He lurched up, stumbled, stood staring around. A dingy bed of twigs and leaves rustled beneath his feet. The well was about five feet across. The dank brick walls were furry with moss, but otherwise depressingly smooth, devoid of handholds. The opening was thirty feet above. Maybe more.

“Led us quite the merry dance,” Zia shouted down, her voice bouncing happily around him. “How d’you like your new nursery?”

“Let me out of here!”

“Oh, dee-pressingly predictable, my dreary dearie. I had a bet with myself what your first words would be.”

“Let me out!” Alex felt panic closing in, did his best to fight it away.

“Don’t repeat yourself. And don’t whine. Besides, do you honestly imagine I would have gone to all the effort of getting you down there just to help you back up?”

“I don’t have it!” Alex shouted.

“What’s that? Not with you, bunny. You don’t have what? Wit? Style? ‘What it takes’?”

“The robot—the tablet. The name of God.”

“Oh, I know that, Alexander. I searched your disgusting pockets before I popped you down your rabbit hole. You didn’t have anything useful at all. But we can fix that; I can give you something all kinds of useful now—catch!”

Alex ducked back as she dropped something. It landed with a soft thump inches from his toes, disappearing under the leaves. He tensed, staring at the spot, waiting for something unimaginable to come crawling out.

“Well, take it then!” Zia finally shouted. “And a thank-you wouldn’t go amiss.”

“Wh-wh-what do you want?” Alex stammered.

“I want you to p-p-pick it up. I know it’s difficult for your tiny mind to understand, but I positively can’t make myself any clearer.”

Alex thought furiously, glancing around his circular prison. His eyes were drawn helplessly back to where the thing had fallen. It seemed he had no option but to do what she wanted. It was that or nothing. But there was a thought—do nothing. He leaned back against the chill brickwork and folded his arms.

“No. I won’t.”

“Oh, tell you what: let’s have a bet. I says you will.” The silhouetted figure disappeared.

Alex stood staring up, mind racing. He had the awful, certain feeling she was going to cover the well. He stiffened as he heard another voice suddenly call out from a little farther away.

“Don’t listen to her, Alex!”

“Grandad!” Alex shouted.

All he could see was the bright disc of sky.

“Don’t—” The old man’s voice was silenced by a sharp slap. There were sounds of struggle, a pained sigh, then nothing. Zia’s head popped back into view.

“Want to guess what I’ve done to him?”

“Leave him alone! I’ll—”

“What’ll you do, duckie?”

“Okay, okay! I’ll do what you want! Just leave him alone.”

“Well, go on then.”