The morning sunlight shone brightly through the open window and fell on Susan’s face. She yawned, stretched, and, with an effort, opened her eyes and got out of bed. Reaching for the curtains, she drew them closed before starting to undress, even though she knew this wasn’t necessary. There was very little chance that anyone was spying on her, not out here in the deepest part of the forest. Most girls her age wouldn’t be worried under these circumstances, but Susan Adams was no ordinary fifteen-year old. To begin with, she stood almost a hundred feet tall.

 

Even though she had received the best medical attention that money could provide, Christina Adams died in childbirth. The baby she’d been carrying had grown at a tremendous rate inside her, and doctors had warned her that giving birth to it at such a late stage would endanger her life. But the decision was hers, and Susan was born a healthy, thirteen-pound baby.

 

As tragic as the circumstances of her birth were, they were nothing compared to what happened after. She kept on growing at an accelerated pace, and, within six months, measured six feet from head to toe. Her father, Joseph Adams, was a millionaire mine owner, and spent large parts of his fortune trying to cure his daughter. But doctors’ efforts to top her unprecedented growth were futile, and another solution was needed.

 

So Joseph, with the help of several of his acquaintances, tried to give Susan something resembling a normal life. They bought up a three square miles of land in Grayling Forest and surrounded it with an electric fence. For Susan they built a cabin where she could stay in safety. They had to guess how big she was going to be when she stopped growing, and concluded that it was around 100 feet or so. Everything in the cabin was built to her scale. She also had clothes that would fit her, books for her to read and learn from and toys for her to play with. Every week a fleet of trucks would arrive with enough food for 6000 people, while a nearby river provided her with water. In short, no expense had been spared to try and provide Susan with a comfortable childhood.

 

Comfortable it may have been, but it was also lonely. Only a few people knew of her existence, while the rest of the world was kept in the dark. Joseph Adams didn’t want his daughter constantly being monitored by the media. He arranged for a few trusted tutors to provide her education, while he himself visited as often as he was able. As she grew older, Susan began to realize just how lonely she really was, and listened anxiously for the sound of an approaching helicopter coming in to land outside the door.

 

Many times had she begged her father to let her step over the fence and visit the outside world, but he always refused. It was too dangerous, he said, and she was still a child. On her ninth birthday he told her the whole story of her life, leaving her heartbroken.

 

Six years have passed since then, but Susan’s life hadn’t changed. She still woke up in the same bed every morning.

 

As she was busy dressing herself, she took a moment to admire her reflection in the mirror. Her face was still that of an innocent young girl, but it had begun to look strikingly beautiful. She combed her long red hair, of which she was very proud, even though she knew there was no-one to admire her beauty but herself. Her body had begun to develop into that of a graceful young woman, with protruding breasts and long, slim legs. She stepped onto the specially built scale and weighed herself: 277 tons.

 

“I’m the heaviest creature alive, ever,” she thought, and imagined herself towering over giant dinosaurs and stomping on elephants as if they were rodents. Sometimes she found her colossal size amusing, though most of the time she wished and wished that she was a normal girl, of normal stature.

 

She finished dressing and went to make breakfast. Her cabin had just one room, a combined kitchen, bedroom, dining room and living room. A smaller cabin right next to this was her bathroom, with a shower, washbasin and toilet. Her dad couldn’t afford any more, but she was extremely grateful to have this much at all. If her parents had been poor, she probably wouldn’t have survived past age one.

 

In one mega-sized bowl she mixed half a ton of oatmeal with over a hundred gallons of milk. In another bowl she poured several thousand apples. Usually she mixed the two, but today she felt like tasting something different.

 

“Well, at least it’s healthy,” she thought of her unchanging diet. “I just wish they could make it taste a little different, though. A little sugar wouldn’t hurt, either.”

 

As she ate the sun climbed higher. Susan could tell that it was going to be hot today. The kind of day when she wished her cabin had air conditioning. On several previous hot days she’d decided to go exploring near the perimeter fence, and had been duly scolded by her dad for risking her secrecy. But that hasn’t stopped her from going back, though now she tried to remain hidden behind the trees whenever she could. Though she still longed to step over the fence, she recognized the danger involved, and found herself grudgingly obeying her father’s commands.

 

Today was another lonely day, with no visitors. She could stay in the cabin and read, but lately she’d grown a little tired of that.

 

“I think I’ll go out to the fence,” she thought. “There’s got to be somewhere in my area that I haven’t explore yet. Maybe I’ll find a little pool. Wouldn’t that be great! Anyway, I’ll take my towel, and just lie on it and tan a little.”

 

Underneath her light cotton top and short skirt she wore a bikini swimsuit. She’d never swum in it, but she’d begged her father to make one for her, just to wear. From then on it was her favourite piece of clothing, and she often spent hours in front of the mirror posing in it. There wasn’t much else to do, after all, during the long hours she spent alone, but to entertain herself.

 After packing some snacks in a picnic basket, Susan set off into the surrounding forest. It was dense and difficult to walk through, but she couldn’t get lost. The tallest trees only reached her chin, and her cabin was always visible. She headed south, in the direction of the nearby town of Barton, which lay five miles beyond the fence. She’d never seen it. As she walked she wondered how to pass the time today, not knowing that her life was about to change forever.

The fence loomed up in front of them, an impassable barrier. Or so Jake Darren thought when he first saw it. He’d come out here on his bike after some of his classmates had dared him to climb over the fence in the woods. Now, however, he wasn’t so sure.

 

It was about thirty feet tall and practically unclimbable. There were signs on it warning that hazardous materials lay beyond it, that trespassers will be prosecuted, and that the fence carried ten thousand volts of electricity. He couldn’t see a way across, and was starting to think this was a waste of his time.

 

“So, Jake, are you going to try or what?” asked Billy Dixon. Billy wasn’t the kind of guy Jake wanted to be friends with, but there really weren’t many other options. Being the new kid at school is definitely not fun, and Jake was glad that there were only two years of high school left. He’d come out here with Billy and his friends to try and win their respect. Now, it seems, they’ve come to watch him make a fool of himself.

 

“Forget it, Billy! There’s no way I’m getting over this fence, it’s too dangerous! If you don’t want me hanging out with you guys, that’s fine, but I’m not stupid enough to risk my life.”

 

Billy and the others (Arthur, Frank and Linda) got off their bikes and came towards him. He felt like leaving quickly, but bravely remained where he was.

 

“Wait a minute,” said Frank. “Are you telling me you dragged us all the way out here to watch you do absolutely nothing? Huh? Is that it?”

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” said Linda. “What’s the matter, Jake? You’re not scared of a shitty old fence, are you?”

 

“So what if I am? You’re just as scared of it, too! Besides, it’s probably illegal to climb over, anyway, and…hey, what the hell are you doing?”

 

He stared at Arthur, who had just stuck a large, unpleasant thorn into his bicycle’s wheels. Jake lunged forward to stop him, but Billy grabbed him from behind and pulled him back.

 

“Not so fast, dickhead! This party ain’t over yet! Grab him, Frank!”

 

Frank, who was a good deal larger than Jake, caught him in a tackle as he tried to run away. Jake fell face down in the dust. He struggled furiously, but the three boys were too much for him to handle, and he was quickly overpowered. All the while Linda, who was Billy’s girlfriend, was laughing unpleasantly. It was pretty obvious to him now that he’d picked the wrong crowd to hang out with. Frank and Arthur each grabbed one of his arms and made sure he couldn’t escape. Billy took out a pocket knife and held the blade inches from Jake’s face.

 

“Now listen here, you piece of shit,” he said nastily. “Either you climb that fence, or else I’m messing you’re face up a little with this. What’s it gonna be?”

 

“Fuck you! I’m telling the cops! You’re never getting away with this!”

 

“Yes we are!” Billy shouted. “Who do you think you are, huh? Think you can just come along and join our group, and we’ll all be best friends, is that it?”

 

“What do you want from me?” Jake shouted, starting to get really afraid. This Billy guy had some serious issues, that’s for sure. He couldn’t understand what his problem was, or why he was acting so viciously. Linda just kept laughing and laughing, while the other remained still. They were obviously just pawns of their leader, and would do whatever he told them, just so that they could call themselves his friends.

 

“I’ve already told you what I want, dumbass! Now, are you going to do it, or do we make you do it?”

 

Jake didn’t have time to answer before he was being shoved towards the fence. He tried to escape, again without success. Then, at a word from their leader, Frank and Arthur threw him forward, and he fell against the fence.

 

The pain was instantaneous: a massive surge of electricity blasted his body backwards seven feet, and he fell down unconscious. The other four stood silent for a moment, awestruck, before Billy came back to his senses.

 

“What the fuck are you standing around for?” he yelled. “Throw him in the bushes or something!”

 

“Uh, where?” Arthur asked, still dazed by what he saw.

 

“Anywhere! Do I look like I give a shit?”

 

“Oh my God, Billy, did you see that?” Linda asked breathlessly. “That was just…wow, I mean, that was just…”

 

“Shut up!” Billy yapped at her. “You don’t tell anyone about this, you hear me? Now come on, let’s get back.”

 

“Is he going to be okay? It looked pretty bad when he…”

 

“I said shut up! Hey, are you two going two take much longer, or do I have to come and help you?”

 

“We’re finished, Billy.” Frank replied. “You’d better have a good excuse, though, or else we’re going to be in big trouble.”

