As she approached, there was another scuffle from the bushes and an angry voice hissed at her. ‘Go away! You’ll scare them off!’

Yaz stopped, surprised. Whatever it was it certainly didn’t sound like an alien. ‘Who are you? What are you doing hiding down there?’

‘Go away!’

Ryan and Graham had realised that something was up now, and had abandoned all attempts at stealth.

‘That doesn’t sound like an alien to me,’ said Ryan striding over. ‘It’s just a tramp or something.’

‘Come on out,’ snapped Graham. ‘Stop wasting our time.’

An angry, red-faced figure emerged from the bushes.

‘I don’t believe it,’ Chantelle groaned. ‘Kim Fortune. Again …’

‘I was just on the verge of capturing one of the creatures on film!’ yelled Kim, waving a camera in Yaz’s face. ‘Three flippin’ hours I’ve been waiting behind that skip.’

‘You need to find yourself a better hobby, mate,’ said Ryan with a snigger.

Kim glared at him. ‘They’re here, I tell you.’

‘Yeah, right.’

Yaz sighed. ‘We’re not going to get anywhere like this.’ She was about to suggest that they started looking in another part of the alleyway when there was a sudden explosion of movement and a small figure burst from behind one of the skips. Realising its escape route was blocked, it turned and hissed angrily, bright eyes blazing from beneath its dark hood.

‘I don’t believe it!’ gasped Graham.

‘That’s one of them!’ yelled Kim. ‘Don’t let it get away.’

The creature darted towards the entrance to the alleyway but Kim was determined not to let his scoop escape and lunged forward, catching the creature off balance. The two of them crashed to the wet tarmac.

‘I’ve got it,’ screamed Kim, the creature twisting madly in his grasp. ‘Help me!’

Before the others could do anything, the creature gave an ear-splitting screech of rage and turned to face its captor, its mouth wide. A torrent of evil-smelling slime burst from its lips, splattering into Kim’s face. He jerked back, screaming in horror, releasing his grasp on the creature and desperately trying to rub the thick liquid from his eyes.

‘Urgh!’ Graham recoiled in disgust. ‘That’s revolting!’

‘Graham, help me!’ yelled Yaz running forward to help clear the slime from Kim’s nose and mouth.

The creature hissed angrily at them, slime dripping from its chin, then it turned and fled along the alleyway.

Ryan raced after it. ‘I’ll get it!’

‘Ryan! No!’ Graham cried out after him, but it was too late. The creature and Ryan had vanished into the blackness.

‘Yaz.’ Graham looked at her pleadingly. ‘I’ll deal with this. Get after him.’

Yaz scrambled to her feet. ‘Chantelle, help Graham with Kim. Get that stuff off him.’

Without waiting for an answer, she hared off along the alleyway after Ryan. From the darkness ahead she could hear the creature screeching and angry shouts from Ryan.