To Trust a Giant

Chapter 31

The car came to a halt, but that didn't settle Stella's nerves. The entire car ride made her heart do backflips, ways Clair could betray her crossed her mind. What if she was lying and really was going to take her to the shelter? What if she was just going to kill her? She certainly wouldn't have to deal with her ever again if she did.

Clair out stretched her hand causing Stella to gasp and squeeze her eyes shut as fingers wrapped around her, sealing her fate. Cold air surrounded her as she was pulled out of the car, with each step the giantess took, was a step towards Stella's potential doom. The dead grass that crunched beneath her feet was just a grim reminder of how effortlessly Stella's life could be snuffed out.

Clair knelt down and tilted her hand so Stella could slide off. “Alright, this is where we part.”

Stella just sat on the ground staring up at Clair, waiting for something to happen.

Clair raised an eyebrow. “Isn't this where you scurry off or something?”

“I guess.” Stella stood up and slung her bag over her back. It was finally time to go. She scanned the area around her, no one else was around, just a few trees and a playground in the distance. Stella told herself to move forward to finally live her life in freedom, but her legs wouldn't budge, it was as if they rooted themselves in the ground. All this time, she wanted nothing more than to leave and be free from giants again, so why is Stella having a difficult time doing it now?

“Don't tell me you want to stay with us?” Clair's voice boomed above.

“N...no! I just don't want you to know where I'm going.”

“Do me a favor.” Green eyes glared down at Stella, as if they were trying to pierce her very soul. “Don't ever try to come back again.”

Stella scoffed. “Like I'd want to come back.”

“Good.” Clair stood to her full height and began walking back to her car.
Stella watched her for a while until she could no longer see her.

So this was it, she was finally free from giants. A weight lifted off of her chest. It had been so long since Stella could walk around without people looming over her, she wasn't sure what she would do first.

A growl erupted from her stomach, maybe she should look for some food first.

~~~~~

Night fell and the winds grew harsher. Stella shivered as she pulled the dead leaf closer. Maybe climbing the into a tree wasn't the best idea on a night like this, but she wanted to look up at the stars again. The last time she did that was when she was with her parents. Just the three of them, staring up at the sky as mom pointed out all the constellations in the night sky, falling asleep knowing she was safe from harm. But now she's out on the streets alone for the first time, Stella wasn't sure how she can survive without her parents around to watch her back.

Footsteps hit the trail and headed in the direction towards Stella's shelter. Why would someone be out this late? Stella watched over the person with curiosity. She could tell the person was a tall slim man, but the darkness concealed his face.

"Stupid brother." He muttered. "Always gotta clean up his messes."

Why did that voice sound so familiar? Stella leaned over the branch to get a better look at the guy, but a rush of bitter winds blew harshly and forced Stella out of the tree. She let out a scream as she dropped from her safety post. She thought it was over for her, until she was hit with the feeling of something soft. Her hands scrambled to grab something to save her and was quickly met with a handful of silk. She didn't even have time to process what she was grabbing before a leathery surface pried her away.

"What do we have here?"

Stella's stomach dropped. That voice! No it couldn't be. She was too afraid to look, but her head forced her eyes to trail up. The intense blue eyes that froze her in place, white teeth perk up into a devilish grin. It was the face of a handsome monster.

"Stella, I've missed you." Mike said.

"NO!!!" Stella lunged forward, she didn't care if she would die doing this, death was better than this! Fingers curled around her and pinned her to the palm of his hand, preventing Stella from escaping her personal hell.

"Aww, don't be like that." Mike brushed his finger against her cheek. "I thought you'd be happy to see me again."

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" Tears streamed down her face, she used all of her strength to try to break free from Mike's grip, but that only made him squeeze tighter.

"I thought I taught you better than that, my dear." Mike shook his head. "Looks like the streets have made you lose manners." He lowered his hand to his pocket and slipped her inside.

Stella tried climbing her way out but she stumbled back to the bottom once Mike began walking. Her body trembled violently, there was nothing she could but curl up in a ball and cry. So this was it? Her freedom was snuffed out before she even had it, and with Mike back in her life, she knew he was going to come up with new ways to make her wish she was dead