“This isn’t how it looks,” said Edd.

The girls were all glaring at him. “It looks pretty bad to me,” said Kimmy.

Edd thought fast. “The fact is… it was a prank. Fooled you all!”

“Get him!” yelled Kimmy.

“Shush!” said Verena. “You don’t get to say that.”

“Sorry, your majesty,” said Kimmy pouting.

“Don’t you forget it,” said Verena.

The other girls were muttering about themselves.

Edd realised he had to persuade Verena to let it go.

“I’m making a fool of myself to amuse your sister,” he told Verena with a little curtsey. “She’s such a good humoured girl, I’m sure she’ll laugh.”

“You’re lucky you’re her friend,” said Verena. “Now get out, please.”

Edd thought some more flattery would not go amiss. “You’re the prettiest girl in the county. That Snow White… she can’t hold a candle to you.”

Verena raised her eyebrows at him.

“Look in the mirror and you’ll see the prettiest girl there is,” urged Edd.

For some reason, Verena blanched and shook her head. “I won’t pretend to understand you Edd. I just know that some guys can’t help but do dumb things. Girls… excuse him.”

00O00

Elliot noticed Edd hurrying back into the cave just before Tiggy returned with a tureen of steaming cocoa to serve them. Corey had already retired for the night. The ogre-girl’s red hair hung limp and wet around her shoulders. It smelled as strong as the drying hair of a whole crowd of normal girls, but Elliot wanted her to stay close by, nonetheless.

“Why thank you, Tiggy,” said Edd. “Cocoa tastes so much sweeter this way.”

“Does it? Good.” Tiggy grinned. “I don’t know, cos I can’t taste cocoa at all.”

“Some popcorn would not go amiss,” said Edd. “With lots of mustard. I won’t let a morsel pass my lips without mustard.”

Tiggy smiled and hurried out of the cave.

“She’s not your servant, you know,” said Jax, glaring at Edd.

“If she’s happy to serve, roll with it!” said Edd. “Besides, you could get her to do all kinds of stuff. I can tell these things.”

“Uh huh…” said Jax.

“I’ve seen how she grins at you,” said Edd. “Why is that? Maybe cos you’re so good looking.”

“I doubt she’s as shallow as you, Edd,” Elliot said, feeling his face grow hot.

“You’ve got your head on straight,” said Jax, pointing at Elliot.

Tiggy came back at that point with the popcorn. “Anything else, guys?”

“Get your own drink now,” said Jax.

Tiggy went out again brought back a large basin of thick red liquid. “Pig blood,” she said with a wry smile. She lifted the basin in both her green hands and began to sip.

Elliot and Jax hurried to sit by her right hand side and Edd crept up to her left.

“So good to have you to take care of us,” said Edd with a smirk. “And a great cave you have here, I must say.”

Tiggy smiled down at him. The pig blood glistened on her lips. “I love having you all here. You c’n live with me in my cave.”

“An ogress’ cave,” said Edd. “One where the party never stops.”

“Yeah,” said Tiggy. “You’re all so nice.”

“Perfect… as long as the Giant Slayers don’t show up,” said Edd.

“Enough about the Giant Slayers!” said Jax.

Tiggy’s smooth green brown creased and she put a hand to her cheek. “Giant Slayers after me… I really don’t wanna bring danger to you. To any of you.”

Elliot tugged the pink sleeve of her dressing gown. “Your dad’s not worried about the stupid Giant Slayers. Everyone who cares about you wants you to stay with them.”

Oh gosh, Elliot really hoped he wasn’t blushing. He probably was, because Edd was curling his lip.

Tiggy beamed at him. Her teeth were slightly red tinged because of the pig blood. “You’re so sweet an’ nice, Elliot.”

In this moment, Elliot felt himself swell with pride and didn’t care if Edd was smirking.

They slept in the cave in sleeping bags. Tiggy had her own giant sleeping bag, but she went up to each of them to murmur goodnight.

Elliot felt a thrill when she knelt beside him. “Tiggy…”

That made her lean close so that he could gaze into her wide brown eyes. “Can I get you anything else Elliot?”

Her voice… so deep and husky. He didn’t even mind that her breath was a bit fetid. Elliot wanted to ask for a goodnight kiss, but obviously couldn’t if the other boys were there.

“Nuh – noo…” he stammered.

Tiggy smiled at him. “Sweet dreams.”

And Elliot’s dreams were sweet.

00O00

Up in the Pink Room, Amber held up a copy of the Mythic Life magazine with its picture of Snow White. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

Kimmy looked apprehensively from Amber to Verena. “Verena’s prettier. She’s the queen of our social scene. The homecoming queen.”

