That night there was no nightmare, but the trouble surfaced again in art class the next day. Teacher Jonson had put a cassette of soft music into the player. They had done their breathing exercises, lying in a circle on the floor, their hands lightly touching.

“Now get up slowly and go to your places. Paint your impression of the Web. Stay relaxed. Don't let your logical mind take over. Stay with your meditation images. “I will draw the Web, Ruth told herself severely, as she took up her brush. I will not draw my dreams. I will draw the Web ...

She washed grey over her paper and slashed it with a tracery of fine black lines. In the centre was a figure. With her tongue between her teeth she concentrated on getting it right.

“Time, everyone. Don't worry if you're not finished. First impressions are what count in this exercise. Pin them up and we'll discuss your different ideas.”

Ruth hurried to stick her picture up in a corner of the board, and turned her attention to Faith's painting. It was a series of concentric rings with a glow of gold in the middle, most beautiful. Patience had painted a mosaic of pinks, mauves and blues. Charity's was very self-conscious. She's still thinking about Fidelius, Ruth guessed.

She became aware that the others had crowded over to the far end of the board. That they were nudging each other. Giggling. Staring at her. What had she done this time?

There it was. A spider's web, with a revoltingly fat and hairy spider crouched in the middle. To make bad much much worse, the spider had four heads, each one an obvious caricature of the Protector, the Custodian, the Initiator and the Warden of the City! Had she really painted that grotesque thing?

She tried to grab it, but Teacher Jonson's hand was ahead of hers. The painting was whisked away into a folder, the folder into a drawer.

“Oh, please. I didn't mean ...”

“That's quite enough, Ruth.”

“You can't show them. You simply can't. I'll… I'll…”

There was a sudden racket of doors banging up and down the corridor.

“Yes?” said Teacher Jonson, eyeing Ruth sternly.

“Nothing.” Ruth collapsed at her desk.

“Dinnertime. Go and get tidy.”

Ruth followed the others out of the door.

“What got into you?” hissed Angela as they lined up for their food.

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“You don't want to… Do you know what you're doing to our reputation? What is New Year's Day going to be like with a crazy like you in the class.”

''Angela, don’t… ''

Angela was looking over her shoulder at Ruth. She didn't see the bowl of tomatoes tip off the service counter right in front of her. The tomatoes cascaded to the floor.

“Aaaah!” Angela skidded in the juicy fruit.

“Watch out!” Ruth tried to grab her.