The Half-Blood Giant

Chapter 39: A Wolf among Sheep

As much as Hunter would just love to lay down and bask in the sublime feeling of Hannah crawling around in his digestive system, he needed to go to class. He couldn't raise suspicions by ditching class, after all. He stood up and felt the small weight in his belly topple over with his motion. He was amazed that he could feel every subtle gesture and movement of his cherished human prisoner from within. He hoped, with time and forced proximity, Hannah would get to know him and learn to accept him. Maybe even love him.

Hannah cooperated and stayed quiet in his stomach, even when she was jostled around when the giant walked or shifted. She was petrified that Hunter would make good on his threats to digest her or harm Hector. Besides, she didn't think anybody would be able to hear her pleas for help on the outside. She felt like she was in a waking nightmare, with the living flesh churning, pulsing, and gurgling around her. Everything was hot, putrid, sopping wet, squishy, and alive with sound and movement. As nervous and uneasy as she had been living with giants, she never believed that one of her classmates would go so far as to devour her. The whole situation was so ghastly.

She wished she wasn't in total blackness, yet at the same time she didn't necessarily want to have burned into her memory visions of the interior of the wrinkly pink sack encompassing her. The bones, clothing, and food floating in the bubbling puddle with her eventually disintegrated and disappeared into the next stage of digestion. Hannah was grateful to be alive, and not torn apart by teeth or acid, yet she was unsure how long she'd have to endure this abysmal torture.

Unfortunately for poor Hannah, Hunter had no intention to let her out anytime soon. With her inside, he wasn't plagued with hunger. He was satisfied and full, and he loved the sublime feeling. His magic could hold out indefinitely when he felt so refreshed: He theorized he could keep her alive for several days, if not weeks, in his belly, if he was so inclined. He'd have to let her out occasionally to feed and water her, at the minimum, since he doubted she'd be able to survive on food and fluids he ingested himself.

Hunter's intention wasn't to be excessively cruel. He wasn't trying to punish or torture her. He just couldn't resist the temptation her divinely flavored flesh offered. He was designed to eat humans, so having a human within him felt right. He would let her out when he felt like it, perhaps afterschool in a secluded area. Besides, he still wanted to interact with her, pet her, kiss her, admire her, show her how much he adored her. Once she understood she belonged to him, maybe she'd forget about Hector and learn to love him instead. He'd be her provider, her benevolent captor, and take care of her every need. She wouldn't have to worry about school or the stresses of life any longer. He would be her entire world.

After a few hours of stewing in his belly, Hannah had reached her wit's end. She had a mental breakdown during lunch, when Hunter ate more food and a slew of masticated slop rained down on her. The giant drank some milk and the cold liquid drained into his stomach, drenching her. While the temperature provided some relief from the heat, being soaked in saliva-infused milk was not fun. Hannah started to cry again at her misfortune.

"Hunter, I can't take this anymore! Please! Let me out! Throw me up or something!" she wailed. "I'm going insane! How long are you going to keep me in here and torture me like this?"

"As long as I please," Hunter's voice boomed back. The deafening volume made her flinch as the sound reverberated through the spacious cavity.

"Take pity on me! Help me! I thought you cared about me! Let me out!" Hannah begged hysterically, her supplications rising to a fever pitch. "I'll do anything! Please!"

"Shut up," Hunter warned. He didn't want her making too much noise, even if her voice was barely discernible even with his own hearing. He wasn't going to take any risks.