by John Mallon
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.”
