“We should be ready in case anything happens,” said Josh, worried that he was sounding like some anxious teacher on a school trip.

“I’m conserving my energy,” said Lewis, and he yawned.

“You should be watching the flank. In case any grown-ups come in from the side.”

“I’m listening,” said Lewis. “I’ve got bat ears.”

“I don’t want to be a pain in the ass,” said Josh. “You might think this is all a joke but—”

“It’s cool,” said Lewis.

“What’s cool?”

“You’re cool, I’m cool, everything’s cool.”

“If we lose any kids . . .”

“I won’t lose you no kids, bro. I’m cool. You got nothing to fear, Lewis is here.”

“You think I’m scared?” said Josh. “I ain’t scared. Nothing scares me, man.”

“If you say so, bro.”

“Yeah, well, just tell me if your bat ears pick anything up.”

Lewis slowly opened his eyes. “I’m hearing something now, man.” He jumped to his feet surprisingly quickly, and Josh could see that his whole body was tensed. What had he heard?

“Up, up, up!” Lewis yelled at his team, and in a moment they were all ready.

Arran was aware of shouting. Coming from the rear of the group. He’d been lost in his thoughts, trying to regain his strength so that they could get moving again.

“What’s going on?” he said.

“Dunno,” said Maeve, who was sitting with him, unable to do much more than offer sympathy.

“Help me up.”

“Arran . . .”

“Help me up, Maeve!” Arran snapped, and Maeve hauled him to his feet.

“Where’s my club?”

Maeve fetched Arran’s pickax handle and gave it to him.

Lazy. He’d been lazy. He was supposed to be in charge, a leader. He pushed his way through the milling kids to the rear of the group, where the commotion was. He saw Ollie. Ollie would know what was going on. He was sensible.

“We heard something,” Ollie explained.

Before Arran could say anything, someone shouted.

“Look!”

People were coming over the brow of the hill. A solid line of grown-ups, their shuffling feet scraping on the street, a low moan rising from the herd.

Sounds like the seaside, Arran thought, and closed his eyes for a moment. He was back in Portugal with his mom and dad. Lying on his back, sunbathing.

“Have you got your lotion on?”

“Yes, Mom . . .”

She leaned over him. Smiled. Arran liked it when she was happy. Then her smile grew wide so that her mouth was a gaping hole surrounded by jagged teeth. She lunged at him—

“I’ve got my lotion on!” Arran shouted.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Arran wiped sweat from his face.

“Jesus,” said Ollie. “There’s loads of them.”

“Get into place!” Arran yelled, just as Blue ran up with Jester and the rest of the fighters.

Arran was pleased to see how fast the kids got themselves together and back into battle formation.

The front line of grown-ups stopped about a hundred yards away, and the two groups stood looking at each other.