“ I’m Jack Erikson and you know...I’m not very comfortable sharing information about myself to strangers. Especially when you happen to be so tall, big and bux-just big.” He caught himself before he could say something he would regret.

 Jessica sighed, her warm breath blowing against Jack who thought he was blown back slightly by the gust of wind. Jack was grateful her breath didn’t stink although it wasn’t minty fresh;he imagined himself vomiting violently if it smelled anything like his did in the morning.

 “ I almost thought that was a compliment. Come on Jack, do you even know the meaning of respect? You Brits invented the English language. I’m just going to let that one slide and make you a deal. If you tell me yours, I’ll let you ask one question and I’ll do my best to answer it. If you agree and I hope you do, learn to honour your word.”

 Jack knew he couldn’t afford to let Jessica get mad at him before he ran away, so he did what he thought would placate the giantess.

“ Okay, I’ll tell you what happened and after that, you tell me a little about yourself. How you became the giant you are today.” He looked up into her eyes, full of questions and curious to know more.

 Jessica grinned, “ It’s a deal. As the guest I’ll let you go first.”

 Jack shifted into an Indian style sitting position, “ Okay, here it is. The story of how I found myself in the presence of a mythological creature.”

 Jessica rolled her eyes, “ I’m not a myth, myths aren’t real but if you insist that I am, maybe I should grind your bones. Aw don’t be so scared, I’m only joking! Jeezy Creezy you scare so easily!” She laughed to herself after Jack backed away.

  “ Don’t joke about that, we don’t know each other well enough to make jokes about making bread with my bones! What the hell is Jeezy Creezy anyway? Doesn’t sound like something an adult would say.” Jack sounded jaded as he flipped out over Jessica’s joke.

 Jessica giggled loudly, “ Okay, I’ll ease off on the giant jokes but you need to relax. You’re perfectly safe with me. I’d tell you what Jeezy Creezy is but then it’d spoil the joke. Just look up Eddie Izzard when you get off the island.”

“ Alright, here goes.” Jack said to Jessica.

**************

  Jack was at the wheel, making sure everything was  fine as he steered the yacht, the crystal clear waters of Caribbean gently breaking against the bow. He slowed the engine, bringing it to neutral and letting the yacht, named The Erikson drift. There was little risk of it being grounded, they were out at sea with the nearest island on the horizon, the tops of the palm trees forming a thin green line.

   His parents, Erica and Lars were lying on the deck, letting their aged skin absorb the morning sun’s rays. Erica was a mature looking woman in her younger days, with her strong facial features, blue eyes and blonde; her older look now worked to her advantage as she approached sixty. Lars was the opposite with his long but reasonably fleshed out jaw and cheeks, complete with slightly greying hair, he hadn’t done too badly in the genetic sweepstakes although he looked his age as a young man.

 Erica had aged better than her husband, her skin had far less liver spots than he did. Lars still had most of his hair as he entered the sixth decade of his life while Erica, a few years younger had less grey hairs than he did, her blonde hair retained the vibrancy it showed in her younger days.

  The yacht hardly bobbed in the water, it was a tranquil moment for them. For his parents, they could get away from their work, running a shipping empire took a lot out of them and this vacation represented a chance to get away from all of it.

 “ Good morning everyone!” Caitlin joyfully announced as she came up from below the deck, wearing a blue sundress with various light green flowers on it complete with a straw sun hat and a pair of dark shades. Her dress billowed in the light breeze, Jack smiled as he saw her, she was part of the reason why they were on the trip.

 She was quite the sight; tall, slim but with curves you could discern, a tanned brunette with greenish eyes. Jack considered himself lucky to have her. The dress twisted to fit her form, each walk showing off a rather generous bust and hips that could drive men crazy just thinking about it. She may not have had Jessica’s stature but she was Jessica’s equal when it came to capturing the attention of men.

 **********

     “ Wait, who’s Caitlin?” Jessica interrupted, breaking the flashback.

  “ My girlfriend, were you even paying attention?” Jack stated flatly, unhappy that Jessica had to interrupt him and more so by how she had not even paid attention to the details.

