Intruders

By Zhen Lyu

It was supposed to be a leisure hiking, until the young people intruded into the world of giants.

It was supposed to be a return to normal life when they finally got out of the cave after a series of adventures, until the giants intruded into the world of human beings.

Then, it was supposed to be a glorious fight against intruders, until the young people discovered a striking fact.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Jan 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514444061

Zhen Lyu

She devotes herself in fantasies; she devotes herself in the reality. She writes for children; she writes for adults. She depicts a fictitious world; she depicts the real world. She may arouse your excitement; she may drop you into silence. She shares her fantastical imagination with you; she shares her serious thoughts with you—anyway, it is for the readers to decide that whether she is a storyteller or a thought provoker.

Book preview

© 2016 by Zhen Lyu.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015920758

ISBN:                  Hardcover                          978-1-5144-4408-5

                            Softcover                            978-1-5144-4407-8

                            eBook                                  978-1-5144-4406-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Print information available on the last page.

Rev. date: 12/14/2015

Xlibris

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Contents

Chapter 1     Compelled intruders

Chapter 2     Well-treated intruders

Chapter 3     Captive Intruders

Chapter 4     Jeopardized Intruders

Chapter 5     Rescued Intruders

Chapter 6     Unexpected Intruders

Chapter 7     Ejected Intruders

Chapter 8     Returning Intruders

Chapter 9     Evolved Intruders

Chapter 10     Counterattacked Intruders

Chapter 11     True Intruders

Chapter 12     Suicidal Intruders

Chapter 13     Confronting Intruders

Chapter 14     Eavesdropped Intruders

Chapter 15     Vigilant Intruders

Chapter 16     Expiating Intruders

Chapter 17     Re-sneaked Intruders

Chapter 18     Unnatural Intruders

Chapter 19     Cunning Intruders

Chapter 20     Menacing Intruders

Chapter 21     Overwhelming Intruders

Chapter 22     Unshakable Intruders

Chapter 23     Settled Intruders

Chapter 1

Compelled intruders

T here was a quiet suburb in this city, in the centre of which stands only two cafes, two restaurants, one pharmacy, one butcher’s, and one market. Spreading from the centre, streets and avenues led to tranquil houses away from the noise on the main motorway. Everything here seemed to be serene, except one red brick house.

Clare! Clare! In the living room of the house, a young man with short spiky hair was shouting at a bedroom. Have you finished packing? Even though he was urging, his big bright eyes still revealed a kind of tenderness as usual.

There came no answer.

Keep calm and just wait, Gordon. Another young man, wearing his blond hairs banged, was lying in a sofa, pillowing his own hands. Have you ever seen one time that she intends to do something in a hurry?

Uh… Well… No… It took Gordon some time to recall related memories. But I’m just so eager to set off! And I know you feel the same, Bryan, so just say something to let her be quick!

Bryan slowly looked around the living room, and finally set his sight on a girl with baby fat on her face next to him. The girl’s silver hair has blunt cuts straight across the forehead and soft waves hanging slightly below her shoulders, making her look more like a high school student rather than a fresh graduate from a university. She had surrounded herself with various kinds of snacks since she walked into this house. So much energy she took in daily that even her parents showed concern on her shape; but thanks to the high intensive training she did every day, she looked as slim as other girls.

How about this: Clare, your fridge is going to be despoiled by Wendy. Though Bryan’s words meant to express urge, his languid voice didn’t. However, despite of this lack of appeal, the words were still responded, but by another person.

Please pick a word carefully, Bryan. I’m clearing so that when we are away, Clare doesn’t need to keep the fridge running, said Wendy, sending another spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth. Just tell her this, Gordon: Clare! Leo begins to make his experiments again!

Within a second, a girl with straight long flaxen hair and dark eyes came to the living room, carrying a backpack, showing that she was ready.

Let’s go! Gordon shouted, leading the others to the door.

Clare followed him immediately. Bryan stretched and got up from the sofa, followed by Wendy, who had just finished the last spoon of ice-cream. The four walked out of the door, walked past the garage and heard a cry.

Wait! One minute! No. Just half a minute!

Before anyone could have answered, a boom came from the garage – not as loud as a real explosion, but still shocking.

I make it! I make it! A youngster ran to the four in excitement, with a ponytail jumping behind his head, which was covered by dyed red hair.

Clare gave a sigh and Gordon smiled, both in frustration. Bryan looked at this man with evident banter.

It sounds to me that, Leo, Wendy remarked, you get a sense of accomplishment from successfully blowing Clare’s garage up.

