Chapter Ten

Giant

Bathed in the soft, dappled light that filtered down through the dense canopy of leaves, Zelly stood, arrested by the familiar tremors that vibrated beneath her. The familiar rhythm pulsated through the ground, causing the window panes to clatter in their frames and the wooden floorboards beneath her to shudder. It was a rhythm she had come to recognize well—the rhythmic thumping of the giant's steps. Even Mister Nuts had hidden himself behind the pillow that lay on the bed.

Zelly moved closer to the window, pressing her palms flat against the cool glass as she peered out into the forest. The towering figure of the giant was already receding, his monstrous form weaving through the dense undergrowth of the forest with surprising agility. He was soaked through, droplets of water cascading down his mossy skin, and slung across his broad back was a net brimming with the silver glint of fish.

"Fish?" Zelly muttered to herself, her forehead creasing in confusion. The memory of her boating misadventure flashed in her mind - the expanse of water she had navigated had been devoid of any fish, only inhabited by the enchanting Blue Aqua Fairies of The Sea and the formidable sea monster. The giant must have a hidden haven where he sourced these fish. She needed to uncover his secret.

Zelly glanced at Mister Nuts, the squirrel, now settled comfortably on the wooden perch by the window, his beady eyes following the giant's departure. "Do you know where he gets the fish?" she asked, her voice hopeful. A chuckle bubbled up from her throat as she realized her absurdity, "Zelly. You’re doing it again, you’re talking to a damn squirrel. No offense, Mister Nuts."

Steeling her determination, Zelly decided to follow the path the giant had taken. "I need to find out where he got that fish from. C’mon, Mister Nuts!” With Mister Nuts perched on her shoulder, she descended down the stairs and out of her treehouse.

The forest was alive with the sounds of chittering insects and the rustling of leaves. As she ventured deeper, she found herself embroiled in an unforeseen skirmish with a swarm of mosquitoes. Their incessant buzzing filled her ears, and she slapped at them in frustration, cursing their existence. "I hate stupid mosquitoes, they are so damn annoying!”

Abruptly, she came to a halt. Before her was a scene straight out of a fairytale - a serene pond, its surface shimmering under the gentle caress of the afternoon sun. The sight of the water brought a smile to her face, "Pond! There it is, a beautiful pond!” She rushed to the water's edge, her eyes wide with wonder and hope. To her right, a petite waterfall cascaded down, the sound of its rushing water providing a soothing background melody.

A sudden realization struck her, "Not only might there be fish in here, but God knows I need a bath; haven’t had one since I landed here.” She lifted an arm to inspect it, her nose scrunching up at the pungent smell. “Eww. And boy, do I smell awful.” she grimaced, but her attention was quick to return to the pond, “But first, I need to see if there are any fish!”

Zelly was alone at the lake's edge, her gaze locked onto the peaceful, rippling surface. The serenity of the scene, though starkly contrasted by her own internal turmoil, offered a strange sort of comfort. She could hear the distant murmur of the surrounding forest, a symphony of life and nature that she was slowly becoming a part of. The gentle rustle of leaves, the chirping of unseen birds, even the faint buzzing of insects—it all spoke of a world teeming with life, indifferent to her plight.

A moment of realization struck her like a flash of lightning in the calm sky. She had traveled an arduous journey for over an hour only to discover that she didn't have a fishing rod. Her hopes of catching a fish teetered on the brink of collapse. "How in the bloody stinking hell am I supposed to fish with no rod?" she muttered to herself. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, desperate for a solution. A memory of a survival show she had watched two years prior surfaced in her mind. She could barely recall the details; it was something about using a tree branch, a string, and a hook with a worm.

The thought of using worms made her skin crawl. She detested them for their slimy, squirming bodies, but the need for food outweighed her fear and disgust. The survival of the fittest was the law of the land here, and she had to adapt or perish.

