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.

“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.”