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.”