CHAPTER 2

Molly and I walk out through the kitchen and start down the hall. Molly walks in front of me and, as we go, I know I’m not going to be able to help myself. As we pass by the crack in the wall, just before my bedroom, I flick out a finger to touch the gap in the plaster. Molly doesn’t miss a beat. ‘Must you?’ she says, not even turning around. I just shrug. When it comes to the crack in the wall, I really can’t help myself. It’s like … a lucky crack. If I don’t touch it each time I go past, something bad will happen. Or the world will end. Or something. Well, maybe the world won’t end, but you know what I mean. Dad’s been saying forever that he’ll fix it, but of course he never does.

We push open the screen door and make our way onto the front verandah. I’m just about to yell for Jack when I see him. He’s waiting for us at the bottom of the steps. ‘It’s weird how he always knows.’ I look over at Molly.

‘If you say so,’ she says, running down the three wooden steps. She stops to clip Jack’s lead onto his collar.

‘Do you have to disagree with everything I say?’ I ask her. I stamp down the steps. I’m not exactly looking forward to this walk.

Molly thinks about my question. ‘No,’ she says as she stands up again.

‘Is that a joke?’

‘No.’

The thing is, I know she’s not joking. Molly doesn’t do jokes. Ever. ‘Come on, let’s get this over and done with.’ I remember my promise to Mum. I have to talk to Molly and see if anything is wrong. And then I can ditch her and go to Ethan’s.

Siblings. They’re so … time-consuming.

‘Fine with me.’ She shrugs and makes her way across the front yard. Then she turns left. She starts off down the side of the main road of our small, dusty country town.

As per usual, Molly walks fast. I have to run a bit to catch up with her. After about five minutes, I decide it’s time to try the talking thing. ‘So, is anything wrong?’ I ask her, puffing a bit.

‘You need to exercise more.’ She frowns at me. ‘I can’t believe our parents own the town swimming pool and you still don’t get enough exercise.’

‘I didn’t know I was supposed to be a walking billboard.’

‘Anyway, why would anything be wrong? What do you mean by that?’ She glances sharply at me.

Yep, definitely weirder than usual. ‘I don’t know,’ I say, slowly, thinking about this. ‘I was just checking.’

‘There’s something I need to talk to you about,’ she says suddenly. She stops, turning to face me. ‘So, I’m afraid I have some news for you. There’s probably no good way to tell you, so I’ll just go ahead and say it.’

I stare at her blankly. Molly has always been sort of blunt and stuff. But this is the first time I’ve ever seen her hesitate. She’s also stopped dead in her tracks, which is odd as well. Molly is always moving. She’s never still. ‘News?’ I say, ‘Like what? Is someone sick? Who can’t come to my party?’

Molly’s mouth twists slightly. ‘No, it’s not that. It’s that … one day you’ll have to save the universe. I’m not your twin. I’m what you’d call an alien who was sent to protect you from birth. As of fifteen minutes ago, a certain pair of bounty hunters have finally located your whereabouts. Soon, they’ll start closing in. My job here is to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.’