“Oh wow, Ann. You looked so good saying that in the pantomime. Now you really are a giant!”

“The pantomime? Were you in the audience?” she asked.

“Yes. I loved it so much. I’m so glad you’re going to eat me, Ann.”

Ann laughed.

“I don’t believe you, little boy, although I AM glad that I’m going to do it. I haven’t had a fan for dinner before.”

“Have you eaten anyone else?” he asked.

“You’ll be the third one,” she said.

“So how did you become a giant?” he asked.

“I’ll take you inside and tell you all about it,” she said.

Jumbeelia was away visiting her parents at the moment. Woozly was at boarding school. Ann carried him into a spacious living room and sat down on a couch and put him on the arm beside her.

“Should I call you Ann or Mrs Grimble?” he asked.

“Mrs Grimble was a relative of mine, but she died a long time ago,” said Ann, “I found another way into this land and the means to become a giant along the way. I shrank back and went to our old land for a while, to write the play. Now I’m a giant again, and you’re going to be a very delicious dinner for me.”

“Just like in the play,” said Humphrey, “The best bit is when you said: In a way I love you too, Jack, but it won’t be long now before I really love eating you. I’ll just go and let Serena know I’ve caught another little boy and ask her to leave us in privacy. I’ll see you soon, you delicious little darling.”

“How many times have you read that?” she asked.

“I don’t have the money to buy the book. I saw it at the play. It’s my favourite bit.”

“You won’t trick me into leaving you any opportunities to escape,” she said, “I’ve just decided that I won’t even wait for dinner. I’m going to take you into the dining room right now and have you for my lunch. You won’t have time to even think of any way to save yourself.”

When she said the words ‘have you for my lunch’, he was driven into an ecstatic frenzy that his young mind could not fully comprehend. It was all real. It was his special secret that Ann’s play had been based on fact, and that he would now be the sequel.

Now she was carrying him to the dining table. She put him down, turned the dining room light on and sat at the table, towing in front of him happily.

“I don’t want to save myself, Ann. This is what I’ve always wished you could do.”

Ann giggled and laughed and licked her lips.

“You never give up, do you, little boy. I’m going to gulp you down my throat! Yet there you are trying to fib me into believing that you want me to do it. You’re the sneakiest boy of the three, but you’ll soon be facing exactly the same slide down to my tummy that the other two went through.”

The way she was teasing and taunting him, with her own disbelief seemed to make it all the more enjoyable for him.

Ann picked him up and began licking him. When she stopped, he spoke up again.

“Thank you Ann. That was really nice. I love you wanting to eat me.”

“It’s a great act, for a boy your age. In fact you’re so talented, that I should have let you play Jack’s role in the pantomime; but let’s see how you cope with this. I’m going to put you into my mouth now and swallow you. Goodbye, little boy. I only wish I could see your act coming to an end, when you’re sliding off the back of my tongue,” said Ann in great amusement.

She slid the boy into her mouth and waited for him to admit that he had been acting. When no such admission came, she gobbled him into her throat and enjoyed the feel of him sliding down into her tummy.