“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.