 “ You? You have a girlfriend? A nervous jumpy little guy like you? ” Jessica asked incredulously.

   Jack exhaled deeply, why did she have to think so little of him? He was an Erikson, heir to an empire worth billions! He was already one of the most powerful men on Earth!

 “ Not everyone thinks like that. I happen to be very calm when I’m with people my size,” he shot back.

  “ Or are you afraid of girls taller than you? Is Caitlin five feet tall?” Jessica pretended to be offended but she was more amused by him having a girlfriend to even be hurt by his comeback.

 “ I dated a volleyball player once, six and a half feet tall and kind of muscular. She could have carried me easily but was I scared ?  No I wasn’t, we dated for nine months but I am afraid of girls who make whales look like guppies and no, Caitlin is not five feet tall, she’s five feet eight inches, tall enough for me.”

  Jessica looked her body up and down and realising Jack was right, “ I guess I do have that effect on people. Alright you got a point there, now carry on with your story.”

************

  “ Why if it isn’t my favourite brunette from medical school,” Jack ran up and gave Caitlin a big hug. He looked into her blue eyes, eyes that you could get lost in for hours and her complexion, it was like the sand on a beach, smooth and uniform with the exception of a couple of freckles.

 Caitlin pulled away slightly and looked up, a big grin on her face. “ No Jack, veterinary school. I could operate on a dog but I wouldn’t know where to start if you gave me a person.”

 He kissed her briefly on the lips, “ Still medical my little pumpkin. Can’t believe I hooked up with a girl who has both looks and brains, a very deadly combination.”

 “ Well one of us has to have the complete package,” she replied in a sing song voice.

“ Oh, shots fired?” Jack’s eyebrow raised in response.

 Lars looked at the two and leaned over to Erica and whispered, “ And he said he’d never do any of the lovey dovey things we did.” Both of them laughed and looked over at the young couple basking in their own love.

 “ Jack! What’s the weather forecast for today!”  Lars hollered at Jack who turned to him.

 “ According to the radio station in Jamaica, clear sky all around!” Jack replied with confidence.

 Caitlin gently pulled Jack to her, “ Good weather, great boyfriend. It’s been a year since we got together and we’re on vacation with your parents. Will it lead to something bigger?” Jack knew what she was hinting at but he was reluctant to answer that.

 “ A bigger yacht?” He joked, Caitlin chuckled, biting her lip in glee.

“ Well...I was hoping for something else but if that’s what you want.” She let go of Jack and sauntered over to his parents, sitting on a chair and admiring the view ahead.

 “ You two should slow down, both of you are either in college or getting out of it. There’ll be plenty of time for you to be together. I didn’t get together with Erica until we were friends for five years because I didn’t want to rush things.”

 Erica rolled her eyes and scoffed at Lars, barely able to hold back her laughter. “ You took five years because that was how long it took for you to register that I wanted to be more than friends.”

  “ I wasn’t too sure if you were being friendly or you wanted something more. When I did figure it out, I wanted to make sure I got you at the right moment, wouldn’t want to strike too early. .”  Lars raised his hands in defence.

  “ Right...you might be as sharp as a tack in the boardroom but in love you’re as blunt as a pebble.”

 Lars leaned over and gave Erica a peck on the cheek, “ This pebble did get the girl in the end.”

  Erica folded her arms and gave Lars a playful shove, “ Only because this girl loved you enough to chip away at you.”

 “ Aww...I hope we’ll be like your folks when we’re sixty.” Caitlin cooed.

“ I hope Jack wasn’t like his father,” Erica said to Caitlin who shook her head.Caitlin and Jack moved to sit down, facing Erica and Lars as they adjusted the portable folding chairs.

 “ Jack here is a real ladies man. I’m just lucky some girl didn’t see much of him, leaving him all to me.” Jack chuckled as heard it although it did bring up some painful memories.

 “ Danielle was a real bi-I mean bad person.” Jack wasn’t comfortable with swearing in front of his parents.