 

“Thanks for reminding me, Frank! Now come on, let’s get outta here!”

 

As they got on their bikes Linda took one last look at the forest behind the fence. It looked dark and impenetrable, and she wondered what was going on in there that people weren’t allowed in. Suddenly she saw something. A tree seemed to move, as if something was pushing against it, and behind it…

 

“You coming, baby?” Billy called. “You’re not still worried about that loser, are you?”

 

“No, Billy. I’m just…I’m just a little scared, that’s all.”

 

“Scared of what? You think anyone’s going to believe his story over ours? He probably won’t even remember what happened when he wakes up.”

 

Billy gave a little snigger, then turned his bike down the road and was off. Linda took one last look at the place where she thought she saw something. Something big. There was nothing there now, and she knew it was probably just her imagination playing tricks on her.

 

Susan had watched the scene play out before her in horror. She’d first been drawn towards the sound of raised voices, and decided to go and take a look. She crept through the forest as quietly as possible, leaving behind her picnic basket and towel. As she got closer to the fence she took every possible precaution to remain hidden. Crouching on all fours, she managed to hide behind a thick clump of trees, while still being able to see what was happening.

 

She saw a group of kids, about her own age, or perhaps a little older. Susan had never seen people this young before. One of them, a short blond boy, was being held tightly by two of the others. A girl was there too, as well as a dark-haired boy, who seemed to be the oldest. She tried to get a closer look when, suddenly, it happened.

 

The two hefty guys threw the blond boy forward, and he hit the fence with his full body. There was a brief shriek of pain and he flew backwards. Susan gasped and stepped back in shock, accidentally knocking over a forty-foot pine tree. If the other kids hadn’t been absorbed by what was happening right in front of them, she might have been discovered. Luckily she had a chance to compose herself, while they were throwing the boy’s unmoving body behind some bushes.

 

She remained completely still, and, after a few minutes, the strangers left. By now she longed for a closer look. After waiting another five minutes, she made sure the coast was clear and approached the fence. She had to knock down a few more trees to get through the dense forest. All the while she tried to remain calm, telling herself that the boy was going to be alright.

 

“I have to help him!” she thought to herself. “His life could be in danger. I know Daddy forbade me from revealing myself to strangers, but this is different. Oh well, I’m sure he’ll understand; at least, I hope he’ll understand.”

 

She knelt down before the fence. Even when kneeling, it came no higher than her hips. Carefully leaning over it, she began searching for the guy she wanted to help. Eventually her fingers touched something soft in the undergrowth.

 

“Got you! Now, if I can just…pick you up…”

 

A lifetime of near crushes and broken bones had taught Susan never to underestimate her massive strength. It had been three years since she last accidentally gripped a person too tightly in her hand. By now she’d managed to refine her technique, and she was confident that she wouldn’t hurt her new acquaintance. Nevertheless, she picked him up extra carefully, just in case he was already badly injured.

 

She placed Jake’s tiny body in the palm of her hand. He looked so vulnerable, lying there, barely longer than her hand was wide. She tucked her finger under his shirt, feeling for a heartbeat. If it was there, she couldn’t detect it.

 

“Hang on, little guy, hang on! I’m not letting you die! Come on!”

 She turned back home, carrying the injured Jake in her cupped hands. She had no idea what she could do to help revive him, but anything was better than leaving him there in the dirt. For the first time in her life, Susan actually had a purpose, a task to do, and she was determined to succeed.

When Jake awoke, he was lying on something soft. It was unfamiliar; it definitely didn’t feel like his bed. His body was still sore. The last thing he remembered was getting thrown against the fence and the millisecond of unimaginable pain that followed.

 

“I must be in a hospital. Yes, that’s it, someone found me and called an ambulance. That must be why…why is the ceiling so far away?”

 

It was the first time he’d noticed this odd detail. Lying on his back, he couldn’t see around him. He decided to sit up and examine his surroundings, and got the shock of his life.

 

The room he was in was big. Enormous. Unbelievably, mind-bogglingly huge. It was the biggest room he’d ever seen. And that wasn’t all. Everything else inside it was also gigantic. Windows, curtains, chairs, doors. The pillow he was lying on was forty feet long and twenty feet wide. It was in turn lying on an even more enormous table, with a massive flowerpot containing, not flowers, but small trees. He couldn’t see the floor, but got a sickening feeling that it was very, very far below him. And there, in the corner of the room, was a bed. It was 110 feet long, at least. And on it lay a truly colossal person.

 

It was a girl. She looked a little younger than him, with a pretty face and nice-looking body. But her size was just…wrong.

 

“She must be bigger than a whale!” thought Jake, unable to believe what he was seeing. Then, trying to make sense of it, he came to the conclusion that he was dreaming.

 

“I’ve got to wake up! I‘ve got to escape this…this nightmare!”

 

He pinched himself hard. Nothing happened. He slapped himself in the face a couple of times. It hurt, and still nothing changed around him. Then he began to get really scared. His breathing became more panicky, and he let out a moan of despair, immediately regretting he’d done so. The giant girl on the bed had heard him. She stood up and came walking towards him. With every step she took she grew larger and larger in Jake’s eyes. Her pink top covered a torso big enough for him to live in.

 

Jake began searching for an escape route. The pillow was five feet above the table top, and he leapt off without looking. But that’s as far as he got. There was no way to get off the round table. He scurried around the edge, searching in vain for a way down, while trying to avoid the giantess on the other side. Suddenly the sound of giggling reached his ears. He looked up, and there was the giant girl’s face, her hand in front of her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter. Jake sat down, closed his eyes, and began saying over and over:

“This can’t be real, this is just a dream, this can’t be real…”

 As he talked to himself he heard a gentle but powerful voice say:

“Oh no, don’t cry! Don’t cry, little man! I’m not going to hurt you; I just want to be your friend. Sorry I laughed at you, but you just looked so funny, running around like that. I never wanted to scare you, I promise. Please don’t cry!”

 

Susan looked at the tiny figure of the boy, cowering on her table, and felt sorry for him. It had seemed like a good idea to bring him here, take care of his wounds, maybe give him some water and food. Now she wasn’t so sure. Seeing her seems to have scared him out of his wits. She wanted to take him back and let him go, but a new problem became clear. What if he told everyone in the town about her? All her father’s hard work in keeping her existence secret would be undone, thanks to her thoughtlessness. She tried to talk to the boy again.

 

“Listen, I’m really sorry I frightened you, but you have to believe me! I mean you no harm! My name’s Susan, Susan Adams, but everyone calls me Susie. This is where I live, here, in this house. I know my size can be a little…well, scary, but that’s just the way I am. I wish I was normal like you, though. Then I wouldn’t have to stand here and explain things to you, and you wouldn’t feel afraid of me for no reason.”

 

There was still no reaction from Jake. He remained in a sitting, curled-up position, his face hidden in his arms. Susan gave up talking to him and sat down at the table. She sighed and wished for the billionth time that she didn’t have to be like this. After a long while Jake found the courage to stand up and look at his captor. When she saw him do this she extended her hand towards him. He backed away quickly.

 

“Don’t touch me!” he screamed. “Don’t touch me, you…you freak! Let me go, now!”

 

Susan sighed again.

 

“How can I let you go if I’m not allowed to touch you?” she asked, her patience growing thin. Jake looked around him, trying to find an answer. He got none.

 

“That’s right,” she said. “You’re trapped on my table. It’s fifty feet to the floor, and there’s no way down. If you want to get home, you have to let me help you. That’s what you want, isn’t it? To go home?”

 

Jake thought for a moment before answering.

                 

“Fine!” he shouted. “Just get me down, okay? Get me down, then leave me alone!”

 

“Oh, I’ll leave you alright! I’ll just leave you on my floor and forget about you! I mean, you obviously know the way home, don’t you? And how to get over the fence, of course! I’m sure you know exactly how to do that!”

 

Susan didn’t mean to yell at him, but her frustration was becoming too much too handle. It did have an effect on Jake, though. He stared at her in silence, before feebly uttering the word: “F-f-fence?”

 

“Yes, you dimwit! The fence that surrounds my house and keeps people away from me! The one on which you nearly got yourself killed! The one I had to reach over to pick you up, because I thought you were badly hurt, and I wanted to help you, only to find out you’re the kind of guy who’ll instantly hate someone like me because I’m different! That fence!”

 

Jake fell to his knees, and felt like fainting. The way she’d shouted at him had been terrifying. He wondered if she was going to kill him. Quietly, he began to pray. Suddenly he was caught between two massive fingers. Susan gripped him on either side of his chest. Slowly she lifted his trembling body and dropped him into her other hand. He curled up into a tiny ball, and began to sob.

 

“I’m taking you home, okay?” she said softly. “I hate seeing you like this, you know. All I wanted was to help you, and make friends with you, and get to know you. I get so lonely out here, and some company would have been nice. But it’s your decision, not mine. Come on, let’s get you home.”

 

She went outside and headed in the direction she’d found him. By now it was getting late, and the sun was low in the western sky. When she got to the fence she put the still sobbing Jake carefully on the other side. She watched him jump up and run in the direction of his useless bicycle. He climbed on it, then remembered the flat tires. Swearing to himself, he began pushing the bike ahead of him, when he heard a voice call out from behind him: “Goodbye!”

 

He turned and saw the giant girl standing behind the fence, which looked small and flimsy beside her towering legs. She was looking back at him, and, to his surprise, there were tears in her eyes.

