

### BRADDLE

### and the GIANT

By John Mallon

Copyright 2012 John Mallon

All rights reserved

Smashwords Edition 2014

Cover Image Copyright 2012 Tony Mallon

All rights reserved

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

For Beverley, Christopher, Stevie and Holly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Acknowledgements & Requests
Chapter 1

Five Days To Go

Alfie Foggle woke himself up early on the last Monday morning of the school year. His dad, for once, didn't have to do it for him.

"Oh" his dad said. "You're up. Good. I'm off to work now. Have a great day at school."

"I will" Alfie told him.

How could he not have a great day today? It would actually be impossible not to have a great day today! You would have to be real stupid like Logan Carmichael not to have a great day today! The last week in school had finally arrived. In five days time, the summer holidays started and, as everyone knew, during the last week in school all work stopped and fun began.

In the bathroom, he examined himself in the mirror and tried to straighten his brown, curly hair with his fingers but no matter how hard he pressed down on them the curls fluttered back. He gave up and stood on his tip toes. Hopefully, next year I'll be this big he said to himself. I'll let Ben be the class midget for a change. He'd be good at it. I'm tired of being little.

Three And A Half Days To Go

It was lunch time. The week so far had not gone as expected. Rather than fun, Mrs Gorman had made them do work, actual school work. Alfie felt miserable all morning up until the moment when Mrs Gorman told them that after lunch they were to watch a DVD. 'Finally', he said to himself.

"What are you doing in the summer Alfie?" asked Jake Jones, his best friend, as they walked across the playground.

"Don't know. Not much" said Alfie.

"Aren't you going away?"

"I don't think so."

"We're going to Majorca for two weeks and then I am staying with my grandparents on the south coast after that. Can't wait."

"Sounds good" replied Alfie.

In reality, though, Jake's summer didn't sound that good. Alfie remembered his holiday in Corfu two years previously and shuddered. Flying in an aeroplane maybe exciting from the ground but staying awake until three in the morning to catch one had felt like cement hardening slowly inside his head. Also, the relentless heat everyday made it feel like they were holidaying in his dad's greenhouse with no opportunity to open a window or a door to let a cooling breeze in. The sunburn on his neck and shoulders, that appeared on the third day like a gift from hell, was so painful he had been convinced that the sun's rays had penetrated his body and cooked his bones. No, going on holiday wasn't fun; it was too much hard work.

A football appeared out of nowhere and struck Jake full in the face. At first, he looked confused and bewildered, as if he had found himself suddenly on the moon, with no means of escape, looking back at the world turning slowly, but then he burst in to tears and ran off to the end of the playground. Alfie spun round to find who had kicked it and saw Logan Carmichael. He was standing with his hands in his pockets looking at him with an expression as if to say 'Yeah, and...'. Alfie wanted to stride up to him and give him a different expression, preferably the kind you got when someone elbowed you in your stomach. He began to move but, to his shame, not in the direction of Logan Carmichael. Instead, he turned, head down, and ran after Jake.

Two Days To Go

"Alfie, come here please" said his mother.

He went into the kitchen and found his mother searching through the contents of his school bag, which were spread out on the table. From amongst the out of date school letters, carelessly folded worksheets and twisted sweet wrappers she held his home reading book.

"Alfie, you have not finished your school reader. I asked you to do it last week. Why haven't you done it?"

He couldn't tell her that the book was boring, that reading it was too much hard work, and that, after having had his tea, watched TV and played with Lou, he just hadn't had the time. His mother, he had learned, didn't like responses like this, even though they were truthful, and so he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"How can you learn to read without actually doing some reading?" she asked him. "It doesn't just happen by itself, you know. Reading is not like your toe nails growing."

Alfie looked at her mystified. He had never thought that reading was like toe nails. He had never told anyone that it was. Ever. He didn't even know what it meant.

"Well, you're going to read it now, aloud, to me, here, in the kitchen."

"Oh mum. No. School's finishing in a couple of days. There's no point. Please."

"There's every point" she said. "I want you to learn how to read. Now sit down and read. The quicker you do it the quicker it's finished."

Alfie, realising that escape was impossible, shoved a dining chair to the side and sat down. He opened the book at the page where his bookmark had previously been abandoned and began to read.

"Stop mumbling" his mother said. "Read clearly."

"He couldn't move" read Alfie "no matter how hard he tried..."

Ten Minutes To Go

Alfie sat quietly at his desk waiting patiently for the official start to the summer holidays. His school bag on the desk in front of him bulged with half-filled exercise books, artworks (both paintings and drawings) and pens and pencils of different colours, some still waiting to be used. Only a small patch of velcro prevented the bag from having an accident. Alongside the bag was a giraffe mask that he had made and that had been on the wall since October. Alfie hated it. It did not look like a giraffe. In fact, it did not look like anything. It was just a face with spots and it had been on the wall practically the whole year. Every time he had glanced at it, it always seemed to be complaining to its better looking friends on the wall next to it:

'LOOK AT WHAT THAT USELESS KID HAS DONE TO ME! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

"Right, has everybody gathered up their things?" asked Mrs Gorman.

They all told her they had.

"Good. Well, the summer break is about to start. I hope that you all have an enjoyable holiday and come back in September refreshed and eager to continue your studies. I have to say, that you have been one of the best classes I have ever had the pleasure to teach and I am sure that you will be the same for your new teacher, Mr Lynch, when you return."

The whole class cheered and said that they would be. There was a tap on his shoulder. It was Logan Carmichael.

"Foggy, we've been discussing it all year and now we've just got to know. Your mask...what creature is it? Josh says it's an elephant whose trunk has fallen off, Ben says it's a gorilla's bum but I say it is you."

All three burst out laughing. Alfie tried to find something funny and smart to throw back at him but he couldn't find anything. He never could.

"It's...It's...a giraffe" he said.

"A giraffe?!"

His answer only made them laugh even harder.

"Just ignore them Alfie" said Jake.

The school bell rang out and everybody jumped up.

"Follow me children" said Mrs Gorman.

The class formed a line and followed Mrs Gorman out into the school playground.

Summer Holidays Start

His mother and younger sister, Lou, who had just been collected from the infant school next door, were waiting for him outside. Lou was hopping on the hopscotch squares painted on the playground; his mother held a thick wad of drawings and paintings, Lou's reception artwork, and was talking to Morgan's mum. Alfie hoped his mother wasn't making arrangements for him to go round to Morgan's house. He didn't like other people's houses especially Morgan's. His dog was always under your feet and yelping when you stood on it.

"Mrs Gorman, my mother is here" said Alfie.

"Ok Alfie" she replied. "Have a great holiday. Next year I want to hear good reports about you from Mr Lynch. Less of the 'could try harder' and more of the 'did try harder'."

"Alright Mrs Gorman. Promise" said Alfie.

"Hello Alfie" said his mother when he approached her. "Have you said your goodbyes to everyone?"

Alfie said he had.

"Let's go then. Francis will be waiting."

Lou ran up to them.

"Alfie! Alfie! School's finished! We're on holiday!" she shouted.

"I know" he replied.

"What's in your hand?" she asked, pointing to the mask.

"Nothing" he said.

"Let's have a look" said his mother.

Alfie handed it to her.

"Hmm" said his mother. "I can't quite make out what it is. What is it?"

"A giraffe" he replied.

"A giraffe!" screeched Lou, breaking in to hysterics. "Giraffes don't look like that!"

His mother smiled. He could tell that she wanted to laugh too.

"I'm going" said Alfie, angrily, and he headed towards the gate without waiting for them to follow.

Six And A Half Hours After The Start Of The Summer Holidays

"This is going to be a great summer holiday" muttered Alfie to himself, as he sat down angrily on his bed. "There's no school tomorrow. What's wrong with watching DVDs and eating popcorn until I'm ready to go to sleep? I bet Jake is allowed."

He put his pyjamas on and climbed into bed. This is going to be the worse summer ever, he told himself. With a faint squeak, his bedroom door began to open slowly. He raised himself on his elbows hoping that it was his dad regretting the decision to send him to bed. When the door was half open a face appeared and shouted 'BOO!' It was his brother Francis wearing his giraffe mask. Alfie jumped out of bed and ran to him.

"Go away!" he shouted back, trying to grab the mask.

His brother handed it to him anyway and started to laugh.

"Great mask Alfie" he said "just like your real face."

Alfie studied the mask after his brother had gone back downstairs.

"You're going to have to go" he said to it. "You've caused me enough embarrassment."

After tearing it in to quarters, he then dropped the pieces, one at a time, into his waste paper bin.

Chapter 2

The Ruling Council of Carporoo filed into the circle of twelve chairs, under the orange light that always shone in the night time sky, and sat down. Around them in a second gigantic circle stood the people of Carporoo: men, women and children, squashed together and nervous. In the front row, nine year old Braddle stood next to his mother and held her hand, more for her benefit rather than his (or so he told himself). He had taken seriously his father's request, made before he had left to lead the first expedition down the White Road, to take care of her. Behind them stood his great Uncle Malik who placed his large hand on Braddle's shoulder as Drostfur, leader of the Council, stood up within the circle of chairs. The crowd fell silent. Braddle glanced at his mother. She smiled at him and winked.

"People of Carporoo", Drostfur began, "we meet tonight to make the biggest decision of our lives – whether we leave the land of Carporoo and travel along the White Road in search of a new home. As you all know, our land has become a wasteland. For reasons we do not know, great mountains have fallen and great holes have split open the ground. The land can no longer sustain us – it can no longer feed us nor provide us with shelter".

Drostfur bowed his head and sighed. He then looked at each of the counsellors in turn and then at the people of Caporoo standing around them.

"We have no choice" he said finally "but to leave now without further delay".

"I'm ready," a young voice shouted out from the crowd. Drostfur looked at the boy in the front row with his black hair pushed back from his determined looking face, just as his mother was telling him to be quiet and smiled faintly within his bushy beard.

"Though it is clear that we have no choice but to leave this place", he continued, "it is not certain that the White Road will lead us to a new home. Recent expeditions sent down the road have either failed to return or brought back conflicting reports as to what is there waiting for us and so we embark on our journey without any certain knowledge that it will take us to a better place. We must undertake the journey, however, because it is certain that we will be doomed if we do not. Let us go then and let us face the future with courage, resolve and hope like those that have gone before us".

Braddle, his mother and Uncle Malik finally stepped on to the White Road three days after the decision to leave was made. The sun was rising between the trees behind them and a morning mist was beginning to swell above the ground. He had never seen so many people together in one place before. In front of them it seemed that billions of people stretched into the far distance. Behind them the same number waited, still, to be lowered on to the White Road by the thousands of engineers that operated the ropes and pulleys. Alongside the mass of people, at the edges of the road, soldiers marched carrying swords, spears and shields. In their uniforms and armour they looked as strong as giants. Braddle touched his dagger and made sure that it was secure in his belt.

"This is a great day" he said to his mother and uncle. His mother smiled a sad smile.

"Yes it is" she said "but let us hope that we are somewhere safe by the end of it".

Alfie sat on his back door step and looked at his bicycle leaning on the fence opposite. His mother had placed it there fifteen minutes before after he had complained that he was bored.

"How can you be bored on a lovely sunny morning like this?" she asked. "Why don't you get in some bike practice before your dad comes back?"

Why did his parents insist that he ride his bike? Hadn't he told them often enough that he didn't like bikes, that he didn't like riding bikes and that he didn't like, especially, learning to ride a bike? He would leave it standing there in the summer sunshine, gleaming still with its Christmas newness.

Something caught his eye. A movement, up and to the left. He raised his head and squinted. All he could see was the washing line, fence, garage, houses and blue sky. There it was again. This time on the right. He turned and looked. At first, it was difficult to believe but it looked as if something small, dark and long was moving along the top of the washing line. He stared hard at it. Yes. Something was there and it was definitely moving.

What could it be? He stood up and went closer to the washing line but standing below it made it harder to see what was happening on it. He took a chair from the kitchen to stand on and then decided that a magnifying glass might prove useful as well. He ran to his bedroom as fast as he could to get the one his dad bought for him the week before.

"Where's the fire?" his mum asked as he rushed passed the living room door.

"Just exploring outside, mum" he replied.

He placed one foot on the chair then stopped. What if the thing on the washing line was a long hungry snake with big fangs searching for dinner or a hairy thing with a million legs desperately praying for a boy to get too close? He was about to take his foot off the chair and remove himself to a safe distance to think about it some more when, to his surprise, he jumped up onto the chair. After steadying himself, he put the magnifying glass to his eye and looked at the creature on the washing line. Almost immediately, Alfie fell backwards. If the back of the chair had not been there in the direction of his fall, he would have soared towards the pavement at great speed. He steadied himself again.

"No, it can't be" he said out loud.

Trembling, he raised the magnifying glass again.

"Yes it is" he replied.

The creature on the line was not a long, hungry snake or a hairy thing with a million legs up to no good. It was not a creature at all but, rather, creatures. The thin moving line was, in fact, a tightly packed column of tiny men, women and children moving along the washing line from the direction of the carport roof to the garage. They were all carrying something whilst some pulled and pushed carts full of boxes and colourful bundles. Impossible. Impossible, repeated Alfie. IMPOSSIBLE. People cannot be this tiny! he told himself. He thought about calling his mother but then decided against it. Maybe later. He peered closer. It did not seem that any of the tiny people had noticed him. Some looked his way but it was not clear whether they actually saw him. There was no panic or any general running around and shouting, which you might expect if a large face suddenly appeared in the sky. He did notice, though, that there was consternation amongst them but it did not seem that he was the cause of it. People looked concerned and were pointing in the direction of the front of the line. He noticed, also, certain individuals running towards the front carrying swords in their hands.

The washing line was quite long and he could not see from where he was what was happening at the front of the column. He got off his chair and dragged it closer to where the front would be. On climbing back onto the chair he found himself springing backwards for a second time and nearly falling off. Unexpectedly, he found himself up close to, six-inches-from-the-tip-of-his-nose close to, something that was at the top of his long list of things he did not like, of things he _really_ did not like...a spider! Though the spider was small, its brown and light colouring just emphasised the fierceness of its eight legs, eight eyes and tube-like mouth. He quickly put the magnifying glass between him and the spider and was suddenly presented with a chaotic scene of desperate warfare and individual heroics. At the front of the column was a wall of soldiers with shields. Long spears stuck out between the shields and jabbed at the spider. From behind the shields stood three lines of soldiers throwing and firing rocks at it. The rocks did not seem to bother the spider in the slightest and it stood there still stamping and swinging its legs. Suddenly, the shield wall ran forward and crashed into the spider in an attempt to push it off the washing line but the spider was too strong. With a swipe of one of its legs it smashed the shield wall and sent it over the edge of the washing line. Quickly, a new shield wall was made with long jabbing spears. The tiny people were obviously losing the fight – the spider was just too big and strong. He decided that he had to help. How could he stand by and watch them die? But what could he do? Whatever it was he needed to act fast. Another shield charge had just been sent hurtling off the washing line towards the pavement far below.

"Spiders" he thought "hate them. HATE THEM. What can I do? No time to call for help".

He raised his hand, curled his index finger down the barrel of his thumb and took aim at the spider. His hand trembled.

"I can't get a clear shot. The spider is too close to the tiny people" he thought "might hit them as well. Only one thing for it".

He uncocked his index finger and pressed the tip of it on to the tip of his thumb, forming a pincer. He placed it above the spider. "Here goes" he said out loud. Taking a deep breath he lowered his fingers fast, snatched the spider between them and flung it high over the fence opposite into Mr Nicholls' garden. He rubbed his finger tips hard on his t-shirt then raised the magnifying glass once again. Wounded soldiers were now being tended to, either assisted to their feet or put on stretches. Where the spider had stood a group of soldiers now stood surrounding a taller man with a long beard. They were pointing in the direction that the spider had been flung through the air. The taller man then turned and looked in his direction. Was he looking at him? He couldn't be sure.

"Alfie, time to go to the shops" his mum called from the house. "Come on now".

"Do I have to?" he shouted back. Not only did he hate shopping but how could he leave now after discovering the tiny people and defeating the spider in battle. They might need his help again.

"Come on. Francis and Lou are in the car already."

He jumped off the chair and carried it into the kitchen. I'll check on them when I get back, he thought. I won't tell anybody about them just yet either. I found them. They're mine.

Braddle put one hand on his dagger and squeezed his mother's hand with the other as they passed the spot where the fight with the spider had been.

"They say", someone behind him said, "that General Stoo, managed to push the spronger off the White Road single handedly."

"Really?" his companion asked. "If this is true then he is indeed the saviour of us all." Braddle looked at his mother. Her cheeks where red and she looked angry. She squeezed his hand and then turned towards the men who had spoken.

"Gentlemen, I can assure you that General Stoo is neither strong enough nor brave enough to have done what you have said."

She then turned back and carried on walking without waiting for any response. Why is she so angry? thought Braddle. He looked at the ground searching for any sign of the battle that had taken place. There was nothing.

Did my father meet this spronger when he came down the White Road? Is that why he did not come back? He was about to tell his mother his fears but then stopped. No. I'll wait until we reach the end of the White Road. He might be there waiting for us. Everything might be alright.

Alfie returned from the shopping trip late in the afternoon. As soon as it was safe to do so and wouldn't cause unwelcome interest from other family members, especially from his sister Lou, he carefully carried a chair back outside and placed it alongside the washing line. He jumped onto the chair and looked at the thin, white line...it was empty. The column of tiny people had gone. He looked back down the line to where it was attached to the cracked and broken carport roof. They must have come from there, he thought. He then looked back up the line to where it was attached to the garage. They must have gone on to the roof or inside the garage itself, he said to himself. He climbed off the chair and decided, as he carried it back into the kitchen, that he wouldn't stop until he had found the tiny people once again and had found a way to communicate with them. It was strange but they did not seem to have noticed him, except, maybe, that man with the beard. At least I sorted that spider out. He laughed to himself. They must have been pretty amazed to see it suddenly flying off in to the sky like that. His mother walked into the kitchen.

"Do you know what mum?" he asked. "Spiders are not _that_ scary."

Chapter 3

"Mum leave the lamp on" said Alfie.

"You don't want to give it a go?" asked his mother as she withdrew her hand from the lamp switch. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

He shook his head.

"Ok. Goodnight then" said his mother as she kissed his cheek, "love you."

It had been a week since he had seen the tiny people on the washing line and had saved them from the spider. Every day he had carried out a new search for them but they had disappeared completely like that spelling homework given out last Easter. He was certain, though, that they were still in the back garden somewhere, probably in or around the garage. But where exactly? He took his torch from his bedside cabinet and pushed the switch. The tiny bulb projected a bright circle of light on to the ceiling next to the model of the solar system hanging there. He moved the circle of light around the solar system. He had looked for the tiny people everywhere. He had looked in and around the rockery, behind the flower pots, under the bushes and, after borrowing his father's step ladder, on top of the garage roof. He had failed to discover anything except that step ladders are wobbly and never to be used again. Maybe, they were inside the garage. The garage, unfortunately, was full of clutter: toys, bikes, gardening stuff, black bags, cobwebs and numerous dark corners. It was difficult to move around in it without being poked, snagged or scraped by something. After knocking one of the bags off a shelf, he realised that he had to be careful. He could accidentally crush a tiny person as easily as an ant and not even know it. That was, most definitely, not the kind of contact with them he was looking for. After half an hour of searching he decided that he might have better luck if he came back another time. He would come back and wait quietly like one of those people he had seen on television hiding in a little tent waiting for a badger to trot by. He pressed the switch on his torch again and the circle of light disappeared. He had to go back, he decided, when it was dark and tonight was the night. This would be his last attempt. He flicked the switch on the torch gain and the circle of light reappeared by the door. Standing at the entrance to the garage that morning in the bright sunshine, the idea of going back into it in the middle of the night by himself, without his parents knowing, seemed like a good one. Now he was not so sure.

Braddle stood on the large pile of stones, collected by Uncle Malik and himself from the Building Materials Repository for the construction of the floor in their new home, and turned full circle. In every direction a new city was growing out of the earth made from the materials provided by it; thousands of buildings, large and small, some basic and box-like, some ornate and some magnificent, were under construction; roads, squares and parks were already marked out waiting to be transformed by skilful hands. Next door, on the right, a man was busy directing his three teenage sons in the art of roof construction. There was a girl, about Braddle's age, standing next to him watching them. She called to her brothers playfully, 'Be careful, now', 'not like that silly', in imitation of her father. Her black hair was tied back in to a pony tail that reached down her back. It swayed from side to side as she laughed. The plot on the left side was still vacant. Maybe I could build a fort there, thought Braddle.

"Boy. Is your mother at home?" a voice called to him.

Braddle turned around. The question had been asked by a tall, thin man out of a mouth framed by a cone of neatly trimmed blond hair. The armour he wore gleamed hard in the sunlight. Braddle nodded to him.

"Tell her that General Stoo wishes to speak to her" he ordered.

Braddle jumped off the stones and ran in to the house. His mother was nailing a plank of wood to the back wall. Another plank lay at the feet of his uncle as he wrapped a piece of cloth round his thumb.

"I'll have to make sure that I hit the right nail next time" he said to Braddle, laughing.

Braddle laughed too.

"Mother, General Stoo is outside. He wants to talk to you."

His mother gave the nail she was hitting one last, hard whack and turned to her uncle. They looked at each other but did not speak. She placed the hammer on the floor.

"Ask him to come in Braddle. You go and explore but don't be long and don't go far. It will be dark soon."

He placed his dagger in his belt and went back outside.

"My mother says go in."

General Stoo entered the house without acknowledging Braddle any further. The top of his head, however, hit the top of the door frame as he did so. Braddle laughed. Where should he go? He turned to the left and then to the right. In the distance, he noticed a yellow flag.

"That way."

Alfie, dressed in his pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers stood with the bedroom door handle in his hand and looked at the dark landing and the dark staircase opposite that went down into even more darkness. He looked back at his bed, at his warm imprint lying there still, and then turned to look at the darkness again. He placed the thumb of his other hand on the switch of the torch but did not turn it on. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the room. The three other bedroom doors on the landing were shut. He stopped and listened. A faint snoring noise came from his parents' bedroom, otherwise all was quiet. He crept to the stairs' edge and looked down. It was dark but it was not cave-like dark. He could make out the pictures on the wall, the telephone at the bottom of the stairs, the front door with its small black window.

"Here goes" he said to himself. He tiptoed down the edge of the staircase to avoid waking the creaks and squeaks that inhabited most of the steps, particularly the third one down. He kept his eyes focussed on each step in turn and tried to put most of his weight on the leg that was moving to the next stair. At the bottom he turned quickly and headed straight for the kitchen. A hinge on the kitchen door usually shrieked when the door was opened (his mum and dad were still at the negotiation stage with regards to oiling it) so he opened the door slightly and sidled into the room. He took the back-door key off its hook and picked up the strawberry he had placed behind the biscuit tin. The red numbers above the oven said 10.52. I'll give it to 11.30 he said to himself. The key tapped the entrance to the lock as it went in. With one slow twist of his hand, the door unlocked.

The path to the yellow flag was not a straight one. It snaked round, alongside and at the back of numerous buildings of different sizes and at different stages of construction. Though it was quite late in the day an army of people was still engaged in all kinds of building work: digging, laying foundations, erecting walls, fixing roofs, attaching doors and window frames. Amongst the sounds of sawing and hammering, cries such as 'catch this', 'move out the way', 'not like that' could be heard. The yellow flag was attached to a tall pole on a rise of ground close to the red mountain that rose without end into the clouds and which marked one side of the new Carporoo settlement. The space around the rise had been left empty. After turning the final corner, which belonged to a vast supply depot that seemed to have a vast supply of nothing but black sheets of different sizes, Braddle saw the flag before him hanging on a pole the size of twenty men. 'What's the flag for?' he asked himself. He sprinted up the rise. 'Made it', he panted. He placed his chin on the pole and looked up at the flag billowing in the strengthening breeze. On the yellow background a black X had been painted. The sky, beyond the flag, he noticed, was beginning to darken. Night was coming. He turned and faced the direction from which he had come. "Hope I can find the way back" he said to himself.

"Well, well, if it isn't Brassick" a voice called out behind him. Braddle turned. The rise, on which he stood, sloped down to the red mountain about ten metres away. In the wall, directly facing him, was a hole the size of a man. On either side of this hole stood three figures. Braddle recognised them instantly. It was Naster and his two cronies, Horit and Blug. Naster was tall and thin with closely cropped blond hair; Horit was about the same size as Braddle but with a mean expression decorated with a small scar on his left cheek (a scar which, he thought, gave him the right to take things off younger boys); and Blug was a lot smaller and more rounded with nostrils that pointed towards anyone he cared to look at. They went to the same training academy as he did though they were two years above him. They were people to avoid.

Naster walked up the slope towards him. Horit and Blug followed. Half way up Blug turned and threw a large stick through the hole in the wall. He turned back satisfied with his aim.

"How are you doing Brassick?" said Naster. "How is your little house coming on? Must be difficult with your father not being there."

Naster turned to look at Horit and Blug and all three smiled. Braddle did not reply. He felt as if something sour and hateful had crawled towards him and was readying itself to do him harm. He would not show this three headed creature he was afraid though. No. He would not. Such a creature enjoyed fear like a sweet treat and always wanted more.

"You know" continued Naster "clever people never build their own houses. We get dim people like you to do that for us."

