We nodded. Lana scratched one of the matches along the side of the packet. Nothing. She did it again, and there was a sudden fuzzing flame, startling in the poor light. It lit up her face, casting strange shadows on her cheeks as she smiled triumphantly.

‘We’ll have to get both the curtain poles down at the same time, Kate,’ I said. ‘And then if we both break the windows with those poles. They’ll come then, won’t they?’

‘The kriks’ll come round to see what the noise is,’ agreed Lana.

‘One can of petrol each?’ I said.

Kate and Lana nodded. The scratching was louder now, more insistent.

‘I love you guys,’ I said.

‘Don’t be such a sap,’ said Lana. She reached down and grabbed a can of the petrol, then walked off to position herself by the window. ‘Come on, losers. Let’s get this over with so that I can get some nice clothes and get out of here.’

‘I love you all too,’ said Kate. She grabbed both me and James by the hand, and gave us both a squeeze.

‘I love you,’ said James. He gave me a sudden, awkward hug, and then turned away quickly to his watch at the top of the stairs.

‘Are we ready?’ I said.

‘Yes.’

‘Yes.’

‘Yes.’

I reached up for the curtain pole, and Kate echoed my movements above her window. Behind her, Lana stood silently, clutching her can of petrol in one hand and her matches in the other.

‘Then GO!’

Chapter 34

34

Smash!

The curtain poles went through the glass easily, and there was a little tinkling splatter of glass shards on the pavement below. That was the worst bit, really. We didn’t have time for thinking after that.

‘Ooowwwwwlllll!’

Immediately, the kriks ran round from the back of the house to attack, their claws raised and their bodies crouched and scuttling.

I smashed out all the remaining glass in my window, sending it down on to the monsters beneath. The curtain was still attached at one end, on my pole, and it flapped in their faces so that they jabbed at it, cutting and shredding.

Lana poured the petrol down while two of them were still covered by the curtain. Then she dropped a lit match. For a split second, there was nothing. Then a short, sighing Whumph and an answering fizz.

Then the curtain, and the kriks, went up in flames.

For a couple of seconds we stood, watching them, as they jerked and wrenched their bodies in agony. It was hard to remind yourself that they were monsters and killers. They looked, in that moment, not harmless exactly, but like animals you’d like to save. Creatures you should save.

‘Pour more petrol on them,’ I shouted.

‘We can’t reach,’ cried Kate.

‘Throw it.’