The Half-Blood Giant

Chapter 48: A Belly Full of Humans

Hunter's next destination was the boarding school. He knew there was considerable risk in returning, since everyone knew him and the cameras would record him, but in his arrogance he believed that nobody could stop him. He was able to escape jail easily enough, after all. He considered shrinking to sneak inside, but found he couldn't cast two different complicated blood spells simultaneously. If he shrank, he would end up digesting the woman inside him, and for now he wanted to keep her alive.

On his way there, he was surprised to pick up Principal Henderson's scent. As he sniffed further, he detected the sweet scent of a human female, similar to vanilla, intermingled with the giant's scent. The principal had a human? Hunter's curiosity was piqued. His nose guided him to a house not far from the school that was saturated with the principal's scent. The gentle giant didn't appear to be home, but the human's tempting aroma was fresh and active. She was inside the house.

Hunter circled the house, searching for a way inside. The windows and doors were all closed and locked, without any obvious weak spots. Hunter glanced around to make sure nobody was nearby before smashing in one of the windows with a large rock. He shoved his huge body through the windowsill, careful to avoid shards of glass, and slithered inside like a big fat boa constrictor.

Hunter stood up and surveyed the inside of the house. He was in a dining room with a sturdy wooden table. He could see into the living room and kitchen, where there were the obvious signs of human accommodation: ropes and ladders for access, and mini human furnishings for practicality and comfort. He inhaled deeply through his nose and prowled quietly through the house. He felt strange, being in the private living quarters of his school principal. The house was neat and tidy, with a muted color palate of calm, darker colors.

He padded into the master bedroom. The curtains were drawn to block the morning sun, so the room was shrouded in shade. Hunter could almost believe the room was empty, if not for the tiniest bump on the massive bed. Hunter crept closer to behold a diminutive woman, nestled on a giant pillow with the bedsheets pulled up to her chin. The sheets were tucked around her, as if gentle hands had wrapped her in them. Hunter could see Principal Henderson in his mind's eye, leaning over her before leaving for work and giving her a soft kiss goodbye. She was settled into serene slumber, all cozy in the gigantic bed.

Hunter felt strange as he watched her sleep, imagining the principal coddling his tiny lover. A trickle of regret, of doubt, wormed its way into his heart. What was he doing, breaking into Principal Henderson's house like a burglar to steal away his feeble human companion? The principal had only treated Hunter with kindness and understanding. This woman was innocent and small. Hunter wanted to make the giant police officers suffer, but he didn't wish any ill will on the principal.

Yet, as he looked at her little face, peaceful and carefree, he was overwhelmed with bitterness. He wanted that life with Hannah—to hold her, love her, cuddle up in bed with her—and he couldn't have it. Life had cursed him to be miserable. He couldn't be normal and happy like everybody else. He was a freak: half-giant, half-human, belonging nowhere. He would never have a place to truly call home; nobody would ever love him like that.

Rage, hatred, and misery boiled over inside him, drowning out any sympathy he might have felt for the tiny woman. Life was so unfair. Why did everything have to be so unfair? She didn't deserve to be happy, if he couldn't be happy. He projected his unbridled wrath onto her as he seethed over his innumerable woes. With a murderous scowl, he reached his hand towards her, his fingers curving with tension.

Millie opened her eyes sleepily, sensing something was off. She glanced up to behold a giant hand hovering over her, dwarfing her, ready to close around her. She yelped and leapt to her feet, stumbling back in shock. "W-who are you? What are you doing here?"