 

“Snap out of it!” he told himself, and, without another glance back, began hurrying down the dirt path back to the town. He’d not gone twenty yards when it hit him.

 

“What am I doing?” he thought. “How could I have been so… so stupid? I’ve just screwed up my only chance to make a friend in this shitty town! Now she thinks I hate her, and…”

 

Without another thought, he dropped his bike and began to run back. When he reached the fence there was no sign of her. He began to shout frantically.

 

“Hey! Hey!! Susie! Susie, it’s me! Come back! Susie, I’m sorry!”

 

At firs nothing happened. Then the group of trees closest to him began moving. The nearest one was pushed over, and there was Susan, looking down at him, her eyes still teary. Jake got his thoughts together and began speaking:

 

“Susie - it is Susie, right? - um, well, I just want to, uh, say sorry for the way I acted and…and for shouting at you and everything. And for calling you a freak. That was wrong of me, and I’m really sorry, so…yeah, well, that’s it, I guess. Please…please forgive me.”

 He couldn’t look her in the eyes, so he gazed at her feet. She knelt down behind the fence and reached for him with her hand. This time he didn’t back away, and laid her fingers against his back. Sniffing back her tears, she smiled and said:

“Apology accepted.”

 

“So,” said Jake, breaking the silence. “I guess this is goodbye. I mean, I’d love to come and visit you again, but…”

 

“You would?” she asked excitedly. “You’d really come and see me? Oh, please come and see me again! I’d love to have a friend like you, I really would!”

 

“Uh, okay,” he said, rather taken aback. “Um, when can I come back? Can I call you, or something?”

 

“No, I don’t have a phone,” she sighed. “Easy to guess why, huh? But I’m free tomorrow, the whole day. Just come back to this spot, I’ll wait for you here. Then I can take you to my home.”

 

“Well, I have to go to church tomorrow morning. So…how about I come at twelve o’clock, noon. I’ll tell my mom I’m going for a ride in the forest, she won’t suspect anything.”

 

“Twelve o’clock? That’s perfect! Oh no, I forgot. Your bicycle, isn’t it broken?”

 

“My bike? Nah, that’s just a couple of flat tires. I can fix them tonight. Anyway, I have something to ask you…”

 

“Come back tomorrow, then I’ll tell you all about me,” she smiled again. “It’s a long story believe me. But there is something I want to ask you, a favour.”

 

“Yeah? What is it?”

 

“Could you…could you please not tell anyone about me. I’m kinda supposed to be a secret.”

 

“Sure, I won’t tell anyone about you. I really have to get going now, sorry. It’s getting late. Goodbye.” He turned down the path and began to walk.

 

“See you tomorrow!” she called. “Goodbye! Hey, wait! Wait! I never got your name!”

 

“It’s Jake!” he called back. “Jake Darren!”

 

He turned around a bend in the road and left her view. For a long while Susan remained where she sat, in full view of anyone who might happen to stroll past that spot. Eventually she stopped daydreaming and headed home.

 That night, as she slept in her comfortable bed, she dreamt of her new friend. It was the first kid of her own age group she’d ever met. She hoped he’d still like her when he got to know her better. The future seemed so uncertain, but she had high hopes for tomorrow. It could be the beginning of her first real friendship. She sighed with contentness and drifted off into another dream.

“Jake! Jake, answer me! I asked you where you’re going!”

 

“Into the forest, mom! I just want to explore a little! I told you last night I’d be going, didn’t I?”

 

“Okay, just promise me you’ll stay away from that fenced area! If you go and hurt yourself again then you’re not going back, am I clear?”

 

“Yes, mother! I’ll be more careful this time! I promise!” Jake waved to his mom and started off on his bike. When he’d told her that he’d ‘accidentally tripped and stumbled’ into an electrified fence she’d been mightily upset. He could understand, though. Since his dad had died his mom has been especially protective of him, often forbidding him to join his friends in what she termed ‘dangerous’ activities. It was her idea to move to Barton, widely considered to be one of the safest towns in the county, despite his ceaseless protests. Now he was stuck here, in an unfamiliar town, attending an unappealing high school. As far as he was concerned, there was only one reason to stay: Susie.

 

Jake couldn’t contain his curiosity much longer. The hundred-foot girl who’d saved his life, only to scare him half to death afterwards, was all he could think about. Last night he’d surfed the internet, trying to find some news article or story about her. But he found nothing. It was as if she didn’t exist. He pedalled harder, speeding along the dirt track, anxious to reach his destination. When he got to the spot where he’d last seen her she wasn’t there. He looked at his watch: one minute before noon. He felt like calling her name, but then remembered that she’d told him to keep her existence secret. There might not be anyone spying on him right now, but then again, there might.

 

He parked his bike beneath some trees, but before he could turn around he was suddenly lifted from the ground. Large cylindrical objects curled around his body and enveloped him from the shoulders downwards. Another large object came down over his head and covered him. He grasped around him, trying to find something to hold on to as he rose higher and higher above the ground. Abruptly he stopped moving upwards, and he heard a mighty, resonant, though distinctly girlish voice say: “Guess who!”

 

“Hey, let me go!” he yelled, and Susie lifted her hand. Jake was still squirming in her grip, and she dropped him into her other hand. Disorientated, he grabbed her thumb for support and held on with all his strength.

 

“Don’t tell me you’re scared of heights!” she laughed. “I mean, it may be a long way down, but you’re safe in my hands, Jake. I’m not letting my only friend fall to his death, so you can relax.”

 

Still clinging to her thumb, he looked up at her. It was the first time he’d been this close to her, and the sight overwhelmed him. Her cute-looking face was easily twice his height. She ran her fingers through her luscious red hair, and Jake wondered what it would feel like if he did the same. Then he gazed down at her chest, at her tight green blouse covering her gigantic breasts…

 

“Hey, are you okay?” she asked. “You look a very pale. I hope I didn’t scare you?”

 

“No, I’m…I’m fine,” he said, snapping out of his daze. “It’s just…well, all this is a little much to take in.”

 

Susie felt relieved. She was anxious not to upset her little friend. It wouldn’t do to scare him away before they’ve even gotten to know each other. Then she realized she was still standing next to the fence, out in the open. She turned and headed towards the cabin, following the path she’d made through the forest, while being careful not to let Jake fall or get hurt. While she walked she told him the story of her life, or at least all the essential parts, since she could sense his curiosity. He tried to listen, being still unnerved by the experience of being carried around like a little bug.

 

“So that’s basically it,” she said as they arrived at her home. “Now you know why you can’t tell anyone about me. My dad is a well-respected man, and one of the wealthiest men in the state. If people found out that he’s got a daughter who’s…you know, a giant, well, I don’t think he’d be very well thought of anymore.”

 

She sat down at the kitchen table. It was now covered with a blue tablecloth, and she set Jake down on it. He stood and stared around him, not sure what he should do.

 

“Well, sit down,” she said. “There’s no need to stand there so awkwardly. Just relax! This is your home too now.”

 

“M-my home?” he stammered. “You mean…you mean, you’re going to k-keep me here?”

 

She stared at him, then burst out with laughter. He sat down, blushing, not at all at ease.

 

“No, you silly! I mean you’re welcome to visit here any time you like! Unless you want me to keep you here. I’m sure that can be arranged.” She grinned and poked him in the stomach. “I bet there are lots of places where I could hide you, and no-one could ever find you. After all, you are really, really tiny.” She laughed again, and this time he laughed with her. He knew she was only teasing him.

 

“Now, how about I get you something to drink? You look as if you need it.”

 

“Yes, please,” he said. She fished around in the cupboard and brought out two massive jars. She placed them on the table and Jake stared in astonishment. One contained what seemed like thousands upon thousands of apples. The other contained an even greater number of pears. There must have been enough to feed him for a year.

 

“Please, take as many as you like,” she offered. “And don’t worry, I have lots more.”

 

“I…thanks, that’s really…really a lot, a lot of apples…”

 

“Yeah, it’s at least enough for a couple of days,” she rummaged around in a little fridge, which was built into the wall. “Oh no! I’m all out of juice! Sorry, it looks like you’ll have to make do with water. Hope that’s okay.”

 

“Water will be great, thanks.”

 

She filled a thirteen-foot glass and placed it before him. Then she dipped a teaspoon into it and held it at Jake’s level. He looked at it. There had to be at least several gallons of water in it.

 

“Sorry if this seems weird,” she said. “But I don’t have any glasses your size. Maybe I could ask my dad for some. But then I guess I’ll have to tell him about you, so…”

 

“Oh, it’s no problem, really.” He took a sip from the spoon, and found the water to be icy cold. “To be honest,” he continued. “I almost feel like I’m…in a fairytale or something. Everything’s just so overwhelming and exciting! I mean, I can’t imagine what it must be like, to be so huge and strong, like you!”

 

She smiled.

 

“And I can’t imagine what it must be like to be normal.” Susie reached into the apple jar and took out a handful. Picking out one from the bunch, she gave it to Jake. Then she popped the remaining couple of hundred apples into her mouth. He watched flabbergasted as she instantly devoured what was to him several months’ worth of food.

 

“So,” he said, trying to get his wits back. What he’d just seen had quite taken away his appetite. “Do you, uh, only eat fruits and stuff? That sounds a little boring to me.”

 

“Well, I have all sorts of fruit and vegetables to choose from. Every week the food company sends a different menu, so to speak. I also have bread and milk, of course. No meat, though. Although, when I look at a scrumptious little fellow like you, I do feel rather tempted to try some.”

