‘Do you think they did it? That they made it?’ said Kate, with a choke. She was staring only at the fragmented pieces of wood still lying by the edge of the Jellyfish. There were three large pieces, big enough to still build a raft from or to re-roof the Big House; and there were smaller, splintered pieces scattered in a ring around those. In the water there was other debris now drifting away, or caught in the tangle of the tentacles. But of the larger parts of the boat, of the metal railings, of the roof, of the hull, there was nothing.

‘Well, do you see them?’ said Lana. She didn’t say it angrily, or sarcastically, like she normally would, and it was hard for me to tell what she was thinking because her face didn’t seem to have any expression left on it. And right then I just wanted to know what everybody else was feeling, so that I knew what I should think too. So that I could have some way of telling what it was all about.

Kate lifted her head up reluctantly and we scanned the water silently for a few minutes. I don’t think I looked properly, because I’m pretty sure I already knew, but there was lots of driftwood, lots of debris. Lots of things that could have been something. But nothing that was waving to us, or shouting cheerily about having escaped.

‘Maybe over there,’ said Kate, pointing towards a large, black lump floating near the shore. It could have been somebody, because the tentacles can punch people really far. But if it was, whatever it was, it wasn’t moving.

By the Big House, most of the remaining people were slumped on the surface whispering to each other, or crying gently. Soldier John was sitting by himself with his head in his hands. Staring Crone had found her way back, to her normal position, staring at the coastline. But even she seemed to be closer to the house right now, as though she was gaining comfort just from being vaguely near to everybody else.

‘Pete has finally managed to get off this thing then,’ muttered James. ‘Oh, I’ve got to go.’ He bowed his head and walked away towards the creature’s muscle ring. I went to grab his arm, but he shook me off.

‘Let me know if . . .’ I called after him, but then I stopped because I didn’t really know how to finish the sentence.

‘Where have they gone?’ said Lana. ‘If they’re not here, then where have they gone?’ She was still expressionless. ‘What has the Jellyfish done with them? What?’

‘I don’t know,’ I said.

‘What shall we do, then?’ said Kate. Then her face creased up into sobs.