Now they could hear someone shouting, and it all went faster, each of them taking a side and chopping it down until the stairs were revealed.

Milo reverted. Amber, reluctantly, did the same. Milo went first and she followed, still gripping the axe. The others came after.

“Austin?” Milo called.

“Here! Down here!”

They descended into a deep, soundproofed basement. In one corner, there was a narrow mattress and blanket and a chain that ran from the floor to Austin Cooke’s ankle.

Linda and Ronnie rushed forward.

“You okay?” said Ronnie. “Did he hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” Austin said. “Please get me out of here. He put the key on the nail there.”

Linda hurried to the wall, grabbed the key, and took it back to the boy. The padlock opened easily and tears came to Austin’s eyes.

“Thank you,” he said. “I thought he was gonna kill me. Thank you.”

Ronnie straightened up and patted his shoulder. “We’re going to take you somewhere safe, okay? You’re not in danger anymore, Austin. You’re with us now.”

Then Two started barking like the Devil himself had arrived, and they turned to see the Narrow Man coming down the stairs.

Chapter 31

THE NARROW MAN DIDN’T move with any sense of urgency. A tall man, with quiet eyes set too far apart in his pale face. A wide, thin mouth.

Austin whimpered, and Ronnie shielded him as they all backed away. Two’s barks turned to growls, low in his throat, and Warrick kept a tight grip on the leash.

Milo didn’t have to draw fast. He just took his gun from its holster, held it level with his waist. “We’re taking the boy with us,” he said.

The Narrow Man didn’t answer, so Milo made a show of aiming for his leg.

“Give us the key – the one that takes you to Naberius. Hand it over and we won’t need to hurt you.”

When the Narrow Man didn’t speak, Milo shrugged, and pulled the trigger. Amber flinched at the gunshot, saw the bullet pass through the Narrow Man’s leg and burrow into the floor behind him. But there was no blood, no reaction, and definitely no screaming.

“Huh,” said Milo, and fired again and again, emptying the gun into the Narrow Man’s chest and head.

The bullet holes gaped. There was no red inside. No flesh. Just more of that same colourless skin, the texture of putty.

Milo holstered his gun, shifted, and swung the axe at the Narrow Man’s head. The Narrow Man ducked, almost lazily, moving fast without seeming to hurry. Milo spun, swung again, but the Narrow Man grabbed the axe and pulled Milo into him. Milo snarled, red spilling from between his clenched teeth, and got a hand to the Narrow Man’s throat and powered him backwards.

“Go,” Amber said to the others as she shifted.

“We’re staying,” said Ronnie.