He looked at Horit and Blug again and laughed. They laughed too. Braddle smiled to himself. It was a mystery why bullies liked to think of themselves as clever and witty when they were usually stupid people who told unfunny jokes.

"If you cannot build your own home then you must be dumber than a spronger" replied Braddle defiantly.

Naster stopped laughing.

"No. I'll tell you what's dumb. Going on an important mission down the White Road and then disappearing..."

"Probably ran away" interrupted Horit.

"Or got eaten by a big spronger" added Blug.

"Yes. Getting yourself eaten by a big, dumb spronger" continued Naster. "If my cousin, General Stoo, hadn't taken charge then we wouldn't be here now."

"You leave my father alone" replied Braddle angrily. "Your cousin is not fit to polish the buckle on his belt".

A thud landed on the left side of Braddle's jaw. It did not hurt exactly, not yet anyway, but it was enough to make him stagger back a few steps.

"How dare you insult my cousin" screamed Naster. "You need to be taught a lesson".

Braddle had to act quickly. He realised that he could neither fight all three nor outrun them (Horit was fast). There was no glory in allowing himself to be left bloodied on the ground, crying into the dirt. An intelligent warrior, his uncle said, always chooses the right time to stand and fight. He looked down the slope towards the hole in the wall. He took a deep breath. With a swift movement of his right foot he kicked Naster on the shin, hard, and ran as fast as he could towards it. He disappeared through it and in to the darkness beyond before Naster could react.

"Come on. After him", shouted Naster.

Chapter 4

It was not as dark in the garage as Alfie first feared. Moonlight came in through the window at the far end and allowed, at least, dark shapes to be seen. He sat on his sister's garden chair in the middle of the garage close to the shelving on one side. In his pocket was a strawberry, on the shelf closest to him was his magnifying glass, put there earlier, and in his hand, gripped tightly, was the unlit torch. He thought it best to keep the torch turned off most of the time and only turn it on in short bursts. The light may cause the tiny people to remain hidden. Ten minutes had now passed. In the stillness, he began to imagine a thousand tiny eyes watching him from every corner of the garage. He imagined these tiny eyes moving slowly towards him to get a closer look. They were not the eyes of the tiny people. He shivered and switched on the torch. A beam of light shot upwards. He looked down at his feet to make sure that there wasn't a six-legged creature about to crawl up his leg. There was nothing moving there but there was on the bottom shelf. "Could it be?" he asked himself. He grabbed the magnifying glass and dropped to his knees. Shining the torch slightly to the side of the shelf, he moved the magnifying glass back and forth a few times. Suddenly...Yes! It was them! There were four figures. They were all running. Something did not look right though. One was ahead of the other three, but not by much. The three behind were carrying sticks. Alfie realised that the one in front was being chased and that the three behind were about to catch up. For the second time, he decided that he had to intervene. How could he leave the one in front to, what seemed, a violent and bloody fate? What could he do? He quickly placed his hand on the shelf just in front of the three chasing figures and formed a wall with his horizontal fingers. All three stopped running and looked at each other. Eventually, one of the group was pushed forward towards his hand. On arriving there he jabbed it with his stick. Alfie thought he could feel the tiniest of itches on the palm of his hand but he could not be sure. He then slowly curled his ring finger towards his attacker and began to wriggle it around. On seeing this thing, whatever this thing was, wriggling menacingly in front of them, all three dropped their sticks, turned about and ran as fast as their tiny legs could manage back towards the darkness at the end of the shelf.

Braddle rubbed his eyes but the incredible sight did not disappear. It looked, though it was hard to believe, as if a giant hand had suddenly appeared between him and Naster, Horit and Blug and had stopped them from catching him. When the hand pulled away Naster and his friends were gone. "Whatever it was, it surely can't be a hand" thought Braddle. "Hands that big don't exist". He looked in the direction the hand had moved. He rubbed his eyes again. "No. It can't be" he told himself, out loud. There in the hazy light was a person, a person so big, so enormous, that his head must surely cause the clouds to swirl when he walked. He started to tremble. He placed his hand on his dagger and looked towards the end of the shelf from where he had come. He started to run. Suddenly, an object, the size of a house, appeared before him and blocked his path. He had never seen a whole one before but he knew what it was. It was a strawberry. The giant was not going to hurt him he realised. Rather, he had given him a present, a big present. He had not eaten or drank anything since the previous afternoon. His throat felt as if it were full of dry and dusty spronger webs. He removed his dagger and cut a hole in the strawberry. A small stream, red and sweet, flowed out of it and splashed on to the ground. He put his open mouth to the stream and took big gulps of the refreshing juice. When he had had enough he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked at the giant. The giant was watching him through an eye the size of the world. He shouted, 'Hello. My name is Braddle. What is your name?' The giant did not seem to hear him. Instead there was a low, slow rumble which, Braddle did not realise, was the giant saying 'Hello. My name is Alfie. What's yours?'

Who was this giant? Where did he live? Was he the only one or were there more? How come no one had ever told him that giants lived in the world? Did this giant know anything about his father's disappearance? There were so many questions, so many, and he resolved to find the answer to every single one of them. It was late though. He would find the answers tomorrow. Before he went he would give the giant a gift. He raised his dagger above his head and then placed it on the ground. He then bowed before calmly and steadily walking to the end of the shelf. When he had turned the corner and the big eye, and the giant it was attached to, was out of sight, he ran fast and hard out of the garage.

Alfie kicked his slippers off, threw his dressing gown on the floor and climbed back in to bed. It was wonderful, incredible, fantastic. His plan had worked. He had met the tiny people again. They were still in the back garden. He had been right. He turned and faced the lamp on his bedside cabinet, tucking his quilt under his chin. A thousand questions streamed in all directions inside his head like the sparkles from a sparkler on the 5th of November. Who are they? Why are they so small? How come they live in our garden? He decided that he, Alfie Foggle, would find the answers and solve the mystery. But how? Who could he ask? He had to meet that boy again, he decided. He had to find a way to talk to him. In the morning he would go and get the dagger the boy had left. In return he would leave the boy a message. What message should he leave? How should he write it? I know, he said to himself.

Alfie closed his eyes. Three seconds later he opened them again. He looked at the lamp. 'You don't need to be on', he said. 'The dark is not so bad.' He stretched his hand towards it, found the switch and turned it off.

Chapter 5

Alfie awoke early next morning - at a school-morning kind of time rather than a summer-holiday kind of time - to the sound of water running in the bathroom next door. His father was getting ready for work. He put his hands behind his head and remembered his adventure the night before. Tiny people, really tiny people, people the size of ants, lived in the back garden, 'in our back garden'. He thought again about the message he should leave them. It had to be written on a tiny-person sized piece of paper otherwise it would be like trying to read a message painted on a football pitch in letters the size of an elephant. He looked at the finger nail on his little finger. About half the size of that would be about right, he thought. The solution to writing such a tiny message, a solution that occurred to him as he was drifting off to sleep the night before, now seemed ridiculous. Where could he get a laser from? He could try his magnifying glass. It's not strong enough, he thought. It's only a toy one from the pound shop. Dad, though, has a really good one that he uses for his stamps. Unfortunately, after Lou had nearly dropped it down the stairs, he said that, from now on, nobody gets their paws on it except him: he didn't want anyone looking at it never mind looking through it! Alfie studied the nail on his little finger again and decided that he had no choice. Somehow, he had to persuade his dad to lend it to him.

"Morning dad" said Alfie as he entered the bathroom.

"Mm mm" replied his dad through a thick layer of shaving cream. Alfie waited until his dad had cleared a path around his mouth before talking to him further.

"How come you're up so early?" his dad asked as he set to work on his neck.

"I've got things to do" Alfie replied.

"I hope that includes some bike practice. You know, as soon as you learn we can go on some great bike rides."

"Yeah, I'll have a go."

His dad finished shaving and wiped his face on the red flannel.

"Dad, can I borrow your magnifying glass? The one you use with your stamp collection."

His father froze with one arm in his shirt and looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh. I don't know son... It's not a toy you know... What do you want it for?"

"I just want to look at stuff, things around the house and the garden, close up."

"I'd like to say yes but I don't think I can. As I said, it's not a toy and I can't afford to have it broken. Your mother wouldn't be happy if I had to buy another one."

His dad set to work fixing his tie. Alfie felt his best chance to make contact with the tiny people slipping away. What could he say to persuade him? He decided to tell him the truth. Once his dad realised how important the magnifying glass was he would not be able to refuse.

"Dad I need the magnifying glass because I need to write a tiny message. I'll be really careful with it."

"Why do you need to write a tiny message?"

"Tiny people and I mean really tiny people, the size of ants, live in our garden and I want to write to them."

His dad finished with his tie and smiled.

"Right and where do these ant-people live then?"

"I'm not sure but I think it's alongside the garage by the fence."

"And how do you know this?"

"Well I saw them last week walking on the washing line and I saw one last night in the garage."

His father laughed.

"Very good Alfie. Like the imagination. You should write it down and I'll read it when I get back from work."

"I knew you wouldn't believe me but it is true all the same."

His dad looked at him in silence as he took his wrist watch from his trouser pocket and fastened it to his wrist.

"Ok" he said. "I'll lend it on two conditions. First, you take care of it and don't let Lou touch it and second you get in some bike practice, proper bike practice. Deal?"

Alfie agreed. His dad said he would leave it on the kitchen table for him when he left for work.

Alfie sat at his desk with twelve pieces of paper scattered on it, each about the size of a postage stamp with tiny blue writing dotted on them, and read the message he had just finished. Writing with the leg of a chair in his Busy book in school would have been easier, he thought. It was difficult to prevent the letters from seeping in to each other and becoming a blur. The thirteenth attempt though had gone well. With the pen held at the right angle the letters had behaved themselves and kept their distance from each other. He decided that the message was a good one, even without punctuation, and that it should be delivered to the tiny people straight away. He cut two small pieces of clear sticky tape and stuck one on the small piece of paper and placed the other on the end of his finger. With the magnifying glass in his other hand he headed for the garage.

Mr Nicholls, their next door neighbour, was out early and working in his garden. A tapping sound was coming from the other side of the fence close to his pear tree. What's he doing now, thought Alfie. He always seemed to be building something or fixing something. As long as he doesn't damage or remove the fence alongside the garage then he could do whatever he wanted, Alfie decided. In the garage, he found the place where he had seen the tiny people the night before and knelt down. He attached the message to the black bag squashed on the bottom shelf behind the strawberry that now did not look so delicious. He picked it up and threw it out of the open garage door in to the garden. After searching the shelf with the magnifying glass, he then placed the spare piece of sticky tape on top of the dagger the tiny person had given him and lifted it up.

I'll look at this properly after breakfast he said to himself then I'll check whether I've got a reply.

Chapter 6

When he had returned home late the night before Braddle had not mentioned to his mother or Uncle Malik that he had just met a giant (his mother had been too distraught and had sent him straight to bed after he had told her that he had gotten lost) but, when he awoke, he decided that he should mention it now. The fact that giants existed, that they lived close by and that one of them could destroy everything around him as easily as half a million soldiers or fifty thousand sprongers was a fact too big to keep quiet about. He dressed quickly and headed for the kitchen. His mother was stirring a pot on the stove; Uncle Malik was sitting at the table with his jacket on.

"So it's certain that Counsellor Pulter has disappeared?" his mother asked.

"Seems so. They say he went missing yesterday afternoon but Drostfur didn't find out till late last night. He has ordered General Stoo to conduct a search. The soldiers are still looking but he hasn't turned up yet."

"You don't think there's a connection with the disappearance of...". His mother had turned to face her uncle but saw Braddle standing in the doorway. She stopped talking and smiled at him.

"Come here and give me a hug" she said.

Braddle went to her and he put his arms tightly around her waist.

"You must be hungry. Sit down. Breakfast is ready" she told him.

As he ate, Braddle thought about what his mother and uncle had said. Someone important had vanished, just like his father. He now knew that there were giants in the world and it was possible that they had something to do with it. He had to tell them but it was strange that they did not know, or seemed not to know, that giants existed already.

"Last night," Braddle said, "I saw a giant."

His mother and uncle stopped eating and looked at him.

"It was probably Melp" said his uncle. "He's on the tall side but I wouldn't exactly call him a giant though."

"No. It wasn't Melp. I mean that I actually saw a giant. He was as tall as the sky and had a hand twenty times as big as this house."

His mother and uncle looked at each other. After a moment's silence it was Uncle Malik who was the first to laugh. Braddle sat quietly and let them laugh. Eventually, his mother said that it was probably his imagination; that he was lost in a strange place in the dark; that giants most definitely did not exist.

"Besides, if creatures that big existed we would most certainly know about it. They would be hard to miss, I should think" his uncle added.

"But it is true. A giant saved me from Naster and his friends."

"What has Naster got to do with it?" his mother asked.

"I went to the yellow flag, close to the mountain, and came across Naster, Horit and Blug. They insulted father and so I gave Naster a kick and took off through a tunnel in the mountain wall."

He looked at his uncle and said, "There were too many of them to fight."

His uncle nodded.

"As they chased me a big hand came down and scared them away."

"I've had enough of this" his mother said angrily. "I've had enough of this Stoo family. Who do they think they are? How dare they attack my boy?"

His mother stood up. "Braddle wait here with your uncle. I need to have words with General Stoo."

"Not a good idea Frey. Storming in making accusations would just make it easy for him to defend himself and come out the winner as usual. Besides, he's busy with the search. Wait until you calm down, at least."

His mother took a deep breath.

"You are right. I'll wait a little longer" she said.

"In the meantime, there is work to be done" Uncle Malik added. "We need to get more supplies for the roof. Braddle come with me. And Braddle, whatever it was that stopped Naster chasing you, it couldn't have been a giant."

It took two trips to the Building Materials Repository to get all of the supplies needed for the roof. When they were laid out neatly on the ground in front of the house Uncle Malik told Braddle to grab a hammer and some nails. "Time for a building lesson" he said. Braddle worked all morning hammering pieces of wood onto other pieces of wood in an arrangement made by his uncle. During one of his breaks he happened to look down and noticed the girl next door going out with her mother. She looked up at him as she walked past and smiled. He turned away quickly. He felt as if he was in school and an unexpected question had suddenly exploded within his daydream and he was desperately searching for an answer. He told himself he should have smiled back but it was too late. At midday the work was finished. His uncle told him that he could have the rest of the day to himself, unless his mother had a job for him. His mother hadn't and so after lunch he told her that he would go and see how the Arena was coming on.

"Don't be late and don't get lost" she told him.

The new Arena was going to be bigger and better than the last one. It was rumoured that it would have seating for two hundred thousand people, have a roof to protect them from the rain and have enough space in the centre for three Grem pitches. It took an hour to reach the Arena site. Its construction had not yet started but an outline of it had been marked out with posts and tape. At least one of the rumours had been true, thought Braddle. The Arena was going to be huge. His excitement quickly disappeared though.

"I bet a giant could crush it easily with one foot" he said to himself. "How come no one knows that giants exist? It doesn't make sense."

He looked to his left and saw in the far distance the yellow flag he visited the day before. Maybe he should speak to Drostfur about it. Yes, that's what I'll do, he decided. Before he did, it might be a good idea to find out more about them. The more information he could give Drostfur the better. He picked up a stick that was lying on the ground, pushed it through his belt and set off for the yellow flag.

Braddle stood where he had placed his dagger on the floor the night before. It was gone. The giant must have taken it, he thought. He looked around but the giant could not be seen. At the far end of the path he could see a spronger making a web. Best go no further he told himself. In the place where he had seen the giant he could see things, enormous things, in the distance. It was hard to make out what they were but it was clear that, whatever they were, they were not moving. He waited a little while but the giant did not appear. No point waiting longer he said to himself. He would come back tomorrow. Besides, that spronger looked hungry. He turned to go. At first he was unsure what it was. He had to step backwards as far as he could go and then crane his neck upwards. He started to laugh. It was amazing. It was astonishing. It was astounding. The giant had left him a message:

HELLO MY NAME IS ALFIE WHO ARE YOU

When he had finished laughing, he looked around for something with which he could write a reply. On the ground there was a stick. It looked like one of the sticks carried by Naster and his friends when they were chasing him. This should do, he thought. I could write with this. Now to find some ink.

Chapter 7

It was like exchanging texts with the most interesting and popular person in the universe...who happened to be on Jupiter. The time spent waiting for a reply to his messages was, for Alfie, like waiting for Christmas, his birthday and the start of the summer holidays all at the same time. In the week since Braddle had left a response to his first message, Alfie had left three further messages and had gotten three replies back. In his last message, left the day before, Braddle had asked that they meet up on Saturday morning at 10.00 am. It was now Saturday morning and the time was 9.45 am.

He sat at the kitchen table with the magnifying glass, pen and an A5 pad alongside him and read again the transcript of the messages sent and received:

Hello my name is Alfie who are you

I am Braddle. Where do you come from? Are you the only giant?

I live here this is our garage there are millions of people like me how many tiny people are there why are you living in our garden

This is our new home. There are billions of people like me. What is a garage?

A garage is a place where things like junk are stored where exactly is your home

On land as far as the eye can see by the biggest mountain in the world. We are building the best city in the world. Do you live in your garage?

I live in a big house by the garage with my mum dad brother and sister we live in the best city in the world do you have a family

Meet me here tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.

"What are you reading?"

Alfie looked up from his pad and saw his sister, Lou, standing there in her pyjamas, arms folded.

"Nothing" he told her.

"What is it? Let me see."

She tried to grab the paper but Alfie raised it above her head.

"Let me see it" she howled at him.

"It's mine. It's nothing to do with you."

"Lou can you come back upstairs and get dressed pleased," called his mother.

"Give it to me" she howled again.

"Look, if you go and get dressed I'll let you read it. Ok?"

She pulled her arm back.

"Lou. I won't tell you again" called his Mother for the second time.

"I'll be back in a minute" she said, running out of the kitchen.

Alfie quickly folded the paper and put it in his trouser pocket. He then ripped a sheet of paper from the pad, wrote 'Alfie is great' on it, folded it and placed it on the table. He looked at the kitchen clock. It was 9.50.

Though it was exciting exchanging messages with Braddle he had to admit that, reading them back now, he hadn't learned much. He still did not know who the tiny people were or why they were living in their garden. Were there other tiny people in the world, in every garden, in the park, in school? He did not know but he was about to find out he felt.

"Morning dripper."

His brother dropped his sports bag on to the floor, opened the fridge and took a big gulp from an opened carton of milk.

"Hey, that's disgusting" said Alfie.

"I won't tell if you won't tell" replied his brother.

His brother closed the fridge door and picked up his bag. He slung it over his shoulder and stared at Alfie.

"You know, why don't you do something exciting over the summer holidays instead of just sitting there wasting them? Alex's younger brother has joined our cricket club. Why don't you?"

"What's so exciting about cricket?"

"You're a lost cause and an embarrassment" snorted his brother.

"I'm not wasting the summer" said Alfie. "In fact, I have discovered the most exciting thing ever. If you knew what it was you wouldn't want to play cricket either."

"Oh yeah. What is it?"

"It's..."

Alfie stopped himself. He didn't want his brother, or anyone else for that matter, to know about the tiny people. Not yet, anyway. The tiny people were in some sense _his_. There was still too much to learn about them before other people had a chance to take them away from him.

"...Nothing."

"Thought not" replied his brother. "I'm going to wait in the car. Enjoy the kitchen."

His brother took the car keys from the hook by the kitchen door and left.

Alfie looked at the clock. It was 9.55. He decided that it would be better to go to the garage now before there were any more interruptions. Besides, Braddle might be there now waiting for him. He stood up and picked up the magnifying glass, pen and paper. At that moment, his father came in to the kitchen.

"Morning Alfie. What are you doing?" his father asked.

"Not much" Alfie replied.

"Have you seen Francis? I could swear that I heard his voice down here a minute ago."

"He's waiting for you in the car."

His father opened the fridge and took a big gulp from the carton of milk. Alfie kept quiet.

"I'm taking Francis to cricket practice" his father said after he had put the milk back. "Why don't you come and have a look around. It would be good to have the company."

"No thanks dad. I'm a bit busy at the moment."

His father gave him a disappointed look.

"Cricket's great fun you know. It's not a punishment sent by God."

"I'll go next week" replied Alfie.

"Alright. Got to go. Don't forget we're going swimming this afternoon. All of us, including your mother. I'll expect you to remain healthy and well from now until then. Ok?"

"Ok dad."

His father left the kitchen. It was 10.02. Late. Alfie headed for the back door. Braddle was waiting. A person, the size of a dot, was actually waiting to talk to him. The afternoon was a long, long way away.
Chapter 8

"Watch out!"

He turned in the direction of the shout just in time for the ball to hit then bounce off his forehead, just above his left eye.

His next door neighbour ran up to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you standing there. Are you alright?"

He rubbed his forehead. A lump was growing.

"I'm alright. It's nothing."

"Let's have a look."

She came close and studied the wounded area.

"Looks like you're getting a lump. Best put something cold on it."

"I'll do it later. Goodbye."

He turned to walk away.

"I'm Grenta" she said. "I live next door."

He turned back to face her.

"I know you do. I'm Braddle."

The conversation immediately stopped and they looked at each other in silence.

'Well, it was nice talking to you" Braddle said finally, "but I've got to go. Something important to do."

He turned to go again but she quickly added, "it must be important. I've noticed you leaving at the same time every day this week."

"Yes it is."

She looked at him expectantly. He thought about telling her of the giant Alfie but he decided against it. He didn't want her laughing at him as well.

"I've made the most important discovery in the history of Carporoo" he told her.

"Oh. That is important. What is it?"

"I can't tell you yet."

He turned to go again.

"Have you heard the news?" she asked him.

"What news?"

"Another counsellor has disappeared. No one knows where he is. One minute he's there, the next he is gone."

"No, I didn't know."

"My dad says that soon there won't be any Council left. He says that people are starting to panic. Has your discovery anything to do with it?"

"I'm not sure. Could be."

"Can I help?" she asked.

"I'll let you know."

"When?"

"Don't know. Later. Look, I'm in a hurry. I've got to go."

Braddle walked quickly away and started towards the yellow flag. Before he disappeared behind the row of houses opposite he turned back to look at her. She held her ball in one hand and waved at him with the other.

Another counsellor had disappeared, vanished. But people can't just disappear, especially if they are a member of the Ruling Council. No, not possible, he told himself. Someone or something must be taking them. But who? What? Braddle thought about Alfie. It was difficult to believe that the giant had anything to do with it. The messages had revealed him to be friendly, not out to cause them harm. If the giant Alfie was not involved, though, it didn't mean, reasoned Braddle, that another giant wasn't. Braddle saw the yellow flag in the distance. People around him were continuing with the construction of the city but everyone seemed to be subdued and nervous. One man, he noticed, who had stepped out of his house, yawned and bellowed loudly "Good morning..." was cut short by his neighbour. "Haven't you heard the news?" his neighbour asked.

He had to talk to Drostfur. He was the leader of the Council and he had a right to know what he, Braddle, had discovered. People were disappearing and more could still disappear. Carporoo was surrounded by giants; giants so big that they could easily scoop Carporoo up in their hands, make a ball out of everything and fling it at the sun. There might be a connection. It was too important for him to keep secret any longer. Drostfur was a clever man. He would know what to do. Braddle turned right at the next corner and followed the path away from the yellow flag. He raised his hand to his forehead. The lump hurt. She can certainly throw a ball, he thought. He was glad that he had spoken to her though. He had wanted to do so ever since she had moved in next door but it had always seemed impossible to just go up to her and say hello. He decided that he would meet her the next day and tell her everything about his discovery. She would be impressed. No doubt about it.

The Council building, like every building in Caporoo, was still under construction but, to Braddle, it looked nearly complete. It was a large cube with three floors and a flight of steps leading to a massive entrance. In the other direction, the steps led to a square almost as big as the new Arena. The building and the square in front were full of workers milling around or carrying materials in to it, small groups of soldiers looking bored and concerned citizens discussing the 'growing crisis' as Braddle heard one man describe it. Stopping at the edge of the square he wondered how he would be able to get through and find Drostfur. Can't turn back now he said and he proceeded to curve and narrow himself through the crowd, sometimes stopping to let a plank of wood go past or to avoid someone's swinging arm. After a while he found that he had made it up the steps and through the large entrance in to the chamber. Inside, the crowd was not as dense and he found it easier to move around. The ground floor, he could see, was to be the Council chamber. In the centre of it a large circle had been marked out and one chair had been placed on its circumference. It looked like its eleven friends had disappeared one by one and it was waiting, helplessly, for the culprit to come back. He looked towards the circle and noticed Drostfur standing in the centre of it. He was talking to General Stoo. General Stoo was flanked by two officers. Braddle made his way towards them.

As he drew close, he heard General Stoo say,

"It would be for your own safety. Until we know what is going on we have to assume that all of the Council, including you, are at risk."

"General Stoo" Drostfur replied "by all means post your soldiers outside but I will remain here until this crisis is over. If I go in to hiding then I have disappeared just as much as Counsellor Pulter and, now, Counsellor Tragat."

Braddle stopped alongside them. They both turned at the same time and stared at him. Drostfur smiled but General Stoo frowned.

"What are you doing here boy?" General Stoo demanded to know.

"I want to talk to Counsellor Drostfur" replied Braddle.