 

Jake gave a nervous laugh. The way she’d looked at him, like a cat looking at a mouse it had caught, had made him wonder whether or not she was joking. As he was wondering what to say she grabbed him by his shirt and lifted him to her face.

 

“Hmm, no sense wondering when there’s only one way to find out,” she licked her lips and, to his horror, began lowering him into her open mouth. Her gleaming white teeth came closer and closer, until they closed in on his waist. At this point he began to struggle.

 “No, please, no!” he screamed. “Please don’t eat me, oh God, please!”

To his great relief, she opened her mouth and pulled him out. She dropped him into her open hand. As he tried to get to his feet she began laughing again.

 

“It’s not funny!” he shouted, but she kept on laughing. He suddenly felt rather foolish. Of course she was only pretending to eat him. If she’d really wanted to do so she’d already have done it. He sat down in her hand, facing away from her, so that she couldn’t see how humiliated he felt. Susie stopped laughing and apologized. She didn’t know how to behave when it came to entertaining friends, she said, because she’d never had a friend. She brought Jake closer to her body and hugged him. He grabbed at her blouse, feeling the warmth of her body through the fabric. Then he realized that he was grabbing her breast and recoiled immediately in embarrassment. But she just held him tighter, until he could feel her heartbeat resonating from deep within her chest.

 

Susie sat down on her bed and placed Jake carefully on her pillow. Then she slowly lay down on her stomach. Resting her chin on her arms, she regarded the tiny man beneath her.

 

“Jake,” she began, “you’re probably wondering why I’m so eager to have you here. You see, I’ve dreamt for years about what it must be like to not be the biggest thing that ever walked the Earth. I’d like nothing better than to be an ordinary, everyday five-foot-six girl. My dad spent millions on medical research, trying to find a cure. You have no idea what it’s been like, living up here all alone, knowing that you’ll never be able to live a happy, normal life. In fact, before you came along, I’ve never even met someone who was almost the same age as me. So if you think this is exciting for you, well, it’s ten times more exciting for me.”

 

Jake looked up at her. Though he’d had been friends with many girls, and had even dated one a few months ago, he somehow felt closer to this girl than any of them. Her presence filled his field of vision, and her scent his lungs. His heart began to beat faster and he was aware that he was sweating. Mustering the strength to look her directly in the eyes, he asked: “What is it you want from me?”

 

Susie moved back a bit. Clearly she was intimidating her little friend, and she decided to give him more room. Sitting upright, she crossed her legs. Then she lifted Jake and placed him upon her knee.

 

“Tell me, Jake,” she said.“Tell me all about you and your life. Tell me what it’s like to be normal.”

Not a minute went by where Jake didn’t wish he could skip school and go to see Susie. That Sunday afternoon, when he’d been taken to her remote cabin, and spent hours talking to her, had already begun to feel like a distant memory. He’d told her he’d like to visit her every day, to her great delight, but it just wasn’t possible. They both had their studies to attend to, and it might also be too risky if he came to see her every day. Sooner or later people might suspect that something strange was going on. They could both get into serious trouble, and he didn’t think she deserved it.

 

So she’d told him to come back early next Saturday morning. Just as expected, the days went by excruciatingly slowly. For the most part he spent his time in class daydreaming about Susie, while trying to pay attention to what the teachers were saying. He also tried to steer clear of Billy and his gang. He still hadn’t told anyone the truth about what had happened that day. Billy was very popular at school, plus his dad was the chief of police, so it seemed like he could get away with anything he wanted. Nobody would believe Jake’s version of the story, so he kept quiet and tried to forget about it.

 

Wednesday morning came, and the classes felt even longer than usual. Jake was daydreaming again, staring off into the distance, oblivious to his classmates’ stares, when the teacher’s harsh voice shook him back to reality.

 

“Jake Darren! How many times do I have to tell you to pay attention!”

”I’m sorry, Miss Stewart. I’m…I’m trying to listen, really!”

 

“What has gotten into you?” Miss Stewart asked. “You used to be the best listener in class, Jake!”

 

“He’s in love!” someone shouted, and the whole class started to laugh. Jake looked around furiously, trying to find out who’d said that.

 

“No, I’m not! I’m not in love! That’s a lie!” The laughing continued, and, to Jake’s horror, he saw Billy staring back at him, an evil look in his eyes. If only the day was over already, he wished to himself.

 

“Okay, class, that’s enough!” the teacher ordered. “And Jake, whatever it is that’s bothering you, I suggest you get over it quickly. Next week is test week, and I expect you to do very well, you understand?”

 

He nodded, and Miss Stewart went back to teaching. Or at least, she would have, but she couldn’t resist having one more go at Jake.

 

“After all,” she said, “we certainly don’t want your secret girlfriend to think you’re an underachiever, now do we?”

 

The room erupted with laughter again, and Jake began counting the seconds of time left until he could escape this miserable place.

 

 

 

Susie wandered through the field of tall grass. She wondered how she got here, and why the grass was so tall. It didn’t feel right, but she accepted it eventually and kept on walking. Then, in the distance, silhouetted against the setting sun, she saw him. She began walking faster, desperate to reach him. Oh, it was definitely him, she was sure of it. Within moments she was standing before him, looking up into his face. He reached out to her and took hold of her, and she embraced him. As their faces approached one another, she heard him whisper: “I love you, Susie.”

 

“I love you, Jake,” she replied, and he leaned forward to kiss her. But then a cold wind blew across them, and he vanished, and she stood alone in the field of grass.

 

Susie awoke with a start. A cold breeze blew in through the window, which she’d forgotten to close. She got up to close it, pausing for a moment to gaze into the darkness outside. Then she climbed back into bed, but it was impossible to fall asleep. A strange feeling had filled her in her dream, but now it was gone, and she suddenly felt empty and alone.

 

“Am I really in love…with him?” she said to herself. “No, no I can’t be! It was just a dream, nothing more!”

 

But denying that her feelings existed didn’t make them go away. She hugged her pillow tightly, and tried to remember what being held by him had felt like. Such a strange feeling, one that she could never experience in real life, not while she was as big as this. In the darkness she began to cry softly.

 

“Oh, Jake! If you only knew how I really felt about you! But you can’t know, no-one can ever know! Oh, God, why is this happening to me? Why can’t I just be happy like everyone else?”

 

She cried and cried, until she had no more tears left. She hadn’t felt this heartbroken since her father had told her about her mother’s death. Back then, at least, she’d had someone to talk to, someone to share the pain with. Now there was no-one who could help, no-one who could understand how she felt. She was going to have to face this by herself. Susie sat upright in bed and felt for her box of tissues. She blew her nose and dried her tears, and felt ashamed for acting so pathetically.

 

“It’s all right,” she told herself. “You’ve been through much worse before. Pull yourself together, Susie! Tomorrow, you’ll get to see him again, and you’ll have a great time!”

 

Then she got an idea. Tomorrow, when Jake arrives, she’ll take him for a picnic in the woods.

 

“We’ll go to that little stream at the foot of the hill. He’ll love it, I’m sure he will.”

 

Once her mind had calmed down she lay down again. She pulled her blanket over herself, telling herself once again that everything will be all right. After all, she was a hundred foot-tall, amazingly powerful giantess. She had no reason to be afraid of anything. With her strength she could do anything she wanted.

 

 

 

Jake arose early on Saturday morning, hurriedly ate some breakfast, left his still-sleeping mother a note, and was off. The sky was cloudless; he could tell it was going to be a lovely day. He wondered what he and Susie were going to do today, and if she had anything specific planned. Whatever it was, he was sure he’d enjoy it. Over the past week he’d grown more and more obsessed with her, and spending time with her again was sure to be a blast.

 

He had parked his bike and had reached the fence before he realized he was again too early, this time by fifteen minutes. He began pacing around, now and then glancing at the forest for signs of his gigantic friend. He noticed how she’d already made a substantial path through the dense trees,  having pushed them aside as if they were nothing but grass. He’d not waited two minutes, though, when he heard voices approaching, and a moment later their owners came into view around the bend.

 

“Haha! I told you we’d find him here! There’s something strange going on here, for sure!”

 

Jake watched in dismay as the same four kids he’d been here with last Saturday came towards him. Billy’s bike skidded to a halt less than two feet from him, showering him with dust. Frank and Arthur were close behind, while Linda remained in the background. She looked like she didn’t really want to be here, but clearly she had to go wherever Billy went.

 

“Came back for more, did you?” Billy laughed, grabbing Jake’s shoulder. Jake shook him off and backed away. It was too late to run now, so he’d have to face them.

 

“What do you want, Billy?” he said defiantly. “I thought you didn’t want me hanging out with you. So what the hell’s you’re problem?”

 

The boys just laughed at him. By now they had him surrounded. Jake was no weakling, but he knew he didn’t stand a chance against the three of them.

 

“Oh, you want us to leave, is that it?” Billy asked. “Why don’t you tell us what you’re doing here, then maybe I’ll consider it!”

 

“That’s none of your business!”

 

“Bullshit!” Billy spat at him. “You’re up to something here! Tell me what it is, or I’ll break your neck!”

Jake wished he hadn’t arrived this early. He also wished he could warn Susie not to come here now, but that was impossible.

 

“Okay, fine, I’ll tell you,” he said, trying to buy some time. “I found a way inside, so I came back to look around. Happy now?”

