The Half-Blood Giant

Chapter 14: Pedro

Pedro was a human that lived on the human side of the gigantic wall. On the very same day that Chester and Jackie traveled to his world to find Milton, Pedro was about to embark on an adventure of his own. Today was the day he had been dreaming of for his entire life, as far back as when he was a young lad. He was going to the giant side of town.

Most humans, even those that lived near the wall, feared and distrusted giants. When Pedro was a child, his parents had told him horrible stories about giants, to deter him from ever wanting to venture out into danger. They painted a portrait of giants as terrifying brutes and savage man-eaters, eager to grind up unfortunate humans in their teeth. They told him if he misbehaved a giant might tear off the roof and spirit him away into the night, never to be seen again.

That last warning, intended to frighten him into obedience, instead inflamed his imagination. He fantasized about going on fantastical adventures with a giant friend in a magic land. Pedro, in his mind's eye, didn't conceive of giants as ugly, nasty beasts like his parents intended: He envisaged them as big, gentle, strong men—perhaps even handsome men, particularly as he grew older.

His preoccupation with giants persisted into adulthood. Even so, despite his fantasies, he never dared go beyond the boundaries of human territory. Sadly, he understood the difference between dreams and reality. He believed what his parents told him and what the humans around him believed. He didn't want to get eaten or torn limb from limb by a monster in the shape of a huge man. He heard in the news about humans being kidnapped and sold to giants and his beliefs were confirmed.

However, his thoughts on the matter began to change as he heard more about the story. He read about giant policemen investigating and arresting the criminals responsible. If all giants were bad, why would they lock up the giants who abused humans? Why would they have laws protecting humans in the first place? Why would they bother to respect the boundary separating their respective societies? Additionally, he heard about a boarding school on the giant side of town that housed human and giant students together, and he was fascinated by the concept. He couldn't help but wish he could have been a student at that school, in his younger years.

That opportunity for him had long since passed, lamentably. Pedro was an adult, living in a crummy apartment and living a dull, bland life. As a man with a caring heart, he had found a career as a social worker. The job didn't pay well, but he liked to feel he was making a difference in the lives of people going through difficult times. Sometimes the job broke his heart, when he saw the suffering that people had to endure. He was, at times, emotionally drained and exhausted by his job, to the point where he struggled to function in his personal life. He oftentimes would stay holed up in his apartment, unable to muster up the energy to leave or engage in social events.

Pedro ran into misfortune when the nonprofit he worked for was forced to undergo budget cuts due to lack of funding. He was layed off, causing him to spiral into depression. His purpose for living had been abruptly taken away from him. He felt empty, listless, no longer able to function. His savings drained away as the months dragged on without gainful employment. Pedro felt paralyzed, powerless to do anything about his situation.

Deep down, Pedro realized he needed to take control of his life again, before he ran out of money. As he searched for jobs, he came across a job posting that intrigued him. The boarding school, the one with human and giant students, was advertising specifically for human workers. They required the services of a human counselor, to help guide the human students at the school. Pedro perked up. This job sounded right up his alley. He sent in an electronic application and waited.

He got a response via email almost immediately, from the principal of the school himself, to set up an interview. Pedro responded with excitement. He suddenly felt alive, after wallowing in defeat for so long. He was ready to seize the opportunity presented to him, to take back his life and find fulfillment again. He was feeling so bold, in fact, that when the principal offered to meet him at the wall to escort him to the school, Pedro declined the invitation. He claimed in the email that he would have no issue getting to the school on his own. The principal seemed uncertain, but Pedro assured him he could find his way there alone. Pedro didn't want to leave a bad impression. He wanted this job badly, more than anything. He wanted to come across as confident, competent, and independent. He didn't need help.