 “ I know, she cheated on you in college,” Lars drank from his glass of whiskey.

   “ With your roomie. That had to hurt,” he  swallowed the whiskey and placed the glass back on the small table, sympathising with his son.

   “ We had a few choice exchanges…but since then I’ve moved on, Danielle can burn in hell for all I care but thanks to her I got the chance to meet Caitlin.”

  “ And don’t we make a great couple!” Caitlin giggled and gently tapped him on the nose, resting her head on his chest.

  “It’s in the past now. So Caitlin, tell us about that internship you got.”  Changing the topic allowed Jack to get away from the discussing ex-girlfriends and talk about more pleasant things in his life. Caitlin happened to fulfill that requirement.

 “ Oh,” Caitlin blushed and reached for the bottle of whiskey, pouring herself and then sipping from it.

  “ I’m working at a small clinic in Miami. It’ll be great to play a part in saving lives and-”

************

 Jack stopped and he had to, Jessica had started laughing and had buried her head in her hands, placing her head on the table.

  “ What’s so funny!” Jack was growing annoyed.

 “ I’m so sorry!” Jessica was fighting a losing battle against her sense of humour, her hearty laughter reverberating across the room while Jack simply scowled at her, having no power to stop her from laughing.

 It took several minutes for Jessica to stop and she was all smiles until she caught Jack’s glare, “ Sorry about that. I just never thought you’d date a girl with brains.”

 “ And just what type of girl did you think I’d go for?” Jack’s blood was starting to boil, she had not shown him any respect at all.

  “ Tall, blonde, busty, ocean blue eyes and a head empty enough to hear an echo; that kind of girl. She’s tall alright and with those eyes. You sure she didn’t become a vet just to look at cute puppies everyday?”

 Jack rolled his eyes hard, Jessica thought his irises would disappear if he did it any harder.

 “ She has more noble reasons for becoming a vet and no, she’s not the airhead you claim she is. Are you jealous of her? Because if I were single I think you’d be throwing yourself at my feet.”

 Jessica giggled and it grew louder and greater in intensity, almost like the one she let out only minutes ago.

  “ You think too highly of yourself Mr. Erikson; lets get back to the story you were telling me.” Jessica was amazed by how highly Jack thought of himself, she had not met a man with an ego this big ever before.

 “ I was but you interrupted me again. I swear if you do this one more time I’ll stop and we’ll just sit here in silence until your father comes to pick me up.”

 “ Okay I’ll listen like a good girl,” Jessica leaned in close and watched him closely, like a little girl listening to a bedtime story. Jack on the other hand was wary of her, her sweet innocent expression might be masking another jibe at him.

 “ Lets see…”

****************

  “-and learning from my mentors over there.” Caitlin finished.

 “ I’ll recommend you to my friends when you get your license. Remember your Uncle Bernard’s Mastiff?” Lars motioned to Jack who sat up a little.

 “ Oh you mean the one with the bad leg and cataracts in the eye? The whom tried to cover me in its saliva every time we dropped by?” Jack recalled fondly.

  “ Thats the one, Caitlin could see him when she becomes a vet.” Lars gave Caitlin a proud smile.

   “ Oh that won’t be for a few years. Hey Jack, the water is so clear around here! Nothing like the murky waters in London.” Caitlin was leaning over the side of the yacht, mesmerised by what she saw.

 “ Come on now Caitlin, the Thames is nothing compared to the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. At least until pollution changes that but until then, I’d enjoy the sights of it.”

 Jack got up and leaned over and what he saw was indeed mesmerising.

“ Wow, this makes the Thames look like the cesspool it really is, you can’t do this without getting sick in London!” Jack leaned over and dipped his finger in the water. He then proceeded to lick it.

 “ Gross Jack, just gross!” Caitlin stuck out her tongue as Jack simply grinned.” Salty but unlike the Thames, no chance of cholera.”

 Lars chuckled, “ He’s got a point but I wouldn’t stick my finger into just any water.”