Yes. Uh, no! Leo changed his wording immediately after a glance at Clare’s expression. Anyway, I just want to make a miniature bomb, which is able to make a tiny damage without influencing anything around the target.

So your target is Clare’s garage? Wendy continued the topic of Clare’s house.

Of course not! Do you know how much I love her? It’s the only place I can carry out an experiment since I graduated from my college! Leo denied in an instant.

Well, well, my friends, get on my car, said Gordon, opening the boot. Let’s enjoy our graduation days!

The SUV sped along a motorway, carrying the five fresh graduates, passing several other suburbs, villages, industrial zones, and finally arrived in the mountains. The five got off the vehicle and began hiking. It was in early summer, when every living creature was ready to grow at full speed. One could perceive the breath of plants, from which the energy of revival permeated a human being’s body. With such energy, hikers could hardly feel any fatigue even when they were ascending without stairs, except Clare.

Can we just camp here? said Wendy, seeing her crony struggling behind everyone. There isn’t any fixed camp field here, anyway.

No objection, Gordon agreed. It is a little difficult for Clare to climb. Unlike us, she spends almost all leisure time to read.

You could have left me at home, said Clare. I can’t understand why you kept pushing me to join you.

You told us to do so, don’t you remember? Bryan responded by asking, and you stressed that you wished to come right here.

When?

On your 18th birthday, said Wendy, you were drunk.

Really? I forget that.

The other four exchanged glances, showing a kind of concern, and said nothing.

Well, well, never mind. It was Leo who broke this subtle silence, It’s also fine to camp here. Let me carry your bag for you, Clare. It’s my pleasure to serve the only girl among us.

Please wait a second, Wendy’s voice came with dissatisfaction, what do you mean by ‘the only’, may I ask?

Oh, look! There is a wonderful place for camping! Let’s go! Leo shifted the topic to another channel as quick as possible while embracing a feeling of gratitude that it happened to be such a place to be recovered at this moment. Never would he want to be hit by an ace of Jeet Kune Do, even though he did boxing sometimes. After a series of preparation for their camps, Wendy had thrown away her intention of beating Leo on the stomach. To recharge themselves for the next day’s hiking, all of them fell fast asleep in this peaceful wilderness, including Clare, who went into her dreams with a smile after being in a trance of a ring for several minutes. The ring looked apparently too small for her fingers so she hung it on the neck as a pendant, glistening with some kind of cherished memory, matching well with the stars in the sky.

As hour succeeded by hour, the starlight slowly faded away but the whole world grew brighter – the sun took over the sky. Besides illuminating the mountain, it also awakened the ones sleeping in the mountain. Led by Bryan, the one in a thousand who regarded sleep as a need of supporting proper somatic function rather than a kind of enjoyment, the other four woke up one after another.

What’s our schedule today? Wendy asked. She cared nothing about any traveling plans as she seemed to enjoy any itineraries provided by her friends.

Traditionally, people climb to the top of the mountain and watch sunrise there but, paused Gordon, is it too tiring for you? Gordon turned to Clare.

I’ll try my best, answered Clare.

Why not break the tradition? suggested Leo, we can go around the mountainside.

Or go into a cave.

On hearing Bryan’s voice, the curiosity of the other four was aroused.

A cave? Wendy’s eyes glittered. Where?

Just within one hours’ walk from here, said Bryan. Flinging his sight to his left hand side, I happened to see it yesterday after you all went to sleep.

I can walk a long way within similar horizontal lines. Clare showed her agreement on this route.

It will be the first in my life to explore a cave, then. Wendy cheered.

In this consensus, the five selected several tools that might be useful and entered the cave. They had never meant to be fearless explorers who dared to venture into a world of unknown ignoring the possible consequences, or those who had a special intention for hazards, let alone those who wished to find any treasure in forbidden areas. All they hoped to see was no more than some wonderlands that were hidden from common tourists. Along their way into the cave, they marked on the rocks in case that they got lost as the path soon branched to various directions in a three dimension space. They were also ready to run all the way back once they came across any peril.

Fortunately, this cave proved to be a place worth sightseeing. There may be only one entrance of the cave, which was concealed among rocks and grass, but evidently, there are several vents, for they had seen bunches of rays of light cast down into the cave. Within the scope where light could reach, clusters of grass and wild flowers grew in peace. A stream started from somewhere high, went through the cave and ran in front of the eyes of the five young people, directing a way down into the deeper part of the cave. Being encouraged by the spectacles along their way, the five decided to follow the stream as according to most people’s imagination, water indicated picturesque scenery.

The path here isn’t harder than the ones on the mountain for hikers, is it? said Gordon.

