An Obstrusive Giant

By Rafael Estrada

It’s a book that hides a giant with a toothache and a castle that hides a trap.

Daniel took out his flashlight and focused on the dotted moss wall. Then he saw through the ivy, that the walls were not made with stones bonded with mortar, as usual in castles, but with the remains of broken toys: hundreds of thousands, millions of forgotten, abandoned, shattered and crushed toys. He looked at the giant's feet and observed that he didn't wear shoes, boots, or anything like that, instead he wore them with leather strips, dirty and poorly rolled up. He noticed the boy, he licked his mouth and walked towards him striding, grinding his teeth.

His friends, a book that is not what it seems, a giant with toothache, some shameless toys and a castle that hides a trap inside the book.

“It's a good option for children in the house to read a book with an adventure that will excite and entertain them. If you have to give a gift to a child, why don't you introduce this nosy giant who likes to eat bored children?”

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Dec 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781071514221

Book preview

An Obstrusive Giant

Rafael Estrada

For Elia and Alba.

1. Monday

IT WAS NINE O’CLOCK at night and Daniel was tired and had his head resting on the window pane. His spacey look flew far, far away beyond the clouds in direction to the moon.

Ugh... he sighed.

Crowds of presents were lying on the floor. Daniel had not paid much attention to them. Just the right time to tear the pretty papers, remove the cellophane containing the nerves and let the surprise illuminate his eyes. Then they rolled down the carpet. Tripping over half-eaten fries, crushed worms and sticky lollipops. Then little by little they found their place and mingled with the old toys.

Daniel...! His mother called while serving dinner in the living room where the TV was turned on... Have you picked up yet?

The call made him jump and sharply get transported to the reality of his room, while hitting the corner of the desk. Enduring the pain, he replied:

No mom, I’m not done yet...! But the truth was that he hadn’t even started yet.

A bearded toy, resembling a grumpy gnome, said out loud:

The silly boy is getting bored.

"He’s a bit ssstupid" the microscope said He lacks imagination.

Daniel pretended he didn´t listen, as if it wasn’t to him while opening the storybook Silvia had given to him that afternoon.

"BOY, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!!" shouted with obvious annoyance the giant who occupied the first page. CLOSE QUICKLY. THERE IS WIND!

Scared, he closed the book and left it on a shelf to maybe read it another day. Like so many others that he had forgotten. Waiting for the child to pay attention.

He looked around his room not knowing very well what he was looking for. The posters and toys on the shelves, rather than enlightening the walls, seemed to threaten him. Reproaching him for his lack of encouragement. The stapler on the desk tried to bit him and the twelve-colored fat pen wanted to paint him, but none could do it.

From the top of the closet a stuffed little fox stuck out his tongue, making blu-blu-blu..., and the basketball began to swing dangerously, as if it wanted to jump over his head.

I don’t know what you want he complained snot sucking. Anyone would say that I treat them badly.

Bla, bla, bla, bla the gnome mocked shaking his beard. The silly boy doesn´t know what we want.

A chicken-shaped alarm clock laughed clucking, and the console connected with a sharp beep.

Be-Be-Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep...!

Daniel...!! Aren’t you be playing...? the mother shouted, heading down the hall towards his room.

She comes! She comes...! the toys laughed. "Run little Daniel, pick up your things..." they booed him by adopting ridiculous postures. All staring at the boy.

Daniel put his hand on his mouth so his chin didn’t tremble, but he couldn’t prevent his tears from skipping when his mother burst into the room.

What’s wrong son...? Are you feeling bad?

"THE BOY IS GETTING BORED MRS! DON´T YOU NOTICE?!" the giant bellowed from inside the book although only Daniel heard him.

Tell me, what happens? the mother asked wiping his tears affectionately.

I-I get bored mom.

The toys celebrated with loud squeals and loud laughs to Daniel’s statement.  By looking at his face no one would have ever believed that that same evening he had celebrated his birthday.

The mother kissed him in his forehead and took him to dinner. Later, when her son was asleep, she would pick up the toys and sweep the floor. She didn’t want to push him further if he had had a bad day.

During dinner dad and mom laughed happily. That night the TV contest was especially fun, because the presenter was so nice and made the contestants go through real trouble. When the ads appeared Daniel’s father stretched his neck, as if he wanted to get out of his shirt.

Look how nice! Look...!

And there it was. The last job his father had done for television: one of the first commercials of toys of the season. Smiles of beautiful children all around, light effects and bright flashes.

Isn’t that pretty?! he asked proud. Hypnotized by the screen.

But Daniel wasn’t paying much attention. The teasing of his own toys had seriously affected him and he kept thinking over and over about it. It was the first time they were so insolent. The first time they laughed openly at him and booed him.