THE GIANT

THE GIANT

By Halima Abdullahi

Am I dead? What happened to me? Somehow, the dreams I have been having constantly have become a reality. Nightmares that appear whenever my eyes close. But, from all the nightmares there was also a sweet part of the dream. However, let me start from the beginning. The beginning of how everything started.

Meredith! Wake up, you are going to be late for school! Mom yelled from downstairs. That’s me by the way, my name is Meredith Andersen. I am part Viking and part whatever my dad is. I have never met him and my mom never liked talking about him. My mom’s name is Hilda Anderson, which means fighter. She is more of Viking than I am. Mom hair is flaming, fiery red. It glows like a halo in the late afternoon sun. And if I don’t get up right now for school, mom hair will become fiery, like burning flame. A flame all Viking fighters have, but I don’t. Now, I don’t want to see that and I know you don’t. So, let me save us from that anger and have me get up. Mom dropped me off at school before she went to work at the diner. This is my school; Willow Creek High School and I am in the 11th grade. It usually is your everyday normal school. Students spacing out and classes coming to end without knowing what in the world you learned. But, today was different. They are here in my reality. It didn’t make sense. They always only appeared in my dreams. I asked myself if I fell asleep and not notice. However, that wasn’t possible. I was wide awake and definitely seeing them. I don’t know what to call them. They are what has been hunting my dreams. Sometimes, they are creatures you would never want to set eyes on. Sometimes, their sizes are different. This time they were big as giants. They were staring at me, one hovering over, growling. I could not move nor breath. I wasn’t a fighter like my mom, I was nothing but a little scary cat or a coward as other would call me. All I could do was shake in my boots, and never make eye contact with them. Because, once you make eye contact with them, you will never live to see the next day.

Remember when I said there was also a sweet part nightmare. He is that sweet part. I don’t know who he is or what he looks like. All I know is that he has been saving me from these creatures. He is a giant, but I don’t feel fear when I see him. I feel safe and at peace, like I know he will protect me always. As he always did, he swung his sword out and started attacking the creatures within my nightmares. The one hovering over me saw his friends being killed brutally one by one by this sweet giant. He turned and started running towards with his hands raised and a loud roar coming from him. I was scared the sweet giant would get hurt but still I couldn’t move, my feet were completely planted to the ground. It was like he knew what I was thinking. He turned to look at me with those magnificent but fierce jet-black eyes, it looked like he was telling me, ‘it’s alright, it will be over soon and you’re safe.” He turned to the creature that was going towards him and slashed at the creature. This continued until the creature turned into golden dust. Afterwards, the sweet giant came towards me and gently reached out for my checks. A rush of calmness overtook me, once again he took all my fears away with that gaze and touch of his. He stroked my checks as if he is afraid that I would break. Then he said, “Ek munu sjá þú brátt minn bride.” With that he turned around and disappeared into the deep abyss. And the nightmares with a hint of sweetness returned to as if nothing ever happened.

End