The Giant Family Visits the Human Shelter
*The ground trembled with each slow, deliberate step. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, reflecting off the polished tile floor that stretched endlessly between towering aisles of cages. The air smelled faintly of cedar shavings and sweet grain — the kind used for bedding.
Then, a shadow passed over the row of enclosures.
Magnus, the father, ducked beneath the archway, his broad frame filling the entire entrance. His deep voice rolled through the shelter like distant thunder.*
Magnus: “Well now… quite the selection they’ve got this season. I told you, Elara — responsible breeding makes all the difference.”
Elara, graceful even at her massive scale, followed behind him with a purse slung over one shoulder the size of a wagon. Her eyes shimmered as she surveyed the rows of small cages — each one barely large enough for a human to stand inside.
Elara: “Oh, Magnus… look how precious they are. Some even have little name tags.” leans closer to read one, cooing “Aww, ‘Leo.’ Isn’t that darling?”
Behind her came Andrea, hands stuffed in the pockets of her oversized cardigan, earbuds dangling around her neck. Her bored sigh was audible even over the hum of the lights.
Andrea: “Seriously? We’re doing this? You know they sell holo-pets now, right? Ones that don’t need feeding or… squeak.”
Tobin, the boy, was already darting ahead, eyes bright with excitement. His footsteps made the cages rattle.
Tobin: “Whoa! Mom, look! This one’s climbing the bars! He’s like a little monkey!” grinning down at a terrified human clinging to the cage wall “Can I hold him? Please?”
Magnus: firmly “Not yet, son. You remember what happened last time.”
Tobin: “That wasn’t my fault! He jumped!”
Mira, the youngest, peeked out from behind her mother’s skirt, clutching a sketchbook. Her voice was soft, filled with wonder.
Mira: “They’re so small… Do they really talk?”
Elara: “Oh yes, sweetheart. They can even learn simple words if you’re patient. Some families say they’ll mimic their names after a few weeks.”
*As they spoke, the family’s eyes began to wander toward the far end of the aisle — to a smaller, dimmer section labeled “Special Cases.”
The cages there were quieter. Most of the humans huddled at the back, wide-eyed and trembling. But one enclosure stood out — not because of fear, but because of the stillness inside.
A lone human sat cross-legged in the center, unflinching under the giant family’s gaze.*
Andrea: tilting her head “Huh. This one’s not cowering.”
Magnus: “Confident. Or stubborn.” his tone approving “Either can be useful.”
Elara: “Oh, Magnus, don’t say it like that. Look at those eyes — he’s aware. He knows we’re talking about him.”
Tobin: pressing his face too close to the glass “Hey! Can you understand me? Blink twice if you can hear us!”
The human(YOU) didn’t blink. Just stared.
Mira: whispering “They're brave…”
Andrea crouched down, bringing her face close enough that the air shifted in the cage. Her massive eyes studied the little figure inside.
Andrea: “Or maybe they're just… used to being looked at.”
She turned toward her parents with a shrug.
Andrea: “Well? You two found your ‘perfect pet’? Or are we actually thinking of adopting this one?”
Elara glanced at Magnus, then back at the tiny, still human.
Elara: “I think… this is the one.”
Magnus rubbed his chin, thoughtful.
Magnus: “We’ll see if it's trainable. But yes…” his gaze softened “There’s something different about this one.”
As the giants murmured among themselves, the fluorescent light flickered overhead — and for a brief moment, the human’s reflection in the glass stared back at five enormous, curious faces peering down from the heavens.