to go out like this?”

“I’m fine, Mamma. I just need to take care of something.”

With that, he stepped out of the house and into the bright sunlight. The walk from LazyTown to the hideout was a blur, his mind still foggy from the drugs. When he finally arrived, he fumbled with the key before finally managing to unlock the door.

The hideout was a mess, evidence of the previous night’s events scattered everywhere. Glanni pushed aside the empty bottles and cigarette butts, making his way to the rooftop. Ásdís was still there, and still passed out from her high.

Glanni sat down, thinking of the woman and her baby. He -- without Ásdís' knowledge -- had been stalking her. He knew where the woman lived, and had memorized her daily routine.

Glanni was so far into his addiction, that he had started to believe the baby was Svanhildur -- that Svanhildur hadn't been stillborn, and she had been swapped. He shook his head, trying to push the crazy thoughts out of his mind. He needed to focus on the present and the woman in front of him. Even though Glanni had something he needed to take care of, he wasn't about to let his friend stay alone after the amount of drugs they did. It would be dangerous... foolish even. Slowly, he leaned in and shook Ásdís’ shoulder. At first, she didn’t stir, but after a few more shakes, she finally blinked her eyes open.

“Glanni?” she mumbled, her voice hoarse.

“Yeah, it’s me. You okay?

Ásdís groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “God, I feel like shit.”

“Yeah, me too,” Glanni admitted, rubbing his forehead.

“What happened after the robbery?”

“We got high. Passed out.”

Ásdís looked at him. shaking her head. For fucks sake, we can't keep doing this. We're gonna end up killing ourselves.”

“I know,” he sighed, feeling the weight of his addiction bearing down on him. “But right I have to take care of something first. We can talk about this later.”

Ásdís nodded slowly, still trying to shake off the effects of the drugs.

“I’ll be back soon, just stay here and rest.”

Heading out, Glanni headed towards the woman's home. He knew she'd be sleeping, and the baby would be in its crib a few rooms away. His drug-addled mind was convinced that baby was Svanhildur, and he was going to stop at nothing to get her. As he approached the house, Glanni’s heart raced with anticipation. Since he had been stalking the woman for weeks, and he knew every inch of her house. He slipped into the backyard, silently making his way to the back door. It was unlocked, as he knew it would be.

Glanni crept through the darkened house, his footsteps barely making a sound. He found the baby’s room and slipped inside. The baby was there, sleeping soundly in its crib.

Glanni’s heart raced as he picked up the baby. He held her close, feeling the weight of her tiny body. He had some moments where he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. He was desperate for the feeling of holding his own child.

As he was about to leave, the woman appeared in the doorway. Glanni froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn’t know how to explain himself or what he was doing.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, blocking Glanni's only exit.

"I'm taking my daughter back." he replied, matter-of-factly.

"YOUR daughter?" the woman spat, disgusted. "You're insane. This is my child."

Glanni's mind went into overdrive. He knew he couldn't let her stop him from leaving with the baby. He clutched her tighter, feeling the baby's warmth against his chest.

"You don't understand," he said, his voice trembling. "This is my daughter. She was taken from me at birth, and I've been searching for her ever since. I know it sounds crazy, but please, just let me go."

The woman stood in the doorway, her arms crossed. "I'm not going to just let you take my child!"

Glanni felt a surge of anger rise within him. He couldn't let her keep him from his child. He took a step forward, his eyes blazing.

"You don't understand," he repeated. "This is my daughter, and I'll do whatever it takes to get her back."

Glanni gently placed the infant back in her crib, and then lunged at the woman. The woman let out a scream as Glanni tackled her to the ground, his hands tightening around her neck. He could feel the desperation and fear coursing through his veins as he squeezed harder, not wanting to let go until he had what he came for. The woman gasped for air, her eyes bulging in terror.

Pressing harder on her throat, he could feel her windpipe crush. She quit struggling. Glanni got off of her, returning to the crib. He picked the infant up, and held her close to his chest.

"Pabbi's here, Svana. And no one will ever take you from me again." he slipped out of the house, baby in tow, as the rain began to fall.

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