Aberdeen, a busy city at the best of times, became a hundred times busier overnight as reporters from across the globe descended upon it in droves. The fantastic stone giants that were appearing all over Scotland had become international news and the roads and glens of the Grampian Mountains were soon full of reporters and camera crews anxious to catch a glimpse of the stone monsters. They weren’t disappointed, either, for the giants, who seemed to become taller and stronger with each day that passed, were springing up all over the Highlands. Television commentators had a field day as they discussed everything from the reasons for their sudden appearance to their inevitable collapse into landslides. Neither did it take them long to work out that they were all heading eastwards and making for the area around Morven.
“The press people are camping out in the fields near Hughie’s cottage,” Shona said worriedly as another satellite van rattled past their gates. “Dad’s shut the gates so that they don’t come and bother us.”
Inevitably, of course, a team of broadcasters did turn up at Glenmorven House, for news of the Sinclairs’ midnight flight from Glen Garchory was common knowledge in the area and the reporters were adept at sifting through local gossip for a story. Hearing the doorbell ring, Ian Ferguson shrugged. “Maybe if I tell them what I know they might go away,” he said, looking at his wife hopefully.
The cameras were on him as he answered the door and soon he was telling them about their midnight visitors. “The Sinclairs’ farm is in the next glen,” he explained, looking into the camera. “The weather was stormy. A bit like it is today, actually,” he said, looking up the glen where black clouds were gathering.
Kate Cameron who was interviewing him, followed his glance and shivered suddenly. “And what made them realize that there were giants in the area?”
“Apparently, there was a sudden, tremendous noise,” Ian said. “It woke them up and when they looked out of the window, they saw the giants heaving themselves off the sides of the mountains.” He tailed off as an eerie growling noise roared through Glenmorven. “That’s the noise he described,” Ian continued, looking suddenly apprehensive. “The noise the giants make when they’re talking. It looks as though there must be more of them around.”
So strange and fearsome was the sound, that James, the cameraman, turned quite white and the world heard Kate’s terrified intake of breath as they all turned to look up the glen.
“We think the giants might be close by,” she said into the microphone in a voice that was half-scared and half-excited. What a scoop, she thought, to be around when the giants were actually forming. “We’ll leave this interview for the present and go further up the glen so that we can have a better view of what’s happening. We think the giants are coming!”
She looked speculatively at the four children who had been standing quietly to one side as the interview had started. Odd, she thought. They don’t look the least bit scared. I wonder why?
“Aren’t you scared?” she queried laughingly, holding out the microphone to a pretty, red-haired girl who was clutching a kitten. Great shot, she thought. Just what the viewers want to see. Children and animals always went down well.
Shona shot a cautious glance at Neil and didn’t quite know what to say. “I think we’re more excited than scared,” she said.
Kate’s eyes flickered. She hadn’t been a reporter for years not to sense that there was a story in the children. The parents seemed genuine enough but she’d bet her bottom dollar that the kids knew a lot more than they were letting on and, as they moved off, she gave Shona a friendly but shrewd look that told her exactly what she was thinking. The noise grew in volume as they all hurried into the garden. Ian Ferguson, after a quick glance up and down the glen, breathed a sigh of relief.
“The noise is being carried on the wind. They’re not in Glenmorven yet,” he announced, “they’re still on the other side of the ridge.” And he pointed between the hills to where the ridge loomed dark against the lowering sky. Then they saw them; the towering shapes of giant, stone men, crashing themselves against the protective shield that the Lords of the North had put in place.
One of the broadcasting team ran breathlessly up to them. “Kate, Kate, come this way,” he gasped. “The press ’copter’s coming in. They’ve got Harvey Mason on board,” his voice sounded awed as he mentioned the name of the famous TV presenter. “They’re going into the next valley and want you with them: you ought to get some great shots.”
Everyone crowded across the road and scanned the sky as a clattering noise in the air announced the arrival of the helicopter. It landed more or less in front of the house on the rough ground beside the burn. Kate was talking into her microphone all the way as she ran towards it with her cameraman trailing her.
It was only when the helicopter took to the air that Clara grabbed Neil’s arm.
“Stop them,” she cried. “Stop them, Neil!”
“Don’t worry, Clara,” Shona’s mother said, “I’m sure they’ll keep well out of the way of the giants.”
Lewis was the first to realize what she meant and ran down the slope to the banks of the burn with the others streaming behind him, shouting and waving their arms at the helicopter.
They were too late, however, and as it banked away and headed for Glen Garchory, Kate Cameron saw them and waved back. Maybe she had been mistaken, she thought. They were just kids, after all, excited and a bit overawed by the television crew. She looked away and they slipped from her mind as the helicopter soared over the peaks of the mountains and headed for The Valley of the Giants.
“We’re too late,” Clara almost wept.
“Too late for what,” Shona asked, panting and out of breath as she followed the others in their mad dash.
“Look at it,” Neil said pointing to the whirling rotors of the helicopter. “Just look at it! Don’t you see, Shona?” He put an arm round her shoulder and squeezed her. “It’s too awful to think about,” he said, his eyes following the ever decreasing shape of the sky ’copter, “but the giants don’t know what helicopters are, do they? They’ll think it’s a dragon. And … well, you know what they did to Arthur!”