 

“What’s inside the fence that’s so interesting, huh?”

 

“That’s where his girlfriend lives,” said Arthur, and he and Frank began to laugh. Jake felt a horrifying feeling inside him; they couldn’t know about Susie, could they?

 

“Oh yeah, that’s right! Old Jake’s got himself a secret girlfriend! So what’s she like, huh? Is she hot? I mean, she lives in the fucking forest, so she’s got to be pretty wild, right?”

 

Jake decided he’d had enough. He glanced at his watch; Susie should have shown up by now. He hoped she’d seen what was happening, and had decided to stay away. If Billy and the others found out about her, it was pretty much over for her, and him as well. But he still had to escape his present situation. They were still busy laughing at him when he charged full force at Billy and knocked him aside. But he wasn’t quick enough. Billy recovered instantly, drew out his knife, and stabbed Jake in the shoulder as he ran past.

 

He stumbled and fell to the ground, crying out in pain. The others, even Linda, came running up to him. They stood over him as he tried to scramble away, and grabbed him by his shirt collar.

 

“I don’t remember saying you could leave!” Billy snarled. He punched Jake on the shoulder, in the same spot where the knife had struck him. Jake stifled a cry. He wanted to fight back with all his strength, but he couldn’t see how he could possibly win.

 

“So when’s this ‘girlfriend’ of yours supposed to show up?”

 

“I…she…she’s not my girlfriend…” Jake couldn’t think straight. He wanted to tell them the truth, just so they’d leave him alone. And then, when he was on the brink of giving up completely and letting them do what they want to him, he saw someone emerging from within the woods. He smiled and got to his feet, shakily.

 

“Actually,” he said, “she’s just arrived, so why don’t you ask her yourself?”

It took Susie less than two seconds to realize that she had to step in. She’d overslept that morning, and had hurried to meet Jake, not wanting to be late. As it was, she arrived at the same time as Jake tried to escape. Her first reaction was to stay hidden, but what she saw happen next motivated her to help her new friend.

 

Bursting out of the trees and stepping easily over the knee-high fence, she was on them in less than a second. Her massive footsteps shook the ground. Billy and the others barely had time to look behind them. She slipped her right foot out of her sandal and lowered it onto him. Frank and Arthur were able to run out of the way, but they stumble and fell over. They were only able to look on in terror as she lowered her foot onto Billy and held him against the ground. Meanwhile, Linda had also managed to run a few feet away, but when she saw what was happening she stopped and screamed. Her legs gave way and she fell to her knees.

 

Billy didn’t have time to see what was scaring her when a massive object pressed him to the ground. He tried to escape but the pressure on his body was too great. He slammed his fists against the object, to no avail, and then tried stabbing it with his knife. Still nothing happened, and still the object came down on him, until he was squashed so tightly that he couldn’t move.

 

Susie looked down at them and wondered what to do next. It would be the easiest thing for her to plant her foot on the ground and crush Billy out of existence. But she didn’t want to kill him, not at all. It took great effort for her to balance in such a way that her foot only rested lightly on him. She could feel his puny body, but was unaware that he’d stabbed her with his knife, since her skin was thicker than its blade. The other three were still lying around, seemingly paralysed with fear. She had no idea where Jake was, until she felt a slight tickling on her left foot. Jake had clambered onto her foot, and was now firmly attached to her lower leg. He held on as if he was afraid he might fall off. Susie smiled. She raised her foot a few feet and gently tipped him off.

 

“Hey, you!” she shouted at Arthur, who was attempting to flee. “You’d better stay where you are, unless you want to see your buddy get squished. Jake, round them up!”

 

“What?” a bewildered Jake called up, still cowering next to her foot.

 

“You heard me!” She lifted her foot, and Billy appeared, gasping and coughing. When he saw what was above him, he screamed and began to crawl away. Susie bent down and picked him up. He flailed about, screaming and cursing. Then, without another thought, she stuffed him into her skirt’s pocket. She knew he couldn’t escape, not from fifty feet above ground level. Meanwhile, Jake had brought the others to her. Swiftly she picked them up as well, stuffing Arthur in with Billy and the other two in her other pocket. Linda appeared to have fainted, while Frank looked like he was having a panic attack. When they were safely stowed away she reached down ad lifted Jake. Then she gave him a hug.

 

“Bet you’re glad to see me!” she said.

 

“Uh-huh,” he grunted, pressed tightly against her body. After what he’d just seen he was a little scared of her, of her immense strength. But she knew how to handle people without hurting them. Letting him sit down in her open hand, she stepped back over the fence and began to head home.

 

“Susie, you’re not…taking them with you, are you?” Jake asked. “I mean, I’m really glad you saved me, but isn’t this a bit…risky?”

 

“Maybe,” she smiled impishly. “But so’s letting them go, too. Besides, they need a lesson or two, don’t you think?”

 

He looked up at her meekly. This wasn’t what either of them had wanted, but things rarely happen exactly as planned. Susie held Jake’s body between her thumb and index finger, and began rubbing him. He was so small compared to her, so tiny and petite, and yet she felt incredibly enamoured of him.

 

“Don’t worry, Jake,” she said soothingly. “I’ll let them go soon enough. Then you and I can enjoy a lovely day together.”

 

When she got home she first put Jake on the dining table. Then she took out her four captives and dropped them all in the kitchen sink. It was too deep for them to escape, and they looked up helplessly as she towered over them. As she pondered what to do with them Billy spoke up.

 

“Wh-wh-what the fuck is this?” he yelled. He tried to jump up and grab the edge of the sink, but wasn’t able to reach it. Susie grinned and leant in closer. Billy backed away and tried to hide behind Frank. They all stared up at her in complete fear. She took a deep breath and blew forcefully on them. They couldn’t stand up to the power of her breath and fell over, with Frank falling on top of Billy. Susie laughed. It felt amazing, to be able to use her power so freely. She gleefully grabbed Frank by the leg and dangled him upside-down above her head. He was screaming and begging her to let him go.

 

“Not yet,” she said with a smile. She began to lower him into her open mouth, and at this point he really began to panic. He screamed as if he were being tortured as she closed her mouth, his upper body completely inside it. She gave him a few shoves with her tongue, his arms desperately hitting everything around him. At last she’d had enough and she spat him out into the sink. He fell on top of Arthur, covering them both in her saliva.

 

“Ugh, you taste just awful!” she said. “You definitely need to bathe more often. Now, who’s next? Ah, perfect!” Arthur was still busy trying to dry himself when he too was grabbed by the legs. He closed his eyes, and looked ready to cry. Susie studied him a little before deciding the best place for him would be beneath her foot. She took off her sandal and held him against the sole of her foot, rubbing him back and forth, giggling at his ineffectual struggles. All the while Jake watched her, partly in curiosity and partly in fear. He vowed never to make her angry; he didn’t want to know what she’d do to him if he did.

 

Meanwhile Linda had recovered from her daze. When she saw she was in a giant kitchen sink she began to scream again. Billy turned on her angrily.

 

“Will you shut up?” he screamed at her.

 

“Billy, I’m scared!” she wailed. “I don’t want to die! Please, baby, do something!”

 

But Billy had had more than he could take. He strode towards her and slapped her in the face. She fell to the floor and began to sob.

 

“I said shut up, you bitch!” he yelled, and kicked her in the stomach. “It’s your fucking fault we’re here!”

 

He lifted his foot to kick her again, but suddenly found himself fifty feet in the air. Susie had heard Linda’s screams and, putting Arthur down in the sink, watched horrified as Billy hit his girlfriend. At that moment she could no longer control her anger. She grabbed Billy around the waist and began to squeeze him in her fist, at first lightly, but slowly increasing her force. She could feel his fragile little body give way under pressure, and heard his screams of intense pain, but she didn’t stop. She was no longer worried what might happen to him. Her fist grew tighter and tighter, but then she heard a voice behind her yell: “Susie, stop!”

 

Slowly, as if emerging from a dream, she loosened her grip on Billy. She dropped his unconscious body into the sink and turned around. There, perched on the edge of her table, was Jake. His eyes were wide with fear, and as she approached he shrank away from her.

 

“Jake…” she whimpered, but he just backed away further. “Oh, Jake, I’m so, so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that, I really didn’t. I…I just got so angry…”

 

She sat down and began to cry. How could she have been so…so unfeeling. Now her only friend thought she was a monster. Now he, and everyone else, would hate her. She buried her face in her hands and wished she didn’t exist. She didn’t see Jake cautiously approaching her, but she heard him call her name. When she didn’t answer he tried to talk to her.

 

“Susie,” he said, “I know you can hear me, so please listen. I’m not angry, Susie. The other day, when you told me all about you, I knew that’s who you really are, a kind and wonderful person, who would never just hurt someone for no reason. We all get angry sometimes. I mean, even I sometimes wished I could hurt the people who were hurting me, people like Billy. We all make mistakes, that’s only human. You told me that you always wished you were normal. Well, feeling what you feel now, what you felt then, that is normal! I’m still you’re friend, Susie. And friends forgive each other, no matter how big a mistake you make.”

 

She looked at him, and, right then, he knew he was in love with her. He wanted to tell her, but couldn’t; how would she react? Then he decided that the important thing right then was to comfort her and make her feel better. He reached out his hand, and she held out a five-foot finger, and he hugged it.

