// Some language //

~~~

"Nothing EVER happens here, mom! Why can't you just let me go out? I hate it here in this stupid dome of a place! Why can't I just go to the other side? And why won't you tell me what's so dangerous about it?" A teenage boy waltzed into the kitchen with a pack in hand as he talked to his mother. His tone was harsh and full of anger. Not to long ago, it had finally begun to dawn on him that there was more out there to see, yet he was still being kept in the tiny home of theirs. It was all just so.. annoying to him.

"Sweetie, please calm down! You don't need to act so irrationally-" A woman, who seemed to be the teen's mother followed not to far behind him. She looked both angry and afraid.

"Irrationally? I am not doing things irrationally, mom. You are." The teen turned to look at his mother as he spoke, his tone still the same before and a glare resting in his eyes. "The easiest thing you could do is just sit me down and explain all of this shit to me, from the beginning. But you won't do that will you?"

His mother looked as though to speak but her son continued, shoving things into his pack as he spoke.

"No, you wouldn't. And why's that? Because it's complicated.. or I'll tell you another day. Or hell.. you've said it makes you sad. What kind of lame excuse is that?"

With that, his mother seemed to get more agitated and reached for his bag as though to stop him. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes, but the anger was pushing them away.

"Now listen here, Thomas. I would have told you, when I'm good and ready to tell you." She stated, her son now looking her dead in the eye with a very harsh glare.

There was a silence in the room that felt like lasted for an eternity before Thomas snatched the bag out of his mother's hand. Without a single word, he stormed out of the house, practically slamming the door on his mother. He continued to walk without turning back.

Once he reached the rock wall in front of him, he slung his pack over his shoulder and began to climb it. Pretty soon he had reached the top, still able to hear his mother calling for him. She sounded so far away, but in the moment, Thomas didn't care.

Without wasting anytime, he climbed down to the ground and began to walk. He didn't know where he was going, or what was even in that direction, but he thought it would be better than living at home.

All around him was large forestry trees, some of the roots often above ground, and all sorts of wildlife that seemed far off in the distance. There, in the midst of the forest, Thomas felt free for the first time in his entire life. Of course.. there was that burning image of fearful things that he was told about at home, so instinctively he grabbed a stick in case an animal attacked.. but other than that, the air felt so refreshing and peaceful.

As he continued to walk, his burning rage from before had started to go away, leaving a guilty feeling in his chest. He knew that his mother really only cared for him and since he had left, it would mean that she was going to be there alone.

"If I go home, mom will be happy, but I will be trapped there again, but if I continue forward, I could explore the world.. Why is this such a hard decision.. It's just so fu-" Thomas' voice was cut off by something pressing against his mouth. Instantly he shut his eyes.. which was honestly the dumbest thing a person could do in the middle of a forest full of wild animals, but fear had overtook him.

"Quiet now. No swearing." Said a deep voice, as the pressure on his mouth lifted.

"Who are y-you? W-Who's there..?" Thomas' voice stuttered as he scooted backward, bumping into something. His eyes were still clamped closed from the adrenaline.

"Open your eyes."

After a moment, Thomas barely opened his eyes but as soon as his eyes landed on the giant being no more than a couple yards away, he began to panic. An involuntary scream left his lungs and he quickly huddled into a fetal position as though it were shield him.

"P.. please don't eat me.." His voice quivered.

For a moment, it was silent, so Thomas slowly peeked an eye open at the giant to see it sitting upright with a very confused expression.

"Eat you? Why the heck would I eat you?" The giants deep voice sent a shiver down Thomas' spine as it spoke, making him want to curl up more.

"I.. I don't know.. Probably because you're a giant-" Thomas choked, hoping that he would sound tough. Slowly, he sat up and backed into a tree, keeping his eyes on the giant. With unsure movements, he used the tree to help him to his shaky legs.

"Well, that's kinda rude." The giant muttered, sending a sarcastic glare at Thomas. It smirked before reaching his hand toward Thomas as if to pick him up. His eyes widened and in less than a second, he took off running through the forest.

'This can't be real! It can't! I should've just stayed home.. I can't die like this..' He thought as he furiously stormed through the forest further and further, forgetting which direction he had come from and which direction he was heading.

"Kid! Come back!" The giant called, chasing after him. With every footfall, it came closer and closer.

"Leave me alone! Please!" Thomas shouted, running through the bramble which pulled at his clothes, making his run slower.

He could see a clearing up ahead, his face brightening up with the hope of escape. Yet, as he got closer, the shouts from the giant for closer and much more frantic. Thomas looked back for a split second to see the giants hands wrap around him and lift him backwards, away from escape.

"Did you not hear my warnings?! It's dangerous beyond the line of trees. I may seem scary.. but beyond that line is a world full of much worse monsters.."

The voice of the giant seemed far and muffled to Thomas since he was wrapped up in the creatures arms, but he understood the point. And even though he was petrified, the new knowledge seemed more terrifying.

On the outside of Thomas' imprisonment, the giant had began to run back towards the way they came. He was far more skilled in dodging trees and plants than Thomas, and had a lot of speed.
Once he reached a very small clearing with a pond and a river, he slowly pulled Thomas away from himself. The young boy in his hands was now curled in a fetal position, shaking from fear as he stared up at the giants eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you.. in fact, if I had wanted to, I would've let you go out in the open." He spoke, a sarcasticness in his tone. He smirked slightly before lifting the boy higher so he could get a better look at him.

"Hey! Put me down-" Thomas' voice shook as he backed away from the giants face. The creature just tilted his head, his green eyes locking to Thomas'.

"Well.. I could."

There was a pause, but instead of putting Thomas on the ground he simply lowered him from his face.

"What's your name? I'm Briar.. Briar Hark." The giant broke the silence and held his index finger in front of the boy in his hand to shake.

".. I'm Thomas." The boy stated, warily setting his hand on Briar's finger.

~~~

A/N

Just wanted to finish up this one.. though I didn't know quite how to finish it off
There won't be a part two, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

Word count : 1330