“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.

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.”