Julian’s head snapped toward the door at the sound of the scream—high-pitched, frantic, and close. It wasn’t just any scream; it was the kind that sent ice down your spine, the kind that meant something was very wrong.
His bare feet hit the cool tile floor as he bolted toward the door, his earlier headache forgotten in the rush of adrenaline. He threw it open and was met with chaos in the hallway.
Tourists—families, couples, even a few staff members—were clustered near the lobby, their faces pale, some pointing toward the entrance. Julian pushed through the crowd, his heart hammering, until he saw what had caused the commotion.
Standing just outside the hotel’s glass doors, framed by the golden sunset, was a giant.
No—not just a giant.
Multiple giants.
Julian’s breath hitched as he took in the sight. Three boys—huge boys—stood near the beach, their towering forms casting long shadows across the sand. The tallest of them, a lanky redhead with freckles splashed across his now-bronzed skin, had to be at least twenty feet tall, his bare feet sinking deep into the sand with each step. His bright green swim trunks were stretched to their limits, the seams straining dangerously as he shifted his weight.
Next to him, a dark-haired boy—one of the kids Julian had seen getting bullied earlier—was grinning wildly, his tattered T-shirt hanging off one shoulder, barely clinging to his rapidly expanding frame. His shorts had already split at the sides, revealing smooth, muscular thighs that had not been that thick an hour ago.
And then there was Harry—the pale English boy Julian had tanned earlier. Except now, Harry wasn’t just tanned. He was colossal. His once-fair skin was now a deep golden brown, his shock of red hair even more striking against it. His swim trunks had completely given up, lying in tattered shreds around his ankles, leaving him gloriously, shamelessly naked. Not that he seemed to care—he was too busy laughing, his deep voice booming across the beach as he flexed his arms, marveling at his own growth.
“Oi, Ollie!” Harry called out, his British accent thicker than ever. “Look at me now, yeah? Bet you won’t be pushin’ me around anymore!”
Julian’s stomach twisted.
Oh no.
He had messed up.
Badly.
The wish—those boys will grow two feet right now and then an inch every minute for the next week—hadn’t specified which boys. And if his math was right (which, admittedly, it rarely was), an inch a minute for two and a half hours…
That was 150 inches.
Twelve and a half feet.
Which meant these boys weren’t just a little taller. They were monstrously huge.
And from the sounds of it, they weren’t the only ones.
“Dude, this is insane!” the dark-haired boy crowed, stretching his arms over his head. The remains of his shirt finally gave way, fluttering to the sand like a defeated flag. “I was, like, five-foot-nothing this morning, and now I’m—what, twenty feet? More?”
“Try twenty-three,” another voice chimed in.
Julian turned just in time to see a fourth boy—another one from the beach—striding up from the shoreline. This one was Asian, with jet-black hair and a lean, wiry frame that had exploded in size. His board shorts were barely hanging on, the waistband digging into his hips as his legs stretched impossibly long. Water dripped from his bare chest as he shook himself off like a dog, sending droplets flying in every direction.
“No way,” the dark-haired boy scoffed. “You’re not taller than me.”
“Wanna bet?” The Asian boy smirked, stepping closer. The ground tremble under his feet as he straightened up, his head nearly brushing the palm fronds overhead. “Pretty sure I’ve got you by at least half a foot.”
“Nah, man, I’m the tallest,” Harry declared, puffing out his chest. His very exposed chest.
The redheaded giant—Ollie—rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. You’re just happy you finally filled out.” He reached over and gave Harry’s bicep a playful squeeze. “Look at you! You were a twig this morning!”
Harry grinned, flexing again. “And now I’m a tree.”
The boys burst into laughter, their voices booming like thunder.
Julian’s hands flew to his neck—
Wait.
The pendant.
Where was the pendant?!
His blood ran cold as he realized—he’d left it on the metal stand in the clinic.
And Dr. Turvin had been way too interested in it.
Another scream tore through the air—this time from inside the hotel. Julian whipped around just in time to see a fifth boy—one he was pretty sure he hadn’t seen before—staggering down the hallway, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. He was only about fifteen feet tall now, but he was growing, his limbs stretching, his bare feet slapping against the floor as he stumbled forward in panic.
“W-What’s happening to me?!” the boy cried, his voice cracking as he clutched at his swelling torso. His tank top had already torn at the seams, revealing smooth, tanned skin as his shoulders broadened, his height increasing by the second.
“Dude, relax!” another voice called from behind him. A sixth giant—this one with curly brown hair and a goofy grin—ducked under the doorframe, his own clothes in similar disarray. “It’s happening to all of us! Look at me! I’m huge!”
Julian’s mind raced.
He had to fix this.
Now.
But first, he needed that pendant back.
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