"I'm rather busy at the moment" said Drostfur "we will have to talk another time."

"It has to be now" insisted Braddle. "It has to do with giants."

Drostfur raised one eyebrow whilst General Stoo raised two.

"Well... continue with the search General Stoo" said Drostfur "and I will remain here. Let me know immediately you have any news."

General Stoo hesitated briefly then turned to go. He gave Braddle a puzzled look as he walked past, armour gleaming.

"Giants you say, Braddle?" asked Drostfur when General Stoo had gone.

Braddle nodded.

"It is too busy here" said Drostfur. "You see that door over there. My office is on the other side of it. Wait for me in there and I will come through shortly."

Chapter 9

The first word that occurred to Braddle as he closed the door to Drostfur's office was 'garage'. The room was exactly like the giant Alfie's description of what a garage is: a room for storing junk, though you wouldn't say that the junk here was actually being stored. Rather, it looked as if the room was temporarily holding it while the rest of the building went to look for some boxes. There were books, folders and individual pieces of paper stacked all over the floor and on the desk by the window. There were planks of wood leaning against one wall with tools scattered on the ground next to them and there were mounds of wood shavings making a constellation, resembling an up turned bin, on the floor. Given that there was nowhere to stand Braddle decided it would be better to sit down. But where was a chair? Was there a chair? He looked around corners and under dust sheets and eventually found a three legged stool cowering behind the planks of wood. Cautiously, he released it from its prison and found a space in the centre of the room to set it down.

One side of him sat down whilst the other side, the side with the foot on the floor, preferred to remain standing. Directly in front was the desk and behind it on the wall was a large piece of paper. Braddle looked at it. It was covered in blue lines, some curved, some straight and some alternating between the two. Though it was not apparent at first, after following a few of the lines depicted on it in their seemingly haphazard journeys, Braddle realised that it was a map of the new city. There were thousands of streets snaking in every direction, some stopping when another crossed their path, others, after a brief pause, continuing on their way. Near the centre was a wide circle of open land. Braddle concluded that this was the site of the new Arena. Around the edges of the city, Braddle noticed that there were faint lines moving outwards into blank, unsketched, spaces. They seemed to be roads but he couldn't be sure.

Drostfur entered and closed the door behind him.

"Ah, Braddle. you managed to find a seat. Good."

He went round the desk, pulled a chair out from under it and sat down.

"Please excuse the mess. Moving into an office before it is built is not the best thing that I have ever done. How is your mother, Frey?" he asked.

"Alright but, even though she hasn't said, I can tell that she is missing father" replied Braddle.

"Yes. I understand" said Drostfur, sadly. "A terrible business. Tell her that we have not given up hope yet. The search for him will resume shortly. And your Uncle Malik?"

"He's alright as well."

"Tell the old soldier that I wish him well."

"I will."

"Good. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Braddle straightened himself up on the stool and cleared his throat.

"I have something amazing to tell you" said Braddle "and it might have something to do with the missing counsellors."

"Oh" replied Drostfur "that would be amazing. What is it?"

"Well I have met a giant, and I mean a real giant, someone who is as tall as the sky, and he tells me that he lives nearby with his family. He told me that there were millions of giants in the world."

Braddle looked at Drostfur and waited for his response. He expected him to be surprised, to be shocked, to jump up from his chair, maybe, and run around the room pulling at his beard, but it did not happen. Instead, Drostfur remained sitting with fingers crossed, breathing calmly, with no sign of perspiration on his forehead whatsoever and smiled.

"I am afraid Braddle that giants have always been with us" said Drostfur.

"You mean" asked Braddle "you know?"

Drostfur nodded.

"I can see that you have a lot of questions. Let me see what I can tell you about giants."

Drostfur thought for a moment, ran his hand through his beard and then sighed.

"Well, we do not know where they come from and we cannot satisfactorily explain why, though they look like us, they are of such an enormous size. One explanation put forward, for example, by Detis three hundred years ago was that they come from the moon. Another, made even earlier, was that they were once normal size but then had eaten the fruit from an Aig tree in Aigland and this had caused them to grow exponentially. I think it is fair to say, though, that we have not got to the bottom of it yet."

"How come" asked Braddle "people don't know about them then? I told mother and Uncle Malik but they just laughed."

"That is a tricky question to answer" said Drostfur. "It is true that most people are ignorant of the existence of giants. The answer lies, I think, in their enormous size and the fact that people have a tendency to see only what they want and expect to see. Giants are too big for most people to comprehend. Besides, we try to keep contact with them to a minimum. In the past, in the distant past, we have suffered a lot at their hands. Giants have destroyed whole communities without, even, being aware of it."

Drostfur opened the draw in his desk, searched through it and then shut it again.

"On reflection I think that we can leave the history lesson to a later date" he said. "I have forgotten my manners though" he added. "Would you like a drink?"

On the desk was a bottle of water surrounded by four dusty glasses. Braddle glanced at them and said that he wasn't thirsty. He'd just finished a bottle of leaf juice.

"Let me ask" continued Drostfur "how you came to know this giant?"

"Last week I had a bit of trouble with Naster and his friends and I had to run through the hole in the mountain by the yellow flag. They came after me then suddenly a giant hand appeared and scared them away. We have been leaving messages for each other ever since."

"I think your giant is developing a habit for saving us" said Drostfur.

"What do you mean?" asked Braddle.

"It is likely that it is the same giant that saved us on the White Road when we were under attack from that ferocious spronger."

"Do you think so?" asked Braddle excitedly.

"I'm certain of it."

"I heard that it was General Stoo who defeated the spronger" said Braddle.

Drostfur laughed.

"No, it was not General Stoo though I can see how he might not object to such a rumour spinning its web. Between you and me General Stoo is a bit too small for his armour, though do not tell him I said so. He is a good public servant all the same, despite his shortcomings."

Braddle laughed as well.

"In answer to your original concern" continued Drostfur "I do not think your giant or any other giant for that matter is responsible for the missing counsellors. You can put your mind at ease on that point. No giant, no matter how agile, adroit and skilful, could descend on Carporoo City and kidnap a counsellor without being seen."

Braddle was relieved. He hated to think that his giant, Alfie, could be involved in a plot to kidnap members of the Ruling Council.

"No. Your giant is not involved in what is happening here. There are other forces at work. Rest assured that both myself, the Council and General Stoo will get to the bottom of it."

Drostfur stood up and pushed his chair back under his desk.

"Well, work calls, Braddle, and I must get on. It was good talking to you. When things get a bit more organised you, your mother and uncle must come and visit me."

Braddle stood up too.

"Can I still talk with Alfie?" asked Braddle.

"Alfie? Oh, your giant?" asked Drostfur.

Braddle nodded.

"Well" replied Drostfur, stroking his beard again, "under normal circumstances I would not encourage it but, clearly, your Alfie already knows of our existence and clearly he does not mean us any harm. He may, even, be of help to us. I will agree to it for the time being but you must let me know immediately if you discover anything that could threaten our safety."

"Thank you" said Braddle.

Braddle bowed and then headed for the door.

"Wait" said Drostfur. "I know how hard it is to talk to giants. Take this box. Place it on the ground between you and it will enable you to talk to each other."

Drostfur handed Braddle a square, black box. It was heavy and it took two hands to hold it.

"Whatever you do please do not break or lose it" added Drostfur. "We only have three left."

Chapter 10

Alfie closed the back door quietly behind him.

"Good morning Alfie" a voice said from somewhere above. Startled, Alfie looked upwards. On the other side of the fence, Mr Nicholls was half way up a ladder holding an outside flood light in his hand.

"Beautiful morning" he said.

Alfie replied that it was and turned towards the garage. He always found talking to adults an uncomfortable experience. What they said never seemed to match their grown-upness and what you were expected to reply in turn was always a bit of mystery.

Except for the faint sound of tapping coming from Mr Nicholls' garden the garage was quiet. Alfie sat down on his sister's garden chair positioned by the meeting-shelf, placed his pad and pen on an upper shelf and raised the magnifying glass. He began a search, starting at the outer edge of the lower shelf and slowly moving across. He was sure that Braddle was already there waiting for him. The first task was to find him.

"Hello Alfie. Is that you?"

Alfie turned quickly to look behind him but there was no one there.

"Is that you Alfie?" the voice asked again.

Alfie sprung to his feet and dropped the magnifying glass. The garden chair flipped over and scraped along the floor. The garage had become haunted. He wanted to get out.

"Alfie it's me, Braddle."

"Braddle? Is that you Braddle? Where are you?" asked Alfie

"Down here" he replied.

Alfie dropped to his knees and peered through the magnifying glass. Braddle was standing in the middle of the shelf with a large box on the ground in front of him.

"How can I hear you?" Alfie asked.

"I don't know how it works but this box here" said Braddle, pointing to the black box, "makes us hear each other."

"That's amazing" said Alfie. "Where did it come from?"

"From a very important man" replied Braddle.

"It's great that we can talk now" said Alfie. "Writing everything down is a pain. I've got so much to ask you. "

"So have I" said Braddle.

"Where shall we start?"

"I don't know" came the reply.

They fell silent. Braddle scratched his head. Alfie scratched his nose.

"Are you the giant that fought off that spronger when we were on the White Road?" asked Braddle.

"Spronger? White Road? Oh, you mean the spider on the washing line? Yeah, that was me. I did not exactly fight it off, though, more like flicked it off" said Alfie. "That was the first time that I saw you. Couldn't believe my eyes."

"I wish I could fight sprongers that easily" said Braddle.

"Have you always lived here in our garden?" asked Alfie.

"Your garden? I don't know but we have lived in this country for a long time. I have heard that we came from a different place a long, long time ago. Where it is, though, I don't know. How about you? Have you always lived here as well?"

"No, not exactly. We moved here about six years ago when I was three. Before that we lived in a different part of town."

"So you are nine years old?" Braddle asked.

"Yeah, but I will be ten in two months" replied Alfie.

"Well, I'm ten next month" said Braddle and he started to laugh.

"What's funny?" asked Alfie.

"I never thought that I would be older than a giant as big as the sky."

"I may be a giant to you but I'm certainly not as big as the sky" replied Alfie, laughing.

"I find it hard to imagine" continued Braddle "that the world is full of giants. Where do you all come from?"

"I don't know. We all come from different places but I don't know why we are this size. People are just this big. It's normal, though mum thinks dad could be a bit taller."

"Do other giants know that we live here?" asked Braddle.

"I don't think so" said Alfie. "I haven't told anyone else yet. None of my family knows. I certainly wouldn't tell Lou. She would probably think that you were an ant and stamp on you."

"Lou? Who is she?"

"My five year old sister."

"I don't have any brothers or sisters" said Braddle. "I live with my mother and uncle."

"Where's your dad?" asked Alfie.

"Gone. Disappeared. He was sent on a mission by Counsellor Drostfur when we were searching for a new home. He travelled down the White Road and has never been seen since. Everyone thinks he's dead but I don't believe it. It doesn't feel as if he is dead, anyway."

"I suppose" said Alfie "that that spider, I mean, that spronger could have attacked him on the washing...on the White Road."

"Maybe" said Braddle.

It seemed to Alfie that Braddle had tears in his eyes. He was rubbing them with the back of his hands and he could hear him clearing his throat. He waited until he was ready to talk again. Alfie looked at the black box while he did so. The fact that the tiny people had a device that allowed them to talk to giants meant that they had talked to giants in the past. That meant that other people must know that the tiny people exist... Who had they talked to and when?

"Braddle? Are you alright?"

"Yes. I just hoped...".

There was a series of loud taps on the garage door as if it was being hit by a stick.

"Alfie! Alfie! Are you in there?" shouted his sister, Lou.

"Oh no" said Alfie "Lou is here. I'll be out in a minute" he shouted back to her.

"Mum wants you."

"Ok, I'll be out in a sec."

"Who are you talking to? Let me in" she called and she hit the door again.

"I had better go" said Alfie "She won't give up and I don't want her to know about you."

"Shall we meet here again same time tomorrow morning?" asked Braddle. "I might bring a friend of mine with me next time. I think she would like to meet you."

"Yes. No. Wait, I can't tomorrow. Dad has decided that we have a family day out tomorrow to the seaside. He says that we have done nothing together all summer and tomorrow looks like it will be the hottest day so far."

"How about the day after?"

"Yeah, that should be ok. Dad's back in work then. You'd better go now" said Alfie "before Lou bursts in."

"Good bye Alfie" Braddle said. He picked up the black box and went to the back of the shelf. He placed it under a flap of plastic sheeting and then ran to the tunnel at the end of the shelf, the tunnel that led to the new city of Carporoo.

Alfie gathered up the pad, pen and magnifying glass and then snatched open the garage door. His sister was taken by surprise. She quickly recovered and pushed past him carrying a plastic golf club.

"Who were you talking to?" she demanded to know.

"No one" Alfie told her. "Come out, I need to shut the door."

"In a minute. I want to have a look around."

"I wouldn't if I was you."

"Why?"

"The garage is haunted if you must know. If you go snooping around then the ghost might get you."

Lou glanced from one darkened corner to another, dropped her golf club and ran back out into the garden.

Chapter 11

The next day was, indeed, the hottest day of the year so far, as Alfie's dad said it would be. Braddle sat on the mound of stones outside his house with a small bag between his feet containing leaf paste sandwiches and leaf juice. It was still early in the morning but even at that time it felt as if the sun had wrapped a hot scarf around his neck. The street looked like the busiest day of the year at a construction-site theme park. Whole families, with exuberant children, distractible teenagers, irascible parents and unruffled grandparents, were out of doors and doing things to roofs, walls, doors and window frames. Those who were too young, too old or too infirm sat or reclined outside, where they had been placed for their own safety. To them it was a wonderful spectacle put on for their enjoyment. Uncle Malik was amongst them. He had recognised an elderly couple opposite who were struggling with a plank of wood. He immediately went over to them and, after the man had saluted his uncle, they took to slapping each other on the back and laughing like six year olds. Uncle Malik was now directing operations from the roof of their house. To Braddle, his uncle had always been an old man who did not seem to do much. He had never talked about his time as a soldier but now he realised that his uncle had not always been that way. He had lived a life of adventure, of danger, of excitement. Braddle decided that he would ask him about it the next chance he got.

Braddle imagined the same house building going on in every street in Carporoo; families building homes for themselves, building something stable and secure around which their lives would be lived. Would they still do it though, thought Braddle, if they knew that they were surrounded by giants who could so easily destroy everything. It wouldn't take an army. Alfie's five year old sister, Lou, could do it all by herself. Maybe he should tell them. He heard a man shout 'look', then children laughing. "You'll fall you silly man" a woman called to him. He was dancing on the roof of the house next door to the one Uncle Malik was working on. "If you fall" she continued "then I'll have to get a new husband and I know just the man."

Should he tell them? Should he go to them now and tell them about the giants? Would they thank him for doing so?

"Hello Braddle. How's your head?"

Braddle smiled to himself; he recognised the voice. He stopped smiling and turned round.

"Hello Grenta. My head's alright. It would take more than your little ball to knock some sense in to it."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm watching Uncle Malik hard at work. He only went over to say hello."

"He's always busy, isn't he? He helped dad fix the kitchen floor a couple of days ago. Dad said that he was the finest man in all of Carporoo. We were all shocked because dad, usually, doesn't like anyone."

They stood in silence as they watched Uncle Malik hammering nails into the roof.

"Are you going to tell me your secret now?" Grenta asked.

"I'll tell you later" Braddle told her. "Are you doing anything today?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Well, why don't we explore the city? I don't know about you but I need a break from building work."

Grenta thought about it. It would be exciting to see how the new city looked but her father did not like her going too far from the house. She couldn't imagine him giving his permission. He was, sadly, in bed with a bad back but there was no reason, no reason at all, why she couldn't ask her mother instead.

"Alright" she said. "I'll just go and ask mum."

Grenta turned and ran straight in to Braddle's mother, Frey.

"Good morning Grenta" she said, after she steadied herself. "What's the rush?"

"Oh sorry" replied Grenta "I was just going to ask my mum whether I can go exploring with Braddle."

"Is that a good idea? You know what happened last time" she said addressing Braddle.

"It will be alright" he said. "I know my way around now and I'll stay clear of Naster if I happen to see him."

"Alright. But I don't want you back late and you can only go if Grenta's parents agree."

"They will" Grenta insisted.

"It's good to see you two finally talking" Braddle's mother continued. "Grenta has wanted to make your acquaintance ever since she moved in but I'm afraid you were too shy to notice."

They both blushed, though Braddle's cheeks went a deeper red than Grenta's.

"It's hot today" she said, laughing. "Well, I can't stand here all day."

"Where are you going?" Braddle asked.

"I've got an appointment with Drostfur. He sent a letter this morning asking that I come to see him. Well, not just me. He wanted to see all three of us. You, me and Uncle Malik. He stressed that it was important."

She looked over at Uncle Malik hard at work on the roof.

"Your uncle and me agreed that I go alone. He's busy doing other things as you can see but you, on second thoughts, could come with me. I would like the company."

She smiled at him. Braddle looked at Grenta and then at the ground.

"If you want me to come I will" he said. "We can go exploring another day."

Frey noticed the disappointment on Grenta's face and told them that there was no need. She was only joking.

"Don't worry, I'll give your apologies to Drostfur" she said. "I should be back by lunchtime."

She waved to her uncle on the roof opposite. He waved back to her.

"Hopefully, when I return, I'll have good news. Take care" she said, and set off towards the centre of the city.

"Take care yourself" he called to her.

"Be back in a minute" said Grenta.

Braddle watched his mother until she was out of sight. Why did Drostfur want to speak to her, to them? Did he have any news about his father? Did he want to discuss Alfie? Or was it something else...Grenta returned.

"Come on then Braddle. Let's go."

Braddle felt responsible for the city as he took Grenta to its new places and showed them off to her. He wanted her to appreciate it like he appreciated it, as if it was a good book he insist she read. Her response though never seemed to fit with his. She took a great interest in the partly built school a few streets away, in the exposed drainage tunnels running under the main roads and the shopping district in the centre of town, which was to be at least four times bigger than the previous one. She was not so impressed by the army barracks, by the artillery machines under construction by the specialised Spronger Defence Force or by the new Arena. In late afternoon, they eventually arrived at the yellow flag.

"Let's sit under the flag and have something to eat" said Braddle.

Around them men and women were busy collecting building materials from the nearby repository and taking them to all parts of the city. Another group were continually filing out of the garage carrying materials to restock it. Braddle took two thick slices of bread, smeared in leaf-paste, from his bag. He gave one to Grenta and took a big bite out of the other. They ate in silence watching the people work around them.

"So, are you going to tell me your secret now or not?" Grenta asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Yes" he told her.

Grenta sat in silence as Braddle told her about Alfie, about how he had saved him from Naster and had become friends and about the fact that millions of giants lived all around but most people in Carporoo were unaware of them. When he had finished it seemed to Braddle that Grenta was about to burst out laughing. For a brief moment he felt as if their friendship was about to end before it had begun but Grenta did not laugh. Instead, she simply said 'That-Is-Amazing.' (It was a relief to Braddle that she believed him. To be accused of lying when he was telling the truth was something he hated. He would prefer to have a stomach ache rather than experience that).

"I would like to meet him" said Grenta standing up. "Let's go in now" and she took a step towards the hole in the wall.

"No point. He's not there today. He said that he was going to the seaside for a day out."

"Seaside?" said Grenta. "What's that?"

"Don't know" replied Braddle, "he never said."

Braddle stood up. "Time to go home. It's a long walk back."

"When can I meet him?" she asked.

"We agreed to meet tomorrow morning" said Braddle. "You can come with me, if you like."

The shadow of the garage had thrown itself over the city by the time they had returned home.

"Meet me here tomorrow, early" said Braddle.

Grenta yawned in to her hand and nodded, then ran to her house.

Uncle Malik was sitting at the kitchen table drumming the fingers of both hands on its hard surface when Braddle entered.

"Ah Braddle, you're home."

"Where's mother?" asked Braddle.

"I don't know. She's not back yet. Should be back any minute now though" he said.

Braddle could see that he was worried, very worried. Uncle Malik was never any good at hiding his feelings.

"I'll wait with you" said Braddle and he sat down next to him.

The shadow outside darkened and drew black curtains across the window. Braddle and Uncle Malik waited. They waited, even though their eyelids yearned to close; they waited, as their heads jerked upright after falling forwards, then backwards then forwards again; they waited, after Braddle rested his head on his arm outstretched on the table, hand grasping at nothing. They waited through a hollowed-out summer's night with a thick heat tumbling over them. They waited but Braddle's mother did not return.

Chapter 12

Braddle felt the sunlight touch his face with its warm fingers. He turned over on to his left side, stretched his legs and let his arm hang over the bed. Sleep had not finished with him yet. Something was not quite right though. He felt odd. What was it? The realisation pushed sleep away. He was still dressed. He was wearing his shirt and jacket, his trousers and, even, his shoes. He remembered the night before. His mother had disappeared! Throwing the bed covers off he ran in to the living room. Uncle Malik was not there. On the kitchen table was a note.

Dear Braddle,

I have gone to see Drostfur to report your Mother missing and to find out what has happened. Drostfur is a good man and I know that he will do all he can. I will be back soon. Wait for me here. I know it will be hard but I need you to be strong. We will find her, I promise you.

Love Uncle Malik.

It was true then. His mother had actually disappeared. It was not a bad dream. What was he to do? The thought that she had suddenly gone, had been taken by someone, was unbearable. He remembered how she was the morning before. He remembered her laughing. Where was she now? What was happening to her? He imagined her in a dark place, alone, afraid and weeping. Tears fell down his cheeks. He dropped on to a chair, holding his head in his hands. Eventually, the tears stopped but the pain did not. The pain was boundless and he would never have enough tears for it. The front door opened behind him and closed again. He turned slowly hoping, desperately, that his mother would be standing there. Uncle Malik, however, stood alone.

"Any news?" asked Braddle, getting up.

"Nothing yet" he replied.

His uncle put his big arms around him and hugged him tight.

"Sit down" he said, after letting him go.

They both sat down.

"I have spoken to Drostfur" he continued "but he has not seen your mother. He certainly did not send her a letter asking her to come to see him. He has ordered a search to be carried out immediately and he will let us know as soon as they find anything."

"Who sent the letter then?" asked Braddle.

"We don't know" said his uncle. "Here it is."

His uncle pulled a white piece of paper from his breast pocket and handed it to Braddle. It was an ordinary piece of paper with one fold down the centre.

"All we know is that it was pushed under the door sometime last night...I mean, the night before last" said his Uncle.

Braddle unfolded the letter and read it aloud.

Dear Frey,

I would be pleased if you, Malik and Braddle could come to see me any time this morning. I have news about somebody which will be of interest to you. A glimmer of hope has appeared and we need to discuss what we should do.

From your faithful friend, Drostfur.

"So it was a trick to get her to walk in to a trap?" asked Braddle.

"Yes, but not just her" said Uncle Malik. "They wanted all three of us and they used your father as bait."

"But why?" asked Braddle. "Why have they taken her? Why did they want us?"

His uncle rubbed his face with the palm of his hands.

"I don't know" he said. "Something is going on but I don't know what. I don't know what to do." He made fists with both hands and clenched them tight. "All I know is that when I get my hands on them I'll make them sorry that they ever left school."

Braddle had heard the word 'search' before. A search is always carried out but nothing is ever found. The army will undertake a search but they will not find his mother. Those who had taken her would make sure of that. The search would then come to an end and life for others would return to normal but his life would not, could not. Every moment of his life would have an empty space where his mother should be. No! The horror of it was too much to bear. He could not let this happen. He would not let it happen. He, Braddle, would find his mother himself. He would not rest until she was back here with the people she loved and who loved her. Everyone would think that a nine year old boy could not possibly succeed when the army of Carporoo had failed but they had not reckoned on that boy having a giant for a friend. Yes, thought Braddle, Alfie shall help me. He can overturn every building in Carporoo if needs be. Now that would be a proper search.

"Uncle, I don't think that we should just sit here and do nothing. I don't think that the army will find her. We must do it ourselves."

"What can we do?" asked his uncle, shaking his head.

"I don't know yet but I have got this friend and I will go and speak to him first."

Braddle told him all about Alfie. Uncle Malik sat quietly until he had finished.

"So your giant friend is true after all" he said and laughed. "I heard rumours of giants when I was younger" he continued "and even when I was in the army but I did not believe them. In fact, the man over the road there always told me that he had seen one once but I always laughed."

"I am meeting Alfie this morning. I told Grenta that I would take her to meet him. I will talk to him about mother and about what help he can give us."

"I suppose it would be alright to talk to him but you must promise to be careful and to keep me informed."

"I promise" said Braddle.

He stood up and put his arms around his uncle.

"I will wait here in case a messenger comes" said his Uncle.

Braddle turned and went to the front door. Through its small window he saw Grenta sitting on the pile of stones waiting for him.

Chapter 13

"Grenta! Here quick!" shouted Braddle.

Braddle ran towards a fold in the mountainous black bag squashed on to the bottom shelf not far from where he had previously stored the black box. He reached it first but when he turned round Grenta was not behind him. She stood, unmoving, in the middle of the shelf staring at the far end of it at the monstrous creature coming towards her. He ran back to her fast.

"Grenta! Come on!"

