‘She’s here!’ Rosemary yells at the top of her voice.

She runs up to give Polly a huge hug. Polly stands awkwardly in Rosemary’s arms. She has only been in the playground a moment, and already she is surrounded by excitable witches.

‘Willow! Malorie!’ calls Rosemary. ‘Polly’s here!’

Malorie runs up to them, and Rosemary lets go of Polly to let Malorie in. After all, Malorie is Polly’s best friend.

‘I’m so glad you’re better!’ Malorie says. ‘We didn’t know how long you’d be away from school.’

‘That’s right,’ Willow agrees. ‘We had to start the club without you. But now you’re here, you can be in charge.’

‘What club?’ Polly asks.

Malorie smiles. ‘Witches Against Monsters.’

Polly’s head starts to buzz a little. ‘I don’t know that game,’ she says.

Malorie snorts. ‘It’s not a game, Polly,’ she says slowly, like Polly isn’t very smart. ‘It’s a movement. Haven’t you heard? Our newspaper article received heaps of calls from witches who are sick of monsters hanging around our streets. They are horrible. Noisy and smelly and even dangerous. Mum has always said so, and now other witches and warlocks are agreeing. Look! Mum even made us badges to wear.’

Malorie points to a small round badge on the lapel of her school blazer with a black ‘W’ printed on it.

Polly looks at the witches huddled around her. They are all wearing the same badge, and before Polly has a chance to protest, Malorie is pinning one onto her uniform, too.

‘That’s “W” for witch,’ Malorie says as she’s pinning. ‘You need to make it clear whose side you’re on. Some witches are still in support of monsters, but this shows you’re with us.’

‘Um, I don’t know if I really want to wear this,’ Polly says anxiously. She loves the thought of being in a club, but she is not sure this is the kind of club she wants to be a part of.

Malorie narrows her eyes. ‘But if you don’t wear it, how will people know you’re not a friend of monsters? Are you a friend of monsters?’

Polly feels her cheeks heat up. She looks at Willow and Rosemary, and sees them watching her closely. Her mouth opens but nothing comes out.

Willow’s face falls. ‘Oh. You’re not a friend of monsters, are you? Polly?’ She takes a step back.

Rosemary steps back, too. ‘My mother told me I wasn’t to talk to friends of monsters,’ she says nervously.

‘No, no, of course not!’ Polly says, finally finding her voice. ‘I just don’t think they’re dangerous, that’s all. They might be noisy and sometimes even a bit smelly, but they’re not dangerous.’

‘Yes, they are,’ Malorie corrects her. ‘They attacked us in the gallery! If it wasn’t for you, I might not be standing here today.’ She turns to the other witches. ‘She doesn’t remember it very clearly,’ she explains. ‘When she passed out, her brain got all muddled. And she’s been sick, too. Isn’t that right, Polly?’

Polly chews her lip. ‘I don’t know,’ she mumbles, and she really doesn’t know anymore. She doesn’t know what she thinks. She doesn’t know what she remembers. It all feels so long ago now, and she has been unwell.

The bell rings.

‘Come on, let’s go!’ Malorie says cheerily. ‘Or we’ll be late for class.’

She grabs Polly’s hand and steers her through the playground. Along the way, Malorie waves at the witches and warlocks who are staring at them. Some of them hold up three fingers in the sign of a ‘W’.

Malorie and the other witches hold up three fingers in return.

Polly is not sure about everyone suddenly looking at them like they are famous, but Malorie seems to be loving it.

As they head into the classroom, Polly looks around for Miss Spinnaker. She will know what Polly should do.

But Miss Spinnaker is not there.

At the front desk is old Mrs Crabbe, their replacement teacher, scowling at the witches as they drift in.

‘Well, if it’s not our local hero,’ she says to Polly, screwing her face into an almost-smile. ‘The Defeater of Monsters. You’ve caused quite a sensation this week, haven’t you?’

‘Miss Spinnaker isn’t here today,’ Malorie tells Polly as they walk down the long aisle to the back of the class. She is still holding tightly onto Polly’s hand.

‘Where is she?’ Polly asks, her voice rising into a squeak. She looks towards Valentine, who has a worried expression on her face.

Valentine whispers, ‘Maybe she’s sick?’

Polly feels a chill pass through her as she looks down at her desk. Someone has placed a newspaper there. This time, there is a photo of Polly on the front page. A more recent one this time. And the headline:

LOCAL WITCH’S HEROICS TRIGGER LONG-AWAITED WITCHES AGAINST MONSTERS MOVEMENT

‘See?’ hisses Malorie. ‘You’re famous! Exciting, isn’t it?’

Polly folds the paper in half and places it in her desk. Then she looks towards the board, breathing slowly to calm herself.