“Stop them!” she shouted, but it was too late. She saw them go into the grass, which came up almost to their shoulders, and one by one they went down.

Thank God Blue and the others had realized what was going on. They charged back from the front, weapons at the ready, and scattered a knot of marauding beasts. The noise was appalling. The animals screeched and squealed and bellowed, which terrified the kids even more.

Maxie saw a fighter run past with a creature on his back, its hands over his face, clawing at his eyes. She smashed it in the spine with her club, and the two of them fell over. The animal was quickly up, though. It ran at her on its knuckles, teeth bared into a ferocious grin. She butted it in the face but only succeeded in knocking it back for a moment and making it furious. It was soon up again and coming at her. She didn’t have time to swing her club, and could only try to fend it off. Its skull seemed to be made of iron. Then it managed to get hold of the club and wrenched it out of her hands with tremendous force. Now she was unarmed. She didn’t want to run, because she was terrified of it getting onto her back. It flung the club aside in a rage and lifted both hands above its head. She backed away and saw it preparing to charge. Then there was a flurry of activity as someone stepped in and stabbed it with a spear.

It was Josh.

“They don’t scare me,” he said as it ran off, dripping blood.

Maxie spotted Joel. He was sitting on the ground hugging Godzilla. She was glad that he was all right. As she watched, though, a fighter blundered into him and kicked him over. Godzilla was jogged from his arms, and he shot off into the grass, whimpering.

“Leave him!” Maxie shouted, but Joel ignored her and was soon lost from sight in the confusion.

Blue and Freak arrived.

“Get everyone together!” Blue yelled. “We need to make a run for it—get out from the trees and onto the road.”

“Yeah, but some of the kids have gone off into the long grass,” said Maxie, looking for Joel.

“Then go get ’em back,” Blue ordered.

“Okay.” Maxie turned to Josh. “You take the other side. Make sure you get any stragglers.”

“Sure.” Josh grinned. “You might need this,” he said, handing Maxie Arran’s club.

“Thanks.”

Josh ran off.

“I’ll take this side,” said Maxie.

“I’m with you,” said Freak.

They ran into the long grass and found Lewis and his team already bringing back a group of runaways.

“Is that all of them?” Maxie asked.

“Think so.”

“What about Joel, the little kid with the puppy? Have you seen him?”

Lewis shook his head. “Nah.”

Then Maxie heard a shout. Thin and high and far off.