‘The paramedics’ll be here soon.’ The helicopter had fallen silent; it was probably sitting on the parade ground. Twenty minutes, I told myself, anxiously feeling Tyler’s pulse. His skin was clammy, but I couldn’t raise his legs to improve his blood flow. I couldn’t move him at all. ‘Looks like you’ll be riding in a helicopter. Have you ever done that?’

‘Once. After Dad threw me outta the car.’

If he wanted to silence me, it worked.

‘At least I’m going home,’ he mumbled.

I didn’t say he would be going to hospital first—and would probably be staying there for a few days, if he was lucky. If he wasn’t lucky…well, I refused to think about that.

Stroking his white-blond buzz cut, I offered up a silent prayer and listened for the sound of footsteps.

When the paramedics arrived, I left. There was no point staying. I paused just long enough to eavesdrop on their assessment of Tyler’s condition; though they were hard to read, I picked up no hint of rising urgency in their voices, and that reassured me.

Tyler was alert enough to say goodbye.

On my way back downhill, I radioed Shaun with the news. He told me some of the boys had already returned, drawn by the noise of the helicopter—which flew directly over my head soon afterwards. Trees tossed and swayed in its rotor wash. Birds scattered. The ground seemed to shake.

By the time I reached the lazaret, a rescue stretcher was being winched aboard the chopper, which was hovering over the hill behind me. A string of campers watched from the parade ground. Rhys was there, holding binoculars. Warren raised a hand as I approached him.

‘Where’s Shaun?’ I asked.

‘On the phone.’ He jabbed his thumb at my house.

‘Who’s he talking to? The parents?’

‘The police.’

‘Oh.’

‘Cop called Bass sent Tyler here—Alex Bass. He’ll tell the parents.’ Warren hadn’t taken his eyes off the dangling stretcher in the sky. ‘How was Tyler when you left?’

‘Still conscious.’

The boys around us erupted into a cheer as the stretcher reached the open door of the chopper. I leaned close to Warren and said, ‘He apologised for the nails. Told me he thought he had to do something really bad, because you didn’t send Jake home.’

Warren tore his eyes away from the mid-air rescue and fixed them on me. They glinted deep in their sockets like water at the bottom of a well.

‘His dad once threw him out of a car,’ I finished.

He sighed. ‘Holy crap.’

‘What happens now?’

‘Now I guess we’ll see.’ As the helicopter began to rise and bank, Warren’s voice boomed out. ‘Right! Show’s over! Platoon—attenshun!’