Jack Strong and the Red Giant

Chapter 4: Grunt

They found it sleeping in the corner, covered in a bundle of old ragged furs, its face covered by a stinking mat of brown hair. Its snores resounded like thunder, its hair ruffled by unseen lips.

Jack, Vyleria and Ros approached it silently, not knowing what to make of this strange, hairy creature. It smelled worse the closer they got. There were also some icicles tangled-up in its thicket of hair and fur, forming mini-puddles on the floor as they melted.

They stood over it for a couple of minutes not knowing what to do. Vyleria looked at Jack. Jack looked at Vyleria, and Ros just scowled at them both. Finally, Vyleria stretched out her arm and poked her fingers through the mess of hair and fur. From behind her Jack could just make out the bridge of a large nose, two huge eyelids, and...

Suddenly, its two large eyelids flicked open to reveal a huge pair of orange, bloodshot eyes.

They were just about to dart towards the door when it let out a loud, agonising cry, before it scrambled into the corner, dropping most of its furs onto the floor.

There it tried to hide, curling up into a ball.

"We should say something," said Jack, looking nervously at Vyleria and Ros.

"Are you serious? It might rip our arms off," said Ros.

"Vyleria?"

"I have to agree with Ros. It could be dangerous. We can't risk it."

Jack didn't know why, but for some reason he didn't feel threatened or scared; all he felt was pity. "It's okay," he whispered, walking gingerly towards the hairy creature. "We're not here to hurt you. We're lost on this spaceship too."

The creature grunted loudly.

Jack jumped, but he still carried on regardless. "When I came aboard I was scared too. Let us help. Don't be frightened."

It grunted again. Louder this time.

Jack was now directly over it. Despite its loud, booming voice it was quite small and very thin too.

He reached out and touched what he took to be the creature's shoulder, only for it to jump and howl again like a wounded and terrified animal.

"It's okay, it's okay," Jack whispered, undeterred.

For a few moments nothing happened. Jack was just about to give up and slink back to Vyleria and Ros when it suddenly sat up, stretched out its long, thin arms and parted its thick, shaggy mane.

Hair.

That was all he saw. It was covered in it.

It was growing everywhere. A thick, dark brown beard covered most of its face and all of its neck. It grew on its large forehead, out of its long nose, and out of its small, shrub-like ears. There were even a number of hairs sprouting from its thick, red lips.

Then it opened its mouth. Huge broken shards of teeth grinned back at him. Its breath smelled awful, like a bag of rotten fish.

Then it made another grunting sound.

And again.

"Grunt! Grunt! Grunt! Grunt! Grunt!"

It seemed to be trying to speak, but no words came out, only more grunts and the odd, hoarse croaking sound.

Jack tried and tried and tried. But it was impossible to communicate. All it could do was grunt, cackle and occasionally roar. Either it couldn't speak or else whatever was helping him, Vyleria and Ros understand each other was not working here. But he had at least calmed it down. Slowly but surely it lost its fear of Jack, Vyleria and Ros. Soon it was going up to each of them in turn and poking them with its thin, bony fingers. Jack thought this was very funny and would prod and jab the creature back, leading to whoops and cries of joy. Vyleria on the other hand was more nervous, bearing its prods and pushes with a strained smile. Ros however, wouldn't go near it, shoving it away and stomping off to the other side of the room whenever it came close.