He grabbed her hand and dragged her away with him. She got in to her stride and pulled her hand out of his. She was a fast runner and reached the fold before he did.

"What were you doing?" he asked her.

"I don't know. My legs wouldn't move" she gasped.

Braddle peered round the edge of the fold back down the shelf. The creature was still coming. If it found them then it would surely kill them. They couldn't out run it and make it back to Carporoo. It was too fast. If they kept quiet it may go past or off in another direction. It may not though. It may simply come up to where they were hiding and, without showing any appreciation for them having waited, devour them one by one. They needed Alfie's help.

"Wait here" said Braddle.

"Why? Where are you going?" asked Grenta, panic-stricken.

"Just under this fold. The black box is there. I need to switch it on. Only Alfie can help us."

Braddle dropped to his knees and lifted the edge of the plastic mountain up. He crawled in to the gap head first and moved forward. He guessed that the box should only be about three or four metres away.

It was like crawling through a cloud with a tough skin. The cloud pressed down on him from every direction. After every couple of knee-steps he would stretch his hand out in an attempt to locate the box but all he could feel was more of the cloud. Where is it? Where is it? It has got to be here, he thought. Unless...Unless I've made a mistake or someone has taken it. Got to find it. Got to find it, he repeated to himself. He heard Grenta scream. He froze. He had to go back. No choice. He turned quickly and his head hit something hard. The black box! He reached out and hit the button on top of it and a soft whirring sound started up within. He then turned back the way he had come and shoved the plastic, black cloud out of his way with his arms and face. He quickly found the edge of the fold and jumped out.

Grenta was cowering on the floor. The creature was standing close by looking at her with two large pincers on its head snapping together rapidly. Braddle snatched the dagger from his belt and shouted at the creature. He waved the dagger in the air.

"Alfie! Alfie!" he called "Come quick. Alfie! Alfie!"

The creature came forward and Braddle hit one of its pincers with his dagger and it retreated back a little.

"Alfie! Alfie!"

A figure appeared in the garage. Braddle saw it standing there. It looked like a girl, a young girl. It had to be Alfie's sister, Lou.

"Lou! Lou!" he shouted. "Down here. Help us!"

"Who said that?" Lou replied.

"It's me, Braddle. I need your help. Quickly!"

Lou did not help. Instead, her figure faded and disappeared from view.

The creature came forward again. Braddle hit the other pincer. It retreated but not as far as last time.

"Alfie! Alfie!"

We'll have to go under the fold thought Braddle. There's no other way.

"Grenta, crawl under. We've got no choice."

Grenta did not move. Braddle could hear her crying.

"Grenta!" he shouted.

The creature moved forward again. Braddle positioned himself in front of her. This is it, he thought.

"Braddle! Braddle! Where are you?"

It was Alfie.

"Alfie! Down here. You've got to get this Boster. It's going to eat us."

Alfie dropped to his knees and quickly raised his magnifying glass.

"You mean this ant" he said.

"Whatever. Just get it!"

Alfie could see Braddle stabbing with his dagger and the ant closing in on him. He had to act now before it was too late. There was only one thing that he could do. One thing only. He placed his thumb over the ant and... squashed it. Without looking at his thumb and the ant-stain smeared on it, he quickly wiped it on the top of the plastic bag a couple of times and then a couple of times more on the rough garage floor, just to be certain. He then examined the thumb up close and shuddered.

Braddle crouched down by Grenta. She had her head buried in her arms.

"It's over. The boster has gone. Come and meet Alfie" he said.

Grenta raised her head and looked around. In the place where the boster had been there was nothing left except a smudge on the ground.

"Look, it's really gone" Braddle told her and laughed.

Grenta stood up and wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"Where is this giant then?" she asked.

"There."

Braddle pointed towards him. It took a few seconds for her to make sense of what she was seeing. When she did so her eyebrows tried to seek refuge in her hairline and her mouth dropped open.

"Come and say hello" said Braddle.

"I don't know" she said "is it safe?"

"Yes, of course it is. Alfie has just saved your life. He's not going to hurt you now."

Braddle took Grenta by the hand and led her out on to the middle of the shelf.

"Alfie this is Grenta a friend of mine." He then looked at Grenta. "Grenta this is Alfie who is also a friend of mine."

"Hello Grenta nice to meet you" said Alfie. "It is a good job that I came when I did otherwise that ant would be having breakfast now."

"Hello...Hello Alfie. Nice to meet you too. Thanks for getting rid of the boster though I'm sure Braddle would have defeated it eventually." She laughed. "What happened to it anyway" she asked, looking back to where it had stood.

"You don't want to know" laughed Alfie. "I don't think I do either" he added, wiping his thumb again on his jeans.

"Lou was here" said Braddle. "I asked her to help but she vanished."

"I know" replied Alfie. "I saw her run out of the garage. She said that the lawnmower was asking for help. I don't think she will be coming back in here for a while."

"What's a lawnmower?" whispered Grenta to Braddle.

Braddle shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe it's a horrible creature like the Fanged Spronger" he whispered back.

They fell silent. After a couple of moments, Grenta gave Braddle a nudge. She nodded in Alfie's direction. Braddle, though, was reluctant to speak. Grenta decided to do it for him.

"Alfie, Braddle has something to tell you. He needs your help."

"Oh yes. What is it Braddle?"

Braddle looked at Grenta. She urged him to speak.

"Well" said Braddle. "Yesterday my mother disappeared. She was taken by someone and I have vowed to find her."

"That's terrible" said Alfie. "Do you know who has done it?"

"No we don't" jumped in Grenta. "We think it has something to do with the missing counsellors but we don't know what."

"Important people have disappeared without a trace since we came here" said Braddle. "We don't know why it is happening but my mother seems to have been caught up in it."

"Right. How can I help you though?" Alfie asked.

"I don't know yet" said Braddle "but I want to be sure that you would if I asked you. I might want you to tear every building in Carporoo apart if that was the only way I could find her. If I can count on your help I am certain that I will get her back."

Alfie was silent for a moment. It was difficult to see how he could help. It was hard enough finding a tiny person who wanted to be found never mind one who was hidden.

"Of course I'll help you" said Alfie. "All you have to do is ask."

"This way mum. In here."

It was Lou and she was not alone.

"Mum's coming" whispered Alfie. "Have to go. Meet me here the same time tomorrow."

Braddle and Grenta waved then ran towards the end of the shelf and the path that led back to Carporoo. As they reached the corner they could still hear Alfie's voice.

"Just checking out the garage mum. Lou said that the lawnmower was talking to her. It's not talking now. Are you sure it wasn't the hedge trimmers instead Lou?"

"Alright. I haven't got time for this" mum replied.

"I did hear a voice" insisted Lou. "I did. I did. It was shouting. It wanted help."

Alfie looked down at the empty shelf. Don't worry Braddle. I will help you find your mother. Promise.

Chapter 14

Braddle and Grenta arrived home late afternoon. Grenta's father was working on the front door of their house with her brother, Blitter.

"Oh no" said Grenta "dad's up. I'll be for it now."

"I'll talk to him if you want" said Braddle.

"No, don't bother yourself. You've got other things to worry about" she said. "Thanks for introducing me to Alfie."

"Sorry about the Boster though" said Braddle.

"It wasn't your fault. I don't think I'll tell dad that I was nearly eaten today. I wouldn't be allowed out for ten years if I did."

She smiled at him.

"I hope you find your mother. If you need my help at any time just ask."

She gave him a kiss on the cheek then ran towards her house.

Uncle Malik was planing a piece of wood on the kitchen table when Braddle entered. He closed the front door quietly behind him and watched his uncle as he worked. After bending down and scrutinising the surface of the wood with one eye shut, he then set to work gently planing one edge of it as wood shavings gathered around his feet like locks of hair.

"Hello Uncle."

Uncle Malik spun round.

"Ah Braddle. I didn't hear you come in. Come here."

Braddle went over to him.

"What are you making?" he asked.

"I want to finish the kitchen cupboards before your mother gets back. It will be a nice surprise for her."

"Do you think we'll get her back?" asked Braddle, as he sat down.

"I'm certain of it" he replied. He placed the plane on the table and sat down next to Braddle. "I have to believe that we will. The thought that we may not is...." He stood up again. "Whoever has taken her will regret it. I will make sure of it...But first, you need to eat."

As he was preparing the food Uncle Malik asked about Alfie. Braddle told him that Alfie would help them in any way he could. He smiled at this but then said that it was difficult to see how a boy the size of mountain could help them find Frey. At least, said Braddle, they had a strong reserve force to call on. Uncle Malik nodded. They ate in silence. After the meal Uncle Malik yawned.

"You're tired Uncle why don't you get some sleep" said Braddle.

"How can I sleep with your mother gone? Impossible!"

"You'll be no good to anyone if you're too tired. While you're asleep, I'll go and see Drostfur. I'll wake you when I get back. I want to find out what is happening and I want to tell him about Alfie."

"I don't know".

Uncle Malik yawned again. This time the yawn had a ferocious quality to it.

"I think you're right. I will get some sleep. You must promise to wake me when you get back and promise that you be careful. We don't know who has taken your mother so don't trust anyone."

"I promise" said Braddle.

The light was fading by the time Braddle arrived at the Council building. He was dismayed not to have encountered one soldier throughout the journey there. He expected to see thousands of them searching every dent and dark space of the city for his mother but there was none to be seen. Even the Council Building was not as he expected. Instead of being the centre of a frantic and noisy search operation it was quiet and deserted. The great entrance doors were shut and most of the lights had been turned off as if...as if a normal working day had ended and everyone had left to enjoy another normal night. How could they just go home? thought Braddle. Things are not normal. They are not!

He had to speak to Drostfur.

The main door was locked so Braddle went in search of another way in. After walking round the building he eventually found an unlocked door at the back. It led to a quiet, dimly lit corridor with doors running along both sides of it. All the doors were closed. At the opposite end of the corridor was another door. It was closed as well. It must lead to the council chamber, thought Braddle. From there, it'll be easy to find Drostfur's office. Braddle opened the door slightly. He was right. It did lead to the Council Chamber. From the other side of it he could hear voices though. The voices were raised, angry, accusing.

Braddle sidled in to the Chamber and crept to the nearest pillar. He tilted his head and observed with one eye the scene in the centre of the Chamber. Drostfur and General Stoo were standing there facing each other. Behind each of them stood two soldiers. Drostfur was enraged.

"This is outrageous" he shouted at General Stoo. "You are an officer of this Chamber and of the people of Carporoo not its master."

"Drostfur, you must calm yourself" replied General Stoo, clearly enjoying the distress of the leading Counsellor. "The time has come for both you and this Chamber to be dissolved. From tomorrow, I will assume full control of the city."

"By what right? By what right?" Drostfur demanded to know.

"This, I think, gives me the right" said General Stoo and he raised his hand and made a fist. "This and the desperate need Carporoo has for it."

"No, Carporoo does not need you General" said Drostfur. "You are just another weak, self-deluded man trying to steal the strength of other people. Like all weak men you will only succeed by convincing the strong that they are weaker than you but the strong are not fools. They will, in the end, smash you into a thousand pieces."

"Save your flowery nonsense" said General Stoo. "It is meaningless and leaves me cold."

Drostfur straightened himself and looked directly in to the General's eyes.

"You are a traitor, a poor, deluded traitor. I feel sorry for you."

"How dare you speak to me like that" shouted General Stoo. "You..."

A strong hand grabbed Braddle's collar and practically carried him in to the centre of the Chamber.

"Get off! Get off!" shouted Braddle, as he tried to knock the hand away.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Take your hands off him" demanded Drostfur.

General Stoo nodded to the owner of the hand and the hand released its grip.

"Boy, you seem to have a knack of turning up where you are not wanted" said the General, "just like your father."

General Stoo smiled.

"Braddle, why have you come here?" asked Drostfur.

"I...I wanted to speak to you" said Braddle.

"Well you can do all the talking you want in a moment" said General Stoo.

General Stoo turned to confer quietly with the two soldiers behind him. Braddle glanced at Drostfur. He looked as if he was about to face Carporoo's ultimate punishment, a punishment reserved for those convicted of the worse crimes, of being thrown on to a spronger's web. He looked helpless and defeated. Braddle turned away.

"Well, it has been decided" said General Stoo. "You will be my guests until first light then you will both disappear."

"Disappear? Where?" asked Drostfur, glancing at Braddle.

"Don't worry" replied General Stoo. "You will not be harmed in anyway. Whatever you think of me I am most certainly not a brute. Besides, I have no need to harm you. Your permanent removal from Carporoo is all I desire and this can be achieved quite easily."

General Stoo addressed the soldiers standing behind Drostfur.

"Please escort our two guests to Drostfur's office and hold them there 'til morning. In the meantime I shall prepare my proclamation. Tomorrow" he said, facing Drostfur, "the people will learn that you, too, have mysteriously disappeared. I will declare that for the good of the people I am to assume executive control until the present danger has passed. The present danger, though, I can confidently say, will not pass."

"You are a disgrace to your uniform Stoo" spat Drostfur. "My last act now as lead Councillor of Carporoo is to strip you of the office of General. Whatever you are now you are no longer General of the armies of Carporoo. Come Braddle."

Drostfur turned and walked with as much dignity as he could carry towards his office. He was followed by Braddle and two soldiers. Behind him, Braddle could hear General Stoo call Drostfur a fool. He also heard him ask the other soldiers whether the cage had returned yet. They confirmed it had.

"Good" he said "the giant has now got two new pets."

Giant? Giant? Did I hear right? thought Braddle. We are to be handed over... to a Giant?

Chapter 15

It was late evening. In the distance, Braddle could hear voices. They were laughing. The sun, yet to begin its final roll over the horizon, caused everything to ripple with a slow, summer warmth. Braddle felt as if a brick wall had been built around him, close and impenetrable. He yearned to run through the warmth, to throw himself down within it, to join in with the laughter...but he could not. He listened to the voices in the hope that their sound would offer him an aural escape route but they did not; they were moving away, receding into the past. Drostfur had not spoken since they had been locked in his office. He sat in silence behind his desk staring at an invisible point on the opposite wall. Braddle looked at him, waiting for him to do something, willing him to do something, but it looked like he would sit there all night, unmoving. Braddle's stomach made a loud noise, which sounded, in part, like a loud squawk and a loud croak. Drostfur turned his head and looked at Braddle. He laughed.

"Hungry Braddle?" he asked.

"Starving" Braddle replied.

"Me too."

Drostfur rose from his chair and went to the door. He hit it hard with the side of his fist. The door opened and a soldier appeared.

"Given that it is not your intention, I presume, to starve us to death I would be grateful if you could supply us with some food."

The soldier hesitated, unsure what to do.

"At once!" ordered Drostfur.

"Yes sir" the soldier replied and closed the door.

"What are we going to do?" asked Braddle.

"Well, I think we should eat first" said Drostfur. "Don't worry. We are not beaten yet."

The soldier returned with a tray laden with bread, larva meat, fruit pieces and leaf juice. He placed the tray on the desk.

"Do you agree with this crazy plan of the traitor Stoo?" Drostfur asked the soldier. The soldier looked nervous but did not respond.

"You need to think hard about what you are doing" Drostfur told him. "The traitor will fail, I have no doubt about that. You need to decide whether you want to be brought down by his treachery or whether you will honour the uniform that you wear and stand with the Council and people of Carporoo."

The soldier, head bowed, closed the office door without replying and turned the key.

"A good man, I think" said Drostfur. "Well, let's eat up. There's more than enough for everyone."

As they were finishing off the last of the food two soldiers appeared at the window carrying a large sheet of wood. Without acknowledging the prisoners inside they placed the sheet up against the window and proceeded to secure it to the frame with hammer and nails. Braddle tried to keep a count of the nails used but he lost track after the fourteenth one. Drostfur lit the lamp that was on his desk and then sat back in his chair, calmly waiting for them to finish. When the last nail had gone in Braddle felt that all hope had, at last, gone out.

"Where were we?" asked Drostfur. "Ah yes, our plan of action."

"What possible action plan could we have?" said Braddle. "General Stoo has got us locked up and he has a giant helping him."

"Yes, I heard. Well, we have to stop him, do we not, and get your mother back in to the bargain? The mystery of her disappearance is solved, I think."

Braddle shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"At least we have to try."

"I suppose" said Braddle.

"After giving it some thought," continued Drostfur, "you need to speak to your giant and enlist his help. Only he can defeat this other giant. Do you think that he will agree to do this?"

"He has already agreed to help me find my mother" said Braddle "but whether he will do this, I don't know."

"Well, you must convince him" said Drostfur. "Before you speak with him you must go to your uncle first and tell him what has happened. We need to defeat Stoo ourselves and we need a fighting force to do so. Tell him he needs to assemble, in secret, as many trusted men and women as possible and await my orders. If he needs to contact me tell him I will be staying with Ipitch (though Ipitch has yet to learn of this honour). I, in turn, will await news from you on the success or failure of your giant. You can contact me through your uncle. Is that clear?"

"Yes" said Braddle "it is clear but aren't you forgetting something. We are prisoners of General Stoo and are locked in your office. How are we to do all this? By magic?"

Drostfur laughed.

"No, of course not. Come here and I will show you."

Braddle went round the desk and stood with Drostfur in front of the large wall map depicting the new city of Carporoo. Down one side of the map hung a cord. Drostfur pulled the cord and the map rolled upwards revealing a door.

"There is an empty storage room on the other side of this door" said Drostfur. "High up on the far wall there is a small window. Though small, the window is nevertheless large enough for both of us to climb through. Once through it will be quite easy to make our escape." Drostfur let the map roll back down. "We will wait though until night has quietened things down a bit more."

At first, Braddle did not take notice of the fact that Drostfur had a secret storage room. All he saw, at first, was an escape route. As he sat down and savoured the feeling that his situation was no longer hopeless, a question asked itself in his mind 'Why does Drostfur have a secret room attached to his office? What could it be for?' Normally, he would not have dared to ask Counsellor Drostfur why he had or did anything but given that they were both about to embark on a prison break and that he had an important part to play in Drostfur's plan to defeat General Stoo he felt that he had earned the right to know. He was about to ask the question but Drostfur spoke first.

"Get some sleep Braddle. You have got a busy night ahead of you and you need to rest. I will wake you when it is time to go."

Drostfur arranged the canvas sheets on the floor.

"You can lie here" he said. "I will use it after you have gone."

"Why, aren't you coming with me?" asked Braddle.

"I will give you a couple of hours head start" said Drostfur. "That should give you enough time to do what you need to do. The city will be swarming with soldiers once Stoo discovers that we have gone."

Braddle lay down and wrapped the sheet around him. How could he sleep? General Stoo is the...speak to Alfie...get mother back...His eyelids crashed shut.

"WAKE UP" said Drostfur. "TIME TO GO."

Chapter 16

"OW!"

His shoulder clipped the side of the house as the bike, after moving half a wheel length, tipped him towards it. He got off the bike and let it fall to the pavement. Stupid thing, he said to himself. It looks easy but it isn't really. I don't know how other people manage it. They don't look anything special but they must be.

"What's the matter?" said his mum, stepping outside.

"I hurt my shoulder" said Alfie.

"It looks alright to me" she said "Keep trying."

She disappeared back in to the house but re-emerged quickly after she heard him say that he was finished with it.

"You give up too easily" she said. "You've only been on it for about thirty seconds. You're not going to get anywhere in life if you give up every time something is difficult. Come on, have another go."

"I will, in a minute" he told her.

"No...the phone is ringing. I'll be back in a minute" said his mum.

I wonder if Braddle can ride a bike, thought Alfie. I'm not sure whether they even have bikes. I'll have to ask him. If they haven't then he doesn't know how lucky he is.

He walked over to his brother's football that was resting in the car port and kicked it hard towards the garage door opposite. It sounded as if a stick of dynamite had been thrown at the door rather than a premier league football.

"My my, that is noisy" said a voice from the other side of the fence.

It was Mr Nicholls. Alfie did not respond. What could he say? He placed the ball in the centre of the pavement and tapped it gently back towards the carport. It would soon be time to sneak into the garage and see Braddle again. I wonder whether he has found his mum yet, thought Alfie. I don't know what I could do to help though if he hasn't. It would cause a bit of a shock, I think, if I suddenly turned up with my magnifying glass and started a house to house search. He imagined the populace running panic stricken through the streets. He looked upwards and smiled to himself. If a gigantic eye appeared overhead and began to peer through their windows he would probably do the same, he thought. He would be off down the road before it had time to blink.

"Can everyone come here please?"

It was his mother calling from inside the house.

Alfie found his mum sitting in the living room. His sister Lou was already sitting next to her.

"Call Francis" his mother told him.

Alfie went to the bottom of the stairs and shouted up. His brother's bedroom door opened.

"Hurry up" he called.

"I've got good news" his mother said, when they were all assembled. "Your father has just phoned and said that he can get off work next week. This means that we can go on holiday."

"Oh" said Alfie.

"Really?" asked Lou.

"Nice one" said Francis.

"It didn't look as if we could get away this summer" his mother continued "but now it looks like we can."

"Do we have to go somewhere?" asked Alfie "I'd rather stay here."

"Yeah, you can stay" said Francis. "I think we should go to Ibiza."

"I want to go to Africa" said Lou.

His mother laughed.

"I'm afraid we can't afford to go abroad this year. Maybe next year. We're going to the south coast."

All three of them looked at her puzzled. Before disappointment could take hold she quickly added that it was to be an adventure holiday. There would be loads of activities including rock climbing, quad biking, horse riding and white water rafting. This did the trick.

"Brilliant" said Francis. "The quad biking and rafting is definitely for me."

"I want a horse" said Lou. "Can we buy one?"

"No we can't buy one" said her mother "but you can ride on one if you like."

Lou ran around the room with a big grin on her face shouting "Come on horsey!"

Alfie sat in silence. He wasn't sure about the activities on offer. Climbing up a steep rock did not seem like fun. His mother heard his thoughts.

"Don't worry Alfie you don't have to do what you don't want to do. The whole point of the holiday is to have fun. Ok?"

His brother stood up irritated.

"Yeah, you can play with your dolls if you'd rather."

"Leave him alone Francis. I'm sure Alfie will surprise us all. Yes, I'm certain of it" she said, smiling at him.

"When do we go?" Francis asked.

"Saturday" she replied.

"Saturday! That's in four days" said Alfie.

"At least clever clogs can count" said Francis as he left the room.

Lou turned quickly and threw herself on to him.

"Alfie, can you pretend to be a horse?" she asked him.

"NO" he told her and left the living room too.

Alfie stepped off the back door step in to the sunshine. It was suddenly quiet outside. There was no distant lawnmower growling furiously at the grass beneath it; there was no music leaping over the fence like someone else's escaped tiger; even Mr Nicholls had given his garden a break from knocking it about and disappeared inside. He closed his eyes and let the silence drift over him like a cooling breeze. At least I have the tiny people, he said to himself. At least I have Braddle. A faint sound slithered in the silence. He opened his eyes. What was that? he asked himself. He looked around. There it was again. He strained his ears and waited for it to sound again. It was a voice. The voice sounded weak. It sounded desperate. It was coming from the garage. Yes, definitely from the garage. He moved closer to it. The voice was calling. It was calling to...to him. It was Braddle. Braddle was calling his name.

Chapter 17

"Braddle, it's me Alfie."

"Alfie, at last. I've been calling you" said Braddle.

"I know you have. I don't think anybody else heard though or we'd have a problem."

"Problem? I've got enough of those already."

"Why? What's happened?" asked Alfie.

"I'll tell you in a minute but first I need food. I'm starving."

"I'll get some. Wait here."

Alfie ran back to the kitchen. He could hear his mother and sister in Lou's bedroom. It sounded as if they were choosing holiday clothes as he could hear his mother say that it might be chilly at night. What could he get a tiny person to eat? There were no strawberries left. His father had finished them off yesterday. He opened the bread bin. He could give him a bread crumb but decided against it. Would be too dry he thought. It would be impossible to butter a bread crumb even with a magnifying glass. He opened the fridge door and looked around. There was an opened tin of spaghetti hoops. One of them would be more than enough, he thought. He took a teaspoon from the draw and scooped one spaghetti hoop out. He returned to the garage as quickly as he could holding the teaspoon out in front of him. Kneeling down by the bottom shelf he carefully pushed the hoop off the spoon with his little finger a little bit away from Braddle. Even from that distance it was clear that the hoop was the size of, if not a house, then most certainly a modest bungalow.

"What is that?" asked Braddle.

"It's a spaghetti hoop" said Alfie. "They're delicious. I have them every day."

Braddle poked it with his finger. It was soft and wet. It looked like the kind of food that would be served up in a bad dream but he was hungry and he simply had to eat. Without his dagger, though, he was not sure how he could get a piece.

"Are you sure this is food?" he asked Alfie.

"Yeah. The best food there is."

Braddle pushed his hand slowly into it and then pulled off a piece. Alfie heard munching noises. After a few minutes he heard Braddle gasp the word 'delicious'.

"Do you like it then?"

"Very tasty" answered Braddle, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "When this is over you will have to give me another one. I'd like to see what Uncle Malik thinks of it."

"When what is over?" Alfie asked.

"You won't believe it Alfie" Braddle said. "I can hardly believe it myself now. Everything is falling upwards."

"What do you mean?"

"General Stoo has taken over Carporoo. He took both me and Drostfur, the proper leader of Carporoo, prisoner yesterday."

