by Todd Loyd
Scotty nods and corrects himself, saying, “Oh, sorry Mr.—”
“This time, Mason, keep your mouth shut!” Amy scolds.
“I said I'm sorry. I really did not mean to,” he apologizes again.
Jack closes his eyes. He can't think about Mason now; he has to concentrate. With one hand, he pushes his loose bangs up out of his eyes and then says, “It's now or never.”
He looks at Amy. Until now, his thoughts had been centered on losing his family and not being able to go home. But, a new thought reigns heavily upon his brow: If I lose now, there will be no future for Amy and me.
Jack proceeds to slowly place the ball underneath the middle cup, and then he begins shuffling.
As before, he spins the cups deftly, moving them in and out, weaving and bobbing. But, this time his hands move so fast that even he eventually has no idea which cup contains the ball. At one point, Jack decides to look at Walter, taking his eyes off the cup. The Giant seams confused. Good, thinks Jack.
The boy also takes a look at the others. Amy appears to be almost as nervous as Jack. Scotty, on the other hand, beams with confidence, and Mason is staring at his own hands.
Finally, Jack stops shuffling, confident that no one could possibly guess the location of the ball, but then he goes ahead and moves each of the cups one last time.
Jack looks intently at Walter and says, “Okay then, make your best guess.”
“I have been a fool. I should have never agreed to this,” the Giant moans.
Jack's confidence soars.
“Well, which one?” Scotty presses.
The Giant rubs his hairy chin. He starts to point at the cup on the far left but then pulls his hand back and says, “Honestly, I have no clue.”
The odds seem to be in Jack's favor.
No one speaks for what seems like a full minute. Then Scotty again asks, “Okay, which cup?”
The Giant points to the cup on the right and says, “Okay, show me I'm wrong.”
Jack gulps. He realizes his future of freedom or captivity boils down to this moment. Before he lifts the cup, though, he looks at Amy, who has leaned down close to his side. She is not watching. Her head hangs low, and her eyes are closed.
Jack lifts the cup slowly.
There, underneath the cup, is the small red ball.
A fire lights underneath the skin of his face. He thinks, No! How?
He looks up, bewildered.
Amy raises her head, and after seeing the ball for herself, she gasps.
Scotty bellows, “No way.”
The wolf also lets out a surprised, “Well I'll be.”
Mason simply turns away.
Walter laughs lightheartedly.
Never in all of his life has Jack been so stunned.
“Well boy,” says the Giant. “Say your farewells, and we shall take leave.”
Chapter 146
Jack is in complete shock. The gravity of the moment forces down his shoulders into a slump. He thinks, No, this can't be. What's going to happen to me? How long will I have to stay here? What are my parents going to do without me? These thoughts depress Jack even further.
“This cannot be happening,” Scotty moans. “Jack, you can't leave us.”
However, in spite of his friend's declaration, Jack knows there is no alternative and that the Giant is going to take him.
Nonetheless, Amy makes another last ditch effort to the Giant, “One more game all of nothing. If you win, we'll all go with you.”
Mason qualifies this by saying, “No way, Amy, I'm walking out of here.”
“Speak for yourself,” snarls the wolf in agreement with Mason.
“No,” the Giant declares. “I think the time for games is over. You had your one chance. It's time you came with me, boy.”
Amy looks Jack in the eyes, and with tears streaming down her face, she kisses him softly and quickly on the lips.
The kiss stuns Jack, but the dread of the moment outweighs the emotion of the kiss.
Amy pleads, “You can't go. It's not fair. Mason distracted you.”
“He didn't mean to,” Jack counters, although he isn't sure he believes it himself.
“It's time to go,” the Giant says and makes a motion toward the gap in the wall.
“Just a second, please,” Jack responds. “Scotty, tell my parents what happened here.”
Scotty grimly nods and wipes his wet eyes.