“I’m not sure I am, but it’s alright,” said Verena. She said it was alright, but she couldn’t help grimacing. “If Snow White wins the pageant fair and square, then so be it.”

“If that ever did happen, that would make Snow White the beauty queen,” said Amber.

“It would, yes,” said Verena. “If she’s the prettiest of them all, that’s fine by me.” She wouldn’t admit it, but that thought made her insides squirm with unease. When it was time to sleep, she badly wished she was in the bedroom with Tiggy, listening to the comforting sound of her sister breathing. As it was, Verena had to try something else to feel secure.

Verena had the sleeping bag in the centre of the room, surrounded by starlight crystal lamps. She clapped her hands together and they activated, little dots of light forming the shape of a love heart around her.

She lay back and fell into a fitful slumber. She awoke when a distant clock struck three in the morning. The room was dimly lit and the other girls were asleep. With a sick sense of dread, Verena saw the image of Mirror Girl in the gilt mirror against the wall, mannequin mask and all. The evil spectre emerged from the mirror as though it were a pool of water and stepped noiselessly onto the carpet. Verena tried to jolt upright, but found she couldn’t move. Mirror Girl picked up the Mythic Life magazine and approached Verena, but stopped at the edges of the starlight love heart pattern. Verena felt a rush of relief. Mirror Girl shook the magazine at Verena, trying to show her the picture of Snow White. Lame. Was this the best shot the demon of the mirror could take?

Mirror Girl clenched her fist and dropped the magazine. She clapped her hands, although it did not make a sound. The shadows in the corner of the room seemed to get darker. They had a definite shape. The shape of a stooped female figure, wrapped in shadow that even covered her head. The shape shuffled towards Verena, who suddenly felt sick with fear. The creature crawling across the floor had girls hands, as pretty and dainty as Verena’s own. But now they shrivelled into aged claws. The hands of an old crone with long nails. The Shadow Crone spoke in a hoarse, rasping voice:

“Coward. Hypocrite girl. You pretend not to care if Snow White usurps your position of Beauty Queen. But it’s eating you alive.”

Verena felt a chill at the sound of the terrible voice. The mere presence of the Crone made her skin crawl. But she couldn’t move or speak. Instead she thought ferociously: “What are you?”

“Can you not tell?” grated the Crone. “I am you. I am the bad thoughts you leave behind when you dream each night, ascending to that nocturnal paradise where I cannot tread.”

Verena groaned inwardly. She desperately thought comforting thoughts. And her first thought was of Tiggy. She wanted to be in her sister’s muscular green arms again, to gaze into her soft brown eyes and feel relaxed and happy.

The Crone made a weird hissing sound and drew back. “You are useless to your sister. You cannot fend off the Giant Slayers.”

Verena felt a surge of rage. Why couldn’t she move? She wanted to kick the Crone hard. “Don’t know about the Giant Slayers, but I can deal with you!” She thought. “Just let me up!”

The Crone cackled, a thin and miserable cracked sound. “You were never the warrior your mother is. Or even your father. To get the better of anyone, you need to be venomous.” From her shadowy robes, the Crone retrieved a bright red apple. “You can take out Snow White.”

“Oh gods, go away!” Thought Verena. “You horrible old bag! Oh gods, I want Tiggy.”

The Crone hissed again and melted into the shadows. Mirror Girl clenched her fists and retreated backwards towards the mirror, vanishing into the glass. Verena drifted off into slumber and didn’t wake again until dawn.

00O00

The guests all left the next morning. Verena noticed that Elliot looked sad to go, so Tiggy picked him up and hugged him goodbye. Verena had badly needed her sister’s hug during the small hours when she was getting night terrors!

Tiggy peered down at Verena, her eyes wide and concerned. “Sis, you don’ look well.”

“I’m fine,” said Verena. “Actually… no I’m not.”

“We’ve gotta talk to Mum and Dad,” said Tiggy.

The family gathered around the kitchen table, Tiggy sitting on a rug on the floor while the rest took chairs.

The sunlight shining through the windows glinted off Tiggy’s fiery hair. “Mum, Dad… we’ve got stuff to tell you,” she said hesitantly.

Mum gazed at Tiggy and put a hand on Verena’s shoulder. “Tell us. We’re here for you.”

“Yes, dearest. We’re listening,” said Dad.

“I’m worried…” said Tiggy. “Um… What if the Giant Slayers are a danger to you as well.”

“I already told you, Tiggy,” said Dad. “Your Mum and I can handle the Giant Slayers.”

Mum reached across the table to touch Tiggy’s cheek. “It’s only natural to be worried, honey. I fully appreciate how it is to worry about those you love.”

“Isn’t it?” Dad butted in. “You’re just like your mother, Tiggy.” Dad put his hand on Mum’s. “Remember, Gummie Bear?

