Chapter Three

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Coraline watched the human run off with a small smile and looked at the tiny food in her hand. Carefully, she picked up the small apple and popped it into her mouth, barely able to taste the sweetness of the fruit. "At least he tried." She whispered as she ate the bread, looking down. "But he didn't have to leave me all alone...again." 

Rising to her feet, she bumped her head on the cave ceiling before she was even halfway up and giggled. "Whoops! Forgot about that." With another giggle, she got down on all fours and began the slow, cautious crawl out the cave opening.

Once outside, she scanned the area for any humans before rising to her feet, able to see the village far in the distance from her towering height. For a moment, she thought about their size. To an adult giant, humans were only about six inches tall in their hands, so how big were they to her own hand? Shaking her head, she pouted. She knew she had to focus and be quick, otherwise, she might be spotted. 

Looking around the area once again, she began the walk to the lake that was a few miles away from the village, but closer to it than what she'd like. Coraline took a deep breath, stepping lightly on the ground as she tried not to alert them of her presence by shaking the ground. Her mother taught her that when she was still alive. And her daddy taught her how to make a water canteen out of several cows hides. With another deep inhale, she continued the short walk.

"Conrad!" Roger hissed, shaking his best friend who was staring out the window and completely ignoring him. "Are you listening to me?!" Though he was obviously angry, he was also quite confused as to why his friend was mostly ignoring him. 

"Hmm?" Conrad hummed as he snapped out of his daze, looking over to Roger with a frown. He now realized he was thinking about that giant kid, and what she could possibly be doing in order to survive. After all, she was a kid. Maybe her parents taught her stuff before...that happened? 

"So you weren't listening." Roger smacked his forehead, closing his eyes in an annoyed manner. With an exasperated sigh, he looked dead into Conrad's hazel eyes. "There's a giant out near the lake, get your pistol, get your knife, the men are heading out on a hunt." An excited grin fell onto his face. "I haven't had a good hunt, or kill for quite some time. Neither have you. It'll be fun." Turning his back away from Conrad, he was unable to see the slight look of panic that had fallen onto his own face.

Conrad stared at Roger's back, his mind racing. Was it Coraline? And if it was, why did she come this close to the village? With his heart beating rapidly in his chest, he ran to his small bedroom which only held a bed and basket for his clothes, he reached under his straw mattress and grabbed his pistol, staring at the weapon with a frown before holstering it into his belt. He then pulled his knife from his boot, gripping the wooden handle tight as he stared at the silver blade and stuffed it back into his footwear before leaving his room, Roger ready and waiting for him.

"You ready to go kill this thing?" The blond haired man asks as he patted Conrad on the back with a grin. "I know I am, I'm excited. Do you think it's a man or woman? Oh wait, they're just beasts." He snickered, closing his eyes.

For a moment as Roger spoke, anger welled in Conrad's mind but he quickly pushed it away with a frown. He was right after all. No matter what, giants were all just beasts. "Yeah...I'm ready." 

Coraline sat in the grass, filling up her large canteen with water from the lake, humming quietly with a smile. "I fall asleep to tainted dreams. I know that there is more to all that seems. And wanting all my desires, to never retire, I live by the light of the moon..." She sang softly to herself when she heard shouts in the distance, her head snapping in the direction to see a crowd of male humans running towards her.

Fear washed over her and the canteen fell from her hand, luckily closed otherwise water would have spilled everywhere. She found herself unable to move as they circled around her, holding weapons in their hands and she scanned the crowd before seeing Conrad amongst them, looking up at her with a frown. He had a gun in his hand too. 

She felt a bit betrayed. He had told them about her. She thought she could trust a human and now it got her this, she was going to be killed. With tears welling in her eyes, she shut them tightly as she awaited her fate.

Conrad met her big brown eyes with his own hazel ones, able to see blame in them directed at him. Coraline thought he told them, and his chest tightened at the fact. With a frown, he holstered his gun and sheathed his blade. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, another man spoke first.

"Why are you so close to our village you monster?!" He shouted at the giant, eyes narrowed fiercely. 

Coraline was trembling, visible to the humans as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I-I needed w-water. I wasn't going t-to hurt a-anyone, r-really." She uttered timidly, looking down at them as her heart raced in her chest.

"Lies, you beast!" The same man shouted, glaring up at her. "How many more of you are there?! Where are they located?!" 

"I-I don't know!" She cried out, fear plain in her voice as she tried to remain calm, tears running down her face.

Conrad flinched, as did the others at the volume of her voice and looked around through the crowd, seeing someone aiming their gun at the child and shutting his eyes tight, he dashed over to Coraline, standing with his back to her in front of her, looking out into the crowd of men. "Wait!"





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