There’s no one on the roads, but the houses all have their lights on and we see a few twitching curtains as we pass. When we get to Karim’s, he doesn’t even have a chance to get his key in the door before his dad has opened it and is standing there looking mad as hell.

‘Where have you been? I’ve been worried sick.’

‘I’m sorry, Dad. We were at Kat’s house, and…’

‘Who is Kat? I’ve never heard of this Kat before?’ Karim’s dad says, so angry that even his beard looks full of rage.

‘I’m Katja, Mr Amrani,’ Kat says, in that way she has of making even the most basic words sound like music. ‘I’m sorry we haven’t met before – I know Karim from school.’

Karim’s dad looks at her and you can literally see his beard calm down.

134 ‘It’s nice to meet you, Katja,’ he says.

‘We went to the park to have a walk before the curfew bells, and I realised I’d forgotten to eat.’ Karim puts on a genuinely impressive, sad-puppy face.

‘Karim, you know you have to take responsibility for yourself,’ Karim’s dad says, but he’s more worried than mad now. ‘Come inside, let’s sort you out.’

Karim puts one foot in the door and hesitates. ‘Is Mum home yet?’

‘Not yet, but she said she’d be very late. She has so much to sort out.’ He ruffles Karim’s hair. ‘And you’ve still got me to look after you.’ He looks at me and Kat. ‘Would you like to come in for some dinner?’

I so want to go in for some dinner. ‘Thanks, but we’d better get home. My mum will be worried,’ I say.

‘Mine too,’ says Kat. ‘But I hope to see you again soon.’

‘OK, no problem. But I should run you back,’ he says. ‘I can’t let you walk home alone.’

And though I’d love to walk back with Kat so we can talk, it will actually help our story if I arrive home with Karim’s dad to back me up.

135 ‘OK, thanks,’ I say. ‘That would be great.’

‘Give me two minutes,’ he says, helping Karim inside. I hear him saying what a nice girl Kat seems, in between telling Karim off for not taking care of himself properly. Kat gives me a grin. She looks dead tired, and I hope she can get some sleep tonight. I also hope that getting some sleep doesn’t mean I lose her to the hive.

‘I’ll be ready to leave at first bells,’ she whispers, like she’s read my mind, and I know that whatever tomorrow holds, having her with me is going to make it a whole lot more bearable.