Author's note: Chapter 18 is finally here. However, I am sad to say that I might not be able to update as fast anymore. I got school again D:. I'll try to update or write whenever I have time. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading!
2022 edit: Had to fix some errors with this. I thought all the giants in Gigantic were stormgiants but apparently not? I don't have a source for this but I don't think Inma is a stormgiant. I'm not all too sure. I think she's a giant of the clouds. No source though.
Jack sat in silence with his back against the curved wall of the bottle. He sighed heavily, not expecting to have a panic attack so soon. Jack looked up and saw Inma looking out from her window.
She watched the outside world happen around her, looking at the other giants walking around below her. Her house was on a hill which allowed her to look down below to the others in their daily lives. Inma and her parents were quite wealthy, at least from what Jack could tell anyway.
Inma's room was a bit bigger than most. She had a wide, silk-sheeted bed with 2 pillows on it. Jack wasn't sure if they were stuffed with cotton or any other fiber.
Maybe they're filled with clouds! Jack thought and chuckled to himself. The very idea seemed ridiculous to him before, but he remembered how he hadn't fallen to his death after reaching for the cloud from climbing the beanstalk. Anything was possible at this point.
Inma was mad at herself. She was mad because her little man was stressed out on his first few days of being with her. At first, she thought that her size was the factor. If she had a way to shrink down, she'd do it if it made him easier around him. However, she realized that the door had been open and the mountain peak was stirring up. She bit her tongue, trying to control her anger.
Those STUPID evil storm giants. Inma thought as she clenched her fist in anger. She was a sky giant, as well as her mother, but they weren't bad like the ones in the mountains. Those storm giants fought like savages, threw lightning bolts at houses and animals, even going as far as the land below and causing havoc. There was a reason why the weather in Jack's land was like a roll of a dice, changing on the spot with each throw.
She turned towards Jack and looked at him slumping in a depressing task. She had to cheer him up! What could she do to cheer up such a small being like himself? Her hand outstretched towards the bottle and she pulled off the cork with more force than she intended. Blood rushed to her face, and she unintentionally looked angry.
Jack jumped to his feet. He began to stress out again. Was she angry at him? What had the dome in such a short time to make her angry? Was she going to eat him? Jack squealed like a little child as her finger entered the hole above him, pressed against his body, and dragged him out. He rolled out onto his stomach and looked at her.
She looked frustrated at something. Jack hopped onto his feet and pleaded.
"I beg you Inma! Don't eat me! I don't taste good!" Jack cried out with his hands clasped together. He went down on his knees with tears in his eyes. Inma was confused and taken aback.
Eat him? What is he talking about? Inma thought for a second, Would he even taste go-, nevermind. Inma shook her head and took a deep breath. She exhaled slowly, calming herself down, opened her eyes and looked at him.
"I don't know what you're talking about, but anyways, I wanted to play another game," Inma said with a smile. Jack stood back. They just played hide and seek. He assumed that kids were just really hyper these days and needed to be constantly entertained.
"Ok then!" Jack said with his hands on his hips, "What game are we playing this time?" Inma pondered for a moment with a finger at her chin. Her mind ran through various games that they could both play without it being weird.
"How about…." Inma said with a pause at the end to get an idea, "2 truths, 1 lie!" She raised her finger in the air with pride. Now Jack was the one confused.
"2 truths, 1 lie?" Jack asked with a frown, "How do I play?" Inma smiled with glee.
"It's easy, One person says 2 truths and 1 lie, while the other has to guess the truths and the lies!" Inma responded with a giggle.
"For example!" Inma began the game, "My name is Inma! My hair is blonde! I am a boy!"
"Now you guess which of the 2 are true and which one is false!" Inma continued. Jack spoke up slowly.
"The two truths are that your name is Inma and your hair is blonde! Obviously, you're not a boy!" Jack said with confidence. Inma nodded and pointed towards him.
"Your turn!" She said with glee. Jack nodded and said his truths.
"I am a boy. My name is Jack. I have 2 left feet!" Jack responded. His anxiety began to peel away little by little.
"Well obviously, the first two are correct. There's no way someone could be born with two left feet!" Inma responded with a giggle.
"You're right!" Jack responded and laughed. Now that Jack had understood the rules, Imna continued the game.
"All right, next one, I have a mother! I walk around barefoot! There's a secret cave in the mountains!" Inma responded. She now laid down on her stomach and placed her hands to her cheeks, with elbows on the floor for support. Jack was curious about the last one but told the truth.
"The mother and barefoot are true! The cave is false." Jack responded quickly. Inma grinned!
"Correct! Inma responded smiling from ear to ear, "I...uh..actually don't know if there's a cave in the mountains. It's just superstition up here!"
"Speaking of Inma, Will you ever let me see your mother? And why don't you wear shoes!"
"What are….shoes?" Inma asked. She raised up one foot and looked at the dirt beneath it.
