by John Mallon
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.