Then Jack and Mason eye each other. Finally, Mason offers softly, “No one's going to believe us, Jack…. Jack, I promise I didn't mean to—”
“Forget it, Mason,” Jack says.
His previous impulse to deck Mason has been overcome with a feeling that he is sincere.
After another awkward few seconds, Mason muses, “Maybe we can come back and bust you out one day?” Then he extends a hand.
It's clear to Jack that his friend of many years meant no harm. So, Jack obliges and says, “See you someday, Mason,” before he gulps back the lump in his throat.
Jack now approaches the narrator. The man who had already saved them once simply looks at Jack and gives a deep nod of concern.
“Look,” Jack requests, knowing the answer will be no. “Can you, maybe, help me out with this?”
Chapter 147
The old man twirls his mustache again as Jack anticipates the forth-coming denial.
“Well, Jack, you did steal the goose from the Giant; a price has to be paid. You have to make things right.”
The words register with Jack. Suddenly he knows what they mean and says, “You were trying to tell us all night!” This realization rocks his world, and he swallows hard. “You were leading us back so we could return the goose.”
The narrator nods.
“So I guess this is the end of my story. This is how I make amends because we ignored your words. I…I don't know what to say…. I'm sorry. Is there no other way?”
The man stares at Jack for a few seconds. Then he raises an eyebrow and almost absently quips, “Well, perhaps I could take your place?”
Jack's head jumps up. His eyes lock on the narrator's. He asks, “What? What did you say?”
“I said maybe I can take your place.”
The thought gives Jack temporary hope. He wonders if it's really possible, but as soon as he considers this, he feels a tide of guilt and says, “But you didn't do anything.”
“I know that.”
“Then why?”
“Well you're so young, and while you've finished this story, you have not finished your story. Jack, it is what I have wanted all along. I want you to finish your story.”
Jack's heart rate accelerates. But, in spite of his desire to take the man up on his offer, he says, “I can't. It's not right.”
“Yes you can, Jack. You have so much to do. Go back to your family. Go with your friends.”
“But what about the vault? What about the books? Do you want me to take your place there?”
“Jack, finish your story—go home.”
“But—”
“Then it is decided,” the narrator states. He then turns away from Jack, walks up to the behemoth, and says, “Mr. Giant, I have decided to take the boy's place.”
The Giant considers this and then replies, “That was not the deal. You are not the thief.”
“I understand that. However, you said you simply wanted…. What did you say…. Yes, compensation. I am your compensation. If you are a man, I mean giant, of your word, you will accept my offer. I believe it is indeed a fair one.”
Amy's countenance is visibly rekindled with hope.
Scotty and Mason look at each other with astonishment.
The wolf looks puzzled by the strange offer.
“Well, I am a giant of my word, I can assure you. If it is your will to take the boy's place, then who am I to argue. It's your choice.”
Jack absorbs the conversation in disbelief. The situation has changed so fast and in spite of his objections. He asks himself, Is this reall
y happening? Yet, he's led to believe that the agonizing, impending sentence has been lifted from him. The only thing keeping him from screaming with delight is the tidal wave of guilt he feels.
Amy rushes to the narrator and asks, “Are you for real? You're taking Jack's place?”
“Yes.”
“I…I….” Amy starts, but she cannot find the words and, instead, hugs the man, like a child squeezing a grandparent. As she releases her embrace, she faintly whispers in his ear, “Thank you.”
Scotty joins his sister by the narrator. He also has no clue how to properly react to the action of the man. He ends up shaking the narrator's hand and then solemnly backs away, joining Jack.
By this point, Mason has taken a few steps toward the narrator. Jack is keenly aware that it had been Mason who had doubted the man's sincerity from the moment they had been aware that he existed. Now, Mason simply nods to the narrator.
Meanwhile, the wolf slowly shakes his head in disbelief, taken aback by the strange reversal of fortunes.
“Are you finished with your goodbyes?” the Giant respectfully asks.
