Cut Your Peaches - Part 1
Synopsis: Dana is a human doing her best to survive the post-apocalypse, and right now that constitutes eating a nice meal. Unfortunately in this new world she can’t even do something as simple as that.
This story contains: Mention of religious iconography (though it’s not actually related to the religion itself), Giants/Size Difference, and brief depictions of gore (just a short moment, it’s nothing pivotal)
Dana didn’t silence the store bell as she entered. It was a dusty old place— cramped and narrow with the front shelves picked clean. She didn’t bother to look back as she entered, instead opting to skip straight to the back. There she gleefully tossed canned goods, preserved snacks and a bottle of flat soda into her empty backpack. She only wished she’d had a shopping cart to ride up and down the aisles in.
With her bag full, she went back and leaned over the counter in the front. She splayed out a can of peaches, a loaf of bread and a can opener. She clasped her hands together, letting her head fall onto them for a moment with a suppressed squeal of glee. She tore open the ingredients, and upon seeing no mold in either product she wasted no time assembling her meal.
A quick slosh of the can ensured maximum coverage and sweetness, and she had hardly put the two slices of bread together before they were being shoved into her mouth. The peach juice leaked all over her hands and onto the counter. As she chewed, her eyes drifted back outside.
The glass of this store was somehow kept intact. The force of the blast was enough to shatter most glass in the city, and Dana traced ashy remnants down the side of a building with her eyes as she ate. It was moments like this she was thankful to be unaffected. Simple moments like eating a peach slice sandwich in an abandoned corner store. In peace.
God forbid Dana have a quiet moment to herself. She had another bite as she zipped her backpack back up as quietly as she could.
A little louder, but no cause for vacating just yet. She wasn’t leaving without finishing her food.
Okay, it’s definitely coming this way. With the last of her sandwich gone, she slunk to the back of the store for an emergency exit. It was definitely coming from the street, and whatever drew it in was something she didn’t want to be near when it found the source.
She put her hands on the exit, but Dana traced a tripwire connected from the door to a box above it. If this alarm still worked, she’d be making herself an easy target.
She peeled her hands off the handle and turned around, hoping there might be a silent emergency exit. But all that she saw was a supply closet.
Good enough. She slid inside and left the door ajar so she could monitor the situation. Checking the closet for any means of escape was a bit silly, but desperate times call for desperate measures. No dice, but she was shocked at how spacious it was.
The store bell rang out, and her attention was immediately focused on the sliver of the outside she could see.
He was lumbering, with only his stocky bottom half being visible from the windows. He was using his foot to open the door, and trying to gauge his approach to entering the store. He got on all fours, and began to rotate his torso until it was apparent his wider frame still wouldn’t fit. She stifled a laugh as he grunted and stood back up. For a moment, Dana believed she had the easiest escape from a Giant encounter ever, but alas.
He reeled a foot back, and in a panic Dana shut the door to the closet as the front window shattered. After having her primary way of assessing danger cut off, she pressed her ear to the door to listen for another opportunity to open it.
Her heartbeat made it difficult to listen as blood rushed through her ears. She pressed harder, and could hear crunching glass. One foot slid a bit, and when he pulled himself the rest of the way through she nudged it back open. With her sight restored she could get a look at the guy.
He was a man in a dressy outfit, collared shirt and suit vest with dress pants and shoes. All appropriately dirty and torn to shreds. She couldn’t imagine having to wear the same clothes for three years straight. He had a square face, with tired and heavy features.
As he tried to stand, his back bumped the ceiling tiles and quickly corrected his position. He opted to get down on one knee instead of bending over 90 degrees. But as he came down, his nose twitched. He began sniffing the air— gently at first, before resembling an animal. His gaze fell upon the countertop, wherein he could see the puddle of peach juice that glistened in the light of evening sun. When he leaned down she figured he was going to inspect it.
He licked the countertop, the force of it jostling the hard plastic covering the lottery tickets beneath. It was a slow, shameful action— you could see it on his face. He let out a slow breath, before his nose began twitching again. Turning towards the back, Dana watched as he crouch-walked towards the emergency exit. Running his thumb over the push bar, it got caught on the sticky handprints she’d left on it. She cringed as he sniffed the air again, and turned his attention towards the door she was hiding behind.
She took a step back and in doing so knocked over a bucket and mop. The ruckus took her attention for only a moment, yet when she looked back the face of the giant was staring her down from inches away. She yelped and pivoted deeper into the closet, but there was nowhere to hide. A massive hand burst into the room and began feeling around for her. She frantically looked for anything that could help, with no success. The hand wrapped around her lower half and pulled out of the closet, leaving her face to face with the giant. He was on his stomach, with his lower body folded inward.
