Chapter Eight

Zelly vs The Tall Man

In a state of frozen disbelief, Zelly could do nothing but stand, rooted to the spot where she stood, as the eye continued its unnerving examination of her. It felt as though she was trapped in a surreal tableau, a bizarre scenario straight out of her wildest dreams.

“Get out of here! “ she managed to shout, her voice strangled with fear, the heavy rhythm of breathing from outside filling her ears. "I said, GO!”

The colossal figure receded from the window, allowing Zelly a full view of the creature. It was a giant, a being of such dimensions that she had only ever thought existed in the realm of fairy tales and folklore. An enormous man, his stature was astounding, both in height and breadth. His hair, a cascade of golden strands, flowed past his waist, shimmering in the rays of the moon. His eyes held the rich, vibrant hue of emeralds, unblinking and inscrutable. A nose, long and broad, dominated his face, framed by large ears that were the size of stage speakers. His beard, a tangle of blond locks, spilled down to his waist, echoing the wildness of his hair.

Incredulous, Zelly found her voice, her words echoing in the silence of the forest. "Oh, for heaven's sake! What are you? What could you possibly want?" The words rang out, clear and sharp in the night air, her voice reaching a pitch she had never known it could. The giant just stood there, his colossal form casting a shadow that enveloped the treehouse, his expression one of bewilderment and confusion.

And so, in the surreal stillness of that twilight, Zelly found herself locked in a silent standoff with a creature she had never thought she would encounter outside the pages of a fantasy novel. The world, as she knew it, had been irrevocably altered, and she was at the center of it, facing a giant.

In an instant, the tranquil morning was shattered. The giant's fist came crashing through the bedroom window, sending shards of glass flying in all directions. Zelly screamed, her heart pounding in her chest, as she instinctively ducked down, scrambling to the safety of the space under her bed. She squeezed her eyes shut, her mind a whirl of terror as she prayed for divine intervention.

The giant's hand, large, rough with long dirty nails, groped around blindly before finding her hidden refuge, reaching under the bed, and gripping her foot. A cold dread seized her as she felt herself being dragged out from under her refuge, her nails scratching the wooden service of the floor.

"No! No! Leave me alone! Stop!" She cried out in desperation, her voice echoing through the shattered silence of the treehouse. As she was hoisted into the air, her eyes fell upon a broom carelessly discarded on the floor. She seized it, her fingers closing tightly around its handle. "Let me down, you monster!” She yelled, defiance in her voice. As she was lifted higher, she swung the broom with all her might, the bristles connecting with the giant's face. The sudden impact loosened his grip and she tumbled back to the floor, quickly scurrying back under the bed.

The broom’s dust swirled around the giant's face, tickling his nostrils and inducing a powerful sneeze. "Achhuu!" He bellowed, the force of his breath powerful enough to shatter the remaining windows of the treehouse and blow parts of the walls out. A spray of saliva and mucus followed the sneeze, coating Zelly in a disgusting layer.

"Yuck! Eww! Zelly exclaimed, her face twisting in revulsion. She emerged from under the bed once more, broom in hand. With a swift, forceful movement, she snapped the end of the broom off, leaving a jagged, sharp edge.

With a determined glare, she lunged at the giant, stabbing him in the arm with the makeshift weapon, causing him to bleed. The giant roared in pain, the sound echoing through the forest, before turning and fleeing into the depths of the trees.

"That's right, you oversized brute! Don't you dare come back, or else! Bully!” Zelly hollered, her voice echoing through the forest. "Zelly Valentine ain’t taking no shit today, you hear?" Her words, laced with profanity hung in the air, a stark contrast to the silence that followed the giant's departure.

"Did I... Did I just do that?" Zelly muttered to herself, her words tinged with disbelief. She couldn't help the triumphant grin that spread across her face. "Wait till the bullies at school hear about this! I bet they'll think twice before messing with me again!"

The next morning, Zelly woke up with the dawn, her spirits high despite the destruction around her. She prepared her usual mushroom breakfast, fueling herself for the task ahead.

The entire day was spent in repairs - replacing the shattered glass of the windows with sturdy shutters made from tree bark, patching up the gaping holes in the walls, and sweeping the floors until they shone. The shutters not only served to keep the weather out but would also deter the giant's prying eyes.

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It took several days of hard work, but eventually, the treehouse was restored. Zelly took a few steps back, admiring her handiwork. A sense of pride filled her; she had not only faced a giant but had also repaired the damage he had caused.

Still, she knew she couldn't rely on just a broom for protection. With a determined set to her jaw, she set off into the forest. Her goal was to find something she could fashion into a weapon. After a bit of searching, she found a straight tree limb, sturdy and long. She carried it back to the treehouse and used a stone to sharpen one end of it, turning it into a crude spear. Zelly was bone-tired and decided to take a quick nap.