 The light mood was visibly darkened by a thunder clap, causing all of them to jump in surprise. Jack scanned the horizon and spotted a grey line of storm clouds on the horizon; clouds that seemed to be approaching him.

 “ What the-”

 Jack was mystified, there was no mention of this storm at all. How had it managed to sneak up on him?

 “ Don’t move The Erikson yet,Jack, it might stay away from us.” Caitlin was praying hard the storm wouldn’t come. She should prayed harder.

  A second thunderclap was heard, this one was louder and the grey wall came closer. The gentle breeze was starting to pick up, getting stronger with each second that passed.

  “ Are you sure you went to the right weather station?” Erica was growing concerned at the coming storm.

  “ Oh dear!” Caitlin exclaimed as her sunhat almost flew off, her delicate fingers grasping the edges of it before the wind could claim it.    

“ Maybe we could outrun it, it might sink the boat!” Caitlin was growing more worried with each second that passed, bringing the storm ever closer to them.

“ No, you can’t outrun something like that. It’s not possible.” Lars shot back.

“ Jack, let's head inside. Its coming towards us!” Erica had to raise her voice to beat the thunder. Streaks of lightning were now dancing over them.

 “ Alright, lets get going. Mom and Caitlin will head under while Dad and I secure anything that isn’t nailed down.” Jack motioned for everyone to head below deck, not that they needed prompting. Lars had secured some of the whiskey glasses while Jack moved   the chairs and brought them down with him. They were just in time as the first drops of rain began to fall, hitting the deck hard as the waves began to rock it.

 Down below it was dark and Jack flipped a switch, flipping on a small but ornate hanging from the ceiling.

  “ Okay, let me get to the controls. You guys just sit tight and we’ll weather this storm together,” Jack said to them as he walked over to a small touchscreen panel that displayed the status of the yacht from the anchor to even fuel levels.

 Jack looked at it and pressed the button corresponding to the anchor and waited for it to deploy, he didn’t want the boat to be flung around by the sea like clothes in a dryer. Then, he saw something he wished he didn’t have to see.

 He had gotten an error message, something had prevented the anchor from deploying but he had to go outside to know the exact details.

 “ At the very least it says blockage,” he muttered to himself.

 “ I’ve got bad news,” Jack brought him close to the group.

 “ Please tell me you can fix whatever it is,” Caitlin’s voice trembled with fear.

 “ I think we can. The anchor won’t deploy but I’ll go outside and remove whatever it is thats blocking the anchor.”

 Lars stood up as Jack left and gently grabbed his shoulder, “ It’s best you not go alone, its hell outside and you’ll need a helping hand.”

 “ Anything we ladies can do to help?” Erica enquired.

 Lars nodded, “ If anything happens, use the satellite phone to call for help. Police, coast guard, whatever you think will work.”

 “ Jack!” Caitlin suddenly got up and ran up to him. Before Jack could react, she threw her arms around him and planted a big kiss on his lips,  one of hers leg hoisted up by the power of the kiss.

 “ You be careful out there Jack.”

 Without saying a word, Jack nodded at Caitlin and opened the door and was welcomed back out with a blast of wind and rain to the face, the storm had gotten stronger exponentially.

Lars had to nudge Jack forward whilst closing the door. It was hard to see, the rain often getting into their eyes but fortunately as they turned, the rain was on their backs and not in their eyes. Caitlin was luckier as she had the two men to shield her, she quickly went over to grab the satellite phone and sat next to Erica while they waited for the men to fix the anchor.

 Jack leaned over the starboard side and saw the problem. The anchor chain had seaweed caught in the gears, inhibiting its movement..

 “ Looks like its-” A huge wave hit the port side, Jack had to grab the handrail in order to stay on the yacht. Lars did the same, the deck was slippery and it took great efforts from both men to stay on their feet.

 “ I’ll lean over and get the seaweed out! Just hold on to me in case I slip!” Jack had to shout to Lars despite the latter being less than an arm’s length from him, the deafening roar of the wind was making verbal communication extremely difficult.

“ Shouldn’t you cut it loose?” Lars shouted back.

