And Then the Year

Part One

                                                Electryone Beach, Stormhagen, South Carolina

                                                                               The Near Future

"God in Heaven, I feel like a Liliput looking at Gulliver! All I need is some rope to tie him down."

Nolan rolled his eyes. He didn't want to feel annoyed, but his coworker's exaggerations were always something strange. She could make a trip to the grocery store sound like an ancient myth, complete with Cyclopes and witches turning people into pigs. He pressed a button on his walkie-talkie:

"All right, Lucinda. What we got?"

"Uh...you'll just have to see it. I've never seen anything like it."

Nolan walked to the beach and as soon as he saw it, his heart skipped a beat. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming.... But what kind of dream would this be? Nobody would dream this kind of thing, unless they've experienced them in the real world.

An enormous man lay snoring on the sand. Enormous-- because he must have been at least fifty feet long. If he rolled over, he could kill the entire tourist population. He was mostly naked, aside from a black loincloth covering his crotch and buttocks. The man's skin was light-tan, smooth and shiny under the faint sunlight. Nolan walked up and noticed thick, muscular arms and legs, but overall the man was fat. His belly was soft and cuddly from good eating. Nolan had to admit, with the rhythm of the man's breath, it was oddly comforting to watch. His eyes rose and fell with that smooth, round mound of flesh.

"Nolan, he's sleeping," Lucinda said, walking back from the head, "And he's got long, shiny black hair tied in a little bun on his head. But flared out, like a makeup brush."

"Wh-What are you talking about? A man bun?"

She took a swig of canned Diet Coke.

"Kind of. He's Asian, too. Looks like a sumo wrestler, so it must be a topknot."

"OK. And you can tell he's breathing?"

"Absolutely!"

They went silent, mentally scrambling for some sort of protocol. As many crazy things that happened in this town, they didn't know what to do with a giant on the beach. Let him be? Wait until he destroyed a few towns? As isolated as Stormhagen was, it still attracted more tourists than they could count. It was still dawn. Nolan hoped and prayed the giant wasn't an early riser.

"Do you mind if I walk up and examine his head?"

"Go ahead. But if he wakes up, don't hesitate to call."

She waved her walkie-talkie in one bejeweled, crimson-nailed hand. He nodded.

"All right. Be right back."

Nolan walked all the way up to the man's head. His eyes were closed, his breathing that slow and even sleep-breathing. He looked young-- maybe in his late twenties. His face was handsome, with thick curved brows, rosy cheeks, and full lips. The little nose didn't hurt, either.

Nolan tightened the buttons of his jeans, which were already skintight. Goddammit! Why must I think such impure thoughts about this big, sexy...no, big SCARY man! He frowned at his jeans— at best, impractical; at worst, dangerous. Sweat oozed from his lower back and pooled into his sharp, painful waistband. Oh, was I wrong! Self-punishment isn't for the faint of heart.

He took a step back. There was something familiar about this man. He didn't know what-- if it was the loincloth, or the hair-fan, or the magnificent belly, but as soon as he recognized it, he pressed his walkie-talkie.