Reincarnated as an Ugly Step Sister

Chapter 45

Despite the fact that we're in a giant's house, his broom closet is incredibly small, as if it's intended to fit a single broom and nothing more. Certainly not two platonic friends.

My face is barely an inch from Chase's collarbone and my hands rest on his chest. I didn't intend to be in this position but this is where my hands went when he pulled me in the closet and it feels weird to pull them to my sides. I have no idea why. What should I be doing right now? Should I try to get out of this position? Would that offend him? Why am I so worried about this when a human-eating giant is right outside the door?

Suddenly I remember the giant, which helps distract me from my awkward position, pressed against Chase's chest. Outside the door we can hear the giant moving around slowly. "Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman," his voice booms.

I close my eyes and pray that Nicholas and Jack have found a way outside, or at least a good hiding spot. I can feel Chase's heavy breathing and motion for him to quiet it down.

"Shh! You're breathing too loud!" I whisper.

"Well what do you want me to do? Stop breathing?" Chases hisses back.

"Yes, that would be nice," I send him a glare, knowing that I'm being harsh but my brain can't think properly in my panicked state.

A loud thump sounds with every step the giant takes and I peak out the door ever so slightly. The giant seems to have left the kitchen and I notice that Nicholas and Jack are at the window sill escape route. Nicholas has the goose under his arm. Jack points straight at me and motions for us to come out.

"I think the coast is clear, Jack and Nicholas are at the window already, if we can just scale the kitchen counter I think we'll be out of here," I inform a blue faced Chase. "I didn't actually mean it when I told you to stop breathing!"

Chase lets out a breath that he's been holding for who knows how long and laughs. "Shall we go then?"

I nod and open the door further, slowly creeping out of the closet. We get halfway to the window when I hear the thumps of footsteps getting louder and louder. Uh oh.

"Fee fi fo finn! I went to get the rolling pin!" The giant bellows out a little too gleefully. "For I shall cook you up to eat, the humans taste ever so sweet!"

The giant stands in the doorway eyeing us. My eyes go wide and my heart drops. Run. I book it, not thinking where I'm going, and just run. I dash past the counter leading to escape, with Chase's hand in mine. Nicholas screams my name as I feel my hair caught by the giant.

"Violet!" Chase turns back to look at me and mutters something under his breath.

The giant's hand turns red as if burnt and I can feel my hair sizzle just a bit. The giant yelps out in pain, letting go of my hair and I once again grab Chase's arm to resume our doomed attempt at an escape. I spot salvation out of the corner of my eye.

"Violet, we have to get back to the counter! There's no way we can climb the chimney." Chase tries to pull me back but I keep running.

"Or," I argue back. "We try escape route four." I pull him along with me.

"Four? There was no-" Chase is cut off as he sees me heading towards a barely human sized mouse hole.

We're sprinting full speed at our last chance of escape but, though the giant moves slowly, he still has much longer legs than we do and one step for him is six for us.

I scan the room, looking for anything that can buy us a few seconds. And there it is.

"Keep going! Don't wait for me, just get to the ground!" I yell at Chase as I drop his hand and run off course. This alone confuses the giant for a moment and he decides to go after me, just as I hoped he would.