That night in the Mega Ant Hill? I seem to remember you did the worrying for both of us.”

Mum’s lips twitched to form a small smile. Her eyes were strangely bright. “Yes, Boo. And you were so brave and so carefree… I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you. I wished I could just call off the adventure and hug you so tight and never let go.”

“Stay focused,” said Verena irritably. “We’re talking about Tiggy.”

“Alright,” said Mum. “The point is that our family will always stick together in times of danger and there is nothing we can’t overcome. I have a plan to deal with the Giant Slayers. The carved centipede is a magical bug. I may be able to trace the spell back to its source. We’ll find the Chief Giant Slayer sooner or later.”

Tiggy smiled at Mum, but Verena thought her smile looked a bit pained. “Um… That’s great. Verena, do you wanna tell Mum and Dad that you’ve been feeling stress?”

So, Tiggy had guessed something was amiss with Verena. The giant girl might not be the most academically gifted, but she could pick up on things.

“Yes…” said Verena. “It’s this pageant. It’s so much pressure, and then there’s worrying about Tiggy. I think … I think…” What could Verena tell Mum and Dad? “I think it’s giving me nightmares…” she said cryptically.

“Verena… there’s no need to stress about the pageant,” said Mum. “We love you no matter what.”

It wasn’t really the pageant Verena was worried about. It was the horrible spectres.

“I’m under much too much stress, OK?” Verena said out loud.

“Verena, I had problems with anxiety and depression once,” said Dad.

Tiggy was looked at Dad with sad eyes. She was resting her hands on her chin. Verena however thought that Dad was missing the point.

“But married life cured me of my neuroses and my nervous tics,” said Dad smiling.

“You’re making this about you, Dad,” said Verena.

“And it is very relevant,” said Mum. “Your father understands how bad anxiety can be.”

But Verena was willing to bet he didn’t see monsters in the mirror or in the shadows!

00O00

Back at school, the girls met up with their respective groups of friends. Hunter and Verena kissed one another. Elliot came running up to Tiggy, but Edd pushed him aside. “There’s a new school counsellor,” he announced. “Atticus Taylor. Tiggy, gal pal, if this counsellor’s any good, he knows you need a sympathetic ear. What with those crazy Giant Slayers and everything.”

“Agreed,” said Verena winking at Edd. “And do you know any guy who could do with some therapy cos of his mad stunts?”

As it happened, the counsellor did ask to see Tiggy. Verena went with her. Atticus the counsellor was a small thin man with a moustache. He wore a tweed jumper with a red bowtie. “Ah, Antigone Harris,” he said smoothly as the sister’s stepped into his office (Tiggy had to stoop to get through the door).

“And Verena,” said Verena, plumping herself down on a padded chair. There was no chair big enough for Tiggy, so the ogre-girl sat on the floor.

“Very good,” said Atticus. “Do you prefer Antigone, or Tiggy?”

Tiggy smiled at him. “Tiggy.”

“You may already know that I’m your new school counsellor,” said Atticus. “I take my position very seriously. I am interested in your case. I understand you have had trouble with Giant Slayers, is that not the case.”

“Yes, it is,” said Verena butting in.

“Well I am here if you need anyone to confide in,” said Atticus.

Tiggy grinned. “Aww, that’s so nice of you.”

“She’s got me,” said Verena testily. “I’m her sister.”

“But are you a professional counsellor? I don’t think so,” said Atticus, tapping the shield on the desk with the plaque that said ‘School Counsellor.’ “And it’s not just the Giant Slayers. I know how people who are different can find it difficult to fit in, even in the normal course of things. Even people who are not Giant Slayers can be… insular.”

“You got that right!” said Verena.

“I’m just happy that I’ve got my family. And my friends too,” said Tiggy.

“Ever feel that you don’t know your place?” Said Atticus. “I understand there are other half-ogre kids like you and they often struggle.”

“Tiggy has me to hold her hand,” said Verena, narrowing her eyes at Atticus. “Hadn’t you picked that up?”

“I had picked that up,” said Atticus. “Very interesting it is too.”

00O00

That evening, Atticus stole away in secret to a small, secluded building on the outskirts of town. He gave the password, and went inside. A circle of figures in hooded robes stood in the room beyond. They all had smiling Jack the Giant Killer masks. The masks of Giant Slayers!

One figure stood apart from the rest. “You are late!” His voice was grinding.

“I have a demanding job,” grumbled Atticus.

“Watch your mouth, Atticus,” said the figure. “Or I’ll tear out your tongue and make you eat it.”

“Sorry, Chief Giant Slayer,” said Atticus. “I do have news. I think I have the ogre-girl’s confidence. But her sister could make trouble…”