"Prisoner? You were taken prisoner?" asked Alfie. "If you were taken prisoner then how come you are here?"

"We escaped" said Braddle.

"You escaped?" asked Alfie.

"Yes. Well, I hope Drostfur escaped. He helped me to escape but then he stayed behind to make sure that I got away safely. He was going to escape later."

Alfie had never met anyone who had been taken prisoner and then escaped before. It sounded exciting. Braddle, it seemed, was having the kind of adventures that he could only dream of. What made it even more fantastic was the fact that they were happening in his back garden.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Alfie.

"Drostfur has a plan. Before I came here last night I went to see my uncle. Drostfur has asked him to put together, in secret, a fighting force. Uncle used to be a soldier and he knows a lot of people who also used to be soldiers."

"What did your uncle say?"

"He ran around the kitchen and then thumped the kitchen table. I've never seen him so excited. He said something about his hands. They were never meant to be a chair or something like that."

"So there's going to be a battle?" asked Alfie. "A real battle? In our back garden?"

"Yes" said Braddle proudly.

"When?"

"Very soon" said Braddle "but first you need to do something."

"ME! What can I do?"

"General Stoo has taken the people who have disappeared. He took my mother as well. The people have not just disappeared though. He has handed them over to a giant."

"A giant!"

"Yes a giant has them. He was going to give Drostfur and me to it as well."

"You mean a person like me? A person like me has them?"

"Well, you are a giant aren't you?" asked Braddle.

"Yeah, I suppose I am."

Somebody else knows about the tiny people, thought Alfie. Not only that he has also taken some of them as well. Who could it be?

"You need to find this giant, stop him from helping General Stoo and get him to give our people back" said Braddle.

"WHAT? You want me to do WHAT?" exclaimed Alfie.

"Alfie come here please" shouted his mother from the back door.

"Who's that?" asked Braddle.

"My mum. I'll be back in a minute."

Alfie ran out of the garage. Braddle picked a piece of the spaghetti hoop and ate it. It didn't look good. He had imagined that Alfie would have gone straightaway to challenge the other giant but he seemed reluctant. Without his help it was difficult to see how Drostfur could be successful. The other giant could be General Stoo's secret weapon. He could crush all opposition with one stamp of his foot. General Stoo could be in charge for ever with an ally like that. No. Alfie had no choice. He had to help them.

Alfie returned.

"Braddle, I've got to go shopping with mum. We're going on an adventure holiday on Saturday and we need to get some holiday clothes."

"An 'adventure holiday'? What's that?" Braddle asked.

"It's when you go away somewhere and do loads of exciting things like rock climbing and canoeing."

"That means we haven't much time. You need to stop General Stoo's giant now."

"Look" said Alfie "wait here. I won't be long. When I get back we'll talk about it again."

"I've got no choice but to wait here" said Braddle. "I can't go back to Carporoo until I know for certain that you can do what I ask."

Alfie ran back out of the garage. Braddle sat down on the shelf next to the spaghetti hoop and rested his arms on his raised knees.

"Don't be long Alfie," he called.

Chapter 18

"Drop me off at Alex's" Francis said, as he sat on the front seat next to his mother.

"I'll pick you up on the way back" she replied. "I shouldn't be more than an hour."

Alfie knew his mother couldn't go shopping for just an hour. In every shopping trip he had ever been on, time had been stretched and then stretched a bit more and then a bit more with the effect that it always lasted two or three times more than planned.

Normally, the prospect of going shopping filled him with dread but not today. The shopping trip had arrived like a saviour. He needed to get away. He needed time to think. The idea that he should confront a giant working with that general, General Stoop or Stoot or something like that, oozed uneasiness like pus from a wound.

His sister hit his knee with a pink wand that had been lying on the back seat.

"Get off will you" he shouted.

"Lou, that's enough" said his mother "and Alfie keep the noise down. It didn't hurt that much."

"Well, I just want to be left alone" he said.

He turned away from his sister and looked out of the window. Who could the other giant be? Could it be any of his family? Could it be one of his parents? It seemed incredible that his parents could be involved. His parents were simply that, his parents. They did not have, as far as he could see, interesting or exciting lives. It was impossible to imagine either one of them acting as a henchman for a renegade general staging a coup d'etat. No. It wasn't possible.

The car came to a halt outside Alex's.

"I'll see you later mum" Francis said.

"I'll just get you a couple of t-shirts Francis. I don't think you need anything else."

"OK, but don't get them with stupid writing on."

His mum laughed.

"Ok. I won't get anything that says 'action hero' or 'I'm with gorgeous'. Promise."

His mother did a U-turn and took off back up the road.

Might it be Francis, he thought. Again, he thought not. The person involved would have to spend time in the back garden but Francis did not bother going out there much nowadays. Usually, he was either out at his friends or in his bedroom doing homework or playing computer games. Besides, if he had discovered the tiny people he would have been incapable of keeping quiet about it. It would have been something else to boast about. How about Lou? Too young, he concluded. The fact that she got scared when she heard Braddle's voice in the garage proves, also, that she did not know of the existence of the tiny people. If it wasn't any of his family, thought Alfie, then who could it be?

His mother indicated and followed the line of traffic into the retail park. The car park was almost full and it took her quite a while to find a parking space. After cruising slowly, like a shark searching for its next meal, up and down the rows of cars she pounced on a vacant bay in the centre of the park.

The act of shopping was long and drawn out. It involved picking things up and putting them back; having clothing placed up under your chin and scrutinised or dangled from your waist and scrutinised again; it involved going into changing rooms and trying on a variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts and shorts. Sometimes it was Lou's turn, other times it was his. Alfie did not mind though. When his mother and Lou had gone in to the eighth changing room that day Alfie sank down onto a vacant settee outside the cubicles. It was only then, as he relaxed, that the awfulness of Braddle's situation struck him. How could I be so selfish? he asked himself. Braddle has lost his mum and dad and does not know whether he will see them ever again. If that General wins then he may not. It would mean, also, that Braddle could never go home. It would not be safe to go back. Braddle has come to me for help and what do I do? he asked himself. I don't say YES. I don't say I WILL HELP. I abandon him. I leave him alone in the garage and go shopping. Alfie stood up. He felt sick. No. Sorry Braddle, he whispered to himself. I WILL HELP YOU. I WILL.

His mother came out of the changing room with Lou. They were both laughing.

"Mum I need to go home now" said Alfie.

"Soon. We're nearly done" she replied.

"I want to go home. There's something I need to do" he pleaded.

His mother looked at him. He looked as if tears were about to gush from his eyes.

"What's the matter? Has someone said or done something?" she asked looking around.

"No. I just want to go home."

"Alright. I've just got one more thing to get and then we're done."

Francis climbed back in to the front seat and shut the door. He noticed Alfie looking miserable on the back seat.

"What's the matter with smiley?" he asked his mother.

"I don't know. I think he's just tired."

Who could the other giant be? thought Alfie. Who could the other giant be? The car turned the corner and entered their road. It had to be someone who had easy access to the tiny people. Someone who could deal with them without being seen...Someone who lived close by...Someone who lived on the other side of Caporoo. His mother drove the car in to the driveway. Mr Nicholls was working in his front garden. His mother waved to him. He waved back and smiled.

Alfie looked at Mr Nicholls sweeping his garden path and realised who the other giant was.

Chapter 19

As soon as they were back in the house his mother insisted that he have medicine. After she had spooned it into him she gave him a hug.

"We can't have you going sick now, can we?" she said. "We've got a holiday to look forward to."

Alfie waited until she had taken the shopping bags upstairs then headed for the garage. Braddle must have fallen asleep for he did not reply to his calls right away. Eventually, he shouted out "Here. Still here, Alfie." He sounded dejected.

"Are you ok?" asked Alfie, sitting down on his sister's child-size garden chair.

"Not really" he replied. "I'm stuck here. I don't know what is happening. I may never see my family ever again."

"Well, I've got good news for you" said Alfie. "I think I know who the other giant is and I promise you that I will get him to return your friends."

Alfie could almost sense Braddle jump to his feet and punch the air.

"Really? Who is it? How do you know?"

"It has to be Mr Nicholls, our next door neighbour. There's no one else it could be."

"So he hasn't told you then?" asked Braddle.

"Told me what?"

"That he has them."

"No, he hasn't but I know it is him" Alfie replied.

"I can't go back until we know for certain" said Braddle. "I need to know that you can do what you say otherwise I won't be able to convince Drostfur and the others that General Stoo can no longer rely on his giant."

Braddle began to pace up and down the shelf deep in thought.

"I don't think you should speak to the giant yet, he is obviously evil and we don't know what he is capable of. So I think you need to sneak over there and see what the spronger has on its web."

"What?"

"Go over there" said Braddle, sounding each word out carefully as if he was talking to a young child, "and find out, without him knowing, whether he has any of the Carporoo prisoner."

If a jaw dropping could make a sound then Braddle would have heard what sounded like an earth quake rumbling through the garage. Alfie recovered himself and closed his mouth. He had promised to help. He couldn't back out now.

"Ok" he said. "I'll do it later."

"No. You need to do it now" said Braddle. "We don't have the time to do it another time."

Alfie fell silent. It might be better to do it now, he thought. Given that Mr Nicholls was in his front garden, he could get in to his back garden through the loose panel in the fence behind the garage and creep carefully to the living room window without being seen. He might, if he was lucky, find proof of the tiny people within and be back through the fence in no time. It could all be over in five minutes.

"Alright. I'll do it now."

Alfie stood up and marched slowly out of the garage.

"Uncle Malik would be proud of you" called Braddle after him.

Alfie crouched down and pushed the fence panel with the palm of his hand. The panel did not move. It seemed to be stuck. He placed both hands on it and pushed hard. The panel moved forward an inch then stopped. When was this fixed? thought Alfie. It had been loose for as long as he could remember and suddenly, when he now actually wanted to climb through it instead of just imagining doing so, it happens to get fixed. Can't give up now, he told himself. Mr Nicholls was in the front garden still. This was his best chance to get the proof that Braddle desperately wanted. His dad's favourite saying pointed to itself in his mind: 'don't see an obstacle, see an opportunity.' What the opportunity was here, though, was not clear. An opportunity to give the fence a kicking? An opportunity to use his dad's saw? An opportunity to give up? He looked upwards. If he couldn't go through it, he realised, then he would have to go over it. The large wooded panel rested on a small concrete wall and was held between two concrete pillars. Between the panel and the base there was a small gap. If he put...

His left foot crunched down on a small bush as he landed on the other side of the fence. He stepped off it quickly and stood with a garden-statue stillness scanning the windows of the house to his right and listening, as if for a sniper's bullet, for any sound coming from within it. His intrusion in to the garden had not been noticed. The house was silent and still like a dozing crocodile.

The garden was as Alfie has expected it to be. In contrast to his own, it was neat, tidy and colourful. The grass in the centre was a work of art. In fact, it did not look like grass at all. It looked as if a perfectly square piece of cloth had been stretched on the ground. The cloth had a green, velvety sheen and seemed to exist in two dimensions only, length and width. The cloth stopped about a metre from the fence. In the space in between, there was a border that contained a flaunting of fabulous colour from the many shrubs and flowers. Alfie looked down at his feet and saw that some of this colour was now crushed under his feet. He jumped quickly on to the cloth. Opposite, in the bottom right corner, was a garden shed. This was the same shed that he had seen through his bathroom window. Up close it looked even better maintained than viewing it from afar. The image of how it appeared through the bathroom window came to him and he realised that he was actually in Mr Nicholls' garden. He was actually trespassing on Mr Nicholls' property. If he got caught now, what excuse could he give?

He took a couple of paces forward, stopped and looked toward the house expecting to see a face pressed up against a window or a fist banging on it. Encouragingly, there was no sign of either Mr Nicholls' face or fist. He continued, slowly, to the paved area in front of the living room window and stopped again. It felt as if the window ledge, the drainage pipe, even the bricks themselves knew he shouldn't be there and were about to scream out for all to hear. He looked towards his own house on the other side of the fence expecting it to have run off muttering 'property boundaries are sacred, I don't want any part in this outrage'. With relief he noticed it was still there. He went to the living room window and crouched down. The room was empty. He noted the television in the corner. A couch opposite. A sideboard with a large fish tank on it. Photographs on the wall. There was nothing to suggest that there were tiny people imprisoned in there. This is stupid, he told himself. If Mr Nicholls has the tiny people, how could I find proof by just looking through his living room window? He realised that it was wishful thinking. He had half-hoped to discover them on the inside window sill either in chains, breaking rocks, or engaging in some other activity that prisoners engage in. Whatever they were doing he had hoped that they would have been easily seen. But no. He decided to head back over the fence and break the bad news to Braddle. He stepped on to the grass and looked at the garden in front of him. I wish dad could make our garden look like this, he thought. He took another step and froze. The sound of a key unlocking the back door ran towards him like a furious, fuming pit bull.

Mr Nicholls was coming! Mr Nicholls was coming! He had to hide. He realised that he couldn't make it back to the fence. Mr Nicholls would see him as soon as he stepped out. Behind the shed, he told himself. Behind the shed! Go! Now! He made it to the shed before his heart pounded out another beat. There was a gap to the right of it about half a metre wide. He threw himself into it just as Mr Nicholls turned the corner of his house and entered the garden. He crouched down, panting hard. What could he say now if he got caught? What would his parents say? He wanted to cry. He wanted to run. Calm down, he told himself, you haven't been caught yet. He turned slowly on his heels and peered, carefully, around the edge of the shed. Mr Nicholls was standing there looking towards his roof. He suddenly looked away and turned towards the shed. Alfie pulled back. He's coming this way. Did he see him? He felt him coming closer.

"AHA" Mr Nicholls said.

Alfie squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the hand of Mr Nicholls to grab him and pull him from his hiding place. The hand, though, did not come. Where is he? Alfie opened his eyes and peered again around the shed. Mr Nicholls was on his knees by the border that ran alongside his fence. He stood up slowly and turned round. In his hands he held a small, clear box. The box was small enough to hold in the palm of one hand but he held it in two. He then walked slowly towards his back door. He was talking to the box as he did so.

"I hope you are comfortable in there" Alfie just about heard him say and then "My, I've never seen the box so full."

Mr Nicholls disappeared in to the house. Alfie, like a pole-vaulter but without the pole, disappeared back over the fence.

"Well, what happened? Did you get the proof?" asked Braddle.

Alfie slumped on to the chair next to the shelf.

"Give me a minute" he said. "I've hurt my knee."

He pulled up a trouser leg and looked at his leg. There was a deep graze on his left knee but, surprisingly, blood was not dripping down his shin.

"I've got the proof" said Alfie. "Mr Nicholls does have the tiny...your people, I mean."

"You were right!" shouted Braddle, triumphantly. "Now we're getting somewhere."

"There's more though" continued Alfie. "He's just taken some more now. It looks as if your general has given him a lot of people. I heard him say that the little box he collects them in was full."

"This doesn't look good" said Braddle. "I need to go back now. I need to find out what is happening. Uncle Malik and Drostfur might already be gone."

"It might be better to wait until its dark" suggested Alfie. "You don't want to be captured now, do you?"

"They won't take me prisoner again" said Braddle, defiantly. "But you are right. I'll wait until tonight."

"What's the plan?" asked Alfie.

"I don't know yet but I need to tell Uncle Malik and Drostfur that you can get our people back. You must defeat this other giant and get him to release the prisoners."

Alfie rested his head in his hands.

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"You will think of a way. Tomorrow is Wednesday. So as to give both you and us enough time you need to get the giant to hand over our people on Friday."

"Well it has to be Friday at the latest because I won't be here on Saturday. That's the start of my holiday."

"Well, that settles it" said Braddle. "It has to be Friday."

He heard his mother call from the kitchen that his tea was ready.

"Time for food" said Alfie.

"I'll just help myself to some more of this spaghetti hoop" said Braddle

Alfie didn't move. How was he going to persuade Mr Nicholls to give up the tiny people? The image of himself crouching down behind the shed, shaking and about to cry, came to him. He started to laugh. Was that actually him? The sound of his laughter filled the garage. Braddle listened to the laughter. After wiping spaghetti hoop juice from his mouth with his sleeve he started to laugh too.

Chapter 20

Braddle stood on the rise that led back up to the garage, to the world of giants, and down into the new, tiny-vast metropolis of Carporoo. He looked at the yellow flag hanging limp at the top of the flag pole. It needed the wind to dance but the air lay heavy on the ground, unmoving. He was relieved to be home but something felt different about the city...it felt as if he had caught it, within the darkness of night, undergoing a secret change. He felt as if it was becoming something else; no longer _his_ city, no longer _his_ home. Carporoo was becoming a garden locked behind a high wall that belonged to someone else and that 'someone else' did not like trespassers. This place is just as much mine as it is his, Braddle told himself. It is just as much mother's, Uncle Malik's and Grenta's as it is his. Balls of flickering light spread across the city in all directions. The nearest was on the far side of the Building Materials Repository nearby. He decided to take a closer look and ran down the rise. At the corner of the Repository he stopped. He should be cautious. Pressing himself against the wall, he peered round.

He pulled his head back quickly. The light was from a burning torch around which a group of soldiers either sat talking quietly or lay dozing on the ground. Why has General Stoo ordered the soldiers on to the streets? It cannot, surely, be for me, can it? He had to get home fast and speak to Uncle Malik... if he was still there. He turned away from the light and ran in to the dark streets of the city.

The journey home was a long one. He was forced to take many detours to avoid the burning torches of General Stoo. Other than the soldiers nobody else was out of doors. It felt as if the city had been emptied and everyone had been handed over to that Giant Nicholls. He moved carefully through the shadows, down alleyways and through building sites. It was difficult to know, at times, whether he was going in the right direction still but the impossibility of remaining where he was forced him on regardless. Eventually, just as the night time sky was beginning to lighten, he discovered that he was standing at one end of his street. At the opposite end, in the distance, a torch burnt brightly.

Braddle ran to the nearest house and took refuge behind it. He had to get home. Even though the soldiers were close by he couldn't give up now. Uncle Malik might still be there, he hoped. If he stayed in the shadows of the row of houses and tiptoed silently from one to the other, like the ghost of a spronger, he could make it home without being seen. The sky was getting lighter. No time to wait. He crept stealthily along the front of each house and ran through the gap between them. His house was the eighth house down. He reached number seven without too much difficulty; the torch was still a way off and the soldiers did not seem to be interested in patrolling the area. Instead, he heard laughter and someone shout 'Give that here!' From number seven he looked towards his house. The gap between it and number eight was quite large. That's strange, he thought, I don't remember the space between our houses being that big. There were dark shapes in the gap. What are they? He took two steps into the gap and then realised what it was. It was his house. It had been destroyed. They had turned it into a heap of rubble! NO NO NO, he muttered to himself. He wanted to run towards the soldiers and throw himself amongst them. He wanted to punish them; to make them pay but he knew it would be a foolish thing to do. Uncle Malik. He had to find Uncle Malik. One edge of the night sky was beginning to glow. Day would soon be here. He had to hide. He looked past the pile of rubble. Grenta, he said to himself.

With the soldiers at the end of the street nearby, it was obvious that he couldn't approach the front door. They would be on him before the door was even opened. The only option then was to try round the back. In the dawn light, Braddle studied the back of the house. There were three windows. The one in the centre was quite large whilst the other two, on either side of it, were a lot smaller. All had curtains drawn across them. The two smaller windows looked like bedroom windows. He had no choice, he realised, but to choose one of them and hope that it led to Grenta's bedroom. To wait outside was too risky; he needed to be indoors fast. He chose the window on the left. He was about to tap on it when he noticed a crumpled sock on the window sill inside. Would Grenta leave a sock like that on her window sill? he asked himself. I don't think she would somehow, he concluded. No, I don't think she would. He decided to try the window on the right instead.

After drumming gently on the window with two fingers Braddle held his breath as the curtain inside was pulled back a little way. Grenta's face appeared.

"Braddle!" he heard her call.

He raised his finger to his mouth indicating that she should be quiet. He then mouthed that she should let him in whilst pointing at the window. She opened the window quickly.

"Braddle" she whispered, "where have you been?"

"Let me get in first" he whispered back.

He grabbed the window ledge and pulled himself through the open window. He landed on the floor of her bedroom after she tried to help by pulling on his belt.

"Quick, close the window and curtains" he told her.

"You look tired" she told him. "Sit down."

There were no chairs in her bedroom and so he sat on the corner of her bed.

"Are you hungry?"

"No. Not really. I've been munching on a Spaghetti Hoop all night but I could do with a drink."

"Spaghetti Hoop? What's that?"

"I'll tell you later."

Grenta quietly opened her bedroom door and disappeared in to the darkness on the other side of it. Her bedroom was small and sparsely furnished. Besides her bed there was a wardrobe in one corner and a dressing table in the other. On the wall above her bed was a bookshelf. It was full of books. On her dressing table there was, neatly arranged, a hair brush and comb, a small holder with different coloured pencils and a stack of paper. The top of her bed still gave the impression of its occupant having recently made an emergency exit. The pillow had a deep hollow and the blanket was scrunched up and pushed to the side. Braddle moved himself further on to the corner of the bed. Grenta returned carrying a glass of water and handed it to him. He took it from her and gulped it down.

"What's happened to our house?" asked Braddle. "Where is Uncle Malik?"

"It was terrible" said Grenta. "The soldiers came yesterday morning. We heard them breaking the door down and shouting to each other. They then went to all of the houses in the street. They asked whether we knew the whereabouts of your Uncle and you. Father spoke to them. They told him that you were traitors and that if we should see you then we should tell them straightaway."

Grenta shook her head.

"Don't worry though" she said "I won't tell them you're here."

"Thanks" he said.

"A little bit later on" she continued "we heard a tapping on the roof. Father went to have a look and saw your Uncle hiding up there. We got him down and into the house without the soldiers seeing him."

"Uncle Malik! He's here!"

"Not anymore. When things had quietened down a bit Father and my brothers helped smuggle him to the house opposite."

"The house he was working on?" asked Braddle.

"Yes."

"Is he still there?"

"Well he was last night. Father went and spoke to him."

"I've got to talk to him now" said Braddle, standing up. "I've got to tell him something."

"It's still early" she said. "It would be better to wait until its daylight. Father can help you get over there. You don't want the soldiers to get you."

Braddle sat back down.

"Alright. I'll wait a little longer."

He rubbed his face with his hands and stifled a yawn."

"But what happened to our house?"

"In the afternoon, before your Uncle had left, the soldiers came back with someone important. We could hear them calling him General. He was here only a couple of minutes. When the soldiers started to smash the house up, he disappeared. Your Uncle wanted to run out. He said that he would snap the thin thing with the shiny armour like a twig. Father had to hold him down otherwise he would have done it."

"Yes, that sounds like Uncle Malik" said Braddle.

Braddle stifled another yawn. Now that he knew that his Uncle was safe and hadn't fallen in to the hands of General Stoo and his Giant, fatigue began to claim a hold over him.

"What happened to you?" asked Grenta. "Where have you been?"

Braddle told her about how Drostfur and he were taken prisoner by General Stoo; about General Stoo's plan to take control of the city and how he had a giant helping him; about his escape and meeting with Alfie; and how Alfie had discovered who General Stoo's giant was and how they had agreed that Alfie was to stop this giant and force him to return the prisoners.

"I am certain that this Giant has my mother" said Braddle "and he might even have..."

He hesitated and looked at his hands.

"Your father?" Grenta asked.

"Yes" he said. "That's why I need to speak to my uncle right away. Drostfur is organising the resistance and he needs uncle's help. I need to tell them that Alfie will defeat General Stoo's giant and all of our people will be coming back."

"Are you sure that Alfie can do this? If he's General Stoo's giant then he must be horrible."

"Mr Nicholls is his name and I am sure that Alfie could eat him for breakfast" said Braddle.

Braddle could not stifle it any longer. The yawn was just too strong and had the force of about ten suppressed yawns.

"It's still very early" said Grenta. "You need to have a rest. You won't be able to help anyone if you are exhausted."

Braddle was about to protest but he had to acknowledge that he did feel exhausted. The day ahead was going to be an eventful one and he needed to be alert and strong to face it.

"Alright. I'll have a short rest but you must promise to wake me in about an hour."

She agreed.

"You have the bed" she told him. "I've got some chores to be doing round the house. No one will disturb you here."

Grenta left and closed the bedroom door behind her. Braddle felt weary. Just a quick sleep he told himself. There's no point getting in the bed. I'll just lie on top. He placed his head in the hollow and was asleep by the time his eyelids closed.

Chapter 21

He couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried. A terrible glue held his legs, his back, his arms and his head. He tried to push himself forward but it felt as if the weight of the world was pulling him back. He was high up. Carporoo was far below. He saw it as a giant would see it. Am I a giant now? he asked himself. He turned his head slightly to the right and noticed a scattering of silken bundles. He knew, instantly, what they were just as he knew that in the one nearest to him his mother lay asleep. He wanted to go to her. But how? He turned his head slightly to the left. Maybe there was something there that might help. It must have been waiting for him to look at it for the giant spronger, breathing heavily, fifty metres away, sprang forward and charged towards him, jaws jabbering. No! he screamed, closing his eyes. He pushed, pushed hard. No! No! The shadow of the spronger fell over him. No!

He opened his eyes. His face sweat-washed. The spronger transformed in to an unpainted ceiling. The ceiling in Grenta's bedroom.

