Hayley didn’t bother answering him. She did a quick check around to make sure all the coffins were indeed empty, and then moved back to the door. Hayley was good at standing guard. She was alert, and she didn’t get bored as easily as Tane did, and she didn’t start fidgeting or go for a wander, the way Tane tended to.

His eyes scanned the crypt, not finding a whole lot of interest. The plan was that they wait here for the sign, and then they help Skulduggery and Valkyrie close over this gaping pit, which was the reason the dead were walking. Skulduggery had explained it to them that very afternoon, how they had figured it all out, about the centuries-old family curse and the last of the Doherty bloodline and something else about how the wicked shall not rest and something about a dog. Or a bog, or something like that. Maybe a log.

“What does a log have to do with all this?” he asked Hayley.

“Nothing whatsoever.”

He nodded to himself. It was definitely either dog or bog. He looked down into the pit. Could it really be called a pit? What made a hole a pit? It was about two metres in diameter and very dark, but apart from that, it was just a hole. He picked up a small piece of rubble and dropped it into the darkness. He listened for the sound of it hitting the bottom. Nothing. Either the hole was very, very deep or the piece of rubble was way too small. He picked up another piece, a heavier, chunkier piece.

“What are you doing?” Hayley asked suddenly.

He hid the chunk of rubble behind his back. “Nothing.”

“You’re doing something. What are you doing?”

“I’m not doing anything,” he said. “I’m standing here, that’s all.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Stay away from the pit.”

“It’s more of a hole, really.”

“Shut up, and stay away from it.”

He didn’t respond. She glared at him once more, then went back to peering out of the door. In Tane’s experience, Australians were fine most of the time, but whenever they were in dangerous situations they tended to lose their sense of humour. Making sure he wouldn’t be caught, Tane tossed the chunk of rubble into the hole and listened for a sound. It came almost immediately, a soft thud and a moan. Tane frowned. A moan?

The zombie pulled itself up and grabbed his ankle and Tane shrieked. He kicked out and fell back and the zombie was clambering from the hole/pit/whatever it was, its flesh rotten and disgusting. Tane was aware of Hayley dragging him away as the zombie reached for him again.

“What did you do?” she hissed.

“I just wanted to see how deep it was!”

“I told you not to go near it!”

“Who are you to be giving me orders?”