"I like walking around barefoot. It's more comfortable that way! And my mother…" Inma froze and giggled nervously, "I'll show you to her. In time! She doesn't do well with strangers! Especially if they're human!" Jack nodded his head. He wanted to be sure that Inma's mother was a good giant as well.
"Fine! One more! I have a red suit. I can play the guitar! My middle name is "Sprat". Inma was confused at this one and her expression showed it. Her left eyebrow was raised up and a crease appeared next to her cheek.
"Well obviously, you have a red suit!" She pointed to Jack's shiny and bright clothes, "But umm….I'm going to go with you playing the guitar as the other truth even though I have no idea what a guitar is. That middle name is too weird to be true!"
"Correct again!" Jack said and Inma laughed with joy. His middle name certainly wasn't "Sprat!" He heard that in a nursery rhyme when he was little. He also played the guitar whenever he had free time away from the farm. It saddened him that Inma didn't know the joy of a musical six-string guitar. He'd have to play it for her if he ever found the tools to make one.
The two of them continued their game until the night came and shrouded them both in a black darkness. They began to enjoy each other's company. Jack, however, bombarded her with various questions to get her to open up about herself and the giant culture. He wanted to learn all he could in any event that he had to go solo.
"Say Inma!" Jack asked, "Am I the first human you've ever seen or caught?" Inma's face lit up and she smiled deviously. Her expression returned to that smug look from the day's past.
"Why yes, you are!" Inma said sarcastically, "The first that I haven't EATEN!" She flashed a toothy smile and licked her lips playfully. Jack was taken aback in fright and he jumped up in fear. Inma burst out laughing!
"You should have seen the look on your face!" Inma said through her fit of laughter, struggling to speak up. She froze and mocked his scared face and continued to laugh, clutching her belly.
"Ow, my stomach!" She continued to laugh but eventually settled down.
"Of course I don't eat humans!" Inma said with a smile, "I mean if I were dared to or really hungry then maybe…"
"Inma! Don't joke around like that!" Jack said, pouting. Inma wrapped a finger around him and pulled her closer to him.
"Aww Jack, Don't be mad!" Inma uttered, "I swear, that unless in dire certain stances or that you're in any danger, I will not eat a human!" She raised up her hand to symbolize taking an oath.
"Besides, I heard humans taste TERRIBLE," Inma added one last line to rile him up.
"Inma!" Jack spoke up loudly. The thought of that happening to him or anyone he loved made him extremely uncomfortable. For however? Jack grinned deviously. He'd get his revenge on that shark tooth businessman one day.
"Fine! Fine!" Inma said, wiping a tear from her eye, "My turn! Why are you interested in finding that treasure cove thingy? It's just an old folktale!" Now it was Jack's turn to think of something.
"Well, If you must know." Jack answered with his hands in his pockets, "There's been a talk where I'm from that there might be some super rare plant or sacred text from ancient times." Jack nearly vomited from the lie that spewed from his lips. Of course, he couldn't tell her that he was looking for treasure and diamonds. She'd never let him leave.
"Ancient texts? Plants? Oh wow!" Inma muttered this with a bored expression and more sarcasm than normal. If there was one thing that she couldn't do, that was hiding her expression and emotions. Her heart was on her sleeve and she wasn't afraid to show it. Jack was sure that she believed him as they continued to bombard each other with questions.
There were some questions that neither refused to answer. Either too personal or a secret that needed to be hidden. They didn't hold it against each other though, everyone needs their privacy. Jack REALLY wanted to ask about what was on the mountains and why there were lightning bolts everywhere but kept his mouth shut in fear of souring Inma's mood. It was getting very late and the two decided to get in their sleeping attire.
Inma made Jack a bed from her old plush toys. They were incredibly soft and comfortable. She gave Jack a freshly washed towel for a blanket. As they began to drift off into sleep, Inma asked Jack one last question.
"Little Man?" Inma asked.
"Yes, Inma?" Jack responded back. He was still unsure as to why Inma didn't call him "Jack". He told her her name. Maybe it was a giant thing to use nicknames instead of actual names.
"If I were to go down to the humans' village, Do you think they would like me?" Inma's question made Jack raise his own eyebrows in confusion. Did she want to attend his village? There probably wouldn't be enough there to entertain her.
She might cause a rampage given that temper of hers. Jack thought but then spoke up.
"Those guys down there would be absolutely terrified!" Jack said back with a laugh. Inma laughed as well for a few seconds but looked at the moon in the sky saddened. It was a lot closer due to her living in the clothes. She saw the stars of the night sky shine brightly. Inma really wanted to view the humans land one day and gain a new friend or two. She wanted humans to like her but knew it would take time as all things do. They both sat in silence for 10 minutes before Inma uttered the words.
"Goodnight, my little man!" Inma said as she huddled down in her bed, smiling. Jack looked at her and nodded off.
"Goodnight Inma!" Jack replied and felt his mind disappear into a dream-like state. Tomorrow would be a day like no other.
