In just three beats of a heart, the gray creature holding Bun had grown into a towering monstrosity, so much so that Bun wondered, of all things to wonder at a time like this:

How has the tip of its head not grown up to such a height as to graze the ceiling? If there is a ceiling down here, in the dark depths of Shandapidoor, this land where thoughts go to die.

Bun was right, on both counts, to wonder. For one thing, the gray creature had grown at first as tall as any man-made building, then as tall as the tallest Min La tree, then at last even as tall as Mt. Circlet, the tallest mountain in all the world, the bleary, snow-capped peak of which no mortal has ever climbed both ways.

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The enormous gray giant clutched Bun in its fist, brought him up to its face, and shook. Bun expected it to scream into his face, or perhaps to scarf him down like a snack. But the monster only shook.

As soon as the shock of that fear faded, a new terror surfaced: Bun realized he was countless meters up in the air.

He promptly vomited all over the giant’s knuckles.

Twice more, he wretched loudly, but nothing came out. When he looked down, he saw something strange down there, far below him in the darkness. It was a faint yellow glow.