“At least Jumbeelia wanted to be friends with us long enough for us to try to escape,” said Stephen, “It would have worked for us, if Ann hadn’t been home to surprise us.”

The cake mix began to harden around them, and below the, as their feet didn’t reach the bottom. Finally Ann took the dish out of the oven and was taking it to the table, when Jumbeelia returned.

“Put them down! They’re mine!” she said, and snatched at the tray.

“Not any more,” said Ann, “I found them on the stairs, and finders eaters.”

“I found them first in their land?” said Jumbeelia.

“Their land? Do you want me to tell mother you went down the beanstalk? That’s the only way you could have gone to their land.”

“No, you won’t!” said Jumbeelia, and fought with her sister for the dish, which caused Ann to accidentally drop it.

The three boys were not hurt, as the cake had absorbed all of the impact of the fall. They struggled their way out of the cake, all except for Stephen. Being the eldest and hence the largest, he stuck too tightly to the cake. Above them, the girls were still fighting over who would eat them.

“Just get away,” said Stephen quietly, “If they look down, they’ll recapture all three of us.”

Carlo and Poppet were too scared to argue. They ran out into the garden, while Stephen looked on at the two sisters. Ann was taller, and always would be, even when they were both adults. Yet Jumbeelia was spurred on with anger at having lost her captives to her big sister, who always seemed to get the best of everything.

Carlo and Poppet made it to the garden and halfway to the top of the beanstalk, and then heard a shout from within the kitchen.

“The other two are getting away!” yelled Jumbeelia.

“Then stop fighting, and let’s catch them,” said Ann.

“I’ll lead them away from the beanstalk, while you run for it under the cover of flowers,” said Carlo.

“But you get caught,” said Poppet.

“Maybe, maybe not. I might have a chance to sneak back in and free Stephen, while they’re looking for us. If you do get to the bottom, find a way to get rid of the beanstalk! It’s the only way to stop them coming down after you.”

“But I never see you again.”

“You won’t anyway, if they catch us and eat us,” said Carlo, “Now hurry.”

Poppet ran downhill, while Carlo ran to the side, using whatever cover he could find, with both of the giant girls in hot pursuit. Poppet ducked under every flower he could, until he reached the beanstalk.

“Got you!” said Ann.

Poppet looked back to see that Ann had caught Carlo first, with her longer legs. Outrunning Carlo had never been the issue. It had been outrunning Jumbeelia, that she had had to ensure.

Poppet went down the beanstalk as fast as he could, and hoped the giant girls had assumed that he had gone in he same direction as Carlo. He could not think of any way to destroy the beanstalk, and he admitted to himself that his heart was not in such a course of action. He was determined to sneak back up there and rescue his friends, even if it meant disobeying them.

Meanwhile, in the giant garden, Ann and Jumbeelia had reached an understanding. Ann would never tell their mother that Jumbeelia had gone down the beanstalk, if Jumbeelia agreed to make no more trouble about an even share in the gobbling of the two boys. 16 year old Ann gave the 10 year old Carlo back to 14 year old Jumbeelia to eat, while Ann would eat 14 year old Stephen herself. Both of them also agreed never to venture down the beanstalk again, lest their mother be angry with them.

Ann retrieved her cake and took it up to her room and ate around Stephen, before gently but confidently eating him with great pleasure. Jumbeelia took Carlo up to her own room and gave him another kiss.