It starts sweetly and quietly, like a breeze. In one long, growing sustained note, the trumpet calls me as though it's from a dream. Then the awful note grows louder until it fills every recess in my head. It blasts and resonates through me as I stand with my eyes closed. It stops, hangs in the air for a moment and echoes away.
Eyes open. The world is suddenly bright and alive. The sword catches the sun as it glides into the air. I move quickly as an enormous foot crashes in my direction. There's another. Uselessness's staff is whirring through the air toward me. I duck and run as a fist smashes into the earth. The sky passes into shade, the air is filled with their terrible shouting and jeering. Another pounding into the earth. I have nowhere to run. The sword jags into the soil, sending a shower of mud and grass over me. I clutch my bag tightly to myself and run aimlessly.
Hopelessness rips the sword from the earth and growls. The others laugh. Loneliness pulls the bow from behind her back and attaches an arrow. Uselessness spins the staff around his head and waits. I run toward Hopelessness, who is now thundering toward me. I somehow keep my balance and dart between his legs. A massive leather boot swings. I instinctively jump and grab hold of a strap. Hopelessness roars, thirty feet above me. An arrow comes skimming from nowhere and jams into the ground.
"Stop!" Cries Hopelessness.
"I've got him!" Uselessness shouts.
"No!"
The staff spins through the air like a javelin. It misses me by a whisker and thunders into the ankle of the giant with a crunch. I drop to the ground as Hopelessness screams with pain.
I run, heading for the forest. Arrows like spears fly past me as I race to the safety of the trees.
Soon, I am catching my breath in the branches of an old oak. I'm safe, at least for now. But the giants wait at the edge of the forest. They know that I cannot hide forever.
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