"Okay, girl, get a hold of yourself. You can do this! Right, Mister Nuts?" she spoke aloud, as if seeking validation from the universe itself.

With a newfound determination, Zelly embarked on a search for the perfect tree branch. She evaluated each one she found, testing them for sturdiness and length. After what seemed like an eternity, she found the perfect branch. With a triumphant smile, she exclaimed, "Perfect!" She swiftly removed the string from her binoculars and wrapped it around the branch, securing it tightly.

The next challenge was finding a hook. As she pondered, she idly brushed her fingers against her ear and felt the familiar cool touch of her earring. The realization hit her, and she swiftly unhooked the earring. "Wait! I can use this!" she exclaimed, grinning at her stroke of genius.

Now came the most distasteful part—finding a worm. She steeled herself and started digging into the soft, damp earth with her bare hands. After several minutes of digging and squirming, she finally found a wriggly little worm.

“Yucky! I hope I don’t vomit!”

Suppressing her disgust, she baited the earring hook with the worm and stood up, walking towards the edge of the lake. With a deep breath, she cast her makeshift rod into the water, marking the beginning of her fishing adventure.

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As the day turned into night, Zelly waited by the lake, her patience wearing thin with each passing hour. The beautiful landscape had turned into a haunting silhouette under the moonlight, and the once comforting sounds of the forest now seemed eerie. She had yet to catch a single fish, and the fear of the unknown lurking in the depths of the lake kept her from considering a swim/bath. Disheartened and anxious, she decided to head back to her tree house. The path was lit by the glow of the ten moons, casting an ethereal glow on her surroundings as fireflies hovered lazily around her.

After a brisk walk of about 25 minutes, Zelly picked up a familiar scent.

It was the tantalizing aroma of fresh apple pie, her favorite.

“Apple Pie? Oh, I love apple pie!”

At first, she brushed it off as a figment of her imagination, a desperate yearning for comfort food in her state of exhaustion. But as she traveled down the path, the smell became more pronounced.

Zelly was swept into a vortex of confusion, her mind a tumultuous sea of questions. "What on earth is happening?" she mumbled, her voice a mere echo amidst the towering trees. "Is this some cruel mirage conjured by my starved brain or does the scent of apple pie truly permeate the air?" She glanced around, her gaze darting between the gnarled branches, moss-laden rocks, and undulating hills. The monsters of this world, with their heart-stopping roars and spine-chilling gaze, seemed to be lurking in the shadows, biding their time. "Pull yourself together, Zelly," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "You're simply craving for your mother's heart-warming apple pie, the recipe that has been a cherished heirloom in your family, passed down from your dear grandmother Inez." Her voice was shaky, her words a futile attempt to convince herself.

However, the tantalizing aroma seemed to grow stronger, wrapping around her senses, making her mouth water. Could this be a game mechanism her parents programmed in a twisted sense of humor? Or was the impossible happening? Zelly's heart pounded in her chest, her eyes scanning her surroundings with renewed intensity.

Then she saw it. An incongruous sight amidst the verdant canopy - a stovepipe. It jutted out, its iron surface glistening with dew, a plume of smoke spiraling towards the sky.

"Could that really be—. Mister Nuts, do you see that?" she asked, her voice wavering. "I must be losing my mind. Could there be a dwelling? Could there be other living beings here? Perhaps someone else who, like me, was pulled into this game and left stranded. It's a fanciful thought, isn't it? But there's only one way to find out!" With a newfound determination, Zelly quickened her pace, her feet crunching on the carpet of dried leaves.

Minutes later, she was standing before an imposing edifice. It was a stone hut, but calling it 'gigantic' would be an understatement. The structure towered over her, dwarfing her in its shadow. The walls were a mosaic of rocks of varying sizes, wedged together with an earthy mortar. The stones, weathered by time, bore an array of hues, from slate gray to mossy green. The roof was a masterpiece of wooden beams and thickly layered straw, the straw a golden tapestry glowing in the dappled sunlight. Two small windows punctuated the front wall, their glass panes reflecting the dense foliage. A stone chimney, the source of the enchanting smell, protruded from the roof, puffing out lazy rings of smoke. The hut seemed to blend into the surroundings, an organic part of the forest itself.

