‘Why have you brought me to Legoland, Face-Ache?’ Ella squealed. ‘Are we having a treat?’ And she laughed at her joke. Scarface didn’t laugh. He just tilted his head to one side and stared at her through his good eye.

Ella had come here with her family, with Mum and Dad and Sam. A long time ago it seemed, but she remembered some of the rides, how scared she’d been, how she couldn’t go on them because she was too small and had cried, even though she was secretly glad, because she was really too frightened.

Frightened? Of a silly Lego ride?

That was a different world.

The past was Legoland. The future was Zombieland.

‘There’s the shop!’ she shouted, and before Scarface could stop her she ran off towards a sign saying Turret Shop. The doors to the shop were open and inside everything was as it’d been left, the shelves piled high with Lego toys. Dust and dirt and dead leaves and rubbish had blown in through the doors, birds had been in there and made a mess, but Ella didn’t mind. She ran down the aisles, looking at the brightly coloured boxes. She picked out a castle set, with a king and a queen and a princess and some knights, and held it out to Scarface.

Scarface sniffed, and then took the box from Ella and squashed it into the top of his backpack, with the end sticking out. She thought he might be cross with her, having to carry toys like this. Her mum and dad had never let her buy anything in any of the shops when they’d come here. ‘It’s a rip-off, darling. Too expensive.’ Well, now everything was free.

‘Can I get something else?’ she asked. Scarface looked at her. He might be really angry now. But he didn’t lose his temper; instead he went over to a rack and picked up a full-size Lego knight’s shield, with the same wolf’s head on it as she’d seen outside.

He sort of smiled. At least that’s what Ella thought he was trying to do as his face twisted and wrinkled. She held the shield in one hand and her club in the other. The shield was just made of rubber, wouldn’t really protect her, and the club … Well, she was never going to use it, was she? But it made her feel good, like a real warrior. She grimaced and roared at Scarface.

He made a weird gurgling sound.

Maybe he could laugh after all.