Dana wriggled her hands out of his grip and began pushing against his fingers. At this, his nose began to twitch again. She froze as he pulled her in closer, and he paused as he seemed to identify where the smell was coming from.
Dana imagined now what he would do to her. A million creative ways to season her for a meal flashed through her mind as she locked eyes with him. She thrashed around, desperate now to make sure she didn’t have to experience any of them. This seemed to startle the man, who up until now was rather passive. He opened his mouth to speak, and Dana got a good look at the inside of his mouth. She shrieked and the giant kicked his legs back in surprise.
The alarm from the emergency exit blared, making them both cover their ears. The giant dropped Dana unceremoniously, turning towards the door. His foot was pressed up against the exit.
It was now she made her move. She scurried through the aisles trying to make a break for it.
“Shit-!” The first word she heard the giant speak, as he looked back to find his prey gone. He pushed himself up and began knocking shelves around to try and find her. The crashing was quiet compared to the alarm, yet quieter still than the ringing in her ears. She saw the doors to the street, but stopped just short of opening it as she noticed a dark shadow being cast over the street.
It hadn’t been that long, and looking to the side Dana could see the orange sky as sunset arrived. She took a step back only to be met with a wall of flesh.
The giant grabbed her again, but this time she wasn’t afraid.
“Stop,” She cried, thrashing once again. “We have to get out of here!”
The giant scoffed, but didn’t say anything. Dana pointed to the darkened street.
“Look at it,” She tried to measure a reaction but there was no understanding on his face. “We’re in danger.”
“We?” He said, his gruff voice easily distinguishable from the rest of the noise happening around them. She paused, and remembered what she’d acquired since her last encounter with the thing outside. She pulled a rosary out from under her shirt and held it up to him.
“Actually, scratch that. You’re the only one in danger.” At this, his eyes widened as he finally understood the gravity of the situation. He stalked over to the alarm, and with his free hand he ripped it off the wall. It practically crumbled in his grip. The ringing petered off and lowered in pitch, but didn’t die out. He held it up to his ear, but the sound wasn’t coming from there.
All at once, the light from the store windows was gone— leaving them both in darkness. It was now they heard the chanting. A heavenly choir accompanied by a rainfall of beads clacking together. They came into view as the large shadow passed them by, silent as ever despite his size.
Followers flooded the streets, singing and jeering while holding crosses over their heads. She spotted a dead giant nailed to a cross being pushed through the crowds. Everyone who passed by it struck it with their cross, then helped move it through the wave of people. Dana turned back to look at the giant, who was ghastly pale.
“Drop me,” She demanded. “Or I call out to my ‘brothers and sisters’.”
Jingling the beads in his face seemed to get through to him. He let go of her, placing her gently on the floor. She smirked at him as she put it back around her neck. For the first time his face contorted from expressionless to annoyed. It amazed her how much she was pushing her luck today, especially after the feat he just pulled with the alarm.
Now with the giant rooted to the spot, she turned towards the exit and strolled out the emergency exit. The cool sunset air hit her, and she didn’t fight it. The gentle crashing from the waves was more audible now. Even if she was in an alleyway now, the beach wasn’t far. Maybe she’d dig up a beer to celebrate.
Just as she began to walk, a massive crash came from the store. The giant —now fully able to stand— loomed over the building. They locked eyes and Dana nearly shit herself. A burning anger was coming from behind his eyes, focused solely on her. She turned tail and ran through the alley. It was too slim for him to fit through, so she prayed it would buy her enough time to shake him off. He growled and went over to a wider break in the buildings, cutting Dana off. She skidded to a halt, realizing that she couldn’t outrun him. But while he disappeared from view trying to get through two buildings taller than him, she dove into a supermarket.
Unlike the corner store, this place had already been picked clean. She dashed through piles of flyers rallying humans to fight against the giants, yellowed with the years gone by.
She didn’t have enough time to be picky about a hiding spot, so she ducked behind an empty fruit stand. The giant followed soon after, with a lot less effort because the front had already been busted open. His dress shoes tapping against the tile floor echoed in the dusty old place, setting her more on edge with every step.
Suddenly the sound ceased. She turned in one direction, and realized that the fruit stand was actually supposed to be holding peaches. Huh.
No time to turn back though as she’d been hoisted into the air once again, face to face with him.
“You really should’ve washed your hands.” He said simply. She struggled, but this time he tightened his grip enough to get her to stop. With just a few strides he was out the door and they were headed to who knows where.
Hi! If you made it this far thanks for reading, I really appreciate it ^0^ if this story ended up intriguing you at all I am making a part 2 (at the very least) and you can feel free to send asks… it would make my day…. If you even care…
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