It seems a universal fact that tragedy brings people together. In war, communities survive or fall based on the unity of its people. A stint of horror will always drive people into the comfort of numbers. It usually works right? History has taught us that. Let’s look back. Famine, check. Disease, sure. Natural Disasters, of course. War, hell yeah. But...something was different about this war. Maybe it's because this wasn’t a traditional conflict. Maybe it was the fear. Our foes could not be reasoned with like other humans. They enjoyed the conflict. They thrived in it. We could not negotiate because conflict was what they wanted. So, did we join together? Form a conglomeration to stop the tide of death and destruction. No. We fled. We hid away in the dark places of the world and only when our once great civilization was wiped away did we crawl back from the shadows.

Now people complain that we should’ve done more. They are right of course, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that there simply isn’t anything more to be done. Nations rise and fall, that’s the course of history, but people always endure. Its a different game now. That’s all I could think about on my way down the cracked road.

On either side of the vehicle I could see lines of trees whirring past me. They were tall, green, and full of life. Each cast its shadow in a single conjoined blanket. They did it so passively. They did it because that is simply one of the many things trees do. It got me thinking about human nature. Whether all those times in the past were simply us fighting our true nature. Now that we stood on the brink of annihilation we barely held together. Camps lost occupants everyday. People were just too scared, and with good reason.

“We’ll be there relatively soon, hang tight back there!” a young voice from the front seat called to me. I sat with my head leaned against the window. The movements of the car jostled me in every imaginable direction. The road was filled with potholes and jagged bumps, which, after hours of travel, had induced a wretched state of nausea.

The driver was a young man, probably no more than nineteen, with dusty blonde hair and and terribly maintained patch of whiskers on his chin. The boy’s name was Blake. I had to say, it was nice to meet another person without an agnomen. It made him seem far less exceptional, which was perfectly fine with me.

To my left, leaning against the other side of the car was the older officer who had first told me about the second subject. He had short white hair slicked back with a thick, odorous gel. A neatly trimmed beard covered the rest of his stern face. If I had to guess, I’d say he was somehow related to Constable Grim, but it was unlikely.

“Constable Silver…” I began, “When would you like me to begin my inquiry?”

The old man said nothing. To be honest, I had only asked to break the unbearable silence. For the first few hours of the trip the Constable bombarded me with information and orders. He practically recited the Camp Echo Code of Conduct from memory. During that time he had not allowed me to speak. The whole ordeal was socially and emotionally castrating. Now that the travel time was rounding out at about six hours I was about ready to go mad. Just as I was about to turn my attention back to the passing wilderness outside the beastial voice of Constable Silver echoed out over the crumbling treads.

“You will begin immediately.”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I had hoped to get a little more information about the new subject first. Sure, I was thrown into the gauntlet when I arrived at Camp Juliet but I had been given some time to settle in. Without a moment to collect my thoughts and organize my approach it would be a disaster! Besides, I had learned a good bit about dealing with the giants since I started interviewing Vera.

“Sir, don’t you think it would be wise for me to observe her first? You did say she was pretty aggressive after all.”

“I thought you were a professional.” he spat back at me.

“I am its just...Vera had time to adjust to her-”

“Who?”

“Sorry, subject Aleph”

“Bah, I was told you were pretty chummy with her.”

“Sir, that’s just how it works, they need to feel comfortable around-”

“Comfort? Listen here kid…” Silver leaned in. He lifted his left index finger and pointed it threateningly at me. I saw patches of scar tissue running back across his fingers down into his sleeve. “I don’t give a damn about her comfort. Quite frankly I don’t see the point of all this, but those Psyn Corps bastards insisted upon it. So go in, play your little mind games, but don’t expect to get any help from me.”

After his tirade I kept my mouth shut. Luckily the drive didn’t last much longer. Another ten minutes weaving through the forest and the shimmer of a lake flashed into view. The vast expanse of water stretched out into the North. I hadn’t seen so much water in...god probably a year. For some reason it really excited me. I was so wrapped up in the moment that I forgot all about my purpose being there. Like a child at a zoo, I pressed my hands against the glass as we mounted a concrete bridge spanning one of the lake’s many arms. That’s when I saw it. Amid the harsh reflections of the midday sun an enormous tower loomed over the hills, trees, and water alike. This one was much narrower than the one in Camp Juliet. The walls were practically opaque, and atop it sat an obtuse network of pipes and pumps that emitted a collection of white steam clouds.

“There she is. Impressive ain’t it?” Blake chimed. As he turned back to gauge our reactions Constable Silver scolded him:

“Keep your eyes on the road boy. The giants haven’t gotten me yet and I’m not about to let a reckless kid do me in.”

