Tonya vs. The Giantess

"Well, let's go."

Tonya turned to the young man she was with and said with a smile, "You're right. It's been ten years. I think I'm ready."

The town hall clock chimed 3am as they stepped outside. Tonya drew in a deep breath of the night air before turning to her companion. He was a young man she knew from university, and they had stayed in touch after graduation. As they walked through the quiet streets, she couldn't help but appreciate his handsome features, framed by long locks of blond hair and a beard that gave him a rugged look. His name was Hans.

"I hope it goes well for you," he said softly as they approached the gates at the edge of the city limits.

"Me too," she replied. Then, more quietly: "I wish we had more time to prepare."

"There wasn't time," he said with a shake of his head. "We need all the people we can get."

They reached the gate and stepped between two stone pillars into open country. Only about fifty paces away, a hill rose up out of the grassy plain. Atop that hill stood an enormous woman, easily four times as tall as any normal human being. She wore flowing robes, with tassels waving in the breeze around the hemline that brushed against her ankles where she stood on bare earth. Her smooth face was upturned towards them, her eyes wide and staring at them fixly while her full lips parted slightly to reveal teeth like white pebbles shining in the moonlight.

"Who are you?" Her voice carried well over the miles between them. She spoke in French, though with an accent Tonya did not recognize immediately as any one particular country's language - there was something exotic about it that made Tonya think of Africa or Asia or some distant island in the Atlantic Ocean. But that didn't matter now; what mattered was that Tonya understood her perfectly well and could speak back in her own tongue without fear of misunderstanding or miscommunication. And so she did just that:

"I am called Tonya," she told the giantess, who smiled a warm smile that filled Tonya with affection for this strange visitor to their land. "So nice to meet you!" She continued warmly: "May I ask your name?" The giantess nodded happily: "I am called Nolita." Then her smile turned solemn as she added: "And you are trespassing on my lands."

Hans gasped audibly at this declaration, but Tonya simply replied calmly: "Yes! That is true! You see..." She gestured widely behind herself towards their town nestled peacefully among low hills on their horizon:"...we live here! In our town! That you can see behind me!" She spread her arms wide for emphasis and took another deep breath of the cool night air before continuing:"...and we have lived here for many years! Many generations! And we love it here! We work hard every day to make it better! To make our lives better!" Nolita stared down at Tonya impassively as she spoke; when she paused to catch her breath again, Nolita said nothing but simply waited patiently for Tonya to continue speaking again. So she did - explaining how they had cleared land and planted crops and built houses and schools and churches; how they had harvested crops and hunted deer and fished in their rivers; how they had raised families and brought new children into their community every year; how prosperous they were; how happy they were - all because they lived on this patch of land where they felt safe and secure! They worked hard every day to keep it that way, even if Nolita was now standing on top of it with her big feet! For hadn't Nolita seen how hard everyone worked? How much suffering there was everywhere else? If only Nolita could see for herself how happy people were here - why would she want to crush them beneath her feet?! Nolita listened intently throughout this speech until finally Tonya ran out of breath again and found herself panting from excitement more than from exertion thanks to her newfound enthusiasm for her message. When she stopped talking finally, Nolita's reply came slowly, deliberately: "That does not matter." Then she pointed down at Tonya suddenly: "Now listen carefully!" Her tone changed abruptly as she explained:"...because I am going to give you a very important choice!" She looked down at Tonya's bewildered expression with pity:"...because I know you will choose poorly." Her eyes narrowed sternly:"...but I will give you one last chance anyway." Before Tonya could respond, Nolita added gravely:"...so listen carefully, because this is your one chance: Leave now -- tonight -- or be crushed tomorrow under my foot!" * * * * *