The Invasion

A story about two Brobdingnagian college girls discovering the land of the Lilliputian.

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Mark happily hummed a tune while behind the wheel of his van, headed towards his last stop to deliver a package to a customer who lived in a secluded area. Once this last delivery was done, he would have an empty load and the rest of the afternoon to himself. After returning the van to the distribution center, he couldn't wait to grab his fishing gear and head to his favorite spot by the lake at the base of a nearby mountain.

Mark had been fishing at this spot for as long as he could remember, even back to his childhood with his father. As he drove towards his last delivery for the day, Mark's van passed by this familiar place, and he couldn't help but squint at the glimmering lake in the distance, illuminated by the sun.

"I'm going to reel in a big one today; I can feel it," Mark said as he maneuvered his van along a hairpin turn in the hills. "Time to put the pedal to the metal!"

What Mark did not know was that he would never go fishing today. No, he would have other urgent matters on his hands as his people were about to face a danger they had never witnessed before, a danger that would put their lives and freedom on the line.

"Do you mind if I take the last one?" Becky's green eyes hovered over a package containing one lonely vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting.

"Huh?" Bo said groggily. She shifted slightly on her back, adjusting her sunglasses as she was rudely disturbed by her friend's voice from her peaceful nap on the grass.

"What if I did mind?" Bo asked with a hint of annoyance, holding her sunglasses above her eyes to convey that she was watching her friend closely.

"I would take it anyway," Becky replied, reaching out greedily for the last cupcake and taking a bite. She chewed slowly, smiling in Bo's direction to convey its deliciousness.

Bo groaned and gave an exasperated eye-roll. "You're such a glutton, that was like, what, your fifth one?" She put on her sunglasses and rested her head, closing her eyes.

Becky shook her head. "My seventh, actually." She spilled crumbs from her mouth as she spoke. "Mm, so good." She exclaimed after taking a big gulp of ice-cold peach juice and wiping her mouth with her forearm.

Bo's eyes flashed open, and she let out a yelp of unexpected alarm as she felt the weight of Becky's butt on her stomach. Becky's bare thighs were pressed against her chest, their warmth penetrating through the material of her clothing.

"So what are we going to do? Do you want to set up camp here or keep hiking?" Becky said.

Bo checked the position of the sun in the sky before turning to Becky. "We've still got a good amount of daylight left. How about we walk for another hour and then find a suitable spot to set up camp?"

"Only if I get a kiss," Becky teased.

"Well, come here then, you," Bo pulled Becky close, and they playfully rolled around, exchanging kisses and laughter in each other's embrace.

"Have a nice day, ma'am." Mark waved the old lady goodbye, who freed him from his final package.

"Fishing time!" Mark slapped his hands together in joy and rushed towards his van.

Mark came to a halt, a feeling that resembled an earthquake running through him. He stood still and concentrated on the ground, waiting to see if he could feel anything else. When nothing came, he shrugged it off and continued walking towards his van. Suddenly, another rumble shook the earth, this time slightly more intense than the first.

He spun around as the door of the house he had just delivered a package to creaked open. The older woman appeared, peering at him with a curious expression from across the yard. She seemed just as puzzled as he was, indicating that she must have felt the same thing. A third tremor shook the ground, this one much stronger than the previous two. The bamboo wind chimes hanging in the old lady's front garden clanked loudly in response.

Mark's eyes caught sight of a massive object loomed in the sky above a line of trees. Time seemed to slow down as he watched it fall, but in reality, it only took a split second for it to crash down. The peaceful home of the old lady that had stood in the middle of the forest was now destroyed by the incomprehensible colossal object. The impact sent Mark flying through the air until he landed face-first on the muddy ground. His van was flipped over and he quickly scrambled to his feet, still in shock from what had just happened. After a moment, he snapped out of it and ran as fast and as far away as possible.

"Drink." Becky extended her arm, trusting that her girlfriend would place a bottle of water in her hand, which she did as she felt the cool plastic pressing against her palm.

She let her backpack fall to the ground with a thud, grateful to finally take it off after walking for 2.5 hours straight.

Her crop top was sticking to her back from sweat and heat, so she pulled it away to let the cool air soothe her skin. With relief, she took a long swig of cold water, letting it quench her parched throat.

"One-hour hike, huh?" Becky glanced at her friend, who was standing next to her and had also dropped her backpack to the ground.

"Sorry if this sounds stupid, but… where are the trees?" Becky followed Bo's gaze and realized that there were no trees in sight

"I was thinking the same thing, actually, "Becky replied, scratching her head and looking around. It had been over an hour since they had seen any trees, and the landscape had gradually changed into a grassy plain dotted with shrubs, rivers, and occasional puddles.

It would take Bo and Becky a few more minutes of contemplating about their whereabouts before the realization begins to dawn to them that they have entered the realm of the Lilliputians.

This area was teeming with trees, only not immediately recognizable by such immensely huge beings like a Brobdingnagian. The tallest tree in Lilliputian land is hardly noticeable to them, barely able to peek out above the soles of their boots.

The girls had unknowingly left a trail of destruction in their wake, trampling through thousands of acres of forest with their boots. And Becky, oblivious to her actions, had also destroyed an old lady's home, leaving it lifeless and ruined.

They were also oblivious that a Lilliputian called Mark was running from them at a painfully slow pace.

If they bothered to look closer, they would be able to see a minuscule speck near the tip of Becky's boot.

"What is this stuff?" Becky crouched down, her left knee trampling many trees.

She leaned in closer, squinting as she examined the green growth beneath her feet. She plucked a small piece and held it to her eyes for further inspection.

            Bo crouched down to Becky's level, resting her arm on her shoulder for support. "What do you see?" she asked.

Becky hesitated before answering, her voice lacking conviction. "It appears to be... trees." She turned the object around in front of her left eye. "But they're miniature, like tiny little trees."

"Trees?" Bo said, looking in disbelief. Her hand reached out, and her finger and thumb uprooted at least fifty trees, some over a century old.

"Could it be that…" Bo said while scrutinizing the tiny trees.

Becky's arm suddenly shot out, and she pointed toward something in the distance:

"A ship!"

Bo followed her friend's finger and squinted in the direction she was pointing. "I don't see anything," she said.

"Right there, between those rocky formations that look like mini mountains but barely reach our ankles," her friend replied.

As Bo focused her gaze, she saw it: a small ship, or rather, three of them. They were so tiny she could probably balance all three on one finger. "You have a good eye!" Bo complimented her friend. "Let's go check it out."

A pandemonium was erupting on the three cargo ships drifting along the winding rivers that cut through the Lilliputian land. Hundreds of sailors stood in stunned silence, gaping up at the colossal beings blocking out the sky. These towering beings looked like college girls, with their flawless features and flowing hair, their size and beauty unlike anything they had ever seen before.

There was a blond one, her curls cascading down her back, and a stunning auburn-haired one whose locks were pulled up, with a few loose strands caressing her delicate face.

A frightening realization began to sink in: The Brobdingnagians do exist!