Art by: Bantaro bird
Ava was packing her backpack, when she heard a quiet knocking on the door.
- Come in! - she said, putting camera inside her backpack. Ava's father timidly entered her bedroom.
- Hi dad! Do you need something? - she asked, spraying herself with spray for mosquitoes.
- You're going out? - he asked.
- Yes, yesterday I found a great place from where I can record monsters without risking my life - she said and lifted her backpack up. Her father stopped her by grabbing her arm.
- You know that I love you... I don't want you to get hurt... - he mumbled, looking into her eyes. Ava gently snatched her arm from father's grip.
- Dad I appreciate it, but I'm mature enough to go alone. I'm not scared of any monster - she said. Her father looked at her unconvinced.
- I don't think it's what your mother would like me to do... - he tried to change her mind.
- Dad, you know I want to become a professional camera operator, just like you! And when I record amazing documentary about Monster Island, I'm sure my dreams will come true! Don't you want me to be happy? - she asked.
Of course that he wanted her to be happy. But he couldn't afford to lose another beloved woman. But when she made puppy eyes, he finally gave in.
- Fine, you can go... But if something is threatening your life, you will give us a signal, okay? - he asked her. Ava hugged her father tightly.
- Don't worry dad, I'll be fine! - she said and left her room. Man on the other hand, sat on his daughter's bed and pulled a picture out of his back pocket. It was a photo of him, Ava and his late wife. He caressed picture tenderly.
- She got your adventurous soul... I hope you're watching over her, I can't lose her too - he mumbled, as his tears were damping the photo.
***
Ava finished putting camouflage suit and climbed the tree. She turned camera on and began to record two enormous cormorants with additional pair of wings, which were building a nest together.
That's what these monsters were. Mutant animals living on Monster Island many miles away from the nearest human civilization. Nobody knew what causes them to turn into giants, that's why her uncle - a great scientist - took the risk and decided to discover the reason. He also took his daughter, Ava's father and Ava with him, as he thought it would replace vacation for them.
They had been here for about two weeks and Ava's uncle hasn't found the reason why animals mutated yet. But he didn't give up, with help of Ava's father he caught many animals and was examining them.
Ava was beyond happy, when she heard about uncle's project. She found it as an opportunity to reach her dreams. And so, she was filming various mutants for the past few days.
She was so absorbed by the sight of these majestic bird mutants, she didn't heard quite loudly sniffing around the tree she was on.
Gigantic carnivorous ram found his prey - small weird animal hunching on the tree. He didn't waste time and rammed into the tree.
Ava yelped, sudden impact almost made her lose her balance. She looked down and saw scary-looking, sharp-toothed ram, who was repeatedly hitting her tree. She screamed in fear and clinged onto the branch she was standing on.
This time ram backed up for a running start and rammed into the tree with such great force, it caused the tree to fall down.
Ava got battered by branches, but had to quickly get out of the tree, as she heard how diabolical ram was looking for her. She jumped to her feet and started running.
Ram noticed her shortly after that and began to chase her. In the meantime Ava sent her father an information about her current localization with her phone, hoping he'll find her soon.
Suddenly, she tripped over a root and fell down. Her whole body hurt like hell, he was all scratched. She heard frightening bleating and turned around. She was met with bloodshot eyes looking at her with hunger. Monster clamped his jaws on girl's leg, causing her to yell from pain. Just as he was about to swallow her, a spear pierced through his skull, killing him instantly.
No longer trapped in ram's grip, she crawled out of his jaw and tried to staunch the bleeding with help of tissues she found in her backpack.
She froze, hearing booming, steady footfalls which were causing ground to shake. Something really huge was coming this way, probably to retrieve its weapon. She frantically tried to scramble away, but her wounded leg didn't let her move far. Soon, she found herself enveloped in gigantic shadow. Shaking, she dared to raise her head up.
Monster looked awfully human, it was bipedal, it was wearing some mutant's skin, which made it look like a caveman. It also was wearing a whale skull like a helmet.
Monster pulled the spear out of the dead animal's body, resulting in a scream of disgust from Ava. It heard the sound and landed its eyes on the girl.
It seemed shocked, it even rubbed its eyes in disbelief. After that, monster took off the skull, revealing something Ava would never expect.
It turned out that monster was an enormous, but regular man. He had dark brown hair up with a bone, light purple eyes and some weird face paintings. He locked his eyes in Ava, looking somewhat interested in her.
Girl was curious too. He saved her and didn't eat her so far, so maybe he's friendly? She directed her camera in a way it captured giant and her and reached her hand out in a high five gesture.
Giant slowly crouched down, he placed both skull and spear down on the ground. He then gently put his hand against girl's, snorting in shock, seeing how similar their hands are.
Ava was overwhelmed, but in a positive way. She couldn't believe she made a contact with a real giant, her savior.
Suddenly, she heard uncle's jeep arriving in their direction. Giant got startled by the unfamiliar sound and having grabbed his things, he disappeared among the dense flora.
Ava's father's strong arms cornered her and she was pulled into a hug. She could hear his rapid heartbeat.
- My baby, are you okay? - he gasped, seeing her wounded leg - What had happened? - he asked and shouted at his brother to bring a first aid kit with him.
- Some monster was chasing me, but then another saved me - she said, glancing at the dead ram.
- I knew something like that could happen! I should have never let you go alone! You're grounded! - he said, bandaging her.
- But dad-!
- No buts! - he interrupted her and having lifted her up, carried her to jeep and put her inside it. Then they went back to their bungalow.
***
Ava was laying in her bed, watching her recording. It shown mutant birds, her escape from the ram, moment when spear pierced the beast and of course, her first contact with the giant.
She was repeatedly reversing footage to the moment of her touch with the colossus. She zoomed his face and looked at his eyes. They held so many mixed emotions: disbelief, shock, confusion, but also joy and hope. It seemed that giant has never seen any human before. Maybe he thought he was one of his kind?
Girl put laptop away and got ready to sleep. To find answers, she needs to look for the giant. Even father's punishment won't stop her from solving this mystery.
