Greg spent all friday out of the house. He went and watched a movie, did some shopping, went for a run. Basically anything to try and distract his mind. “ It's not right” he constantly thought and muttered to himself, attracting strange looks from passers by. “ Shes 9, I cant get off to her feet, its wrong”. All day this thought just repeated over and over.
After keeping himself somewhat distracted all day he finally returned home late in the after noon. Just as he closed his door he heard a sudden knock. Turning to the screen he could see the top of a head. Opening the door revealed Ellie holding a large cardboard box, still wearing her school uniform but with pink havaiana flip flops on her feet.
“ Heya Greg, the deliveryman left this at our house but its got your name on it”. “Oh thanks Ellie” Greg said, smiling lightly as he tried not to eye off Ellies feet.” Whats in it?” Ellie asked with genuine excitement. “Oh this is just some clothes I needed for my climbing, and a new grappeling hook”.” WOW a grappling hook? like the one Batman uses?” She replied with stars in her eyes. Greg chuckled “ yeah , like batman”.” That's super duper cool, can I see you use it one day?” Ellie asked. Greg could see the excitement in her eyes but in the back of his mind dreaded being caught using it, for obvious reasons. “ Ah... maybe, we'll see. Anyway ill see you round”. “ OK. Thanks for yesterday too it was fun. Byeee” Her face still full with a smile as she skipped down the driveway.
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Ellie walked in the door and was greeted by her mum.” Was Greg home?, what was in the box?”.” Yeah, he only just got in, I think I scared him a bit when I knocked, he looked like he had seen a ghost. He said in the box was some climbing stuff and.... get this mum …. A GRAPPELING HOOK?! HOW COOL IS THAT?! What if Greg is really batman?”. Jamie was slightly taken aback” A grappling hook, w-wow that's pretty cool” she said as she thought, where did she see a grappling hook recently, its not something a normal person just has. That's right, that tiny one she found, but …... no. That's just silly. Jamie then listened for the rest of the night Ellies ideas about how Greg is batman.
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Greg closed the door as his mind melted. This was unacceptable, he had to do something about it, just like with Jamies flats, he knew exactly what and his new delivery would help.
The next day was quite warm, the perfect day to play in the sun, and the perfect day for Gregs plan to go into action. He waited in the backyard until he heard the neighbors backdoor open. “ Don't forget to wear a hat and put sunscreen on” Shouted Jamie. “YEEESSS MUUUMMM” shouted back Ellie, you could hear her rolling her eyes as she replied.
Greg snuck to the fence wearing his new shrinking suit, as he called it. Being in the grass nothing would be better than camo clothing. Greg spun the watch and down he went. This was his first time walking through grass, and at only 1 cm it wasn't easy. The whole world was different down here. It wasn't like inside on carpet or tiles, or even concrete where you know what the ground looks like just everything is bigger. Under the canopy of grass lied a whole other domain and here he wasn't king, he was a stranger.
Making his way through the fence and into Jamies backyard Greg could hear the far off voice of Ellie talking to herself. Moving along he came upon a strange sight. In front of him lied carcasses of ants, all flattened into the earth. To him they were only about 1/3rd his size but even being dead their mandibles still looked ready to take him apart. Greg had to keep his wits about him and pressed on.
Approaching Ellie, Greg looked up through the grass roof. He could see her kneeling down playing with some barbie dolls. “ Its such a nice day we should all go for a walk” Ellie said in a higher pitch voice, “ Your right Ellie” replied the second Barbie. As this conversation ended a pink plastic high heel pierced the grass above Greg. He quickly dodged to the side as its twin fell beside him, in the distance 2 more legs with blue heels also entered. The all then started lifting up and down as the moved away from him.
Just as Greg saw the legs move into the distance a large rumble shook the grass around. Turning suddenly he saw a huge wall of flesh moving towards him, looking upwards it lead into blue shorts and a pink shirt. Ellie casually slide her knees along the grass as he barbies went on a nice walk while Greg below quickly jumped onto the wall and held on for dear life, Small hairs gave him some foothold as his new transport slid along the ground.