"You're safe. It was only a bad dream" a familiar voice said to him.

Braddle turned his head and saw Uncle Malik sitting on the dressing table stool. He jumped out of bed and stood in front of him.

"Well, I know you're a famous adventurer now but you can still give your old Uncle a hug."

Braddle laughed.

"But let me get off this stool first" he said. "I don't think it's designed to take my weight."

Uncle Malik stood up and Braddle threw his arms around his chest.

"Why are you here?" asked Braddle.

"Your little friend came to see me this morning and told me that you were here."

Braddle looked towards the window. Though the curtains were still drawn it was clear that it was day light outside.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"Midday" his Uncle told him. "We thought it best to let you sleep. How do you feel?"

"A lot better now" said Braddle.

"Well come through and have something to eat. You need to keep your strength up."

Uncle Malik moved towards the door.

"But Uncle there's so much I need to tell you" said Braddle.

"Don't worry. Grenta's told me everything. I'll tell you all what's happened here after you've eaten."

"Our house" said Braddle. "Our house is gone."

With the word 'gone' he felt tears surging around his eyes like hot tadpoles. His Uncle had worked meticulously on their new home and now his hard work had been reduced to a pile of rubble.

"It is done" his Uncle said "and there is no point dwelling on it. I promise you, though, that once this business is over you, me and your mother will build a better one together. Now, let's eat."

"Oh, here he is. Sit down my sweet. You must be hungry" said Grenta's mother to Braddle as she blew a strand of her auburn hair from her face, a strand that had escaped from the hastily constructed bun on top of her head. "You sit next to Grenta." She then disappeared into the kitchen.

The family were already sitting round the dining table. Grenta, her father and her three brothers, Blitter, Stant and Frohn. Braddle took the seat in between Grenta and Blitter and Uncle Malik took the seat next to her father. Grenta smiled at him. Her father nodded a greeting. Her three brothers nodded as well. Grenta's brothers were older than Braddle. They were tall like their father and thin like their mother. All three had their mother's reddish-brown hair but Blitter and Stant, the oldest two, followed their father's style and had it cropped short with a curve of hair left to grow around the ears (her father said it was a family tradition but Grenta thought it looked silly all the same) whilst Frohn let his grow in any way it wanted.

"Blitter can you come and help me please" called her mother from the kitchen. Blitter pushed his chair back with a sigh and went to her. As he walked past Stant his elbow connected with his head.

"Get off" shouted Stant.

"Enough of that" her father said, quietly.

The brothers immediately quietened down but Frohn, sitting on the other side of Stant, had to look down to stifle the laugh that wanted to rip through the dining room.

"I would like to say" said Grenta's father, coughing, "that I am sorry to hear about the trouble you're having at the minute. As I have already said to your Uncle, you are amongst friends here and we will do everything we can to assist you and deliver you from this terrible predicament."

He stopped talking and looked around the room. Braddle noticed that his cheeks had reddened slightly. There was an awkward silence until Grenta spoke up.

"Well, I will do whatever I can."

"Yes" said Stant "with the Morrie family on your side you can't lose."

"Yes. Invincible we are" said Frohn, laughing.

Braddle looked at his Uncle who nodded at him. He realised he had to say something.

"Well...thanks...it's very much..."

"Foods up!" announced Grenta's mother, as she and Blitter arrived from the kitchen carrying two large dishes each. The dishes were placed in the centre of the table.

"As our honoured guest you shall go first" said Grenta's mother to Braddle.

Everyone sat in silence as Braddle helped himself to a bowl of stew, bread and a side portion of vegetables. When he had finished she invited Uncle Malik to go next. He filled his bowl to within a millimetre of its rim and took a chunk of bread. When he had done the Morrie family adopted the principle of 'every man for himself' and all made a grab for their portion.

After the meal Uncle Malik told Braddle that they had to talk. They were joined by Grenta and her parents. Her brothers had been sent out to salvage what building materials they could from Braddle's house.

"They will be rebuilding soon, I am sure" Mr Morrie said. "Put the good stuff to one side. I'll come out and help later, if my back eases off."

"Did Drostfur escape?" asked Braddle.

"Yes, he most certainly did" said his Uncle. "He managed to get to the safe house as planned."

"I was worried he hadn't because Alfie told me yesterday that the giant Nicholls was given lots of people by General Stoo."

"That would be the remainder of the Ruling Council" said Uncle Malik. "General Stoo rounded them up along with their families."

"How can he do it?" asked Braddle. "Why are people letting him get away with it?"

The adults looked at each other.

"Well" said Grenta's mother "everyone's afraid. General Stoo has convinced most people that Carporoo is under attack. When people are afraid you can get them to do a lot of things they wouldn't normally do."

"He asked the Counsellors and their families to go to the barracks for their own protection" said Grenta's father. "Like fools they went."

There was a shout in the street outside. It was a soldier's voice. It was demanding to know what someone was up to. Grenta ran to the window and looked out. The soldier was speaking to her brothers.

"He's shouting at Blit" she told her parents.

They both looked at each other open-mouthed.

"It's ok" she said "the soldier is going away again. Whatever Blit said to him looks like it's done the trick."

"Get them back in Joster" said Grenta's mother. "It's too risky."

"There's no point now Anni" said her father. "The soldier has gone. Besides, if they stop now it might arouse more suspicion."

Grenta came back from the window and sat down by her mother. She took hold of her hand.

"Why are the soldiers camping all over the city?" asked Braddle.

"It's a good move on General Stoo's part" replied his Uncle. "The reason given is that they are there to protect the city and the people from the fugitive Drostfur and his secret society but in reality they are ready to deal with any trouble if any trouble starts."

"It looks hopeless" said Braddle. "How can we fight against an army?"

"I wouldn't say it's hopeless" said his Uncle, standing up. "As long as we can still do something then we have to believe it isn't. I am not ready to concede victory to that deluded, shiny twig yet."

His Uncle put on his jacket.

"Right, let's go" he said to Braddle.

"Where are we going?"

"To see Drostfur. He needs to hear what you have to say."

Braddle went to Grenta's bedroom to get his coat.

"Can I come?" asked Grenta.

"Absolutely not" said her father. "It's too dangerous. You stay here with your mother."

"Please. I can help" she pleaded.

"No, your father is right" said her mother. "It's not safe. You stay here with us."

Braddle returned with his coat.

"We'll take the back streets" said his Uncle. "It won't take long to get there."

Braddle thanked Grenta's parents for their hospitality and turned to go.

"Wait" said Grenta.

She ran to Braddle and kissed him on the cheek.

"Take care" she said.

Braddle blushed. His Uncle smiled.

Chapter 22

In less troubled times, a line drawing of the journey to Ipitch's house would have been quite straight with a few zig zags along its length. On that Wednesday afternoon, with the streets serving as a camp site for the soldiers of Carporoo, it would have resembled the path taken by a blindfolded man lost in a maze. Uncle Malik led Braddle through the newly created back streets and alleyways of Carporoo towards Ipitch's house and then away from it again, then towards it, again. We must avoid contact with the soldiers he told Braddle. Eventually, after a couple of hours of dizzying toil they arrived at their destination.

During the journey Uncle Malik told Braddle what had happened to him since they had spoken late on Monday night after Braddle's escape from General Stoo. Because of the late hour, he told him, he had decided to wait until morning before embarking on his mission but the soldiers came early. He only just managed to fall through the kitchen window before they broke in. That was exciting enough, he said, but hiding on the Morrie's roof was even better.

"It's not so easy to take an old campaigner like me prisoner" he said, laughing.

Once the soldiers had done their worst to the house Grenta then helped him to get across to Moogcheek's house opposite.

"She's a great girl and I think she likes you...though I don't know why" he said with another laugh. "I can definitely hear wedding bells in about twenty years."

"Wedding bells! Twenty years!" Braddle exclaimed, embarrassed.

"Yes" his Uncle said. "You don't want to get married too young now, do you?"

It was easy, he continued, to leave from Moogcheek's house and visit his old comrades spread across the city. He managed to visit about twenty of them and all of them volunteered for duty starting with Moogcheek himself.

"That's not many" Braddle had told him. "We wouldn't be able to do much with just twenty soldiers. General Stoo has got thousands."

"Maybe not at the moment" his Uncle had replied "but it is a start. Everyone I spoke to will speak to other people they can trust. Hopefully, we can build something substantial quite quickly."

"What's the plan?" asked Braddle.

"Don't know yet" he said. "We'll have to see what Drostfur has to say."

Ipitch's house was quite large. It had two floors, a big front door with two large bay windows either side and a large garden, though the ground had only, as yet, been marked out for future work. To Braddle's amazement the house looked finished. Clearly, Mr Ipitch was a wealthy man who could afford to pay others to do it for him. Uncle Malik banged on the front door with his fist.

"Now, let us step back a bit" he said "so the occupants can see that we are not General Stoo's pet spronger."

They stepped back a few paces and waited.

"Don't let Ipitch's manner bother you" advised his Uncle. "He can be a bit direct and he despises fools. Problem is that he sees fools everywhere. Over all though, he is a good man. Used to be my commanding officer."

"Direct?" asked Braddle.

"Nothing serious. He just prefers straight talking and, as I have personally witnessed, politicians and poets both love him for it."

The front door snapped open. "Quickly", a voice called.

When inside Braddle and his uncle waited until the door was closed and locked again. Uncle Malik had a big smile on his face as he looked at the man who was now locking the door. The man was short, stocky and bald. When he turned round Braddle observed that his face was exquisitely wrinkled and that he seemed to have poor eyesight for he screwed his eyes up slightly as if he was forcing them to focus on what was in front of them.

"Belay, is that you?" he asked of the man. "My god, isn't old age a terrible thing."

Belay chuckled.

"You know it is. Besides, have you looked at yourself recently? You look like my father."

"You wouldn't think" said Uncle Malik to Braddle "that this little, fat, ugly man once thought he was the handsomest soldier in the whole of the army. Totally deluded he was. Just like half of the women in Carporoo."

Braddle thought both men were bitter enemies and were about to start throwing fists around but suddenly they both burst out laughing and hugged each other.

"What have you been up to?" asked Uncle Malik. "I haven't seen you for years."

"Not much" replied Belay. "Earning a living and waiting to die. Until now, that is. How about you?"

"I didn't think it was going to be, but life has been good since I left the army" replied Uncle Malik. I have my niece, Frey, and Braddle here to thank for that."

Belay turned to face Braddle. He screwed his eyes up tight.

"Ah, so this is the famous Braddle, the boy with the giant?"

Braddle was unsure what to reply. He hadn't thought of himself as famous or, even, as having a giant. Before he could respond though Belay continued.

"Don't worry we'll defeat this Stoo and get your mother back, won't we Malik?"

"That's the plan" said Uncle Malik. "Is Drostfur still here? We need to speak to him right away."

"Yes, Drostfur is still here. Come, I'll take you to him."

Belay led them down the hall and through a large living room.

"It was lucky that you came now. Drostfur is about to hold a meeting. Ten of us have managed to get here."

"Who contacted you?" his Uncle asked.

"Flut. He came to see me after you had spoken to him. It was like I had woken up from a dream once he told me what was going on."

Belay stopped outside a door on the far wall of the living room.

"They're in here" he said.

After knocking gently Belay opened the door and flicked his head to signal that they should go in. Braddle entered first. As he did so eleven heads turned to look at him but because the room was small it felt at least twice the number.

"Ah, Braddle, you're here" said a voice he recognised. It was Drostfur.

Drostfur rose from his seat and came over to him. Braddle assumed he was grinning but it was hard to tell through his beard, which seemed to have grown bushier since they had last met.

"I am glad to see the return of my fellow escapee" he said. "I think we can teach these old soldiers a thing or two. Don't you think Belay?"

"Maybe them" replied Belay, pointing at the others in the room, "but certainly not this soldier," pointing at himself with his thumb.

"Let's hand you over to General Stoo and see what happens then" a voice called from somewhere in the room. "You'd probably get stuck in the window."

Everyone laughed, even Belay himself.

"Well Braddle, I think we all need to hear what you have to say" continued Drostfur. "Come and sit over here. Formal introductions will have to wait, though I think I should, at least, introduce you to Ipitch, the owner of this house and the man who has kindly given me refuge."

Ipitch was sitting in a chair facing the assembled group. Despite his old age, emphasised by his grey hair and beard, he still looked strong and mentally sharp. Braddle could see that he was a man used to commanding others and being deferred to. Drostfur took Braddle to him, made the introductions and then turned to his Uncle. At first, Ipitch sat in silence, scrutinised his face and then looked into his eyes. Braddle did not turn away. At last, he spoke.

"I understand you have befriended a giant" he said. "Can you trust him?"

"Yes" replied Braddle. "I think so."

"You think so? You 'thinking so' may not be enough young man. How can _we_ trust him?"

Braddle wanted to tell him that he had no choice but he remained silent.

"Does your giant have a name?"

"Alfie" he replied.

"Alfie? Why do these giants insist on giving themselves such silly names?" he asked.

The question was not directed at anyone in particular and no answer was demanded of Braddle.

"What does your giant do? What is his role in his world?"

Braddle told him that he was still at school.

"School? You mean to tell me that your giant is a child?"

Ipitch looked as if he had just taken a hit to his solar plexus. He looked shocked and on the verge of doubling up in agony. The urge to defend Alfie, to defend himself, took hold of Braddle and forced him to raise his voice.

"Alfie is the bravest giant there is. Though he could crush the whole of Carporoo with one hand, he has decided to help us."

The look of pain disappeared from Ipitch's face and was replaced with a faint smile.

"I hope you are right young man. I hope you are right" he said.

"Well, let's make a start" said Drostfur, sitting down next to Ipitch. "Braddle, you sit next to me, here."

Braddle sat down next to Drostfur and faced the assembled guests. All of them were sitting down, except his Uncle and Belay who were standing by the door, and they were all looking at him. Two of the group were women (one of the women was smiling at him and when he glanced at her she winked) and another, who was a lot younger than the others, wore a grey soldier's uniform. Up until a week ago the soldiers of Carporoo were, for Braddle, something to be admired, something to be aspired to, but now they all appeared to be the malevolent possessions of General Stoo; they were things to be avoided, to be feared. How can one be here?

"Friends" said Drostfur "I would like to thank you for being here and I would like to especially thank Malik for contacting most of you and Ipitch for giving me a refuge in his home and allowing us to meet. We are now, unexpectedly, living in dangerous times and you have come here at great risk to yourselves and families and for that I and the whole of Carporoo thank you."

"We will fight..." a large man, with a wondrously large face, sitting in the centre of the group, said then fell silent. He hadn't finished his sentence but it looked to Braddle as if he felt that he had said enough.

"I see Tableface hasn't lost any of his oratorical magic" said Belay from the corner of the room. Everyone laughed including Tableface himself.

"We all know why we are here" continued Drostfur. "Stoo with the aid of an unknown giant has deposed the ruling council and is attempting to install himself as the sole ruler of Carporoo. He has already handed over to this giant many of our friends, including this young man's mother, and he will continue to do so until all opposition to him...disappears. We must stop him and, in my opinion, we must do so quickly otherwise his power will take root and spread its poisonous and self-serving tendrils into every home. Before we discuss what action we should take, though, I have been informed that Braddle here has something important to tell us about Stoo's giant."

Everyone, including Drostfur, fell silent and looked intently at Braddle. He felt his cheeks grow hot and his mouth go dry. He looked at his Uncle. Uncle Malik smiled and mouthed silently 'for your mother.' Braddle coughed and looked at the group in front of him.

"Alfie, my giant" he said "has discovered who General Stoo's giant is. It is his neighbour, a Mr Nicholls and he has promised that he will stop this Mr Nicholls and force him to return all of the people he has taken."

"When is this to happen?" asked Ipitch.

"Now" said Braddle.

"NOW?" spat out Ipitch. "What do you mean NOW?"

"I mean that he will do it now but we decided that the prisoners shouldn't be returned until Friday morning. We thought that there was no point in them coming back if General Stoo was still in control."

Ipitch looked as if a giant eye had unexpectedly appeared at his bedroom window as he was undressing for bed. It took a few moments before he could gather his thoughts and remember how to use his vocal cords.

"Let me get this clear" he said. "In less than two days General Stoo's giant will return the Ruling Council and others to us and he will do this because your child-giant will give him no choice?"

"Yes" said Braddle.

Ipitch frowned and shook his head.

"I think" said Drostfur "that we have no choice but to assume that Alfie will do as Braddle says. We have no choice but to prepare for their return otherwise they will just find themselves back in the hands of Stoo. Next time their disappearance might be more permanent."

Braddle looked at his Uncle. He felt scared. The thought of his mother back in the claws of General Stoo was too horrible. The thought that he would have helped to bring it about was unbearable.

A familiar voice spoke out and ruptured the silence. It was Uncle Malik.

"Then" he said "we must remove General Stoo by Friday morning."

"WHAT?" shouted Ipitch. "IMPOSSIBLE! IMPOSSIBLE."

The rest of group echoed Ipitch's 'impossible' and added others to it:

'OUT OF THE QUESTION', 'CRAZY' and 'RIDICULOUS' were shouted out repeatedly. Even Tableface joined in. After shouting "How..." he fell silent again, however.

"Some resistance you lot are" shouted Belay.

"We are not strong enough yet to attack General Stoo" shouted back Ipitch. "There's no way we could do it and win."

Braddle watched the uproar around him. It was pointless, he thought. General Stoo has won. It would be better for his mother to remain with Mr Nicholls. At least she was safe. He had to get back to Alfie quickly and tell him. Everyone was on their feet except, he noticed, the young soldier. He remained silent. He looked at Braddle and raised one eyebrow. He then cleared his throat and spoke up.

"There is a way to defeat General Stoo by Friday morning" he said "but you need to calm down first and return to your seats."

Everyone sat down.
Chapter 23

The soldier waited until everyone had returned to their seats before speaking further. Those in front of him pushed their chairs to the side giving him a clear view of Drostfur, Ipitch and Braddle. Drostfur then nodded for him to continue.

"For those who do not know me I am Telter, Sergeant Telter. Some of you may know my father, Glat."

"A fine man" said Belay. "We served together in the Spronger Division. He was..."

"Silence" said Ipitch. "You can reminisce when this is over."

"Unfortunately" continued Telter, "my father could not come today. After speaking to Tableface he was ready to play his part but his health is not good. He urged me to come in his place."

"I am glad that you have come" said Drostfur. "I knew your father well. You say that there is a possibility of defeating Stoo. How so?"

"Well, tomorrow night General Stoo is holding a ball in the council building. I've heard that quite a few people have been invited including his family and other high ranking supporters. We could slip into the nest and surprise the Gruts as they are hatching. With minimal effort we could take the whole lot prisoner."

"Now that's a plan I like" said Belay.

"But when we have them prisoner what do we do then?" asked Ipitch. "We can't stay locked in the council building forever."

"No" said Telter "but it gives us a chance to convince the people of Carporoo that General Stoo and his supporters are the real traitors, that they are responsible for the disappearances. Most people, including most soldiers, don't know what to believe. All they've been told is that Leading Councillor Drostfur was plotting their destruction and that General Stoo has put a stop to it. Once they know the truth General Stoo's plan crumbles."

"So Drostfur could make a speech from the council steps and victory would follow?" asked Ipitch.

"Not exactly but if the disappeared suddenly turn up at the council building in the morning then everyone would see for themselves that Drostfur was right and that General Stoo was the real villain."

Telter fell silent and let everyone contemplate the brilliance of his plan. Ipitch struggled to find a flaw in it but he could not. Belay slapped Uncle Malik on the shoulder and Uncle Malik gave Braddle the thumbs up. Braddle smiled.

"I think I speak for all of us" said Drostfur. "We accept your plan. I have one question, though. The area surrounding the council building will be well guarded. How can we gain entrance without arousing suspicion?"

"That's easy" said Telter. "My company will be on duty inside the building. There are about ten of my comrades that I can rely on and trust. I will ensure that we are stationed at the rear of the council building. At an agreed time we will unlock the door and let you in. All you have to do is make sure you are there to be let in."

Drostfur stood up and looked at the assembled group.

"Well, there we have it. There is still much to discuss but refreshments at this point would be welcome, I think."

The meeting ended three hours later. After much chin-stroking discussion and, at times, finger-pointing argument the details of the plan were finally settled with everybody's roles agreed. The assault force amounted, in total, to approximately one hundred and twenty men and women, including Sergeant Telter and his ten comrades inside the Council Building. The rest of the fighters were to be recruited from the network of ex-soldiers to which most of the attendees belonged. Twenty of the company were to secure the place on the outskirts of Carporoo where the giant collected his captives. They were to gather the returning prisoners and safely lead them to the Council Building. Another ten were to station themselves at the front of the building and create a diversion thereby allowing the bulk of the force to slip through the back door and in to the chamber. There was a lot of debate about what kind of diversion it should be. Some favoured a more forthright scene involving a sharp shower of rocks and a vigorous swiping with sticks. Others favoured something more raucous and good natured involving too much beer, chanting and an attempt at gate crashing. Due to the advanced years of the participants and the need not to arouse suspicion amongst General Stoo and the other guests the latter option was, eventually, chosen to the disappointment, mainly, of Belay.

Braddle, Uncle Malik and Belay left Ipitch's house quickly and headed for the nearest side street. Braddle felt as if he had just sat a six hour maths exam in which, he was certain, he would get top marks. Within the fatigue there was elation. The plan was a good one and it would succeed, he had no doubt.

"Well Belay" said Uncle Malik "make sure you get a good night's sleep tonight. I don't want to have to carry you in to the Council Building snoring like a fat-neck."

"Don't worry about me" replied Belay. "I'll be through the door before you. I always could and I always will run faster than you."

"Yes, but there won't be a young woman on the other side of it this time" laughed Uncle Malik.

"How do you like the plan Braddle?" asked Belay.

"It sounds good" he replied.

"It's the best we can do under the circumstances" his Uncle said. "If it's successful then come to the Council Building early on Friday morning. If it's not then stay with the Morrie's."

"I'm coming with you" said Braddle, calmly.

"I don't think so" his Uncle said. "It's too dangerous."

"Uncle, I have to come with you. If it fails then I would rather be with you. Without you I would have nobody left. Besides, there wouldn't be a plan if it wasn't for me."

His Uncle looked at Belay for an indication of what he should do. Belay remained silent but raised an eyebrow as if to say 'where's the harm.' Uncle Malik sighed.

"Alright Braddle you can come but stay close to me, you hear?"

Braddle smiled and threw his arms around his Uncle.

"That's settled then" said Belay. "Against us three General Stoo hasn't a chance."

They stopped at a crossroads.

"I go this way" said Belay. "I've got one question though and I haven't had a chance to ask it yet."

Both Braddle and his Uncle turned to face him. Belay frowned and looked at the floor. He then looked at the sky and then at his companions."

"Have I been asleep for the last sixty-three years?" he asked.

"No. I don't think so" Uncle Malik replied, puzzled. "Why?"

"Where have these giants come from, all of a sudden?"

Chapter 24

Grenta rested her chin on her hands and glanced out of the window. The light outside was thinning as if a dark mixture, from an unseen hand, was being steadily poured in to it. Night was approaching. Her parents and brothers sat quietly alongside her in the living room. Braddle and his uncle, in the room next door, were making final preparations for their stand against General Stoo. In five minutes, they would be gone. Why didn't her parents and brothers want to go with them? They seemed relieved not to do so; content to wait on the side lines and let others act on their behalf. This waiting was not for her, though. She would not sit passively and wait on others doing the big things in life. No. Most definitely not. She would go with Braddle and his uncle. Yes she would.

Uncle Malik placed both of his hands on Braddle's shoulders.

"Ready?" he asked.

Braddle suddenly felt afraid. It felt as if his insides were shaking; as if his skeleton wanted to slip away and be by itself somewhere, maybe in the old Carporoo, lying down on the roof of the old house looking up at the sky. His uncle put his arms around him and hugged him tight. The shaking stopped.

"I am ready" said Braddle.

"Pay attention to what I'm saying" his uncle said. "I want you to stay close to me at all times and do exactly what I say. As soon as we are in the Council Building find a hiding place and stay there until I give the all clear. Fighting, real fighting, is not a pleasant thing. It is messy, brutal and bloody. I don't want you in the middle of all that. Hopefully, with surprise on our side it won't come to that but we can't rule it out."

"I promise" said Braddle.

"Besides, if you get so much as a scratch your mother would kill me" his uncle said laughing. "With these old legs of mine she'd have no trouble catching me."

"Do you think that we'll see her again?"

His uncle's face became serious.

"Yes I do. I don't plan to lose. Your mother will be back with us tomorrow. I am certain of it."

At that moment his uncle seemed bigger than any giant from Alfie's world. Braddle believed him.

"Let us go then. Belay will be waiting for us."

When they entered the living room all of the Morries stood up.

"Well good luck" said Mr Morrie. "I'm sure that we will be seeing you tomorrow."

"Braddle you should stay with us" said Mrs Morrie. "Let your uncle and his friends deal with this General Stoo. I'm sure that the boys and Grenta would like you to."

After a glance from Mrs Morrie, all of the boys agreed that he should stay with them but Braddle declined.

"No, I have to go" said Braddle. "I want to go where my Uncle goes."

"Grenta, can't you convince him?" Mrs Morrie asked.