 “ I got my pocket knife with me, it’ll be no problem! ” Jack gripped the handrail hard and when he felt Lars’ hand on his, he leaned over and grabbed his knife from his pant pocket.

 Extending his arm, he began to cut away at the rubbery seaweed, no easy task but Jack was able to remove some of it.

 “ Let me reach over…” He began to move forward, hoping he could get to this last strip of seaweed that had wedged itself deep in the gears.

 “ Be careful Jack! I’m not as strong as I used to be!” Lars was straining to keep Jack’s weight on the yacht and he was closer to slipping than staying on his feet.

  “ Just a little more Dad and we’ll be fine!”

 It was at that moment the sea, unpredictable and cruel as it could be, threw one large wave at The Erikson and threw Lars back; his hand letting go of his son. Lars was only able to watch as Jack plummeted into the ocean. He wanted to call out for him but he couldn’t find the words to do so, his vocal cords paralyzed by shock.

 For Jack, one moment he was being held by his father and the next he was falling headfirst into the turbulent waters of the Caribbean.

 He had no time to scream, no time to shout as the sea wasted no time in welcoming him by tossing him around, submerging him. He tried to pull himself above the water but he couldn’t, the current was too strong for him to do it.

************

 “ That’s all I remember,” Jack finished on a rather sombre tone, looking up towards Jessica.

 Jessica bit her lip and looked at the sight in front of her, “ You shouldn’t trust the local weather stations at all; trying to predict it is like you trying to understand women, it’s impossible.” She chuckled at her little joke.

 Jack cracked a smile, “ Well I learned that lesson the hard way didn’t I? I think I get women well enough, I do have a girlfriend after all.”

 Jessica just shook her head, “ She seems nice and brainy from what you told me but not smart enough to tell you how stupid it was to just lean over The Erikson and cut that seaweed. That was really dumb.”

 “ I’m not a sailor! Cut me some slack woman! I can only hope my parents and Caitlin are okay.” Jack fired back at Jessica, he again found himself getting frustrated by her attitude, was she trying to wind him up?

  “ Don’t get me wrong, I hope they’re fine too. I’ll tell my Dad about you when he comes around in two days for my fortnightly assessments.”

 “ Your Dad? Is he your size?” Jack was joking but a part of him wondered if she were from a family of giants no one knew about.

“ No, he’s small like you. As far as I know I’m the only person who could use a building as a mirror.” She wasn’t sure if he was joking or being serious, Jack had so far convinced her he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

 “ So when he comes around you’ll let him take me home?”

 Jessica nodded, “ He and his army friends will take you home when they get here.”

Alarm bells began to ring in Jack’s head; he hadn’t expected the army to be involved. Was this smartass giant some sort of military project? A secret military project he had no right to know? His decision to escape was starting to sound like a better plan.

“ Great, I guess I’ll be staying with you for the next forty eight hours,” he used the most convincing smile he could on Jessica, the same smile that had also helped him court many girls in the past would be used to deceive a giant.

 “ Great, I don’t get many visitors so it’ll be nice to have someone to talk to. Just follow the rules I’ve set and you should have a good time in Chen Hotels.”

“ I always follow the rules and its time for you to deliver on your part; tell me how you became so big.” Jack sounded less irritated this time, he would learn about Jessica’s background and the shit he had gotten himself into.

 “ Oh that….I’ll tell you but it’s nowhere as interesting as yours.” Jessica leaned in and managed to get a whiff of Jack, something she wished she hadn’t gotten at all.

 “ Oh god you stink. After this story you’re taking a bath.” She almost gagged on the smell but she managed to keep her breakfast down.

 “ I don’t smell that bad, I can live with it.” Jack argued, sniffing his own armpit and felt his gag reflex kicking in, realising how bad it was.

 “ Looking at that little reflex action you put on for me says enough,” Jessica calmly stated.

“ Alright, tell me your story and then it’ll be a bath for me,” Jack sounded defeated but she was right, he smelt awful.

“ Okay, lets see…” Jessica tapped her finger against her chin as she began to recall the little details of her life.