Poor Blake sheepishly turned back around.

We wound around ridges. Rolled up and down a pair of weathered hills, before finally we reached a long chain link fence with a coil of barbed wire sitting on top. The car squeaked to an abrupt stop at a sliding gate. At least a dozen warning signs hung from the two wooden towers sitting on either side of portico. Simple but grisly pictures of fleeing figures being gunned down from above shined with great intensity amidst the summer rays.

After chatting with one of the guards, Blake rolled his window back up and motored on through. I briefly looked back to watch the other three vehicles in our convoy follow close behind. The roads became smoother but louder. The crumbling asphalt was replaced with layers of heavy gravel which sprayed up like water in the wake of our vehicle’s tires. Another few minutes went by before we saw the first tent.

At first the pavilions were sparse and scattered but as we drew closer to the lake’s edge, the layers of vermilion canvas grew denser. It appeared to be organized very similarly to Camp Juliet, though the largest tents and ramshackle depots were parked along the waterfront where dozens of floating docks bobbed up and down in the calm current.

In spite of the luscious forest surroundings, the camp looked just as emaciated as Juliet. Across the lake I could see huge chunks of the mountains torn asunder. Hundreds of fallen trees lay in a heap along the far shore’s edge. Further into the lake’s center, a fleet of small boats seemed to shepherd the floating logs into more manageable chunks. There had definitely been giant activity here.

We took a sharp turn, which cut off my view of the lake with a curtain of white tent flaps. I turned back around in my seat and caught Silver’s restrained scowl. Immediately, I turned back to look out the window. As luck would have it, the first thing I saw was the mortuary tent. Great, that’s just what I needed to see, a pile of bodies wrapped hastily in trash bags. I averted my gaze and felt a noxious sick feeling roiling up in my abdomen.

A little ways further we stopped. These buildings, which I assumed to be the central command facilities, were far older than those I’d seen in Juliet. Yet, in spite of that they were far less drab. Huge slanted roofs sat atop walls in which enormous tinted windows were carved. They looked to have been reappropriated lake houses. But, don’t get me wrong they most definitely were not homey. Troops of militia men waited outside. Heavy artillery batteries sat around stacks of sandbags and poorly dug trenches. It looked much more like a warzone than a vacation spot, but then again they had just been attacked.

“Alright, everyone out. Elli- I mean, Gulliver, you’re to follow me.” Silver said.

“Yes sir, and sir…”

“What is it?”

“You can just call me Ellis”

To that Silver did not reply. Instead the three of us exited the vehicle and made for the wooden stairway leading up to the building on the far left. As I ascended each plank I felt my soul drop further from my body. It was like I could hear the distant strings of a piano being plucked to create some executioner’s tune. Waiting for us at the top of the steps was another officer with an armed attendant at either side. Judging by the ribbons just above his coat pocket I assumed he was another Constable.

“Silver, good to see you have returned with our newest family member.” the stranger bellowed down to us. He was a large man, with broad shoulders and an even broader gut. It looked as though he was losing is hair and his face was an unreal shade of red.

“Constable Speck, may I introduce you to Gulliver.” Silver replied with little enthusiasm. I gave the Constable a polite nod as I finally reached the main deck. The seemingly boisterous man held out a meaty hand which I grabbed in a feigning handshake. For a second I was afraid he was going to pull my arm out of my socket, but just as quickly as he grasped my palm he released it again.

“Good to meet ya my boy. I’ve heard a good bit about you now. I expect great things!”

“Thank you sir, I hope I can help.”

“If you two are done, we’ve got work to do.” Constable Silver grumbled. Afterward, he disappeared into the buildings interior. Speck leaned in a bit closer to me and said:

“Don’t mind him none. He lost his son a few days ago. I promise he’s not always so rough. He just wants the bitch dead. We all sort of do, but Cinna said-”

“Cinna?”

“Thaaaaat’s right.” a chipper voice echoed out from above. We all craned our necks up and saw a figure with a drape of greyed hair leaning over the second story balcony. I immediately recognized the man and my muscles tensed.

“Cinna, I thought I told you wait down by capsule!” Speck yelled back up at him.

“What, and miss out on our conquering hero’s arrival? Besides we go way back. Well a few days I guess. Ha!”

How could it be I was already exhausted with him? Cinna had that sort of personality. I don’t think I can really do him justice here. I guess the best way to really describe him would be...indifferent? Yeah, that sounds about right. He was one of the few people I’ve met in my lifetime that seemed to legitimately not care what happened to him.