"Do I knock on the door or sneak inside?" Zelly pondered, her heart hammering against her ribs. "The polite thing to do would be to knock on the front door, but what if it's someone dangerous? The last thing I want is to end up shackled in a dungeon, subjected to unspeakable tortures. Perhaps I should try to find a back entrance.

Torn between politeness and prudence, Zelly decided to circle to the back of the hut. Each step was a dance with danger as she crept on tiptoe, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried the back door only to find it locked. But fortune seemed to smile upon her as she noticed two windows, their gaping maws open as if inviting her in.

Once inside, she found herself dwarfed by the oversized furniture. The chairs towered over her, their backs reaching the ceiling like ancient trees. The tables were almost as tall as mountains, their polished surfaces reflecting the room in a distorted perspective. She felt like Alice in Wonderland, a small girl lost in a world where everything was magnified.

The aroma of the pie drew her like a moth to a flame, leading her to a kitchen that made her feel even more minuscule.

Towering counters loomed over her like cliffs. The stove and refrigerator were monoliths in this land of giant things. She spied the pie, perched precariously on the edge of the counter. Its golden crust was a tantalizing sight, the latticed top revealing a glimpse of the juicy apples within.

“Oh my—there it is!”

Using a fallen sponge as a makeshift stepladder, Zelly plotted her ascent to the counter. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pushed the sponge across the floor, her muscles straining with the effort. Positioned under the counter, the sponge was her only way up to the tantalizing pie.

Alright, here goes nothing! Hang on tight, Mister Nuts!’ she shouted, bolting towards the sponge with a fervor that belied her small stature. With a running leap, she bounced off the sponge, propelling herself onto a chair that sat snug against the counter. A stack of books teetered precariously on the chair’s seat, their spines offering a makeshift staircase to her destination.

Her first attempt ended in a painful thud as she fell onto her back. ‘Ouch! My back!’ she cried out, her voice echoing in the cavernous kitchen. But she was determined. She tried again and again, each fall harder than the last. On the fourth attempt, she finally managed to scramble atop the counter.

The sight that met her eyes was nothing short of heavenly. Before her lay an apple pie of epic proportions, its buttery golden crust glistening in the light. It was larger than a king-sized bed, filling her nostrils with its sweet aroma. She broke off a piece of the crust and placed it in her mouth. The rich, buttery sweetness filled her senses, and she closed her eyes, savoring the taste. ‘OH MY GOODNESS! That tastes so good!’ she exclaimed, her tongue running over her lips as she patted her stomach contentedly.

Just as she was about to dig in for a second bite, loud stomps echoed through the room, the vibrations shaking the floor beneath her. The sound was all too familiar, triggering a sense of impending doom.

‘Oh no, I need to hide!’ she blurted out, scrambling across the counter. But in her haste, she slipped on a patch of water and tumbled into the deep sink. A moment later, she found herself sliding down the garbage disposal chute.

She was plunged into darkness, the sensation of falling seemingly endless. Finally, she landed with a soft squelch on something wet and mushy. It felt like a damp mattress, but the sour smell told her it was a giant piece of toast.

‘Eww... it smells in here!’ she grimaced, her face contorting with disgust.

A loud hum filled the narrow space, making her heart pound in her chest. She needed to get out, and fast. Suddenly, a barrage of half-eaten bacon strips, scrambled eggs, and a wave of milk rained down on her.

‘Gross!’ she groaned, grimacing as she was covered in the discarded breakfast.

Then, from her low vantage point, she saw it – a large hand stretching out across the counter, fingers inching towards the switch of the garbage disposal. Panic surged through her as she realized the horrifying prospect of what was to come.