"No. I don't think so" she said. "I'm going too."

"WHAT?!" screeched Mr Morrie. "I don't think so young lady. You WILL be staying here."

"What on earth is she saying?" stammered Mrs Morrie. "No daughter of mine is going to a... to a bloodbath. I mean...I mean..." She couldn't find the right word, glanced at Uncle Malik meekly and sat back down.

"I want to go" insisted Grenta. "I want to fight with Braddle."

"You will be doing no fighting I can assure you" said Mr Morrie, with the confidence of a man who expects to be obeyed in his own household. "Say goodbye to Braddle and Malik and take yourself off to your room."

Grenta suppressed the anger that was forming into a sharp point within her and went to Uncle Malik.

"Good luck" she said to him.

"I like your fighting spirit Grenta but your father is right. You should stay here."

She then went to Braddle.

"Good luck, Braddle."

Braddle smiled at her and then, to his own surprise more that anyone else's, he kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you soon, Grenta. I promise."

Grenta went to her bedroom. Braddle and his uncle headed out into the fading light.

Belay was waiting for them at the agreed rendezvous point by the new Arena. He was sitting on a large stone watching the passers-by head towards the centre of the city.

"They all can't be guests of General Stoo" he said to Uncle Malik when they approached him. "Look at that one there. Could do with a good leaf-bath!"

"Obviously, General Stoo's celebration ball is not a secret. Some people must want a closer look" said Uncle Malik.

"Must do. Some people like to see their betters enjoy themselves. Makes them feel reassured. I don't understand it myself though."

"Whatever the reason, it makes our job easier if there is a crowd. You and your striking looks won't stand out as much" said Uncle Malik.

"Yes, it has that advantage" said Belay, with mock seriousness.

Belay pushed himself off the stone and stretched his back.

"Well Braddle, are you ready to crack some heads?" he asked.

"Erm...I think so" said Braddle, quietly pleased that Belay thought of him as someone who could crack heads if he wanted to.

"Braddle won't be cracking any heads that's for sure" replied his uncle. "Let's go, we don't have much time."

All three set off towards the Council Building about half an hours walk away. They walked in silence for about twenty minutes until Belay happened to glance behind. He noticed a figure run, suddenly, behind a wall thirty metres away. He faced forward and muttered quietly to his companions that they were being followed.

"We don't have time to dance with him now" said Braddle's Uncle. "We need to deal with him fast. Turn here."

The figure, observing Braddle and the two men turn left, sprinted after them and stopped at the corner. After a count of three it eased one searching eye round. The eye, however, did not have time to see the heavy hand coming towards it but it did fill with water as the hand grabbed an ear and pulled it forward.

"OW!" screeched the figure. "GET OFF!"

"Grenta! What are you doing here?" shouted Braddle.

Belay let go of the ear.

"Do you know this spy?" he asked.

"She's not a spy" said Braddle. "She lives next door."

Grenta stood there rubbing her ear.

"That hurt. You nearly pulled it off" she said.

"Grenta, you know you shouldn't be here" said Braddle's uncle. "You have to go back home."

"I don't want to. I want to go with you."

"Impossible. We don't have time to argue. You need to go now."

"Please, I won't get in the way. I can help Braddle."

A group of soldiers standing at the end of the road they had just turned into began to take an interest in them. One began to point their way.

"We don't have time for this" said Belay. "We are attracting too much attention."

"I don't like it but you'll have to come" said Uncle Malik. "Stay close to Braddle at all times. Let's move on quickly."

Braddle and Grenta walked together behind the two men.

"Why did you come?" asked Braddle. "You didn't have to."

"I couldn't let you have all of the fun" she replied.

"This is not going to be fun Grenta. It's serious. If we lose you might never see your family again."

Grenta went quiet and looked at Braddle.

"I know it's serious" she said, finally, "but you need a friend by your side."
Chapter 25

It seemed to Braddle as if the Council Building had been persuaded to join General Stoo's side. On its front, draped above the main door, was a large portrait of General Stoo in gleaming armour with an expression on his face that did not come naturally to the real one. It suggested strength and determination but also generosity and benevolence. The building wore the portrait like a badge, ostentatious and over-the-top, as if it was desperate to show its allegiance to the new regime. Around the building was a chain of lit torches and then another chain of soldiers standing to attention. For Braddle, the most surprising thing of all, however, was the large crowd gathered in front of the building. It wasn't protesting nor was it on the verge of smashing the windows and rampaging up the steps. Rather, it looked as if it was enjoying itself and pleased with how the night out was going. There was laughter as certain, talented individuals entertained parts of the crowd with songs and poems; others were dancing in small groups around small fires to the sounds of a Stringer. Occasionally, there was a surge of excitement as the Council Building door opened and closed again for, it seemed, no apparent reason. Confused, Braddle stood and watched the scene. His Uncle must have guessed his thoughts for he said:

"Don't be upset Braddle. There are many, many more people who have not come. Even a fool can have supporters."

Belay spat loudly onto the ground in front of him.

"Come on. Let's get round the back. The others will be waiting."

Grenta screwed her face up and looked at Braddle.

"Disgusting" she said.

"I know how he feels though" replied Braddle.

The crowd curled round the back of the building but it became less dense as it did so. Braddle and Grenta followed Malik and Belay around the edge of it. When they were in line with the door, the door that Braddle had used when he visited Drostfur, they stopped.

"We will wait here" said Uncle Malik. "When the signal is given and that door opens run to it as fast as you can. We'll be right behind you."

"How long to go?" asked Belay.

"Any moment now, I think" replied Uncle Malik.

It was difficult to know how many of the crowd were part of their group or whether, in fact, they had all managed to arrive in time. Braddle looked around him. A little further away he noticed Ipitch. He was talking quietly to another man wearing a cloak and a large, floppy hat. They were flanked by two other men who were listening intently to what he was saying. The other man must be Drostfur thought Braddle. The building was about twenty metres away. Around it, the lit torches continued with soldiers standing on guard every five metres or so. The space between the soldiers and the crowd was clear. Braddle turned to Grenta standing next to him.

"Your parents are not going to be happy Grenta" he said to her.

"No, I don't think they will" she said. "How could they expect me to stay in my bedroom though? I wanted to help you and your uncle."

"I don't know how you can help but I'm glad you're here all the same."

A loud roar came from the front of the building. The roar was followed by screams and shouts.

"The diversion has started" said Belay. "Get ready."

Ipitch left Drostfur's side and walked into the empty space between the crowd and the building. The soldiers on guard watched him but did not move. Then with his best military voice, a voice perfected over forty years of military service, a voice that could easily reduce a grown man to tears, if he wasn't quick about it, he addressed them.

"WELL? WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THE BUILDING IS UNDER ATTACK. GET YOURSELVES TO THE FRONT!"

The soldiers looked at each other unsure what to do. They were under orders to remain in position until their commanding officer told them otherwise and their commanding officer was not someone you disobeyed. He would not think twice about throwing any soldier he deemed unfit to be in his company into one of the spronger divisions. The noise from the front of the building continued. One soldier stepped forward and looked at his comrades.

"MOVE IT! NOW!"

The soldiers moved. They moved very quickly indeed, as Ipitch, ex-general Ipitch, knew they would. When the last soldier had sprinted around the corner of the building he strode to the door and knocked. The door sprung open. After a quick word to the man inside he turned to the crowd and nodded.

"This is it! Go!" shouted Belay.

Braddle and Grenta ran forward. They were the first to the door and ran inside. As she did so, Grenta failed to notice the look of astonishment on Ipitch's face as she ran past him and in to the building. Behind them it felt as if a rain-river had suddenly formed and was rolling and crashing towards them. They were told to get to the end of the corridor fast. They ran to it, passed soldiers pressed close against the wall, and stopped. Turning they saw the rain-river solidify into the men and women of their small army. Braddle's uncle was standing in the middle of it. The top of his head could just be seen. Belay had been swallowed up, though Braddle could hear him hiss to someone "mind my foot." When the last one was in, the door was slammed quietly shut. Ipitch, followed by the young soldier who had been at the meeting in his house, squeezed through the crowd to where Braddle and Grenta were standing.

"You two young ones stay back until this thing is done" he said. "Well, we need to move swiftly. You all know what to do. Sergeant Telter will let you into the chamber a handful at a time. Go to your positions quietly without arousing suspicion and wait for the signal. Sergeant, over to you."

Sergeant Telter opened the door and looked in the chamber. Immediately, the sound of music and laughter danced through from the heat-heaving room. Braddle heard two men talking not far from the door.

"Can you believe it?" he asked. "They pulled their trousers down and stuck their bare behinds in the air..."

"Really? Disgraceful" the other man said.

"...Then a fight broke out."

"If only I had been there. I would have taught them some manners."

"Don't worry, they will be. They are all under arrest now. General Stoo will deal with them in the morning. You know how he despises coarse behaviour of any kind."

"I should think so to. Things will be done differently in Carporoo now thanks to General Stoo. The quicker we make a start the better."

The men walked away. Sergeant Telter indicated that the first five should go through. After a minute, another five followed them. When Uncle Malik and Belay reached the top of the line, Uncle Malik told Braddle that he should stay hidden and look after Grenta. Before Braddle could reply that he would, both his uncle and Belay were gone. The last in line were Drostfur, Ipitch and five other men. Drostfur held the floppy hat in his hand. Sergeant Telter informed them that General Stoo was standing on a raised platform with two other men at the far end of the chamber. He was about to give a speech.

"Right" said Ipitch. "Drostfur you remain here until it is safe to come out. I and these other gentlemen will apprehend General Stoo. Sergeant as soon as the building is secure escort the Councillor to the platform. Make sure you leave enough soldiers behind to guard that door though."

Sergeant Telter said he would. With that, Ipitch and the other men entered the chamber.

With the door slightly ajar, they listened quietly to what was happening inside. They heard a voice call for silence. General Stoo was, indeed, about to make a speech. When the room quietened down, General Stoo began.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, loyal friends and devoted patriots..."

Drostfur shook his head.

"Not long to go now" he said to Braddle and Grenta. "Tomorrow we shall have our own celebration and you two shall be guests of honour."

"The misrulers, the traitors, the, dare I say, politicians have...gone from our midst and now Carporoo can assume her former greatness..."

"Braddle, things may get a little heated in here" said Drostfur. "When the trouble starts it would be better for you and your friend to head to my office. As you know, it has a means of escape. Hopefully, you won't need it but, if we do not succeed, then you and your friend should get as far away from here as you can."

"Alright" said Braddle.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he does as you say" said Grenta.

Drostfur laughed.

"I'm sure you will young one" he said.

"Undesirables, the unproductive, those who do not know their place - all the leftovers discarded by a well-fed spronger - are no longer welcome. They..."

General Stoo let out a loud screech. This was followed by screams from his audience and a crashing noise as if a large table had just been overturned.

"Go now" said Drostfur.

Braddle grabbed Grenta's hand and ran into the chamber.

Chapter 26

The council chamber was in uproar. After sprinting a few steps Braddle and Grenta were forced to a halt by a man falling over a chair and landing at their feet. People were running around in all directions. Small fights were breaking out in different places. At the far end, they could see General Stoo on the platform. He, along with the two men standing with him, was held securely by Drostfur's men. Each had a knife to his throat. Ipitch himself stood at the edge of the platform watching calmly the combat in front of him. The main entrance door was being barricaded. In front of the men working on this, stood his uncle, Belay and Tableface. Four soldiers charged at them. Uncle Malik sent one flying backwards with a punch then grabbed another quickly and shoved him towards the centre of the chamber. Belay took a punch to the jaw then countered with a quick combination that sent his attacker crashing into a colourful petal arrangement standing nearby. Tableface gathered the fourth one up in his arms and threw him after his comrade who was lying groaning on the floor.

"Grenta, this way quick" said Braddle.

He led her round the edge of the room towards Drostfur's office. Ipitch's voice then boomed out: THAT IS ENOUGH! STAND DOWN! YOU ARE SURROUNDED! The fighting was not ready to stop, however.

"Drostfur's office is just around this corner" said Braddle.

As he turned, he felt something hard hit his cheek. It knocked him backwards onto the floor. For a moment, it felt as if the inside of his head had dimmed. It was difficult to focus. This sensation disappeared but left in its wake a searing pain in his cheek. He heard Grenta scream.

"Leave him alone! Stop it" she shouted.

"I'll deal with you next" a voice said.

The voice was familiar. Braddle looked up and saw Naster standing there.

He jumped to his feet and faced him.

"Well Brittle" said Naster "How dare the likes of you spoil our celebration. When I've finished with you, they'll be sweeping you up like the rubbish you are."

Braddle felt anger surge within him. He took a deep breath but remained outwardly calm.

"Well Nitter, when I've finished with you they'll need a mop" replied Braddle.

A look of fury spread across Naster's face and he charged forward. He swung his fist towards Braddle's left eye but Braddle deftly spun round and evaded it. As he turned back, he slammed his elbow into Naster's nose. There was a crunching sound. Naster yelped and dropped to his knees, hands over his face. Between his fingers blood seeped.

"PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS," bellowed Ipitch, "GENERAL STOO HAS BEEN ARRESTED!"

The running around, the shouting and the fighting all stopped and everyone looked towards the platform. General Stoo, terrified and visibly shaking, looked back with his eyes closed. Ipitch, after signalling to Sergeant Telter, began to issue orders.

"THANK YOU. ALL GUESTS AND SOLDIERS ARE TO PUT DOWN THEIR WEAPONS AND ASSEMBLE IN THE CENTRE OF THE CHAMBER. THOSE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO DO SO WILL BE DISARMED AND ESCORTED."

People began to move. Slowly at first then with more haste. Some limped whilst others had to be carried. One of those that had to be carried, Braddle noticed, was the man who had been thrown by Tableface.

"You best be moving" said Braddle to Naster. "I'll ask my Uncle to have a look at your nose."

Naster stood up. There were tears in his eyes. Silently, he walked to the centre of the chamber.

"We've done it" said Grenta, excitedly.

"Looks like it" said Braddle. "Let's find Uncle Malik."

Uncle Malik, Belay and Tableface were standing on guard duty by the main door.

"This one will live" said Belay, as they approached.

He helped the man, who he had sent crashing into the display of colour, to his feet and dusted him down.

"Sorry about that young man but you gave me no choice. Hopefully, when this is all over we can sit down and have a drink together."

The man gave Belay a puzzled look and then staggered over to the prisoners in the centre of the room.

"Well, what do we have here?" he asked. "Has Braddle been cracking heads after all? Are you alright?"

Braddle nodded. Grenta said that Braddle was very brave and that he deserved a medal.

"I don't doubt it" said Belay.

Uncle Malik came over and put his arms around both of them. He held them close.

"What happened to your face Braddle?" he asked when he released them.

"It was that horrible boy over there" said Grenta, pointing to Naster sitting on the floor with his face in his hands. "He attacked Braddle."

"Did he now?" his Uncle replied.

"It was Naster" said Braddle.

"Looks like Naster needs a plaster" said Belay.

"Not funny Belay" said Uncle Malik. "Go and make sure that the young lad is not bleeding to death."

Belay went over to him.

"Can I have your attention" said Ipitch. "Leading Councillor Drostfur would like to say a few words."

Drostfur climbed on to the platform with Sergeant Telter. He ordered Ipitch to release the three men and put them somewhere secure. Ipitch pointed to a corner of the room where there was a table and chairs but no door or window nearby.

"The plot to overturn the rightful government of Carporoo has been thwarted" began Drostfur. "Tomorrow morning the ruling council will return, along with the other unfortunates that were handed over to a giant called Nicholls by Stoo and his fellow traitors. Those in this room who were part of this plot, of this putrid plan, to turn Carporoo and her citizens into their personal property will be found out and duly punished. Those who had no part in it will be released. I ask, therefore, that you remain, for your own safety, calm and patient till the Council has returned in the morning. Your party, I am glad to say, is over."

Drostfur turned to Ipitch and Sergeant Telter.

"Sergeant I need you to go outside and tell whoever is in charge out there what has happened in here. You need to stress that any attempt to storm the building would be futile and could result in the loss of innocent lives. Tell them I will address the crowd in the morning."

Sergeant Telter saluted and headed for the back entrance.

"Ipitch, I assume that the Captain of the Guard is somewhere in the room. I need to talk privately with him. Please bring him to me. I will sit over there."

"What do we do now?" asked Braddle.

"There's nothing much we can do except wait and hope that your Alfie has secured the release of your mother and the others" said Uncle Malik. "If they are not here by morning then we don't have much of an alternative plan."

Belay returned after attending to Naster.

"The lad will be fine" he said "I don't think his nose is broken. The bleeding has stopped. Though he should have two nice black eyes by morning."

"Braddle, you and Grenta need to get some rest. We will have to stand guard 'til morning."

"I suggest a bite to eat first" said Belay. "On the back wall, there is a table with every delicacy imaginable. It would be a crime to let it go to waste."

"You go with Tableface" said Uncle Malik. "I'll stay here."

In the far corner of the room, under heavy guard, General Stoo sat unmoving, his face buried in his hands.

Chapter 27

It was Wednesday night and Alfie, like Braddle hiding deep within Carporoo, lay awake in bed thinking about what had to be done the next day. For Alfie, tomorrow did not tremble with excitement, danger and the possibility of total victory or total defeat. Rather, an unmoveable boulder had crashed landed on it, grim and heavy, blocking the entrance to the many paths that each day brought forth. He tried to convince himself that it was not so; tried to pretend that the boulder was not there but it was no use. The boulder was too close and its shadow already fell over him. I've got no choice, he said to himself. Tomorrow, I have to persuade Mr Nicholls to return the tiny people.

'Persuade Mr Nicholls to return the tiny people.' It was just a few words and you would think, thought Alfie, that it would be straightforward and easy to do but that was just an illusion. Some of the hardest things in the world, he realised, could be expressed simply in just a few words like 'Jump, it's not deep', 'Today, there is a maths test' and 'Just push off with your foot and turn the pedals.' Why couldn't this have been different? he asked himself. The day had been spent devising ways to solve the problem and then discarding them almost immediately. At first, he thought he could phone Mr Nicholls and in a menacing, gruff voice say:

'We know that you have got the tiny people. You must return them on Friday morning. We wouldn't like to be in your shoes if you don't. Understand?'

He didn't have Mr Nicholls' telephone number, though. Nor was it in the book mum kept by the telephone. He thought he might write him a note instead and slip it through his letter box. The note could say what he had wanted to say with his menacing, gruff voice and much more. 'WE ARE WATCHING YOU' written under an open eye was an interesting embellishment, he thought, and would deserve a whole sheet of paper to itself. Again, though, he rejected the plan. He could imagine the note having a powerful effect on Mr Nicholls but, nevertheless, he couldn't be certain that he would actually do what the note told him. Another discarded plan involved contacting the police and have them visit Mr Nicholls with two squad cars and, maybe, a van. The flaw here, though, was as obvious as a friendly slap on the back from a bully. The police would simply take the tiny people away and the whole of Carporoo would be discovered. No, that wouldn't do, he told himself. That can't be allowed to happen.

The only solution, the only way to get the tiny people back to Carporoo on Friday morning, was the solution he most wanted to avoid. There was no other way, he realised. He had no choice. It couldn't be put off. He had to do it and he had to do it alone. In a few words, he had to go round to Mr Nicholls' house and...talk to him.

"Why? What's the matter?" asked his mother the next morning as Alfie sat up in bed with an 'ill look' on his face.

"I don't know" he replied. "I don't feel well. I feel sick."

His mother put the back of her hand on his forehead.

"You're not burning up" she said.

Lou came in and sat on the end of his bed.

"Alfie" his mother said "we've got a big shopping trip today. There are things still to get for the holiday. I'm sure you'll perk up once we are up and out."

"You don't look sick to me" said Lou.

"Shut up" said Alfie. "What do you know?"

"Let's see how you get on" said his mother. "Go and get washed."

"But mum I don't feel well. I'm sure that if I stay in bed then I'll be alright by tomorrow. I don't want to be sick for the holiday." He looked straight into her face and added, "that would ruin it for everybody."

His mother must have thought that the argument was a good one because she immediately called his brother.

"Francis, your brother is sick. I've decided that he should stay in bed. I'll take Lou to the shops with me but you stay here and make sure he is alright."

"Ok" said Francis.

After his mother had left Francis returned to Alfie's bedroom.

"Here's the deal" he said. "I'm playing a tournament on the X-Box in my bedroom. So you stay here and don't bother me. Ok?"

"Ok" said Alfie. "But I think I'll get dressed and go down stairs. I might feel..."

Francis had already returned to his bedroom and slammed the door after him.

Alfie stood in the hall facing the front door. A shriek came from his brother's bedroom followed by machine gun fire. Well this is it, he said to himself. I have to do it now before mum gets back. Here goes. He opened the front door and clicked the catch on the lock so the door wouldn't shut behind him. Ten minutes, that's all I need. Ten minutes. Not long at all. I'll be back in no time and no one will know. It will all be over and I would have kept my promise to Braddle. He stepped outside and closed the front door over. Braddle. Yes. I've got to do this for Braddle.

One...Two...Three...Four...Five...Six...Seven...Eight...Nine...Ten...Eleven...

Alfie reached Mr Nicholls' front door and after a momentary hesitation pressed the doorbell. A shadow darkened the frosted window set in the upper half of the door - for Braddle, thought Alfie, for Braddle - and then the door opened.

"Alfie?" said Mr Nicholls, with a surprised look on his face. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to bother you Mr Nicholls but I need to talk to you about something" Alfie replied, amazed. It sounded like his voice was being used by someone else, by someone used to dealing with people, by someone used to knocking on doors.

"Talk to me? You need to talk to me?" Mr Nicholls asked

Alfie nodded.

"My, what do you want to talk to me about? Has the ball gone over the fence again?"

"No. Nothing like that" said Alfie. "I need to talk to you about the tiny people."

Mr Nicholls looked as if Alfie had just ripped a branch off his treasured Japanese maple tree which took centre stage in his front garden.

"Tiny people...you know about the tiny people?" he asked, composing himself.

"Yes I do" said Alfie.

"In that case, you'd better come in" said Mr Nicholls.

Mr Nicholls led Alfie down the hall to the kitchen. A collection of faces along the wall watched him as he followed. One in particular, he noticed, looked like Mr Nicholls but a lot younger. He was standing on his knees with two children, a boy and a girl, standing either side of him. All three were laughing.

"Take a seat Alfie" Mr Nicholls said, pointing to one of the chairs around the circular table that stood in the centre of the kitchen. Mr Nicholls sat down also.

"What do you want to say Alfie?" Mr Nicholls asked.

"I know that you have tiny people in your house and I have come to ask you to give them back" said Alfie.

Mr Nicholls frowned. It was difficult for him to understand how his next door neighbour, a boy of nine, could know about his involvement with the tiny people. Up until a few minutes ago it had been, he was certain, his secret; it had been a magical thing in his life not shared with anyone else; nobody else knew about them nor would they ever know. And now...and now here was the neighbour's boy wanting to talk about them. They were not a secret anymore. Mr Nicholls sighed.

"Why do you want me to give them back?" Mr Nicholls asked.

"My friend, Braddle, asked me to ask you."

"Is he a tiny person?"

"Yes" said Alfie. "A bad man is trying to take over his city. A lot of people who don't like him have vanished. One of them is his mother. His friends are fighting back and they need the ones who have vanished to come back on Friday morning."

"Oh my" said Mr Nicholls, shaking his head. "Does this bad man have a name?"

"Yes. I think it's General Stoo."

"General Stoo. Yes... I know the gentleman."

Mr Nicholls placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands.

"If only I'd known" he said. "If only I'd known. In agreeing to take in these unfortunate outcasts I didn't know I was aiding a tyrant. If I'd known I most certainly would have refused."

"How did you agree to it?" asked Alfie.

"Well, a couple of months ago I was pottering around in the garden when I suddenly heard a voice calling to me. I got a bit spooked, I must say, because I couldn't see anyone there but I eventually realised that the voice belonged to a tiny person who was standing in the shrubbery. We got talking and I learned that there were many more of them and that they were to set up a new home soon on the other side of the fence. They had been living on your car port roof for some time apparently. After a while this person, General Stoo he said his name was, said that certain members of their community were different to the others and were always being attacked and persecuted by their fellow citizens. He didn't agree with it but it was impossible to stop. He asked me whether I would give these unfortunate people sanctuary. If I agreed then he and his fellow like-minded citizens would be forever in my debt. I, of course, agreed."

"It seems a strange way to get rid of people" said Alfie. "There must be easier ways."

"Indeed there are" said Mr Nicholls "but I can see now that it is a perfect solution to his problem. It is less messy and no trace of the people who have disappeared is left."

"But he couldn't be certain that you would say yes. You might have phoned the police or the government instead."

"I agree that it was a risk on his part but I got the impression that he had been watching me for a while. I also got the impression that there had been contact with people like ourselves in the past. He seemed to know a lot about us. You haven't told me though how you discovered them."

"I saw them walking along our washing line" said Alfie, smiling.

"I bet that caused a bit of a stir" said Mr Nicholls, smiling also.

"A spider was attacking them and I sorted it out."

"Good for you."

"Yes. I threw it in to your garden" said Alfie, laughing

"Oh" said Mr Nicholls and he laughed as well.

Mr Nicholls stood up.

"Would you like to see them?"

