‘I’ll deal with these ones,’ Daniel shouted, returning to the hole under the wall, where three grown-ups had managed to get their upper bodies through.

‘Kill them, Dan,’ Sonya yelled. ‘Their dead bodies will block the entrance.’ Ella watched as Daniel picked up a spear and started to stab them, crying out with every thrust.

Scarface and the three other kids managed to clear most of the barn, working their way over to a side door that had been forced open. The clasp that held the padlocked bolt in place had been bent right off the wall. Scarface pushed his way to the front and fired two shots into the open doorway, and for a blessed moment there were no grown-ups there, just empty space.

‘Give me a hand!’ Sonya ran to the door and tried to close it, but already there were more grown-ups trying to get in. Harry battered them, knocking back any hands or arms that came through.

What’s the point? thought Ella. There were too many. They would just keep on coming. Somehow, though, Sonya got the door closed and then Scarface jammed an iron bar under the broken handle, wedging it against the concrete floor. Harry stayed there, leaning all his weight on the bar. He looked very tired. His jacket with the painted slogans was ripped.

But they hadn’t completely cleared the barn. A laughing mother, who now had blood pouring out of her mouth and nose, rushed at Ella, fingers spread wide, like she was drying her nails. Before Ella could do anything Louisa charged at the mother and shoved her into the fire, sending up a firework spray of sparks. The mother shrieked and jerked about before she managed to roll out and Sonya stepped forward to stab her with her spear.

‘Where have you been?’ gasped Louisa, exhausted from the fight.

‘Trying to see what’s going on,’ Sonya replied.

‘How bad is it?’ Daniel asked.

‘The whole yard’s filling up with them,’ said Sonya. ‘Some are moving on, but most are trying to get in here.’

‘It’s stupid,’ said Daniel. ‘We’re trapped. It’s just stupid.’

Harry copied him. ‘It’s just stupid.’

‘I hope they get you, Harry,’ said Daniel. ‘I hope they rip you to pieces and use your stupid bloody head as a football. I hope you die painfully.’

‘I hope you die painfully,’ said Harry.

‘Please, both of you, stop it,’ said Louisa.

‘Stop it,’ said Harry, and then he shouted as Sonya pushed past him, nearly knocking him over. He didn’t have a go at her, though, because he could see that she had gone over to the hole where the dead bodies had been pulled away and more grown-ups were coming through.

And all the while the hammering went on, all around, on every wall, bang-bang-bang-bang-bang.