“Good to see you again lad! You ready?”

“I suppose.”

“Alright, well you get on in here. Boy do I have a story to tell you!”

Just like that I walked in. There was a formal introduction with some of the higher camp personnel. A short and intensely boring briefing soon followed. All the while Cinna, who sat on the table directly behind me, kept nudging me and making wisecracks. To be honest, I was surprised with how much they let him get away with. Then again, if I was to lead the effort that captured another of the giants I’d probably be treated pretty differently.

After a short (but uninformative) slide show they took us back out to the vehicles and drove us down to the waterfront. You see the capsule was actually on a separate peninsula just West of camp. It was apparently a “safety precaution”, though I’m pretty sure if she ever got out it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Once we were down by the docks we all filed out.

A shaky set of planks, kept afloat by old plastic barrels, made up the main pier. A handful of small canoes and fishing boats clunked into each other on one end, while the other end sat relatively empty. I assumed the rest of the ships were out on the water already. A single motorboat bobbed along wake in the middle.

“Come on now!” Cinna cried to me as he slapped me on the shoulder. He, Speck, and another officer climbed aboard. It took some awkward maneuvering but I finally managed to get myself over the ship’s aftward fender.

The pilot was a young woman with dark hair, which she kept pulled back into a tight ponytail. She turned to us, gave a quick, half-assed salute and turned back to the helm.

“Ellis my boy this is Nixie, best captain this side of the-”

“Cut it out Cinna. You almost cost me a crew two nights ago. Don’t think I forgot about that!” the woman screamed back at us. Cinna gave me a curious look before plopping down into a narrow seat at the boats back. I, rather uncomfortably, took the one next to him.

Not long after, we pushed off the dock and began to putter across the lake toward the capsule. As we drew closer I took careful note of its construction. The walls were opaque and segmented. Instead of forming a box it appeared more or less to be arranged in a triangular shape. If I had to guess, I’d say it occupied only half the space as the one in Camp Juliet. From this distance I could see several bulges poking out from the walls. A set of indentations no doubt  caused by whoever lay inside.

The water occasionally splashed against me. Its cool touch was a welcome break from the hot dust of the Midwest. Had it not been for the boat’s obnoxiously loud motor and Cinna constant babbling I might have been able to sit back, close my eyes, and enjoy the ride. Unfortunately it was short and bumpy.

“Not quite what I was hoping for personally!” Cinna yelled over the boat’s motor. “It was a bit more difficult than we would’ve hoped. She was a fighter I’ll give her that.”

I was about to say something in reply but my thoughts were interrupted by Nixie’s voice.

“We’re docking soon, fenders out. Everyone remain seated until we are stopped!”

Moments later I was walking up the dusty path leading up to the containment facility. Unlike Juliet, this capsule had only a few small buildings dotting around it. A framework of stairs and platforms twisted up one side, likely for maintenance purposes. All the while Cinna and Speck rambled on about their recent victory. I can’t remember exactly what they said as I was far too focused on the enormous crack running up from the capsule’s side. It was a...disheartening omen.

“Alright, Gulliver-”

“Ellis, please sir”

“Alright, Ellis. Now, you’ve been given all the necessary documents yes?”

“I have Constable. But I do have a few questions for you if you don’t mind. Just, minor things. Stuff I wouldn’t expect to find in formal files.”

“Certainly, fire away.”

“Well sir, I was just wondering if you had any idea about a name or age.”

Speck blinked a few times. Was it shock on his face? Seemed likely. I expected about as much information from them as I had gotten from Treble, especially with her being in captivity for only two days.

“I am afraid we are not sure”

“Fair enough”

Just as I finished speaking I noticed a small clearing in the forest behind Speck. The portly Constable caught my eyes wandering over his shoulder and turned to see what I found so distracting. The afternoon light seemed to flood into the spot, coating it in a bright yellow film. It was no peaceful grove however. Massive splintered trucks and piles of displaced earth told me of the once serene settings recent violence.

“Ahh, yes, we haven’t had time to clean up her little path of destruction. No worries however. She has calmed down considerably since last night. You should be fine.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. If I was to go in there I’d need some kind of bearings. I needed to know something about her, anything! There had to be some morsel of information I could effectively use.

“So, have you sent anyone else in there yet?”

“Oh...yes well…” Speck grumbled. “There was a crew we sent in to retrieve the HHRC.”

“The what?”

“The...well the mask. You know.” Speck sheepishly replied whilst making a gesture with his hands around his face.

“Yes and?”

“Well, she didn’t care for-”

“What the Constable is trying to say…” Cinna suddenly jumped in. “Is that she tore through half of them before we could even tell her the whole ‘no touching rule’”

“Oh, I see. What happened to them?”