 

“I forgive you, Susie,” he said, “but I’m not the one you should apologize to.” He nodded in the direction of the sink. “Tell them you’re sorry, and take them back. I think they’ve learned their lesson.”

 

She sniffed back her tears and nodded. With a weak ‘okay’ she got up and headed to the sink. A moment later she came back and held out her hand for Jake to climb in. He did, and saw that she was carrying someone else in her other hand. It was Linda, curled up into a ball, sobbing.

 

“I…I don’t feel like leaving her alone…with them,” Susie explained. “I’ll take them back, but…would you…you know, watch over her, while I’m gone? Please? I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

 

“Yeah, sure, of course,” Jake said, not entirely comfortable with the plan. He and Linda were placed on Susie’s bed, and she made sure they were comfortable, before leaving to take the other three back. Billy was in bad shape, and she wondered if he’d make it back okay. She picked up Arthur and Frank, apologized as best as she could, and put them in the pockets of her skirt. Then she picked up Billy and, cradling him in her hands like a precious object, left the cabin. Jake watched her go and waited for her return.

 

When she came back she sat down on the bed beside him.  Feeling himself suddenly attracted to her, he approached her leg cautiously. She did nothing to stop him, so he grabbed onto her skirt and tried to climb up the side of her leg. With a little help from her hand he managed it, and fell down comfortably into her lap. She smiled down on him.

 

“Thanks for understanding, Jake,” she said. “I know it must be difficult for you, to talk to me, to be with me.”

 “It is, a little,” he said, lying on his back and gazing up at her. She was stroking his chest, and he felt himself becoming aroused. Quickly he turned over, hoping she didn’t notice his embarrassment. She thought he didn’t like it, so she picked him up and placed him back on the bed.

“So, how’s she doing?” she asked.

 

“Oh, you mean Linda?” Jake looked over at the tiny - at least, relatively tiny - girl. “Still no change. I tried talking to her, but she didn’t answer. I think you scared her pretty badly.”

 

Susie picked up Linda’s limp body and held her close to her face. Jake watched in amazement. It was one thing to be picked up by a colossal giantess, but to see how small someone else was next to Susie really highlighted how big she was. She held Linda up close, whispering how sorry she was, but got no response other than silence. Susie turned helplessly to Jake, who was even less sure what to do.

 

“Jake,” she said, “I’m going to take her back. I can’t stand watching her upset like this, and knowing that it’s all my fault. She’ll probably never forgive me, like you did.” She looked like she was about to cry again, but managed to keep her emotions in check.

 

“Er, do you think she’ll be okay?” Jake asked.

 

“I don’t know. I really hope so, but…if it’s not too much to ask, could you take her back to the town? I don’t want to leave her to go back alone. I mean, those other guys had each other, but she’s…”

 

“Sure, I’ll go,” Jake said. Then he added: “You’ve been really good to me, Susie, and I don’t blame you for anything. If anything happens - if word of you gets out or anything - well, I’ll be there for you. You have my word.”

 

She scooped him up and planted a big, wet kiss on his face. Then she hugged him again, more gently this time. He let himself be enveloped by her warm, loving arms, and felt certain that, however bad things might get, they’d still have each other’s full support and friendship.

 

Later, after Susie had given them some refreshments, she took them back to the usual meeting spot by the fence. Linda had recovered enough to accept some food and water, but she still didn’t speak to them or look them in the eyes. Susie had tried her best to make amends, but in the end she decided the best thing would be to let her leave, and hope that Jake would somehow sort things out. She couldn’t understand why Billy had hit her like that, or why he was constantly picking on Jake, or why he was pretty much nasty to everyone. She put Jake and Linda on the ground and waved them goodbye.

 

“I had planned a picnic for you today,” she said sadly. “I was going to take you to this beautiful place in the forest.”

 

“And you still will,” Jake answered. “Maybe not now, or soon, but I’m certain you still will. Goodbye, Susie, and don’t worry: everything will turn out perfect, you’ll see!”

 “Goodbye!” she called, and turned back home. Tomorrow her father would come for a visit, along with the two doctors who’d do a monthly check-up on her. It took great courage, but she resolved to tell him everything about the past week. Hiding the truth would do her no good, and she could only hope her father would be as understanding as Jake.

The helicopter landed, as it usually did, on the small pad just behind Susie’s cabin. She sat on the grass next to it and waited for her father to emerge. On any other day she would be looking forward to seeing him, but right then she almost wished he would just leave. Susie loved her dad, and she knew he loved her too, but she never felt entirely comfortable around him. Maybe it was because he was so strict, and because he was always demanding more from her. She’d always tried to follow his rules and live as he wanted her to, which was never easy.

 

Joseph Adams got out of the co-pilot’s seat and stepped onto the landing pad. He was followed by Dr. Sheridan and Dr. McCarthy, two men whom he trusted fully, and whom he knew he could depend on. They’d been monitoring Susie’s abnormal growth for the past ten years, trying to discover a way to stop it, without alerting the wider medical community of her existence. If news of her reached the outside world it could have severe consequences, which he wasn’t ready to face.

 

At the edge of the pad Joseph saw his daughter waiting for them. He knew her better than anyone, but every time he saw her, her vast size still overwhelmed him. She could easily pick up the helicopter behind him, as if it were a toy. Of course she’d never actually done so; he’d taught her too well to behave so recklessly. He ran up to her waiting hand, and she lifted him into an embrace.

 

“It’s great to see you, Susie,” he said, as she gave him a little kiss on the face. “You don’t know how much I’d love to stay with you, to spend more time with you…”

 

“I’m glad to see you too, Daddy,” she said, for once not entirely truthfully. “I’m missing you more and more every time you leave. It gets so lonely here.”

 

“I know, sweetie, I know. I’m working as hard as I can to find a solution. It won’t be long, I promise you. With technology improving every day, I’m positive we’ll find a cure for you soon.”

 

“But it’s already taken so long!” she said indignantly. “I’m fifteen years old, Daddy! My childhood will be over soon, and I’ve already missed so much in life! I could spend my whole life like this, alone! You’re the only one who loves me, and when you’re gone…”

 

Joseph looked down at the two doctors, waiting uncomfortably on the ground below. He could feel his resolve slipping away. Every time he saw Susie she became more and more saddened, and it was breaking his heart. What she said was true, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He was a powerful man, but when it came to making his daughter happy he was at a loss.

 

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just a little upset, that’s all. There’s something I have to tell you, if that’s okay?”

 

“Of course,” he said immediately. “Take us inside and we’ll talk.”

 

She greeted the doctors and let them step into her right hand. Unlike her father they still found it unnerving to be carried by her, and it secretly amused her to watch them, shifting around in her palm uncomfortably. She went inside and set them down on her bedside table, before lying down on the bed. Outside the helicopter took off. The pilot would always fly around the perimeter, making sure everything was still in order.

 

“So, baby, what is it you’re so upset about?” Joseph asked, trying to sound relaxed. “Nothing serious, I hope?”

 

Susie didn’t answer for a while. When she did, her voice sounded heavy with emotion.

 

“I…Daddy, I’m really sorry! I’ve done something awful, and now I don’t know what’ll happen! I want to tell you, but I’m afraid…I’m afraid you’ll be angry with me, that you won’t love me anymore!”

 

“No!” Joseph cried. “Susie, don’t talk like that! I’m your father, for God’s sake, not some…some monster to be afraid of! There’s nothing you can do that’ll stop me from loving you, you know that! Now tell me, what happened? What did you do?”

 

She told him. And he couldn’t believe what he heard. If she had been a little younger his first reaction would have been anger. But Susie was no longer an irresponsible child. She was on the verge of adulthood he would no longer be able to make decisions for her. He looked at her, her full length stretched out on the bed, and saw, for the first time, a young woman instead of a little girl. In a way it was as if she no longer needed him.

 

But what she did, at least as far as hurting those three boys was concerned, was still wrong. There would be all sorts of repercussions. A potential nightmare lay ahead for him. It was only a matter of time before the whole world would know about her, and he was not looking forward to explaining his actions. As he wondered what to tell his crying daughter, the radio on his belt crackled. The helicopter pilot was trying to contact him, so he picked up the radio.

 

“What is it, Dick?” he asked.

 

“Uh, we’ve got a problem, sir,” the pilot’s voice answered. “I’ve just flown past the south perimeter and…well, there’s a girl here, and she’s calling your daughter’s name.”

 

“What? A girl?” Joseph said in disbelief. Then he remembered what Susie had told him: something about a girl who was here with those boys. He wasn’t the only one who was shocked, though. Susie had heard the little conversation and had sat upright in surprise.

 

“Linda!” she said. “Daddy, that’s Linda, the girl I told you about! I have to go see her!”

 

“You’ll stay right here!” her dad said, before she’d even completed her sentence. “Susie, I’m not angry at you, but you’ve done enough harm already. I’ll handle this situation. You’ll stay here with the doctors while they do the check-up, is that understood?”

 

But she wasn’t listening to him. She stood up and lifted him and the doctors off the table.

 

“You’ve done so much for me, Daddy,” she said, bringing them close to her face. “But I’m old enough now to make my own decisions. I’m the one who started all this, and I’m going to take care of it myself.”

 

Her father sat helplessly as she carried him and the doctors outside and set them down on the ground. Joseph was used to being the one in charge, but now the situation has reversed. Susie stood up, dwarfing them like a colossus, and he felt insignificant beside her. He stood next to her shoe and noticed that he was barely taller than her ankle.

