The Giant Forest - COMPLETED - True to life adventures of preteens.

The Battle Was Over Before It Started

The giants charged. But not all of them. Gobble, clearly the leader of the pact, was followed closely behind by Gulp and Munch. The rest of the giants didn't dare move.

Gorge motioned to Ceasar and his new ally, Mounty to follow, then took a giant step to join the fray but got no further. Before he knew what had happened, Gorge felt himself flying sideways, Superman style: without the obligatory pose - one arm with a fist at the end pointing in the direction of flight and the other locked to his side, his fingers aimed toward where they had come from and both legs scissored tightly shut for aerodynamics. Gorge's head had whipped back and his arms appeared as if he were swimming middair, but involuntarily. His legs flopped uncontrollably as if running to keep up.

Ceasar had swung his one of his powerful paws and hit Gorge squarely on the side of his head so hard that Gorge went airborne and landed several giant lengths away. Gorge had received a thunderous whack from Ceasar. Mounty meanwhile had turned to face the other giants who had lined up to join in on the attack. Mounty ran back and forth at a vicious clip. Each time any of the giants flinched Mounty was instantly in front in a stand off position showing them his fangs, backed by a growl that caused the giants to quake frantically.

After Ceasar had taken care of Gorge, he turned towards Mounty and the other giants who were now quite paralyzed from fright. Ceasar's roar again. Only this roar made his earlier outburst seem as if it had just been a purr. The giants for the first time in their lives knew what it meant to move quickly. They dropped the kids, spun around and began to flee all in one motion. Soon they were gone, never to be seen again ... at least not in this story.

Though equally stunned by the actions and betrayal of Ceasar and Mounty, Gobble, Gulp and Munch were already committed to the attack.

It is impossible to betray someone or something that has caused you to be enslaved against your will. Ceasar was free for the first time because his friend Mounty had shown him how to be free ... because his friend had shown him the power of friendship.

There was no bloodshed. Sycamore and his friends had prepared well for the encounter with the giants.

As Gobble, Munch and Gulp closed the gap on their would be dinners, they rapidly found themselves mired in a swamp in the middle of the field. The more they tried to step, the deeper they went into the field.

The badgers and beavers had been hard at work. Beneath the field, the badgers had created a maze of tunnels strategically dug so that if you knew where to walk you could navigate the field. But if you didn't, the walls and ceilings of the underground tunnels would give way and in the unsuspecting intruder would plop.

In the meantime the beavers had also done their best. They had built dams that held back streams of water at the entrances of the maze of tunnels leading into the field. When the giants entered the field the beavers let go the dams causing the tunnels to fill with water. The beavers and badgers had calculated well. The ground gave way to the weight of the giants but not to the dogs. Ceasar was strong enough that he could not be held back by the deep muddy trenches.

The giants who had run indiscriminately across the field soon found themselves in muddy slime up over their feet, ankles, shins and finally as high as their knobby knees and unable to move.

Three squadrons of butterflies took flight. So thick were the swarms that they could momentarily block out all the moonlight. The giants became dazed and confused so much so they could only lamely wave their arms to shew them away. The butterflies' job was to keep the giants disoriented and they fulfilled their task masterfully.

Next up were for the beetles to show their love for their friend. They flew into the fray.

For years to follow, each time Aimi told the story of what happened next (long after this year's camp experience) she would laugh nearly hysterically. Aimi laughed so hard at herself telling the story that listeners stopped laughing at her story and just laughed at her laughing at herself. They were entranced by her tale. Pure joy has that kind of effect.

Aimi's story was something like: "As you know, I hate bugs. Hate is too mild. I despise them. They give me goosebumps so large that if I were to go out on a snowy day, the bugs (EEWW!!) could confuse me as moguls on a ski slope. When I read about bugs in science class I have to cover the page with my notebook so as to not even catch a glimpse of them. Well, it turns out, and if it weren't me having seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. There is someone who is more scared of bugs than I am. Giants! Giants hate bugs more than I do!!!! When the beetle army mobbed the giants, I am telling you, you have never seen someone do such a silly dance to get away from the bugs. They looked like they were doing something like a robot dance ... arms in 90 degree angles going up and down and in and out ... while also trying to do a breakdance ... leaning forward and backward and spinning madly ... while also swaying left and right ... but in slow motion!!! Giants are slow moving you know. And all the time they were stuck in mud and getting themselves more stuck!! It was an utter crack up."

Of course, Aimi had to stop and catch her breath several times while she told this story. And, she had to wipe away tears of laughter.

"When I saw how those giants reacted and how scared they were at these little fellows who had rescued me, I lost it. It was so hilarious. I laughed and shook so hard that the ropes they had tied me up in started to loosen. Who knew? Right? It was laughter that was going to set me free. The ropes slackened so much they fell off and I stepped right out of them. I was able to make my way over and untie Roci, Mousi and Sybil. They may not have thought it was as funny as I did, but they were sure still happy to be free."

Sycamore and his friends, Aimi, Roci, Sybil and Mousi were finally reunited for the first time since each had found themselves separated from Mount Hermon.

Roci took charge, "We'd better get going. We don't know how long the giants will stay stuck."

"Can we stay and watch a bit? This is so funny!" Aimi asked.

"No!!!" The other four said in concert. And off they went.

The giants? They remained implanted in the field never to be heard from again ... but most definitely to be seen again. There are giants everywhere in the mountains near camp. You just have to look. And, of course, tap into your imagination.

"Where are we going?" Sybil asked.

"Where are we?" Mousi also wondered out loud.

Looking around at his two-legged, four-legged and winged friends Sycamore chimed in: "I don't know where we are, but I am guessing these guys will help us find our way out."

"Sycamore. Uh ... w ... w.... where ... is ... your ... stutter?" Roci asked half imitating a giant and half imitating the Sycamore they all knew.

A long silence followed.

The Bunch slowly started moving in the direction laid out before them by Bligh and Senti.

Aimi was still useless. She couldn't stop laughing.