Barely half an hour later, she was jolted awake by a loud crash coming from the kitchen down below. Instantly alert, she grabbed her spear and crept downstairs.

"Is that the giant again? Or some other creature?" she wondered out loud, her heart pounding as she moved cautiously towards the source of the noise.

"Aww, how cute,” she exclaimed, relaxing when she saw the culprit - a baby squirrel perched on the kitchen counter. It had knocked over a pot and was busily nibbling on a nut.

"Hold on...nuts? There are nuts here?" she asked, looking at the squirrel. "Hey, little guy or girl, where did you find that? Can you show me?" Then she laughed at herself. "Zelly, you do realize you're talking to a squirrel, right? Squirrels can't talk back!" she said, rolling her eyes.

Just then, the squirrel darted off, leaping out of the window and disappearing into the forest.

"Hey! Wait up!" Zelly called, rushing out of the treehouse and chasing after the squirrel. After a breathless twenty-minute pursuit, she found herself standing in front of a tree heavy with nuts.

"Nuts! Oh, yes!" she cheered, her joy bouncing off the tress of the forest. While she had been surviving on mushrooms, having the same thing for every meal was getting monotonous.

The discovery of the nut tree was a welcome change. She quickly picked as many nuts as she could, stuffing her pockets and mouth full. She was so excited that she almost choked.

With her pockets full, Zelly began her cautious journey back to her treehouse. She was aware of the whispering pines around her, the malevolent trees that had once tried to attack her. Now they were asleep, their snoring sounds rumbling softly in the distance. She tiptoed carefully, trying not to disturb them, their menacing presence ever on her mind. The sound of her joy faded into the distance, swallowed by the vastness of the forest.

Days passed by as soft as a whisper, each one slipping away like sand through fingers. The sun rose and set, painting the sky with an array of colors that were the only markers of time in this strange new world. Zelly had settled into a rhythm that was as comforting as it was monotonous. The taste of mushrooms and nuts had become as familiar to her as her own name, their flavors ingrained in her memory like the words of an oft-repeated song.

One night, she realized her food supply was dwindling. The urgency gnawed at her stomach as she looked at the scant handful of mushrooms and the depleted pile of nuts. She sighed, mumbling to herself, "Back to The Mushroom Hill then. That's the only way."

Approaching the hill, Zelly felt a sense of trepidation. She had always found the place to be a little eerie, even if it was her primary food source in this world. But this time, something was different. There was a presence, a feeling of something large and powerful. She moved cautiously, eyes peeled for any signs of danger as the sounds of crickets sang around her.

And then she saw it. The dragon.

It was larger than anything she had ever seen, its scales shimmering in hues of emerald and gold, reflecting the moonlight in a dazzling display. Zelly felt a strange mix of awe and fear as she watched it munching on the mushrooms that were her lifeline. She murmured to herself, "I've read about dragons... but this... this is beyond any book."

She watched the creature, studying its movements, trying to understand this magnificent being that stood between her and her sustenance. But then, the dragon turned its head, its gaze locking onto Zelly. A low growl rumbled in its throat, echoing through the air like a warning bell.

Without warning, the dragon spat out a torrent of fire, turning the tranquil hill into a blazing inferno. The flames licked the night sky, turning the peaceful landscape into a picture of chaos. Zelly could only watch in horror as her food source was consumed by the ravenous flames.

With no other choice, Zelly turned on her heels and fled, the heat of the fire scorching her back as she ran. "I need to get out of here!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing amidst the chaos.

She made it back to her treehouse, her heart pounding in her chest and her mind spinning with fear and uncertainty. The loss of her food source weighed heavily on her, the prospect of hunger an unwelcome visitor in her thoughts. The world she was trapped in had just become a lot more unforgiving.

The rest of the night was spent in a haze, the events of the mushroom hill replaying in her mind like a cruel joke.

As tears filled her eyes, threatening to spill, Zelly sat on her porch, her gaze lost in the distance, landing on each of the 10 moons. The whispering pines stood tall and menacing in the twilight, their silent presence a stark reminder of the harsh realities of her situation.

"Tomorrow is another day," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible against the hushed symphony of the night. With a sigh, she retreated into the safety of her bed, hoping that sleep would bring some solace, and perhaps even solutions, to her predicament. But even as she closed her eyes, the image of the dragon and the burning hill was seared into her mind, a stark reminder of the challenges that lay ahead.

[Adventurer Level 3!]

[Survivalist Skills Level 2 Obtained!]

[Courage Points +30!]

[Craftsmanship Level 2 Obtained!]

[Navigation Skills Level 2 Obtained!]

[Stamina Boost +30!]

[Skill - Basic Climbing Level 2]

[Skill - Fear Resistance Level 3]

[Skill - Quick Thinking Level 1 Obtained!]

[Dragon Encounter Bonus: Bravery Points +50!]

"WOW! I really leveled up this time!"