Her Tiny World

Chapter 6. Falling

Mina

The bird flew fast through the forest. Ben guided the animal with great skill, dodging branches, leaves and logs in front of us. He was taking us beyond known boundaries. He grew up there. My father had been there before too. That's how he found Ben and brought him home. My father was an explorer so he used to go to the lake many times when he was young. It was his favorite place in the world. He always talked about how beautiful it was. About its endless blue. 'It's like gazing at a sweet dream', he smiled.

When my father died I lost everything, however his words never left my mind. When I turned twelve I asked Ben to take me there. To his lake. When we got there we landed with the birds on the grass. The flowers towered over us like small tiny trees better suited to our size. Its colors were everywhere above our heads. Their scent filled the air around us as we walked among them. Butterflies and bees flew above and ants followed in hurried ranks below close to our feet.

Ben and I headed towards the lake. It was a dream just as he had said. It was spring, and the sun's rays reflected softly on the waves forming points of light that reminded me of fireflies. When we got near it, we took our boots off and let the water lap nicely at our feet. We jumped over some rocks that jutted out of it and sat there watching the blue. The refreshing breeze blew our hair gently through the air. We tilt our heads into the water when fish bigger than us swam gently in it. I widened my eyes in surprise. I had never seen fish before, they were beautiful. When one of them swam around us I put my hand in the water to touch it. I felt the animal's scales and fins on my fingertips. It was indescribable. I wonder if my father has ever felt that feeling before.

So we heard footsteps coming from behind us. The sound of leaves, twigs and flowers being crushed under giant feet was getting close. Suddenly the fish swam away, startled by the tremors. A couple of humans appeared above us. They were laughing loudly and kissing, unaware of our presence. It was the first time I saw any of them. They were gigantic blood-freezing creatures. I couldn't take my eyes off them. I was unable to move. Ben pulled me out of the trance by pulling my hand. We ran into the small flower forest and hid. We saw as huge fingers curled around some flowers joining them in a branch. The huge hand ripped them violently, but effortlessly from the ground leaving nothing more but a hole with broken roots. I wanted to yell at them to leave, but Ben covered my mouth with his hand. The lake was the only thing I had left to remember him and they were destroying it with their giant hands and feet. I couldn't do anything besides crying with anger and sadness. They weren't supposed to be there. Not that day. But there they were towering above everything. Above us. Stepping on my memories. It wasn't fair that they could be that big. It never would be.

Fear invaded my thoughts. Just the idea of Gadry being all alone in such place was too much. She was so naive and small. On the other hand they were selfish, terrifying creatures. Worst of all they were huge and strong. Unstoppable. If one of them found her... I closed my eyes tightly, shaking my head for those thoughts to go away. I couldn't let myself think like this. She was smart, she wouldn't let any of them get her. Old memories won't help me find her now. We were approaching the lake when we heard voices. Many of them. We knew they would be there. Humans always visited the lake in summer, all of us avoided going there during that season. Not even the most experienced of us would risk going there to be caught by one of them. However it wasn't about rules anymore. It was about her. And she needed me more than ever. We landed on a branch of a tall tree and we got off the bird. From there we could see the whole lake without being noticed.

"The place is getting more crowded with giants every year."

I could hear the tension in Ben's voice. His eyes followed each movement below. Humans came and went all the time from all directions. There were dozens of them. Some were in the water, others were lying on the grass. They were having fun on a summer day. That seemed completely normal, kind of welcoming I would say. But they were humans. Nothing about them could be called welcoming. Even from the distance their size was frightening. I ran my eyes over them, watching their every move. Knowing that Gadry was there anywhere among them, under them, made me shudder.