Outsmart (G/T)

Article

Back-to-School exams are arguably the worst set. You're expected to know things by studying over the summer, and who wants to do that? I've studied for over five hours, but I can't get the information into my head. I'm lucky that I'm usually able to study well, since I'm generally not a very smart person. I maintain my GPA through putting in useless hours and winging it still, but I don't even know if any of it will pay off.

The unemployment rate is rising and even experienced people are having a hard time switching between jobs, let alone high school students. After being kicked out of home a few weeks ago, I've had to go out and about, usually with friends who clearly can't support me with themselves. I need a break from this. Google's probably got answers, and sure enough, an article shows up. Reading through it, my opinion on it goes from confused, to disgusted, to excited, to-

"I'm probably on my feet again now, but thanks so much for letting me stay here," I tell Rosie, the friend of the week I've been with.  She's been the best help so far, welcoming me in and doing everything she can to help me get myself together. Without a job or a home, it's hard to do that on my own. Harder than any back-to-school exams will ever be.

"Where are you going?-" I close the door before answering, strolling down the street with my backpack and a suitcase. I have a fake ID, so I'm fine to cross the border if they don't catch me. The border workers pay so little attention to their job, you could hand them any gift card or piece of cardboard and they'd take it as an ID pass to cross.

Fortunately, Rosie lives only about a mile from our city's border, so I don't have to pay for a bus. Hell, after this decision, I may never need to pay for anything again. Heading to the nearest booth, I hand the worker, a stocky woman in her twenties I assume, the ID.

Name: Nolan Queen

Date of Birth: 8/21/97

(You don't need to know my life, but I was born in 2001, actually)

She examines it quickly and lets me pass, mercifully.

The milky lavender wall never fails to amaze me. It's a  flowing substance, but when you touch it, it's dry. Try to pull out some of the wispy liquid and it flies out of your hands and reforms immediately. I've only ever crossed once, but gone back immediately. I put my right hand in and feel a suction, so I hold my breath quickly and let the border bring me and my belongings to the other side.

I'm in grass, I can feel the prickly blades. Going through, I got knocked on my stomach, my suitcase flying about five feet to the side. Standing up, the grass comes up to my knees. I grab the maroon canvas case, readjust the straps on my yellow backpack and head onward, sure to find the next place to go.

I guess I never really explained my intentions. The article I read showed a trend popping up, where humans are crossing the border in order to live with giants without them knowing. I've never actually seen a giant in person, but humans crossing over to their side is fairly normal, and though we definitely have limited rights in their territory, it's illegal for them to injure or murder us. Of course, anyone could go and break the law, but if I lay low, I'm sure no one will see me anyway. However, it is fun to imagine actually blending in there as just one of the giants. It's been calculated that the height ratio of a giant to a human is 15.897(...):1, and I'm 5'6, so if I were a giant, I'd be 87 feet tall.

Staying in the tall grass and crouching low, I move along a sidewalk leading to a nice row of houses. How to get in, though. I notice across the street is a parked car, with a person getting out and carrying bags of groceries. I don't fully understand the ratio yet, but assuming the grass is the same height everywhere, and it's about a third of my height right now, I come up to this guy's... ankle. Maybe a bit higher. 

I grab my bag, look both ways even though I only have about a 30 foot view on either side (which doesn't get you very far here), and make a break for it. I feel a rumble in the ground, and looking to my left, an absolutely massive car is heading right toward me. Bracing myself, I drop everything and crouch. It drives over me easily, and I fit under it just fine. Underneath the car, not the tires. I'm fine. Wait, I'm fine? If I can cross a 150 foot wide street and make it, I can make it living with a giant.

The door is held open as he goes back to grab more groceries. Passing right by the giant (and holy fuck, I wasn't prepared for his size), I slip into the door and begin investigating the house.