Speck looked like he was going to vomit. Cinna, on the other hand, rattled on like it was nothing.

“Well we sent twelve of them in there. As soon as she saw them, BOOM, flattened half of them with her hand. The others scattered. Eventually she caught and ate one....I think his name was Acro...anyway then we finally got her attention on the intercom and we explained her...situation.”

I guess Cinna didn’t notice the horrified look on my face as he was about to continue on. Before he could speak another word I interjected:

“A-a-and how did she react?”

“She listened immediately! She threw the HHRC into the depot bay herself and let the others walk right out.”

“Gentlemen I don’t mean to interrupt but we have arrived…” Speck inserted hesitantly.

Before us waited a small brick building flanked on either side by far more impressive concrete towers not unlike those back at Juliet.

Damn. There I go comparing everything to Camp Juliet. It was weird but I couldn’t help it. I suddenly found myself treating it like a familiar place. As if instead of living there for about a week, I had been there my whole life. It was disgusting at first but the idea started to grow on me.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I stepped through a series of garages filled to the brim with men and women in shoddy clothing. Everyone went about their business in silence. As I passed one workshop I saw a massive device with two sets of yellow canisters attached to either side. I assumed it was part of the ‘mask’ ,or whatever it was called.

“Alright here it is.” Speck cried with a clap of his hands. In front of us a was huge circular vault door that jutted out of the wall a solid three feet. It closely resembled the hatch one might find on a bank vault. I wouldn’t be surprised now if you told me it had been repurposed from such a place.

“This the monitoring room?” I asked.

“No silly this how you get in…” Cinna replied with a laugh.

“In...

“The inner chamber!”

“Wait what?”

I wanted to protest. I wanted to scream. Of all things I wanted to run. Here before me was the door to my doom. Sure, I had done this all before but I was going in blind. I had hardly found out anything about this new subject. She seemed prone to fits of rage and violence. Not only that she had only been in captivity for a couple days! At least Vera had a month to cool down. Who knew how hot headed this new one would be. Now I know what you’re probably thinking. ‘Ellis you should be more confident, you were able to keep pace with Vera, what could go wrong?’ Maybe you’re right, but I can honestly say that everything I had ever experienced couldn’t help me with this. I would just have to wing it. Hell, I hadn’t been in camp more than an hour and I was already being thrown to the beast.

A wicked creak nearly deafened me as the door swung aside. A crew of five men held the door open for me. Immediately I turned to run but as soon as I spun around I collided with Constable Speck’s stocky form.

“Whoa there, what’s the rush there?”

“I’m sorry sir, I...I thought I’d at least get a chance to observe her first. I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“Nonsense, you’ll be fine. I know we’ve had our problems with her but you’re equipped to deal with them. Just stay near the exit and you’ll be fine. Now go in there and make us proud.”

“Sir I-”

Another hand clapped down on my shoulder. I was pulled away from Speck’s lurking grasp and into the mortiferous hands of Cinna.

“Come now boy, I really vouched for ya here. Who do you think told all them high folk about you and your great work? Don’t make me look bad now. We’re counting on you, all of us. This is all much bigger than you and me! Ha! Get it? Course you do, you’re a smart lad. Now get in there and make that colossal cunt spill her guts out! Figuratively of course! Good luck!”

The whole time Cinna ranted I could feel the ground slide beneath me. I was somehow entranced,  no stupefied, by his whole speech. I offered no protest, no physical resistance. As soon as he was done he gave me a quick shove. I stumbled backwards onto a slick surface. Being the clutz that I was I slipped, fell, and landed right on my back. By the time I sat back up the vault door had shut right in front of me.

“WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!”

Now, granted I should’ve exercised a little more control. It was wrong to show such indignity in my first appearance but what could I do, I was frenzied After all what kind of people just push you into something like that? This was wrong, it was all wrong. I mean, if someone just pushed you into a cage filled with hungry lions you’d be pretty fuckin’ scared too, right?

Well, no sense on dwelling on it now. I suppose you’re wondering what happened after that, aren’t you?

The hall that I found myself in was short. Twenty feet out and I would be in the main chamber. Just like in Vera’s capsule I could stare up between the two walls and see the roof hundreds of feet overhead. Somehow I managed to push my shaky legs forward. Each step was slow and nauseating. I was so tense I nearly pulled both my hamstrings.