Ellie felt something on her leg and looking down noticing a small green bug. Stopping her movement then standing to full height, Greg heart started racing. Going from being almost ground level to 10 stories in the air in an instant he struggled to keep his lunch down then heard words that would haunt him forever. “ Oh yuck a bug, mum says I should always kill them before they make more”. Gregs body tensed up, his hands incapable of letting go as a shadow loomed behind him. With a simple flick of her finger the small bug flew back down into the yard.
Greg lied on his back, unsure if he was paralyzed from either impact. Slowly he rolled over and got to his feet. In the distance he heard laughter of the innocent girl, “ that buggy looked so funny trying to fly”. Looking around he saw some strange looking black shoots , they were attached to large heads with beady black eyes and very large jaws. ANTS. Greg worried for a split second as they started rushing him, but without hesitation whipped out a small knife hidden on his leg. Slashing at the first ant, taking a leg off. “ Hmph these guys are nothing” he thought, feeling like a supreme bad ass as he hacked some more ants up.
Wave after wave of ants descended on his position, but like an action hero, stood atop their corpses and fought more off, each one adding to his growing pile of victories. As some fresh recruits came at him the ground around him shook and he turned to look into the sky. The giantess of this world had started moving towards his position. No matter how cool he was killing ants, against that he stood no chance. Seeing an opening an ant bit into Gregs leg, then another grabbed his left arm. Even with his extra durable body it felt like the ants could still take off his limbs. Quickly swiping backwards to the ant on his leg he struck it in the eye. BOOM. Another quake, Greg almost fell onto the ant at his front trying to take his arm, he swung his knife back around taking one of the mandibles off freeing his arm, then swinging back around finished the ant behind him.
Before he could even move the air rushed around him, turning again to the sky to see two large pudgy digits descend from above. The ants around him ran to no avail, the flesh of the little girls foot settled on the ground, smashing them without resistance. Surrounded in a toe prison Greg heard the giantess Speak.” Oh the little green buggy is fighting the ants, I hate ants, they always try to eat my food”. Her words piercing Gregs ears as the toes slightly tapped the dead ants once more, showing just how powerful she was. The toes then without warning moved inwards, pressing ant bodies on ant bodies then into Greg as they all mixed in with the dirt between her first and second toe.
The foot slowly lifted into the air. Up above, the eyes of Ellie observed her little prisoner surrounded by mud and bodies. Greg struggled to get free but was stuck fast, all the mud slowly filled every crevice as the toes came together. Struggling to free his arms Greg flailed as much as possible and slowly as the dirt fell from below the toe hold he gained slight movement. With all the strength he could muster the stabbed his knife into the girls big toe, the skin was tough but the blade still went halfway in. Instantly he was sent into freefall as the toes loosened their grip and the debris around him plummeted back to earth. A deafening “OUCH” boomed all around him as he fell.
Hitting the ground, his blow was softened by all the loose dirt and ant corpses. A large quake followed as the huge foot stomped the ground beside him. Not wasting any time Greg sprung to his feet and started sprinting away. “ Damn bug, NO BITING!” Shouted Ellie above as to his left Greg watched the wall of flesh lift with great speed over his body then come roaring downwards. Looking over his shoulder Gregs life started flashing before his eyes, every right and wrong decision he had made that led him to here, about to be crushed under some young girls dirty foot.
Before he could react Gregs body was sent deep into the dirt and mud, his spine felt like it was dust as the pressure started to relieve. The foot slightly retreated lifting him just enough to flip him facing skyward. Behind the foot two eyes pierced into his soul. “ I was just playing mr bug, why did you hurt me? ” Ellie asked in her most innocent voice, “ Now I will have to hurt you back” she said, her voice slick with venom as a grin slid across her face.
The foot descnded once more, grinding Greg into the dirt, ant bodies were now just fragments as the ball of her foot started twisting side to side. Greg could hear his bones being broken as the foot rotated on him. Once again it lifted giving him some life back, yet still those eyes stared into him. “You're a tough bug arent ya?” Said ellie, her foot lifting higher and higher then … Splat.