To answer Walter's question, Jack approaches the old man. Without saying a word, Jack wraps his arms around the narrator, buries his head into the man's white suit coat, and starts crying.
“Jack, it's my choice,” the narrator assures.
“I don't understand. You shouldn't have to do this. I'm the one. I'm the one who stole the goose.”
“I know,” says the narrator. He pats Jack on the forehead and then gently pries the boy away.
The Giant is already exiting through the wall, and the narrator proceeds to follow him. However, just before the man reaches the wall, he stops and pulls something out from behind his back. It is a box.
The narrator says to the group, “Oh, before I go, I thought I would leave you this.”
Chapter 148
The narrator gently sets the brown wooden package on the ground. It's nothing fancy, just a plain box, obviously old, with some tarnished bronze hinges and a latch on the side.
Jack wonders, What is this about?
The narrator says, “You have made amends. And now, I must go.” Then, with a good-natured wave and smile, the narrator disappears through the gap in the wall to follow the Giant.
Feelings of guilt eat at Jack. He contemplates, Why was he so willing to take my place? He barely knew us, and yet he gave up his freedom. Who will guard the vault? However, he decides these questions can wait until later, for at the moment, the group needs to deal with the box. Also, Jack considers that, with the witch and the narrator gone, they might have to protect Amy from the wolf. The boy turns to the beast and is surprised to find that the wolf is not looking at Amy but at him. Jack's body tenses, and he quickly scans the floor for something to be able to hurl. He thinks, Where is Amy's stick? No time to find it amongst this rubble.
The intimidating figure of the wolf steps toward Jack.
Jack balls his fist.
However, the wolf's demeanor does not reflect ill will—at least as far as Jack can tell. Still, Jack decides he should remain cautious.
The wolf stops a few inches away from Jack and says,“That was a noble thing the man just did.”
Jack is surprised that the eolf is speaking to him in a civil manner. He wonders, Is this a trick? Something to put me at ease before he strikes?
After a moment of hesitation, Jack responds,“Uh, yes it was.”
The wolf continues, “I also believe it was a noble thing you did, offering to leave to save the rest of us. Thank you.”
Jack watches in disbelief as the wolf walks back over to the debris of the fallen house and appears to be searching for something among the ruins. The boy guesses that the creature might be looking for the bodies of the Queen and Victor. The words of the wolf have put Jack at ease a little, but he does not relax just yet, in spite of being grateful that the wolf is no longer greedily staring at Amy. For now, at least, the beast seems occupied with another interest—a large red-striped candy cane that he's found in the rubble. The wolf sniffs at it and takes a bite.
Meanwhile, Mason has approached the box on the floor and says, “Maybe he's left us a prize of some sort?” The boy seems genuinely giddy. His sudden transformation from solemnly watching the narrator walk away to greedily eyeing the box is almost shocking. But this doesn't surprise the others.
Amy, in fact, ignores Mason and the box and even seems uninterested in the wolf as she walks over to Jack and quietly takes his hand.
Jack intertwines his fingers with hers.
Then Amy looks into his eyes and says, “I'm so grateful.”
“I know,” Jack replies. “Believe me, I am, too.”
Scotty is standing close by. He coughs and then inquires, “Jack, about you and my little sis?”
“Yeah?”
Jack thinks, This is it. Time to come clean.
“We'll talk later,” Scotty says and grins.
At this point, Mason lifts the box and declares, “It's not that heavy.” He shakes it like a child trying to guess what's in a present on Christmas morning and says, “Yep, something is definitely in there.”
“Well, open it already, Mason!” Scotty directs.
“I can't quite get it open. There's a little lock on the latch-thing here.”
The wolf stops sifting through the rubble and approaches Mason.
Jack thinks, Keep your eyes on him. You can't let your guard down. He uncoils his hand from Amy and makes a slight move toward Mason, who takes a full step back when the wolf gets close to him.
