“Do you mean that you’re going to eat me up without my agreement?” asked Flip.

“From your perspective, I’m afraid so. As the relevant gobbler, I have no such reservations. I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful Sunday dinner.”

“Sunday! You’re only giving me one more day!”

“We’ll have to decide how to spend it.”

“Yes … Could I cuddle up with you tonight?”

“That wouldn’t be fair to Boy Archer,” said Diana.

“Do you think you’re being fair to ME?” asked Flip.

“Within reason. I’m not in love with you. Boy Archer and I have been together for two years, and we’ll be together for many more. You’ll be with me in a way too, but it’s not the same.”

“You’re telling me,” said Flip despondently.

“Heyyy,” she said, “It’s not lost on me that you wouldn’t be here, if you didn’t feel the way you do. That means something to me, and it certainly will tomorrow night.”

“Thank you,” said Flip.

It was late in the day. They talked their way through dinner and then she put him to bed. He lay down and watched her walk out of the room. The next day they made the most of each other’s company until the middle of the afternoon. Then Flip said he was feeling tired, from all the times he had run to keep up with her giant strides.

“Would you like to lie down for a while?” she said, “In a few hours, it’ll be time to go into the kitchen.”

“Yes please. I guess there’s many a Flip ‘twixt the gulp and the lip,” said Flip.

“Well soon there will be,” said Diana.

She was wearing a feminine dress. This time the sight of her walking out of the room and closing the door was far more captivating to Flip. As he settled on the tiny bed, he considered the fact that her next walk through that doorway would be to collect him and make him ready, so that she could have him for her dinner. The imminence of the event became even more prevalent in his mind.

CENTURIES EARLIER …

Concealing himself from girls and teachers alike, living on foods which grew in the gardens, Theo waited until school term began, and then chose a weekend day to sneak into the school’s chemistry class room. He had been a successful science student back in his own land, and began experimenting with chemical combinations until he succeeded in enlarging himself to Mrs Grande’s size as the sun was going down. He walked out into the school grounds, now a giant, and noticed that several girls and boys were making their way into the school hall. He walked in himself, and saw that a beginning of term dance was being held.

On the stage, about to make an opening announcement, was Mrs Grande, wearing a most beautiful dress. He saw a reaction to his presence in her eyes, which she quickly suppressed. When she finished her speech and walked down off the stage, he approached her as though he had come as her date, so that everyone would assume that. There was much talk among the teachers in those moments, about Mrs Grande’s much younger boyfriend. It seemed that the widow had begun to date again.

“How did you pull this off?” asked Mrs Grande, somewhat coldly, but also intrigued.

He explained.

“You seem to be good at getting away with things,” she said, “And to cap it off, you have everyone thinking that you’re my date.”

“Well then, would you like to help authenticate things, by dancing with me?” he asked.