Are we the first ones to come here? Wendy chuckled. Why not the other tourists try some new routes? What a pity!

There must be a wonderland down there, Leo stopped for a second and rubbed his hands. I’m really getting excited!

But it doesn’t mean you need to step so hard on the rocks, said Bryan.

I didn’t! Leo protested.

Or who else? Bryan asked.

Not me.

As the others answered, they also stopped walking, but that loud clumsy noise still existed and getting closer. None of them could even utter a syllable under the atmosphere of potential danger brought by the noise. Where did the sound come from? Why was it approaching? What it might bring? Various questions twisted inside their heads when a figure came into their sight.

The outline of that figure was exactly the same as a muscular man, which was commonly seen in a gymnasium or in an army. What astonished them was the height. According to visual inspection, it was no less than twelve metres. Before they could have a more careful look at the figure, Bryan’s brain started functioning again and dragged the other four to the back of a rock, which was large enough to shield them all. In the next second, Bryan could not help feeling grateful for his luck, as the comers appeared to be in a group. The five stayed behind the rock like five statues had it not been the breath came out of their nostrils with the greatest caution. Watching the living creatures, one word suggested itself to the young people all most at the same time: giants.

The giants came in a gesture of wandering until they caught sight of something on the rocks, by which the five people had just went past. The flame of fury inside them erupted in a sudden and these unsophisticated creatures did not intend to restrain it. An attitude of searching for some enemies was clearly shown upon their simious faces and through their fiery behaviours — so violent that everywhere they had searched became a jumble of huge boulders, which were a whole rock moments before. The five did not dare to confirm the situation by their own eyes, for any tiny movements would have exposed their existence. About half an hour passed, it seemed to them, the cave attributed to the previous tranquility and the steps of giants faded away.

Let’s go back, suggested Bryan briefly.

The other four nodded and at the same time ran swiftly to the way which they came from. However, the path did not exist any longer—it had been blocked by broken rocks.

The five were struck at a moment.

Shall I use my bomb now? suggested Leo.

That may be heard by them, Bryan objected. We don’t know why they block the way. Maybe they just do it for fun, but if it is so, why they only do it here, instead of breaking the rocks all their way coming? What if they mean to cut the way in case that their prey escapes?

What do you mean by … prey? Leo asked in a trembling voice.

I mean us. Such thrilling words came out from Bryan’s mouth in an abnormally calm tone.

But, but we’ve been hidden! Leo tried to console himself. The rock is large enough and I’m sure they didn’t see us, or they would have caught us!

I agree with you on this point, remarked Bryan. But isn’t it possible that they know the existence of some prey, but don’t know where we are?

Then how do they know us? Leo still attempted to overthrow Bryan’s idea. His mood was lightened slightly when he saw that Bryan did not respond to him at once. However, he felt sense of indescribable despair when he heard Bryan’s words again.

The marks, said Bryan, after scanned the surroundings. We marked at some conspicuous places. If this is the giants’ territory, they can be quite familiar with every rock of it. At least, they can tell these marks are made by some intruders. Well, I confess that I have used an inappropriate word. We may not be prey to them, but can also be threats.

It doesn’t matter, groaned Leo. Even if we bomb the rocks and make our way back, they will soon come to us and we will be killed like chicken! Just think of how huge they are!

Gordon put his hands on the backs of Leo and Clare. What shall we do now? he asked Bryan, who was apparently meditating. If we can’t do something, we will die.

We won’t, a brisk but convincing voice inserted into the conversation. Bryan, Gordon, Leo and Clare turned round and saw Wendy smiling at leisure.

Why, the giants have been living here for a long time. That means we can survive here, too. And we are small enough to hide somewhere that they can’t reach, explained Wendy, looking rather optimistic about their current situation. Her eyes, her face and her tone seem to be magic, for the other four’s facial muscles looked less strained.

That should be our way of thinking, said Bryan. He gave Wendy a broad smile and so did the other three people, until all in a sudden, their smiles turned into stiff ones.

Emerging from the darkness behind Wendy, it was a human-like ugly face, the length of which equaled three times of a child’s height.

A giant came.

Chapter 2

Well-treated intruders

N o wonder, this was the moment that they least hoped to confront.

Having been prepared for emergencies that might arouse anytime, and taken the responsibility of leading his friends through the peril, Bryan got his brain operating as fast as possible. However, before he could gave any instruction to his companions, faces that brought the same horror emerged from their left, right, and any other directions except their back, which was that blocked path to the safety world. As footfalls sounded, the contour of those faces was deblurred and then the stubby necks, the robust shoulders, the muscular arms and abdomens, and the sturdy legs.

