“I wanted to just make something super clear to you, Jack.”

                “Okay.”

                “I don’t want to do anything to you.”

                “Okay.”

                “You do remember that, right?”

                “Um, yeah.”

                “That I don’t want to have to hurt you.  Tell me you understand that.”

                “I understand.”

                “Understand what, Jack?”

                “That you don’t want to hurt me.”

                She smiles and clears her throat before continuing.

                “Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page.  But, I do need you to remember something else.  I don’t want to do anything, but to make sure everyone here stays happy and in their place, I may have to under the right circumstances.  Like today.”

                “Yes.”

                “I should have done something, Jack.  You deliberately went against my rules and talked back when I’ve specifically said how much I hate it when people do that.  So I should have done something to make you remember that I’m in charge around here.  But I decided not to.  Do you know why, Jack?”

                “No,” I lie.

                “Because I like you.  You’re a good boy.  Most of the time, you do what you’re supposed to.  You listen to me.  And just like I hate being disobeyed, I like it when people listen to me.  So, before I did anything I might…” she says, swiping a hand across her mouth pensively, as if reflecting on the fact that she almost had me in there permanently.  “…regret later, I thought I should just leave you with that little warning I gave you earlier instead of going further.  Does that make sense?”

                “Yes,” I lie again.  I distinctly remember her continuing to threaten to eat me after she nearly drowned me in her saliva, though.  I know damn well, just as much as she does, that the only thing that made sure I’m sitting on her calf right now and not roasting in the pit of her stomach was the fact that I was able to yell enough to snap her out of her little fit of crazy rage.  It wasn’t planned out.  But she doesn’t want me, or the others to know, that she sort of makes up a lot of this as she goes.  She’s smart, but she’s not that smart.  She just has to keep up the face all the time.

                “Good, I’m glad it does,” she answers, and her leg begins to rock very slowly and gradually so that I am able to adjust to the swings by applying different amounts of pressure down onto her skin on either side of me without having to grasp for support.  “But that’s why we’re here, Jack.  I want to remind you that that was JUST a warning.  Next time you do something like that, I may not be as nice and forgiving as I was today.  Do you understand me?”

                “Yes.”

                “Do you?”

                “Yes.”

                “Because I need to make sure we are perfectly clear with one another right now, so there are no misunderstandings ever again.  Why is this, Jack?”

                “What do you mean?” I ask.

                “I mean why do you have to listen to me, Jack?”

                “Because something bad will happen to me if I don’t,” I say, picking the shortest and most neutral explanation of it that I can.  I don’t want to sound totally content with it, but I also don’t want to sound defiant.

                “Mmmm…” she sighs, squinting a little at me.  “More than that.  I told you about it earlier, but maybe you don’t remember because…” she does a low little giggle, “…you were about to slide down my throat like a little fish, but I reminded you and everyone about it.  What is it?”

                “Umm…” I say, trying to get at what she’s wanting.

                “You belong to me, Jack.  That’s what you have to remember.”

                “Okay.”

                “Say it back, Jack.”

                “Why?” I ask.  I know this is testing the waters, but it really does pain me to have to think about this kind of thing.

                “Because I said so, Jack.  And because you DO belong to me.  You are mine.  Everything about you is mine.  Your puny little body.  Your clothes.  Your thoughts.  Your LIFE,” she says, her voice going low again.  “And if I want to eat it, that’s my choice.  Not yours.  Now say it,” she hisses.

                She seems dangerously close to descending into that “mode” again, so I decide to cut my losses and just spit it out.

                “Okay… I… belong to you…” I say, the words stinging my throat.

                She nods approvingly.  “That’s better.  So tell me, my little guy…” she begins.  Her hand shoots forward.  I lean back instinctively, but instead of grabbing me her fingers grapple onto the edge of her calf and begin to rub it.  “…have we learned a little lesson today?”

                “Yes,” I say, nodding, hoping to get this over with.

                “Now…” she says.  “I did want to talk to you about something else…”