 

“Susie!” he called up to her. “Susie, please listen to me! Don’t do this! It’s too dangerous!”

 

She gave him a smile.

 

“I’ll be fine, Daddy! You’ve taught me to be careful, and besides, there isn’t really anything that can hurt me, at least not here. I’ll make you proud, I promise!”

 

Joseph stood powerless as she strode off. He’d never seen her this confident and resolute before. But there was something comforting about the way she told him she’d handle the situation. Perhaps his ‘little girl’ was finally discovering that she possessed enormous strength within her.

 

Linda watched in awe as the giantess approached her. It just seemed so unreal. Clad in denim jeans and a plain black T-shirt, Susie looked just like any other girl, but she was freaking huge! No wonder she lived by herself in the forest; there was no house in town she could even fit into, let alone live in. She stepped over the fence and slowly laid herself down on the ground, being careful not to crush Linda beneath her. The diminutive blonde stood back and wondered whether it had been a good idea to come here. But the giantess smiled at her, a warm and caring smile, and she felt a tiny bit safer.

 

“Hi there,” Susie said in her most gentle voice.

 

“H-h-h-hi,” Linda managed to say. Her heart was thumping violently and she was sweating everywhere. How was she supposed to talk to this mountain of a girl? Susie held her open hand behind Linda and lightly tipped her over, letting her fall backwards into her hand.

 

“It’s okay,” she said. “Don’t be afraid of me. I know I wasn’t very nice to you, and I’m truly sorry. You see, I’ve never been friends with other girls before, so I don’t know how I’m supposed to treat them. In fact,” she added, “it’d be wonderful if we could be friends. You know, start over and all that?”

 

“I…I don’t know…”

 

“Oh, come on! Don’t tell me you’d rather stay with…with that…”

 

“No!” Linda cried. “No, it’s over between me and Billy! I never want to see him again, ever!” She calmed down a little, and Susie waited patiently for her to continue.

 

“I came…I came to talk to you about Jake.”

 

“Yes? What is it?” Susie urged her on impatiently.

 

“He’s, well, I think he’s in trouble,” Linda began to talk quickly now. “You see, Billy’s in hospital, and he’s in pretty bad shape, and he knew no-one would believe what had happened, so…so he blamed it all on Jake. And Frank and Arthur, they backed him up. They said Jake had attacked him and beaten him, and Billy’s dad believed them. He’s the Chief of Police, Billy’s dad. I was there when he told his men to go and arrest Jake. I wanted to say something, but who’d believe me? Now they’re going to put him in jail, I think. I don’t know, I don’t know what to do, so I came looking for you.”

 

“Why?” Susie asked, not believing what she was hearing.

 

“Because I thought you could do something! I mean, you’re so big and…and you’re in love with him!”

 

“What?” Susie cried. “I’m not…in love with him. I…I’m just his friend.”

 

“No, you’re not,” Linda said. She didn’t know if it was safe to talk to Susie like this, but she felt she had to. “I saw how you looked at him, when you said goodbye. The same way I once looked at Billy, before I knew him, how he really was. You’ve shown me the truth, Susie. I’ve been really nasty to Jake, and you were right to be so mad at me. I was once like him, you know: the new kid at school, without friends. Everyone made fun of me back then, and I felt I had to get back at them somehow. Billy never loved me, he just used me to show off to everyone, and I went along with him because there was nothing else I could do.”

 

She looked up at Susie’s giant green eyes and saw only compassion in them. Then she was lifted and held against Susie’s cheek, and caressed by her fingers. Linda had never, ever imagined herself in such a situation. She felt bewildered and afraid, but also safe and secure. Right then she knew she wanted to be friends with Susie. Who wouldn’t want a giant friend, looking after you, protecting you from all dangers?

 

“I need your help, Linda,” Susie said. “If Jake’s in trouble, I have to go and help him. If the police see me with their own eyes, they’ll no longer think he’s guilty. Will you help me, please?”

 

She held the tiny girl in front of her face, close enough to see the fear in her eyes. There was no doubt that going after Jake would be dangerous. Susie wanted to leave Linda out of it, but she didn’t know the way and needed someone to guide her. Linda hesitated a moment before nodding and agreeing to help.

 

“I’m really scared,” she said. “Promise you won’t let anything happen to me?”

 

“I promise,” Susie said. “Just show me which way to go, and leave the rest to me.”

 

She stood up, holding Linda securely in her cupped hands. Then she set off down the path towards Barton as quickly as she could, hoping that they weren’t too late.

 

Chief of Police Gene Arnold heard the screams long before he saw what was causing them. He’d already had a shitty weekend: first his son comes home from the forest, covered in bruises, blood and with a few broken bones. Then he heard a seventeen year-old kid had been responsible. Of course the kid denied having anything to do with it, but when asked what really happened, he didn’t say a word. Now the chief had to deal with the kid’s annoying-as-hell overprotective mother, who’d rather believe her precious little baby than the word of three reliable witnesses. So he was understandably annoyed when he got a breathless call from one of the officers stationed outside.

 

“Chief, you’d better get out here quick!” the officer said, sounding scared to death. “Something fucking strange has just arrived, and we need your orders, or else me and the guys are opening fire immediately!”

 

Arnold got off the couch, leaving a bewildered Jake and his even more bewildered mom with a junior officer. He stepped outside, and what he saw stunned him like nothing else ever had before. Across the street stood what looked like a teenage girl, but was bigger than a house. She must have been ten stories tall, thought Arnold, struggling to regain his composure. Her face seemed to indicate that she was afraid, or at least confused. But Arnold didn’t dwell on it. Whatever this thing was, he was convinced it couldn’t possibly be human. It had to be destroyed quickly, before it kills anyone. Several blocks away a large crowd had begun to form. Many people were screaming, and all were keeping a safe distance. Around him the other police officers had gathered. They were clearly just as scared as he was.

 

“Alright, listen up!” he said, as bravely as was possible. “I don’t know what the fuck’s going on, but we’re not going to run like a bunch of pussies, that’s for sure! I want all of you to open fire on that…that thing immediately! We’re taking it down before it takes us out, is that clear?”

 

“Yes, sir!” they said in chorus, got out their pistols, and began to shoot at the monstrously huge girl.

 

Susie heard the shots and her heart nearly stopped in fear. This is it, she thought, this is the end. Then, to her great relief, she found she was still alive. The bullets merely stung her a little, not enough to actually hurt her, just enough to be mildly annoying. She was clearly a lot stronger and tougher than she’d thought. But she was still afraid of being shot in the eyes, and she had Linda’s safety to consider as well. With one hand she held her new friend flat against her stomach, completely covering her, and with her other she shielded her eyes. She would just have to wait this out.

 

After what seemed like forever the shots stopped. Susie lowered her right hand, alive and still mostly unhurt. A bullet had hit her cheek, but to her it felt no worse than a pinprick. At her feet the cops were beginning to realize that their actions were futile. They’d grouped together and were talking to each other, too softly for her to hear. This was her opportunity. Slowly, carefully, she sat down on her legs. Her lower legs stretched across the street and into Jake’s front yard, but she couldn’t help it; she was just too big for this town to handle her. Then she lowered her left hand and deposited the terrified Linda. Luckily she was unscathed as well, and she courageously walked towards the group of officers.

 

“Please don’t shoot!” she cried, hands raised above her head. “It’s me, Mr. Arnold! Linda! I used to be Billy’s girlfriend, remember? Please, you have to remember me!”

 

The chief came storming towards her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, not believing his eyes. She tried to break free but he grabbed her even harder and began to yell questions at her.

 

“L…Linda? Y…you? What…what’s going on? What the hell is that thing? It’s…it’s…”

 

“Her name’s Susie, Mr. Arnold. She’s my friend. If you let go of me, I’ll explain everything.”

 

The chief let go of her hesitantly. By now the other cops had joined him, and all were staring up at the behemoth who blocked the street. She gave them a nervous smile and waved her hand. Linda began to tell them what was happening.

 

“This is Susie Adams, and she’s fifteen years old. She lives in the forest, in that place behind the fence. She’s got a giant house there and everything. This may sound strange, but she’s really just a normal girl. Please don’t shoot her, Mr. Arnold. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone,” then she hesitated before continuing. “Although, she’s actually the one who hurt Billy. You see, Billy had stabbed Jake with his knife, and she thought…she thought they were trying to kill him or something, so she wanted to teach them a lesson. It was really an accident, and she’s really, really sorry. We just want you to not arrest Jake…”

 

“That…that monster attacked Billy?” the chief interrupted. “You’re telling that’s actually a human? No, no way! I don’t believe you! That thing’s got no right to be in my town! Shoot it, boys!”

 

The others didn’t listen. They were all staring at Susie now, completely entranced by her. She hadn’t lifted a finger against them and was trying not to move at all if she could help it. The longer the other officers gazed at her, the less they thought of her as dangerous. She looked like nothing more than a lost child, if an impossibly large lost child. One of them murmured that she looked almost like his own daughter.

 

“Are you fucking deaf? I told you to shoot it!” Arnold drew his own pistol, took a few steps closer to Susie and fired a volley directly at her chest. Again it had no effect, and this time Susie had had enough. She grabbed the chief by the back of his uniform and lifted him up. Quick as lightning she flicked his gun out of his hand. He dangled helplessly, screaming and trying to hit the fingers which were holding him.