Why they come back? Leo uttered a feeble voice.

Clare did not say anything, but her pale face revealed her fear. Gordon, the former leader of the taekwondo team in his college, adjusted himself on a fight footing just as what Wendy did, in order to protect Clare—they did not worry about Leo, for they had known him for a long time. He was the kind of man who could somehow manage himself out of trouble, knew what to do when the time came, and he was a boxer himself.

Come closer to me, slowly. Behind the four, there came Bryan’s composed voice.

The other four had never suspected Bryan’s decisions. Keeping an eye on the giants, the four young people moved backwards with snail paces, when the very giant right in front of them staggered forwards and approached his huge face to Leo.

Grool— the giant uttered a syllable.

In responding to this syllable, there also came a voice from Leo’s Adam’s apple.

Confronting such a monster, one could not help realizing the incompetence of oneself. However, confronting such a life-or-death moment, one could also try everything to survive, despite all the improbabilities. Before his brain could function properly, Leo’s limbs were about to act, when they were stopped by Wendy.

Leo casts an interrogative look upon her, as well as the other three.

He doesn’t sound aggressive or threatening… With the words, Wendy walked towards the giant with tentative eyes, …but wondering.

Like their trust in Bryan’s decisions, these young people had hardly doubted Wendy’s observation. They stood in their own places and watched her approach the giant, stretching forth her arms, showing her bare hands, and sitting in front of the giant, in an undefended manner.

The giant, as Wendy expected, stood still and watched her behaviours. The curiosity in his eyes was growing more and more obvious. After Wendy sat down and smiled at him, the giant gazed at her for a while and finally, his expression showed some kind of delight when the same kind of gladness was felt from the other giants around them. In the next moment, the giant in front of Wendy squatted down and stretched his large palm towards Wendy. Wendy returned him a pleasing smile, turned round to her friends, and beckoned them to come.

Is that a kind of … invitation? asked Leo, looking rather incredulous.

I think it is! said Wendy joyfully, propping herself up into the palm of the giant.

In several minutes, all the five had settled into the giant’s hand, being taken to somewhere they could have never imagined. As this giant advanced, the others followed, stepping all their way along the stream. The footfalls rippling in the whole cave shook the grass, water, and even the rocks in some military rhythm. Overlooking the stream, the rocks and grass in patches of sunlight, a feeling of reviewing one’s own domain could easily be generated in one’s heart. Before reaching the farther end of this path, the giants arrived at their destination.

Here was the most peculiar scene that these five hikers had ever seen. There ran the stream alluded above. On each side of it, giants of various sizes, wandering, sitting, sporting, shouting, and eating, distributed throughout the large space enclosed by rocks. A bunch of sunlight cast down into this space and where there got this light, the largest giant was sitting with some kind of berry and fish within his reach. Other places, however, were not in entire darkness, as there were bonfires adorning this cave, to which the sparks of fire were like stars in a deep universe. With the feeble light, one could see that there were several tunnels at the wall of this space, from and to where some giants crawled out and in.

A … a tribe? Of giants? Gordon’s eyes were strained to the widest extent.

I suppose so, exclaimed Wendy in astonishment. Leo and Bryan also walked to the edge of the giant’s palm to overlook this marvelous sight. Clare did not move or speak, but anyone could tell from her eyes that even this poker-faced girl was greatly shocked.

Before the five came back to themselves, a deafening voice burst from that head right above them.

Boharm—

On hearing this sound, all the giants within this tribe, including the largest one, stopped what they were doing and turned their sight to the giant holding the five people, who then raised them up in order to show all his companions in the tribe what he had found.

Boharm! Boharm! cried the other giants, and soon they crowded around.

What do they mean? Leo asked.

Who knows? Wendy shrugged her shoulders. But of course, they mean no harm and they look happy to see us.

Wendy was right. The gaze of the giants was full of curiosity, delight, and at last, turned into greeting. The five lucky campers were brought next to the largest giant, which, now seemed to be conspicuous, was respected as the chief of this tribe. The chief showed no different expression from his subjects of kingdom but only different behaviours: the berries that were paid as tributes to him were now serving as gifts to the five guests.

So their unexpected stay in the cave began. After some welcome ceremony, they were shown to a rock niche for sleeping. They thought of going back to their camps, however, seeing the giants’ hospitality, they finally decided to stay for some more days, as it was such an incredible experience that people could not even dream of. One week later, they had been accustomed to the lifestyle of the giants: though they featured human beings, they did not lead a more advanced life than monkeys; looking for food in the stream or the bushes was the major part of their daily activity. As guests, the five could have stayed near the chief