Alfie agreed and Mr Nicholls led him in to the living room.

"I keep them in there" he said, pointing at the empty fish tank.

The tank had small plants in it. In between them there was soil and stones of different sizes. At the centre of the arrangement was an upturned, circular lid containing water. Alfie crouched down and peered through the glass. He could just make out tiny movements going on: by a plant here and by a stone over there. There were also tiny wooded structures grouped together not far from the lid, next to a large stone and a small purple flower.

"I'll be sad to see them go" said Mr Nicholls "but I promise you that I will return them tomorrow morning."

Alfie thanked him.

"It will be difficult, though, gathering them all together. As you can see, they could be anywhere in there."

"How many are there?"

"There must be about two hundred. General Stoo gave me the first one when we met for the first time. It was a man. He was unconscious. He'd suffered a knock on the head. A bit of a while later they then started to come thick and fast."

"Why don't you explain to them what has happened and tell them they are to go home."

"I don't think they can hear me. Besides, General Stoo said that I shouldn't communicate with them. The shock would kill them if they realised that a giant was looking after them."

"Well, you will have to do what I had to do when I first started talking to Braddle" said Alfie.

"What was that?" asked Mr Nicholls.

"Write them a note."

Alfie helped Mr Nicholls draft the letter then returned home. Before he left, he promised to let him know whether Braddle and his friends were successful in overthrowing General Stoo and, if possible, to arrange a meeting with their proper leader. He would like, he said, to apologise in person.

Though Alfie had been away longer than he had planned, his mother had not yet returned nor had his brother left his bedroom. He pushed the front door open and quietly closed it behind him. At that moment, his brother's bedroom door squeaked open and he came down stairs.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing" said Alfie.

"Why the stupid grin on your face then?"

"Oh, no reason" said Alfie. "Except, I made a promise to someone and I've just kept it."

Chapter 28

Braddle sat of the floor with his back resting against the council chamber wall. Grenta, asleep with her head on a cushion resting on his lap, snored quietly. He closed his eyes and let the cool night air from the now opened windows wash over him. Drostfur had ordered the windows to be opened when the smell of two hundred sweltering bodies locked inside the air-tight chamber made breathing difficult. A woman actually vomited in to a punch bowl because of it and provoked a barrage of desperate complaints from her neighbours. One of the men who had opened the windows reported to Drostfur that the crowd was still outside but it had now been joined by the Spronger-Division. Drostfur had looked at Ipitch. Ipitch simply said 'to be expected' and walked away. Alfie, please Alfie, you have to keep your promise. All is lost...

"This is an outrage" a voice shouted.

Braddle opened his eyes. A man was standing in the midst of the prisoners, who were slumped on the floor and on chairs in the centre of the chamber, directing himself to Drostfur sitting nearby.

"How dare you treat me like this. You know who I am. I refuse to sleep on the floor any longer."

Some of the guests raised their heads to look at him but then put them back down again.

"Drostfur! You traitor! I am talking to you. How dare you ignore me. When this is over I will personally ensure that your punishment is exceptional."

The threat was too much for Ipitch who charged over to him nimbly avoiding any outstretched arm or leg that was in his path.

"Naster Stoo" he shouted back, "if you do not sit down and be quiet I will personally put you down. You are no longer in a position to make threats. Take your lead from your son over there, the disgraced General, and resign yourself to the fact that your plot has failed."

The men stood eye to eye but Ipitch was a rock that could not be moved. Naster Stoo sat down.

"We'll see" he muttered.

Braddle looked over at his uncle guarding the main entrance with Belay and Tableface. Both Belay and Tableface were laughing. Uncle Malik was not.

The landscape was flat and featureless and stretched to a horizon as sharp as a razor blade. Where was everybody? Where? Where? He spun around but in every direction it was the same. He was alone, utterly alone. Tears drilled down his cheeks and loneliness ached inside him.

Another hand, a million times the size of his hand, landed hard on its knuckles in the far distance then flipped itself over on to its finger tips. He wiped his stinging eyes with the back of his hands and tried to focus on it. The hand scampered on the spot like an excited puppy. It seemed to be searching for something. When its finger tips faced him it stopped. Slowly, silently, the index finger stretched upwards and pointed...pointed at him. With a ferocious force, the hand jumped forward and bounded towards him. The ground cracked as the nail on each finger sliced in to it. He did not feel afraid. No. He waved as the hand came closer. "Here! Here!" he shouted. It was nearly upon him now. Its enormity blocked out the sun. He placed his hands over his eyes. The loneliness had gone.

"Braddle. Braddle. Wake up."

The voice was familiar. He was not alone. He opened his eyes.

"Braddle. It's morning. Wake up" said Grenta.

He jumped up quickly.

"Are they here yet" he asked.

"No. Not yet."

"They should have been here by now" said Braddle looking around.

The prisoners were awake and either sitting up or standing. They were talking in groups. Water was being passed around. Some of them were even laughing. Uncle Malik was talking to Drostfur and Ipitch by the main door.

"Come on" said Braddle.

They went over to the group. They looked worried and Braddle heard his uncle say that all they could do was wait. Ipitch turned to him.

"Looks like we were fools to rely on your child-giant" he said before walking off.

"I am not ready to give up hope yet" said Drostfur. "All children are capable of greatness, including your giant, Alfie. You two are proof of that. I suggest we take advantage of the time left and have a hearty breakfast."

Drostfur went off towards a table in the corner next to the platform. Braddle looked at his uncle.

"Drostfur is right. It's too early to admit defeat but they do need to come soon. If they don't then we will have to find a way to extricate ourselves from here. We cannot stay nor can we fight the army out there."

"They will come" said Grenta. "I met Alfie once and I think he can do anything. He won't let us down."

Uncle Malik went over to Belay.

"Let's go and see General Stoo" said Braddle.

"Why?" asked Grenta.

"I want to know his reasons" replied Braddle.

General Stoo sat in the corner still flanked by two guards. He looked tired and dark stubble dotted his cheeks and neck. As Braddle and Grenta approached, he watched them steadily. The despair he manifested the night before had eased and his arrogant look was returning.

"Ah, we meet again boy. Are you pleased with yourself for all...this" he said, gesturing towards the room with his hand. "For the trouble you have caused both me and my friends."

"I am not the cause of this" said Braddle. "You are. You are to blame."

General Stoo laughed.

"Blame? What I did was for the good of Carporoo."

"How can giving Braddle's parents and all of the others to a giant be for the good of Carporoo?" asked Grenta.

General Stoo refused to look at her.

"They were all corrupt. They had to go" he said.

"So you did take my father?" asked Braddle.

"Your father was the first and, I assure you, he won't be the last."

"Why? What did he ever do to you?"

"Your father was a rising star. He was in my way. That is all."

"And my mother?"

"You are to blame for that, I think" said General Stoo. "You had made contact with the giants. I sent you all an invitation but, unfortunately, only your mother came."

General Stoo wiped the front of his armour with a table cloth.

"I was sorry to see her go. You know, you could have been my son but for the fact that your mother chose your father over me. Did she tell you that? No. I don't think so."

"Obviously Braddle's mother has good taste" said Grenta.

"Shut up girl" spat out General Stoo, irritated.

Both guards laughed.

"I like her" said one.

"Yes. She's good" the other replied.

General Stoo ignored them both.

"I understand" he said "that you have put your trust in a child giant. Someone called Alfie, I believe. I am afraid that your trust has been misplaced. I have observed the giants who occupy our land and if it is the one I think it is then you have put your faith in a timid fool who is incapable of wiping his own nose."

General Stoo laughed again.

"You're wrong" said Braddle. "You're wrong."

"No. No." said General Stoo, continuing to laugh. "I am never wrong."

Just then a loud cry came in through the windows from the crowd outside. Braddle and Grenta looked at each other and then at General Stoo. General Stoo stopped laughing.

"No...You're wrong" said Braddle, smiling.

He did not wait for a reply as they both ran off.
Chapter 29

"They're here! They're here!"

The shout filled the Council Chamber, stopping all conversation, all complaints, all rubbing and stretching of aching joints, all adjusting of sweat-soaked clothes. As one, two hundred and seventy three people in the chamber stopped what they were doing and looked at the man standing on the chair peering out of the window.

"Are you sure?" called Ipitch.

"Yes I'm sure" shouted the man. "They're here. See for yourself."

By the time Braddle and Grenta made it to the window Ipitch was standing on the chair looking out.

"Yes, they are here alright" he said. "The column is just entering the square."

He looked round to find Drostfur and noticed Braddle and Grenta watching him intently.

"Braddle, your giant has done it my boy! Your giant has done it!"

He was too excited to say anymore and nearly fell as he jumped off the chair. He must have hurt his knee though because he rubbed it quickly and limped off to where Drostfur was standing talking to the Captain of the Guard. Uncle Malik came up behind them and grabbed their shoulders with his hands.

"We've done it Braddle" he said.

Braddle turned and threw his arms around him.

"Yes we have!"

He hugged him tight.

"You can let go now" his Uncle said, laughing. "Save some of your strength for your mother. She'll be here in a minute."

"And father" said Braddle, letting go.

"Father? Don't get your hopes up Braddle" said Uncle Malik. "It is not certain that General Stoo had anything to do with his disappearance."

"But it is" replied Braddle. "He has just admitted it. Hasn't he Grenta?"

Grenta nodded.

"Father was the first person he handed over to the giant."

"Was he now? If they both return then my life is once more complete" said Uncle Malik. "No doubt about it. But Grenta, we'll have to think up a good excuse to tell your mother and father. We don't want their brave daughter getting into serious trouble now do we?"

"Don't worry" said Braddle. "I'll ask my father to speak to them. He'll sort it out."

"Thanks" she said, smiling, "but I can do my own talking."

Drostfur and Ipitch approached them. Ipitch was still limping but he did not seem to mind.

"Malik we need to get the door open and greet the Ruling Council in full view of the assembled crowd" said Drostfur. "The Captain and his men will guard the prisoners as they have now, I am glad to say, resumed normal duties."

"I'll do it straightaway" said Uncle Malik. "Belay! Tableface! Wake up and give me a hand."

"Wake up he says" said Belay. "Your snoring has kept the whole chamber awake - Should be ashamed!"

"Well Braddle" said Drostfur. "Victory is ours. You should be proud of yourself."

"I am" replied Braddle "but all I want is to get my mother and father back."

"Your father?"

"Yes. General Stoo said that he was handed over to the giant."

"Well, in one sense that is good to hear because it means that my dear friend is not lost but, in another, I am sorry that he got caught up in Stoo's plot. Stoo has got a lot to answer for. But let's not worry about that now. Today is a day of celebration. Let us go and greet our old friends."

The Chamber doors swung open and the morning light ran in excited by the noise outside.

"Braddle and Grenta, lead the way" said Drostfur. "I shall follow with _General_ Ipitch."

Ipitch glanced at Drostfur. He did not say anything but his eyes sparkled.

The square in front of the Council Chamber was as full as a spronger's web on a summer's evening. Instead of waiting for orders to retake the chamber, the soldiers were now pushing the crowd back in an attempt to make a path through the middle so that the returning prisoners could reach the Council steps. The column was about half way through as Braddle and Grenta stopped on the top step. At the head of it were the eleven other members of the Ruling Council. It was followed, in the distance, by a large crowd who had been encouraged to wake up early and witness the miraculous return of their elected representatives.

"Can you see your mother yet?" asked Grenta.

"No not yet. She's there though. I can feel it" said Braddle, desperate to run down the steps, thrash through the crowd and throw his arms around her neck. He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Uncle Malik. Next to him was Belay and Tableface. Tableface winked at him. Belay told Grenta to hold Braddle close for it looked as if he was about to charge into the crowd.

"Your mother would like to see you in your usual three dimensions" he said.

Eventually the column reached the steps. He scanned every face in it. Where was she? In the rear of it, he noticed a hand waving. Was that her? He couldn't be sure but he waved back anyway. Drostfur took up position at the top of the steps.

"Can I ask that the Ruling Council join me up here?" he said.

Eleven men and women walked up the steps, stopped in front of him and turned to face the crowd.

"Citizens of Carporoo we have all been victims of a heinous plot to overthrow the rightful government of Carporoo and to turn our land in to the personal property of a small band of men and women. Men and women whose self-regard only brings bloodshed and suffering to others. The leader of this plot was General Stoo. I am pleased to say that, through the courage of certain citizens, whose names you will soon learn, this plot was defeated. The Ruling Council has now returned and Stoo, along with his fellow traitors, is under arrest."

A loud cheer sprung up from the crowd, did a somersault over the heads of the Ruling Council standing on the steps and flew into the Council Chamber in search of General Stoo. It found him in his corner still, with his hands over his ears and his eyes shut tight.

"There is so much that needs to be said" continued Drostfur, "there are so many questions and answers that need to be exchanged but I think we need to delay this for a short time. Without rest none of us can do our best. Go back to your homes now. We will meet here again this evening."

The crowd began to disperse only when the Ruling Council had entered the Chamber leaving Braddle, Grenta, Uncle Malik, Belay and Tableface alone on the top step.

"He's there on the steps. I'm not waiting any longer."

The woman she spoke to shook her head.

"I wouldn't bother. You'll never get through. Wait a bit."

"No. I haven't come this far to listen to a speech, even if it is by Drostfur."

The woman pushed forward.

"Excuse me please" she said to the man in front of her.

"Good luck" called her friend as she disappeared in front of him.

It was a long, hard struggle but she eventually made it through the crowd and emerged out of it at the other end, with a sore rib and a painful scrape on her left ankle, just as Drostfur and the Ruling Council had entered the chamber. Braddle noticed her as soon as she stood on the first step.

"There she is!" he shouted, and ran down towards her.

His mother ran up to meet him. They met in the middle of the Council steps and threw their arms around each other.

"My boy. My boy. I didn't think I would ever see you again" she said.

Braddle did not reply. His face was buried in her neck and he did not want to let her go, even to speak. Uncle Malik must have joined them because he heard his mother call his name. As if from an infinite distance, he heard him reply that he was glad that she had returned. His mother, laughing, let go of Braddle and spoke to him.

"Glad? Glad?" she said. "You can do better than that. Come here."

His mother and uncle embraced. Uncle Malik had tears in his eyes.

"What have you two been up to while I was held prisoner by a strange giant?" she asked. "I hope you have kept the house tidy."

Uncle Malik coughed.

"Well, the house might need a little work but we have been busy. Haven't we Braddle?"

"Yes. Very busy. We'll tell you about it later."

Braddle looked over his mother's shoulder at the diminishing crowd.

"Where's father? Isn't he with you?" he asked.

"No. He did not come back with us. Don't worry, he is alive, I think. I need to speak to Drostfur about him."

His father had not returned. He was still out there. Why? He would talk to his mother about it later. After all, one of his best friends was a giant. He could help.

"Is that Grenta over there?" she asked, seeing Grenta at the top of the steps. She waved to her and Grenta came down followed by Belay and Tableface.

"GRENTA! GRENTA!" a voice shrieked loudly.

They all turned in its direction and saw Mr and Mrs Morrie push themselves through the crowd. Blitter, Stant and Frohn were not far behind.

"Grenta, you naughty girl" gasped Mrs Morrie. "What did we say? Stay at home and don't get involved, that's what. But you disobey us the first chance you get and put yourself in grave danger."

"How could you do it?" asked Mr Morrie. "We've been here all night worried sick. Your mother has cried a lifetime's worth of tears and the least said about my back the better. Let's just say my spine and rough ground are not friends and never will be."

Frohn laughed thinking it was a joke but he was silenced quickly by Blitter with a punch to his shoulder.

"And Malik" said Mrs Morrie. "You should be ashamed of yourself. We gave you shelter in your hour of need and look how you repaid us."

Uncle Malik did not reply but looked down at his shoes. His face reddened.

"Grenta, what have you got to say for yourself?" asked Mr Morrie.

"I'm sorry" she said. "It was just that I couldn't...I couldn't let Braddle down in his hour of need."

"Braddle's hour of need!" shrieked Mrs Morrie, again. "What about my hour of need? Don't I mean anything?"

"Excuse me, may I say something?" asked Belay.

"Who are you?" asked Mrs Morrie.

"An old soldier who has just fought his last battle" said Belay. "Don't be too hard on your daughter. She came to the aid of Carporoo when she needed help. I know she disobeyed you but sometimes the greater good makes painful demands on us. Her love and respect for you has not diminished in any way. Please find forgiveness in your hearts. I would hate to see this day of joy tainted by the suffering of one of my comrades. Besides, your daughter will be honoured by the Ruling Council. The parents of such a daughter will undoubtedly be held in high esteem..."

Mr and Mrs Morrie glanced at each other and then at Grenta.

"...In addition to your beauty, Mrs Morrie, you will also be celebrated as a defender of Carporoo. Isn't that right Tableface?"

Tableface looked as if he had just been ambushed.

"Yes. Yes.." he said. "Erm...you are...Yes... gorgeous looking... Yes... If you weren't married I..."

Tableface stopped abruptly when he noticed Mr Morrie scowling at him.

"That's settled then" said Belay.

Mr and Mrs Morrie agreed that it was, indeed, settled and embraced Grenta with tears in their eyes.

"I think we should all go home, rest and prepare for this evening" said Braddle's mother. "Everyone is welcome."

"About the house, we have something to tell you, don't we Braddle?" said Uncle Malik, nervously.

"Don't tell me you have finished it already" replied Braddle's mother. "That would be a wonderful present to receive on my return."

"It's finished" said Uncle Malik "but not in the sense you mean."

"What?"

"It's been knocked down" said Braddle.

Chapter 30

It was mid-day on Friday and Alfie re-entered the kitchen after his fifth visit to the garage. Braddle had not yet returned and he was anxious to know whether the plan had been successful; whether Mr Nicholls had actually returned the tiny people and whether Braddle and his friends had defeated General Stoo. Surely he would have let him know by now...if it had been successful, that is? He would have asked Mr Nicholls if he had been in his garden but Mr Nicholls was nowhere to be seen. His house seemed silent and empty; as if he had suddenly disappeared and become, perhaps, the startled and frightened prisoner himself of an even bigger giant. If most of the tiny people could not see us then, maybe, we cannot see them. Because we couldn't see them, it did not mean that they were not there! Another possibility, conceded Alfie, after redirecting his imagination to less dramatic options, was that Mr Nicholls could have simply gone to the shops.

"What do you want for lunch?" asked his mum.

"Oh, just a sandwich mum" he replied.

"Ham?"

He nodded.

"Good, because that's all I've got. No more shopping until after the holiday."

During lunch he sat quietly nibbling his sandwich as his mother, Francis and Lou talked excitedly about the coming holiday. What if Mr Nicholls hadn't done what he said he would? What if Braddle had been captured? He had to find out. But how? He had to speak to Mr Nicholls. There was no other way. A foot kicked him under the table. It was Lou and she had a mischievous look on her face.

"No Lou, don't do that" he told her, calmly.

She gave him a puzzled look. Where was the furious response she usually managed to provoke? She was about to kick his other leg but then decided against it.

"What did she do?" his mother asked.

"Nothing" he said. "Don't worry about it."

"This afternoon we'll have to get the packing finished" she said "and you will all have to help. Francis, that includes you."

"Me? I don't mind" he said. "You should be telling Alfie. He might find it too strenuous."

He gave Alfie a sneering look. Alfie held his gaze for a moment then returned to his sandwich.

"I can't wait" Francis continued. "This time tomorrow I hope to be doing the tree assault course after a bit of quad-biking. Alfie, you might like to try skipping. The web site says they have a good skipping track."

"Enough of that" his mother said.

Alfie waited until his brother had stopped laughing.

"Nothing wrong with skipping" he said, "but I'll give the other activities a go though. I'll enjoy myself however I want. You do it your way and I'll do it mine. Just relax. Ok?"

His mother laughed.

"Well said Alfie" she said. "Francis, follow your younger brother's advice and we'll have a great time."

Mr Nicholls' house was just as quiet after lunch as it was before. Alfie scrutinised the back of it from his backdoor step then walked to the garage shutter to get a better look. He could see two bedroom windows, the bathroom window with frosted glass and, if he stood on his tiptoes, the top of the kitchen window. One of the bedroom windows, he noticed, had its curtains drawn. Maybe Mr Nicholls is still in bed, he thought. It did not seem right that he could be though. Mr Nicholls was one of those strange people who got up really early, even though they were not forced to, and did things that normal people did during the day, like washing cars, pruning plants, cleaning windows. If he was still in bed then...then he was either sick or... he may have been up all night with the tiny people and hadn't gotten to bed until very, very late. Well, there was nothing else for it. Alfie had to wake him up. He had to find out what had happened to the tiny people; whether Braddle and his mother were safe or whether they were now prisoners of a crazy general. How could he go on holiday not knowing? If Mr Nicholls was in bed then he had to ask him now while his mother was packing. Mr Nicholls would just have to wake up. The simplest way would be for him to climb over the fence and knock on his backdoor. Mr Nicholls would obviously be surprised to see him in his back garden but if he explained his predicament he would understand. Before he did so, however, he would check the garage one more time. Just in case.

"Hello Braddle. Are you there?" he called. "Braddle, are you there?"

The garage was silent and lifeless. It did not answer him back and its clutter did not move. He crouched down by the bottom shelf and searched for any minute movement but there was nothing. He stood up.

"Braddle, I'll try and come back later" he said, as he headed for the door.

"Alfie! Alfie!"

"Braddle. Is that you?"

"Yes" he said, breathless. "Who do you think it is?"

"Are you alright? Who's chasing you? Can I help?" He ran back to the shelf and dropped to his knees, ready to make use of his giant-hand, once again.

"Who's chasing me? Oh, it's only Grenta. Here she is now."

"So, you are alright?"

"Of course" said Braddle.

"Hello Alfie" said Grenta. "How are you?"

"Worried. I've been in and out of this garage all morning trying to speak to you but you were nowhere to be seen. I thought the plan had failed."

"No, the plan didn't fail Alfie" said Braddle. "We won!"

"We won!" shouted Alfie.

"Yes, we won" shouted Grenta.

"We Won! We Won! We Won" they all shouted together.

"What happened?" asked Alfie after they had all calmed down.

"We stormed the Council Chamber when General Stoo was having a party and waited for the prisoners to return in the morning" said Braddle.

"It looked at first that they might not come but they eventually did" said Grenta.

"When they had returned General Stoo was caught out. He couldn't pretend that he wasn't to blame for their disappearance" said Braddle. "I'm pleased to announce that he is now a prisoner along with his horrible family and friends."

"What about your parents?" asked Alfie.

"Mother is back" said Braddle "but father is still missing."

"I'm sorry to hear that" said Alfie.

"Don't be" said Braddle. "He is still alive. I am certain of it. He wasn't eaten by a spronger. He was a prisoner of the giant Nicholls but he escaped. I'm going to find him if it is the last thing I do."

"And I'm going to help" said Grenta.

"I will help too" said Alfie.

"Thank you giant Alfie" said Braddle. "We have to go back now. There is a big celebration this evening and we are guests of honour."

"Yes. We can't be late. My mother wouldn't forgive me" said Grenta.

"Drostfur has asked me to tell you that the Ruling Council wants to give you a medal. I told them that you are going on an adventure holiday and that they'll have to do it when you get back."

"Wow" said Alfie. "I've never had a medal before."

"What's an adventure holiday?" asked Grenta.

Braddle did not wait for Alfie to answer. He jumped in and told Grenta that an adventure holiday is when you leave home and stay somewhere else and do exciting things like climbing rocks and riding on water.

"Sounds good" said Grenta. But she didn't sound convinced.

Alfie laughed.

"It's not as bad as it sounds" he said. "Climbing rocks can be quiet relaxing or so my dad says. Besides, for you two every day seems to be an adventure holiday. I'm jealous."

"Yes. It does" said Braddle. "It does."

They made their farewells and agreed to meet again on the Sunday morning after Alfie's return from his holiday. He told them to tell Drostfur that he would gladly accept the medal they wanted to give him...even if he had to use a microscope to see it!

Alfie left the garage and stepped out in to the bright, warm sunlight. The plan had worked! He had helped to save Carporoo from a tyrant. That is some achievement he told himself. Mr Nicholls had done what he said he would. His bedroom curtains were still drawn. Alfie decided to tell him the good news after he had awoken. He deserves a rest, Alfie told himself.

He was about to enter the house when he noticed his bike standing abandoned in the carport. That bike is mine, he said to himself, and it wants me to ride it. He walked over to it and stopped. How hard can it be? With a little practice I should be able to ride it. Why not? Other people can do it and what's so special about them. If I do it now I could be riding it by the time dad gets home. He gripped the handle bars and sat down on the saddle. It felt good. He rolled the bike back and forth a few times. Yes. It definitely felt good. He pushed forward and lifted his feet off the ground.

"Let's ride" he said.
Acknowledgements & Requests

I would like to thank my wife, Beverley, and both Marion Smyth and Amanda Scarborough for their invaluable help and support at crucial moments in the creation of Braddle and the Giant.

I would also like to give special thanks to my daughter, Holly, who enjoyed listening to the story of Alfie and Braddle during that special time between wakefulness and dreams.

Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favourite retailer?

Also, look out for the sequel to Braddle and the Giant during the summer 2014. 'Braddle and the Giant: The Escape' continues the adventures of Alfie and Braddle who haven't heard the last of General Stoo.

Thanks!

John Mallon