Then, I could see it all. It was far more humid than Vera’s chamber. So much so that a thin, veiling mist seemed to permeate the outer reaches of its interior. Just as I had suspected it was far less...state of the art? That’s not the right term but I think you catch my meaning. The walls and floor were made of a white material identical to the one used in Vera’s flooring. The chamber was triangular in shape, and I could tell immediately that it did not offer nearly enough room for an average giant to lay down. Instead, she just sat there.  

Against the left most wall leaned Subject Bet. Her legs waited in front of me. They were two massive arches of tanned skin that invoked memories of the Utah landscape. Across her stomach sat both arms and her head lay titled to one side. A mat of shiny, golden hair covered her face and ran down to chest. It seemed to glow in the dim light. She wore a more traditional set of giant’s clothing, complete with a pair of handmade sandals that lay tossed to the side of her feet. A thin, but well fitted sleeveless tunic, composed of two massive pieces of cloth stitched together, stretched across her torso. Around her waist was belt made of several interwoven strands of cord, which supported a diagonally cut skirt.

My mouth was dry. A horrible scratchiness sat in the back of my throat. It was then that I realized that I had been staring at her tremendous figure for nearly ten minutes. Oh god what was I to do? Should I speak? Hide? Nah, that was no good. Suddenly the urge to sneeze took over. No, I couldn’t risk it. I fought it with every fiber of my being. I shook internally, mostly from fear. I would not sneeze, I would not sneeze, I would not sneeze, I would not sneeze, I would not sneeze I would not sneeze, I would not sneeze.

I sneezed. Not only that but it was the loudest, most painful sneeze I had ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Though I was a measly little human in the presence of a giantess who, on any given occasion, could hardly hear me speak, the sound of my sternutation grabbed her attention instantly.

As soon as the dreadful spasm departed I could feel her eyes on me. I slowly raised my head and saw a pair of gleefully cruel green eyes peering down at me. My gaze wandered to the rest of her. She looked to be younger than Vera, likely closer to my age. She was a bit paler but it could’ve just been the poor lighting. A few sparse freckles dotted around her nose and cheekbones. What was really striking was the contrast of her brilliant viridian irises with her ebony lashes.

“What is this?” she boomed.

I said nothing. My knees knocked together so fast I nearly split my patellas. The small leather satchel I had been carried dropped to the floor. I heaved but no vomit came out. It was like someone had knocked the wind out of me.

“Do you have a death wish worm?”

Still I said nothing.

“Fuck off before I bite your tiny little legs off!”

“No I-I-I”

“Oh, the thing speaks…”

“I’m here to interview you…”

At first I thought she couldn’t hear my timid response. She leaned in closer with the same narrowed eyes that had seen on Vera countless times.

“What?” was all she said.

It occurred to me at that point that she might not have quite as much tact as Vera. There was not witty retort. No mocking hints of mischief. There was just malice and suspicion. Then again, she was still adjusting to prison life. I wasn’t dead yet though, and that was a good enough sign.

“I’m here...to talk. To you that is…” I cried out. My voice cracked under the immense weight of my terror. One of her eyebrows arched up.

“Oh? I don’t talk with lesser creatures”

“Well you...you have to. Or-”

“I’ll die?”

“Yes”

A mixture of movements followed. A plethora of twitches in her face as she shifted forward. It was then I caught a glimpse of her hand. Its knuckles were covered in purplish bruises and dried blood appeared to pour from recently closed wounds.

“What about you?”

“I die too.”

Her mouth folded back into a sneer. Something was definitely different about her. Everything she did seemed purely malicious. Perhaps it was just a first impression but I couldn’t shake it from my head. I watched warily as her injured hand crept up to the ledge I stood upon.

“Risky, risky, risky”

“Y-y-yes”

After hearing my stammer her sneer melted into a sadistic smile.

“Scared?”

I nodded.

“Does the worm have a name?”

“Look, Subject Bet I kn-know, intro-”

Her fist slammed down onto the ground. I made a faint choke and jumped back.

“Do not call me that…”

She was so full of rage. I couldn’t make any progress with someone this angry. I had to leave, I just had to. Yet, even with my common sense urging me to flee, I remained. Why? To test myself maybe. It wasn’t duty driving me I can tell you that much.

“W-w-what should I call-”

Again she interrupted me. “You will call me Amora.”

I knew that name. My mind flooded in a wash of endorphins. My stomach lurched to the bottom of my torso. I felt a tickling sensation at the back of my neck and my usual tremors reemerged. For some reason the light seemed brighter. I felt it sting my eyes as I peered up at the titaness. Despite her appearance she was no divine. She was the counterweight. The inevitable blade that would sever the fabric of this whole endeavour. She was our undoing. She was a destroyer. She was exactly what I needed.