The Half-Blood Giant

Chapter 17: Feast

After wandering for a while, Jacques rested for the night, finding a secluded corner to sleep in. He woke up hungry for breakfast and ready to hunt. He followed the scent on the breeze toward the nicer side of town, leaving behind the dilapidated wastes. As he prowled closer to the giant dividing wall, the tantalizing smell of humans grew stronger, seductive in its promise of a full belly. The overpowering aroma suggested a virtually infinite supply: Jacques could scarcely believe his good luck.

With his gargantuan height, he was able to peer over the wall to view the other side. He was astonished to behold a miniature city, alive with tiny cars and people. He had never seen a community of humans in his life. The only humans he met had been those unlucky enough to be struck by magical lightning and stranded in the Land of Giants, and they were usually isolated, afraid, and short-lived. He was amused to see that they lived much like giants, just on a minute scale.

Jacques hauled himself over the wall, trying to be sneaky so as not to scare off the easiest prey within reach. His immense shadow gave him away, however. Several humans going about their business halted in place and gaped up in horror as they watched the unfathomably huge man clamber over the barrier. The giant's great clomping boots sent a seismic wave through the ground when he landed on the opposite side. He grinned, flashing his big blocky teeth at the tiny people far below.

Crossing the barrier in such a manner was a blatantly illegal act. Giants were strictly forbidden from entering human territory by their own laws, for obvious safety reasons, except under extreme circumstances. The act was so taboo as to be virtually unprecedented. Many humans feared giants, but even those who were more comfortable around giants realized they were in immediate peril. Shrill screams pierced the air as all the humans nearby panicked and ran for their lives.

Jacques took a tremendous step forward, crushing a parked car under his boot like a tin can. The buildings didn't even come up to his knees. He crouched on his haunches, extended one of his long arms across a city block, and grabbed a woman trying to run. She shrieked as he lifted her up to his maw and tossed her inside. He scrambled her around in his mouth as he reached out and snatched up another human within his radius, a man this time. He swallowed the woman alive and engulfed his next victim, who soon joined her in his spacious belly. His guts filled with pleasure as the small humans squirmed frantically inside him.

Jacques was giddy with excitement, like a starving man at a free, all-you-can-eat buffet. With so many food options available, he used his sensitive nose to distinguish the choice humans that would taste the best. He ripped the roof off a nearby house and chased around the tiny denizens inside, pinching them with his fingers and popping them in his mouth like potato chips. He swallowed some whole, while others he crunched between his teeth, slurping up their blood with delight.

Sniffing the air, he stood up and lumbered a few steps forward, crossing several intersections. He paid no mind to his feet: He stomped on cars, kicked over light posts and street signs, cracked the sidewalk with his weight, crushed buildings into rubble. He was having fun; he felt big and powerful and he loved every second of it. He came across a park with a playground and a lake and smashed the play area underfoot. His boots sank into the grass and dirt, destroying the turf with massive footprints. An old man out walking his dog tried to get away, but Jacques blocked their path with his hand. Both the man and the dog disappeared down his gullet. He washed them down with some water from the lake and continued on his rampage.

Pedro, asleep in his apartment, became aware of rumbling that shook the earth from far away. He opened his eyes with confusion and listened. He could hear distant screams and crashing sounds that suggested chaos and destruction. He got out of bed with a stretch, yawned, and trudged sleepily over to the window to see what was going on.