 

“No wonder Billy’s so aggressive all the time,” she said calmly. “He clearly takes after his dad. Well, my dad told me never to hurt people, no matter what, but in your case I might make an exception.”

 

“No! No, wait! Jesus, let me go! Oh God, please!” He continued on like this for a while. Susie swung him from side to side, letting him see just how high up he was. Eventually she guessed he might be getting a bit nauseous, so she put him down again. He fell on his hands and threw up.

 

“Serves you right!” she declared. “All I wanted was to help out my friend Jake, but your mind was obviously already made up about me from the start. Now I know why Daddy warned me not to come here!”

 

She turned to the other officers, who were huddled together in fear, and asked them where Jake was. Before they could answer, though, a figure emerged from the house and came running towards her. It was Jake, and before he knew it, he was scooped up by giant hands and given a giant kiss.

 “You…you came for me?” he asked, while she kept on kissing every part of him. She then hugged him like she had before. “Susie, I…why?”

“Why?” she repeated. “Can’t you see? I love you, Jake! I’m in love with you, and I can’t live without you!”

 

It took a while for her words to hit him, but finally they did. And suddenly, it was as if he’d always known. A big smile spread across his face and all the problems of the past few days disappeared. It was just Susie and him, and nothing else mattered. She drew him in for another kiss, a more discreet one this time. Unlike Jake, who seemed lost in pure happiness, she was aware that they were being watched. The crowd of people, which had earlier run from her in terror, was no drawing nearer. She could hear the noise of a myriad conversations going on around her. Then, out of nowhere, a helicopter flew by beside her. It landed carefully in the street next to her. Out stepped her dad, the pilot, the two doctors. They all stared at her in amazement. Next to them stood a woman, who she guessed was Jake’s mother. Her face showed alarm and confusion, and she looked ready to faint. Then Susie saw her dad take the woman aside and explain things to her.

 

“I think we’ve got some explaining to do,” she whispered to Jake. She put him down next to his mother, who immediately embraced him. Her father then approached her and motioned her to pick him up. She did so, hoping she wasn’t going to get too bad a scolding.

 

“Susie,” he began, “I don’t know what’s going to happen now, and, frankly, I couldn’t care less. I don’t know what made you decide to come her, to disobey every one of my orders and to risk your own safety.  What you did as highly irresponsible and on another occasion I would’ve been forced to punish you…somehow. But,” he added, “on this occasion, I, unlikely as it may seem, think you made the right choice. I’ve raised you all my life and watched you become the person you are now, and I’m proud of you, Susie.”

 

“Really? You…you mean it? Oh Daddy, I’m so happy!” She leant forward to kiss him, but he held out his hand to stop her.

 

“Not so fast!” he commanded. He pointed down at the ever-increasing crowd of people below. “That boy’s mother is terribly upset, Susie! So are, I suspect, most of the people you see below you. Like it or not, they’ll be demanding a huge explanation, not just from me, but from you as well.”

 

“But what should I do? What…”

 

“First thing’s first. You’ll put me down, and I’ll try and appease the crowd with an explanation. Then you’ll take the boy and his mother back to the cabin and wait for my arrival. Once we’re all there you two will tell me exactly what’s going on between you. Understood?”

 

“Yes, Daddy. I understand.”

 

“Good! Now, put me down, and I’ll try and quiet down this circus.”

 

She did as she was told. All around her the police officers were busy trying to control the crowd. The chief was nowhere to be seen. A cacophony of noise surrounded her and she wanted nothing more than to get back to her peaceful home in the forest. If this is what normal life will be like for her, she wanted nothing to do with it. She saw her dad talk to Jake and his mom, then watched as they approached her knees. Jake indicated that she should pick them up, which she did.

 

“Susie,” Jake said, “I’d like you to meet my mother, Cynthia. Mom, this is Susie Adams. She’s…well, I guess you could call her my girlfriend.”

 

“Pleased to meet you,” Susie said in her friendliest voice. Mrs. Darren just looked up at her with wide eyes. This was clearly the most bizarre thing that’s ever happened to her, and it would be a while before she adjusted. Susie decide it was time to get going and she told her tiny passengers she’d keep them safe. Suddenly she heard a small voice far below her say: “Can I come too?”

 

She looked down and saw Linda standing right next to her leg, arms behind her back. In all the excitement Susie had completely forgotten about her. And yet, it was thanks to her that Jake was not currently in custody, and that Susie could have told him she loved him. She carefully picked up Linda with her thumb and forefinger and placed her next to Jake in her hand.

 

“Sure you can come!” Susie said. “You’re my friend, remember? Besides, if it wasn’t for you…well, let’s just say I owe you. Now hold on, we’re getting out of here.”

 She stood up, and from the crowd arose a combination of gasps and shrieks. Then, with one long step, she was on the other side of them. She set off in the direction she came, treading carefully so as not to crush anyone or anything. It would take some getting used to, but she felt ready for a new life, a life without secrecy. There was so much she wanted to do and see, but it would have to wait till tomorrow. Right now she had more important, personal things to deal with.

Though the sun was shining strongly, the deep waters of the lake were still cold. Susie didn’t care, though; she was having too much fun to notice. Though she hadn’t swum in a long, long time, she could still remember how, and the large lake a few miles south of Barton was the perfect place to do so. No boats dared to come near her, so she basically had the whole lake to herself.

 

That didn’t mean she was alone, though. News of the hundred-foot girl had spread quickly, first throughout the county, then throughout the state. The day after she’d decided to rescue Jake from the police, every newspaper in the country featured her as their main story. When she came down here just after sunrise, she’d been looking forward to a quiet, relaxing swim. In no time, however, they began to arrive. Thousands of people, including hundreds of reporters, news crews and photographers, crowded along the lakeshore. They gawked in astonishment at the redheaded giantess as she strode before them in the shallow water. She was wearing a blue bikini swimsuit, though where she got it few of them could guess.

 

Susie was equally astounded at the throngs of people that had gathered by the lake. She’d always thought of herself as a shy girl, but for some reason she enjoyed all the attention. She waved and smiled at the photographers and cameramen, and when she suddenly stepped in their direction they ducked for cover, which made her laugh. It felt amazing, knowing that she was so much stronger than the tiny people below her, that not one of them was even a match for one of her fingers. She felt a little like a goddess, and she loved it.

 

Eventually she grew bored posing for the crowd, so she decided to leave. But not without one last bit of fun, though. Next to her was a region of deeper water, and, leaping as high as she could, she splashed down into it with all her force. The resulting splash was truly enormous. A veritable shower descended upon the crowd of reporters, and a miniature tidal wave struck the shore, drenching everyone. Susie heard the shrieks of dismay, and wondered if she’d been a little too mean to them. But she quickly shrugged it off. After all, if they were going to spy on her from now on, they’d better be prepared for the consequences.

 

A small island lay in the centre of the lake, and she swam swiftly towards it. It was uninhabited, so no-one would be waiting for her, except the one person she’d brought there earlier. She walked towards a little beach and lay down on the warm sand. It really was a tiny beach, and she had to curl up her legs in order to fit. Away from the crowds, she heard only the peaceful sounds of the birds in the trees, and the waves lapping the shore. The sun kept shining, and within a few minutes she was completely dry.

 

Just as she was drifting off into a doze, she felt a ticklish sensation near her waist. Someone was trying to climb up her side and onto her stomach. Lifting her head slightly, she saw Jake struggling in an attempt to climb her.

 

“Need some help?” she giggled. Before he could answer, she stuck her hand in the sand beneath him. In no time at all she’d deposited him on her stomach, just above her belly button. She shivered as he lay down on her; evidently he’d just returned from a swim and was still wet. He stretched out upon her exposed skin, running his arms across her.

 

“Ahhhh,” he sighed. “That’s perfect. So warm, so comfortable…”

 

“Hey, I’m trying to get a perfect tan here, you know?”

 

She grasped his waist between her fingers and dangled him above her face. Then she rolled over and dropped him on the ground. With one scoop of her hand she dug a massive hole in the sand. Into the hole she dropped Jake, then she refilled it with sand. She laughed at how embarrassed he looked. Only his head and shoulders emerged from the sand and, try as he might, he could not free himself. He could see her massive breasts in front of him, crushing the ground beneath them, and he felt extremely puny. Having a giantess for a girlfriend was definitely not going to be easy. But he’d promised to stand by her always, and he intended to keep that promise.

 

“So, did you enjoy your swim?” he asked, as she stroked his head. She nodded, and he could see her eyes sparkling with delight. It must be wonderful for her, after all those years cooped up in a small cabin, to suddenly feel so free.

 

“It was wonderful,” she said, as if she’d read his thoughts. “Thank you for taking me here, Jake. I’ll come here every day from now on.” She dug him loose and he shook the sand off him.

 

“I think we’d better get back soon,” he said. “Not much time left before your interview, you know.”

 

“Oh, damn, I’ve almost forgotten about it! I hope I’m not late! Come on, let’s go!”

 

She picked him up and waded into the water. When it became too deep for her to stand, she placed him on her shoulder. He held on tightly to the strap of her bikini as she swam calmly back to the mainland. Her interview was scheduled to start an hour from now. All the major news networks will be in attendance, but she felt confident she’d be able to answer their questions. She was ready to face the world, but was the world ready to accept her. Susie really wanted people to like her and feel comfortable around her, but that would demand a lot of hard work from her. Her old life was well and truly over, and an exciting new one lay ahead. And for the first time, she felt glad about it.

The end.