“Allow me,” says the wolf, holding his hairy paws out for the box.
Reluctantly, but not wanting to argue, Mason hands the gift over.
The wolf opens his ferocious mouth. The fangs that had earlier sunk into Jack's hand glisten with beads of saliva. Next, the creature lifts the box before his mouth and locks his jaws around the latch. Then, he rips the entire hinge off of the wooden box, and he spits this—along with a good-sized chunk of wood—on the floor.
Afterward, he calmly hands the box back to Mason, saying, “Here you go.”
Mason looks startled and a little uneasy. The wolf's saliva is all over the side of the box. Mason grimaces in disgust, but goes ahead and takes it back. After using his shirt to wipe off his hand and the box, Mason pauses. He looks at the others before he opens the top of the wooden box.
“What's this?” he asks and quickly reaches inside.
All eyes in the room are focused on Mason.
“Oh man, it's just a bunch of nothing,” he declares with obvious disappointment on his downcast face.
Mason pulls a stack of paper out of the box. He places the sheets under one arm, reaches back into the box and produces an old-looking pen.
Curious, Jack walks over to Mason to get a closer view and says, “Let me see them, Mason.”
Even now after all they had been through, Jack half expects another verbal battle, recalling how Mason had been so territorial with the map. However, this time, Mason freely offers the objects to Jack, who thinks, He's not interested in them.Jack takes the papers and looks them over. They're blank, and Jack thinks out loud, “He gave us a pen and paper?”
The wolf draws closer, and there's a wild look in his eyes.
Jack sees this and cries, “Stay back!”
“No, can't you see?” responds the wolf, whose countenance has changed.
The creature is no longer glowering at them, and, in fact, he appears to be trying to smile.
Amy looks at the wolf and then at the papers in Jack's hand. Suddenly, she knows what the wolf is thinking and says, “He's right—I get it now! Can't you see, Jack?”
“Wait a minute what's going on?” Mason barks. “Why are you so happy?”
Amy exclaims, “The story! The pages! These are the missing pages!”
Jack examines the papers more closely and sees they have little ridges along one side, as if they had been ripped out of a book. Also, the sligh
t yellow tinge of the pages reminds him of the pages from the books in the ride.
All of a sudden a light bulb turns on for Jack, and he realizes, “Your right, Amy!”
“Let me see,” says Scotty, who walks quickly to Jack. He flips through the pages and declares, “But, they're blank.”
“Of course they're blank, Scotty, that's the point. May I have a piece?” Amy asks her brother, who happily grants her request. Then she says, “Mason, the pen if you will.”
And, after securing this object, too, Amy sits down on the floor and begins to write.
Chapter 149
Amy's expectations rise as she places the pen against the paper. This is it, she thinks, and she knows what to do. In fact, she has never been so confident about anything in her entire life. Amy's almost giddy as the ink spills out onto the parchment. As she writes, she reads aloud for the others to hear.
“The wanderer, Amy, had seen enough of the woods that night.
She wanted to go home.
Although it was a long and scary ordeal,
She knew that night had changed her, changed her for the better.
She should have never left the ride and gotten herself into this mess.
She never should have gotten so angry with her friends, especially Jack.
And, she would not allow herself to feel ashamed of her own appearance any longer.
She knew she was fine just the way she was.
She was thankful for the narrator and wanted to make sure he would be proud of the choices she would make from that point on.
She would no longer wander; she would stick to the path, and now, this path would lead her out of the woods.”
After finishing the text, Amy calmly places the pen on the floor and re-examines the words. She stands, filled with joy.
“What was that all about?” Mason asks.
“Wait,” Amy instructs and hushes him by lifting her forefinger. She pauses and looks around the room. She is obviously expecting something, and after a few more empty seconds, a look of disappointment mixed with confusion shows on her face.
“Maybe it has to rhyme? I don't understand,” she says.
“Neither do we,” Mason adds.
Amy responds, “Mason, just be….”