When you’ve finished you can have one to take the petrol taste away. And then there will be one each for when we’re back from the Jellyfish.’

We went silent again at that, and filled some more of the buckets. James tipped the water in his water pistols out, in a little trickle that ran down the street. He filled them up again with the petrol from our buckets.

‘And I’ve also got this machete,’ he said suddenly, holding up a long knife. ‘I found it in one of the houses. I thought we could use it . . .’

‘I think we should have all the sweets now,’ said Kate, bravely saying what we’d all been thinking. ‘No point in waiting until we get back from the Jellyfish.’

‘But what about our reward for victory?’ said James. ‘I don’t think we’ll need a reward,’ I said. ‘If we make it back. I mean, when.’

Chapter 38

38

‘Follow us,’ I said. ‘But not too close. Don’t come within range of the tentacles.’

Kate and Lana nodded.

‘Good luck, you guys,’ said Kate.

‘If you’re back before us, can you get some food?’ said Lana. ‘I’m feeling hungry already.’

There wasn’t much space in the two-seater rowing dinghy we’d chosen for our task, and we were lower than I would have liked to be in the water because there were tools and twelve cans of petrol arranged around us. I adjusted my feet awkwardly into the small gap we’d left in the middle. Still, space wouldn’t be a problem on the return journey.

From here the Jellyfish looked calmer and almost as though it was welcoming us back, one or two tentacles rising occasionally into the air in a desultory fashion, waving at us whenever it could be bothered. Otherwise it was sitting serenely in the waters, closer into shore than normal, but then it had always liked to move around a little in the bay.

James pushed the boat away from the shore, striding through the breaking waves before climbing in.

‘Are you ready?’ he said.

‘Yes.’ I formed my face into what I hoped was a smile, but it felt like it probably came out more as a twitching grimace. James had already shoved his oars against the submerged walls, propelling us forward with a sudden spurt of speed. We both started to row.

‘Why are we doing this again?’ he said. ‘Just remind me.’

Back on the shore, I could see Lana and Kate getting into their boat and pushing away.

‘You know why. It’s because we have to.’

‘Do we though? Do we? Couldn’t we just go off to that castle and leave it all behind us?’

‘No, I don’t think we could. I couldn’t. Eventually we’d have to do this.’