Cover

A MESSAGE FROM CHICKEN HOUSE

Waking up on a giant jellyfish with the world gone to hell and ominous predators stalking the shore would be a bit rubbish . . . but you’d get used to it, wouldn’t you? You’d probably even get a bit bored, after a while – I know the teenage me would. And whether you’re on land or on jelly, there will always be issues. Like how to get off the jellyfish (and not get off with each other), avoid those bossy adults, grow your friendships, or stomach yet more raw fish . . . This surreal story by awesome debut writer Clare Rees is funny, thought-provoking and unbearably real (really).

BARRY CUNNINGHAM

Publisher

Chicken House

Title Page

For Owen

‘Instantly one of those long arms glided

like a snake into the opening,

and twenty others were quivering above.

With a sweep of the axe,

Captain Nemo chopped off

this fearsome tentacle,

which slid writhing down the steps . . .

Seized by the tentacle and glued to its suckers,

the unfortunate man was swinging in the air at

the mercy of this enormous appendage.

He gasped, he choked, he yelled . . .

The poor fellow was done for.’

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

by Jules Verne

Chapter 1

1

Pitiful Pete was sitting right on the edge of the Jellyfish, facing out towards the far coast, and a few of us had gathered round to watch.

‘What do you think your chances are this time, Pete?’ called James. He bit into a piece of dried fish, ripping off the tail with an expert flick of his wrist. One thing about James is that he does eat disgusting foods in a non-disgusting way.

Pitiful Pete shrugged his shoulders, his eyes focused on the waves. He always takes a while to work himself up to it.

‘Your problem’s been with the tentacles in the past,’ said James helpfully. ‘If you can just get beyond those, you should be fine.’

‘Your problem’s with your face,’ said Lana.

‘My face is fabulous, and you know it,’ said James. He puckered up his lips and gave a dramatic toss of his matted hair. His face wasn’t exactly fabulous, if I’m honest. His eyes were grey like the sea on a dull day, and his hair was probably dark blond, though it was tricky to tell because it was so coated in dirt and salt. But there’s always been something about James’s face which makes you want to keep watching it. It seems to move more than other people’s faces, as though he feels emotions more than everybody else, and most of those emotions are about being happy – even at times when that doesn’t seem possible.