THE VALLEY OF THE FOUR GIANTS: IVY

I see.

We don't know how it happened sir.

And you're sure...

Yes.

Collapsed. Like a tree in the forest.

Very well then.

So is he...

Uselessness... is dead. Four are three. Our quarry still lurks in the shadows. Loneliness?

Yes sir?

This is your fault.

My f...

Yes.

But I... I mean... How...

You should be guarding against all this! Where were you? Where were you when he decided to go sneaking off? We have lost our comrade. And the blame lies at your door because you failed to stop him disobeying orders.

Sir...

Loneliness. It would be wise not to fall foul of the snare a second time. Lustfulness, pay attention. This time, the three of us will do this together - Hopelessness, Loneliness and Lustfulness. We will crush our enemy and end this. And we will do so, my friends... like this...

---

It occurs to me that I must fight. If I run, they will find me. They have been chasing me long enough through the hours of my life. I have no choice. I must face them, or be faced by them. I cannot hide in these woods forever.

The Maker had sent me courage, and in the form of an old typewriter. He'd told me what to do to bring down Uselessness and I had figured it out. I am loved. The words resonate even now through the trees as I wander through the forest. But would that be enough to bring down the other three? They'll be ready for that. I need to be on my guard.

There's a clearing up ahead. I see a glimmer of light through the trees and decide to head towards it. As I get nearer, I hear something, something familiar. It sounds like... singing. I edge closer. It's a woman's voice, but it's sweet and clear, like the sound of a tiny stream sparkling on a summer's afternoon. This is sort of beautiful...

Land of the silver birch

Home of the beaver

Blue lake and rocky shore

I will return once more...

Who is that? I peer through the leaves. My senses are tingling with electricity. Something deep inside of me is calling, but somehow I'm already captivated. At the centre of the clearing, there is a large black rock, jagging out of the ground. It glimmers with light as the sun gently moves across it. Behind it, the song, the singer and the woman... continues. I have to see.

High on a rocky ledge

I'll build my wigwam

Close to the water's edge

Silent and still...

She emerges. She looks at me, and my heart stops. She stops singing and the sky grows dark somehow. She has long golden hair, cascading down over her shoulders. She wears white, which has been untouched by the forest and is glittering in the sun. Her eyes, blue and piercing are looking directly into mine and her red lips smile nervously as my heart melts. Our eyes connect for a moment too long. She smiles. She sings.

Blue lake and rocky shore

I will return once more

Boom-diddy ah da, boom diddy-ah da

Boom.

I am lost.

"Who are you?" I tremble. "What are you doing here?"

"My name is Ivy," says she, curling her lips elegantly around each syllable. "Who are you?"

"I'm Matt," I reply, without thinking.

"Hello Matt. And what are you doing in the woods, might I ask?" She almost sings the words.

"I'm figh...I'm run... Um... I can't tell you."

"Oh  I'm sure you can," she continues, raising an eyebrow. "You just don't want to."

"You didn't answer my question,"

"Oh?"

"Why are you in the forest, Ivy?"

She suddenly looks sad.

"It's a long story Matt," she sighs. "Look at my foot."

I hadn't noticed it before. From under her white dress, an ugly chain wraps itself around her foot and pins her to the rock. She is a prisoner.

"I was chained here," she says... "by giants."

The words hang in the air like the moment before a thunderstorm.

"By giants?" I say.

"Yes. Four of them. I don't want to talk about it."

"But I..."

"I don't want to."

We pause. She waits. I wrestle with myself.

"I... killed one of them," I say, eventually.

"What?"

"I did. I knocked him dead. They were chasing me and I hid and I ran but then I fought one and I... Just well, sort of killed him."

"You? You killed a giant?"

"Yes."

"You broke a giant's enchantment?" she smiles.

"Yes, well, yes I suppose I did." Courage is surging through me now, "And I reckon I can break this one too."

I grab hold of the chain.

"No!" She cries. It's too late though. The chain explodes into sparks as my fingers touch it and I'm thrown backwards into the forest.

"It's enchanted too," she says, sorrowfully. "It can't be broken, Matt."

"But I can't leave you here! Those giants will find me and they'll crush us both. I have to do something to save you!"

"I don't think there's anything anyone can do. I was hoping that singing that song would help loosen the chain but even that kind of magic isn't strong enough. Only hope will set me free, and I lost that a long time ago."

The trees shake. I suddenly notice black clouds over the treetops.

"Oh Matt!" cries Ivy, following my gaze, "They're back. Run!"

The ground thunders, the trees part. One beat, two beats. I have to try something and I have to try it fast.

"Hope!" It suddenly clicks. "Ivy, I have hope," I cry, "It was given to me a long time ago and it might work if I give it to you."

"What? What... Hope? Do you?"

"There's no time to explain. Quick, hide yourself round the other side. We only have a few seconds." I fling my bag open. The trees snap and birds soar into the air in a sudden flutter.

"Here, Ivy, take this. It's my only... It's your only... Hope." I hold out the photograph. The air sings with delight, magic and intensity as the ground spins.

"Are you sure?" she asks, biting her lip, nervously.

"Take it!" I cry, "Hurry! Let's go!"

She reaches out and carefully grasps the photograph between her fingers.

Lightning splits the sky.

Thunder rolls, the heavens open and huge drops of rain begin to fall in the clearing. I stumble backwards, blinded by the light. Ivy looks at the photograph. Then she looks at me.

"You are so stupid," she says. The chain snaps open. Rain falls on her face, melting her cruel smile into a hideous grin. She snaps her fingers. Her body balloons, her head shoots upwards into the sky and her arms and hands grow absurdly into the air. In a moment, her face contorts and twists and she shakes her hair, turning every feature into the grim visage of Lustfulness, clutching in one hand the tiny photograph, and in the other the vial of poison, which has ensnared me.

Through the trees emerges Hopelessness, laughing.

"Mine I think," he says, taking the photograph. "And no longer... yours," turning to me.

He looks down and laughs. She looks at me and shakes her head with a strange mixture of pity and derision and glee.

"Too too easy," she says. "Always the same with you, always the same. Your head is turned till you can no longer see the wood from the trees."

"Finish it," says Hopelessness. "We have what we need."

I'm frozen with fear. The rain falls as I turn to try to run, but an enormous boot blocks my path. I slip on the wet grass. Lightning flashes. The sky grows black. A distant rumble courses through the forest. I roll into the mud, shouting something indiscernible. My heart pumps faster. The world plunges into darkness and I know: I know it is all over.