Eva turned to see what Shan was talking about.
It was him. The boy from next door. The McIntyre boy from the shed roof.
‘I can’t believe he’s here,’ Shan said. ‘Mum says the whole family is bad news. I wonder why he’s volunteering?’
The boy wasn’t alone. A woman walked beside him, though she didn’t look as if she really belonged with him. She wore neatly ironed jeans and a flowery blouse. Rows of purple beads hung round her neck like swags on a Christmas tree. Eva also noticed that her bag looked more like a briefcase than a handbag. They were carrying on a low conversation.
‘I’m here, aren’t I?’ the boy said.
The woman’s reply was too quiet to hear.
‘I said I would, Mel. Give it a rest.’
A moment later, Sally guided the boy towards Eva’s group. She felt her heart speed up a little. Suddenly her shoes were the most interesting thing she’d ever seen.
‘I know you,’ he said. ‘You live next door to me. I’ve seen you.’
The invisibility shield seemed to crumble and fall away as he looked at her. Eva had to look back. The boy had hazel-brown eyes, flecked with yellow and gold. They were like a cat’s eyes, or a tiger’s.
‘Oh good,’ Mel said abruptly. ‘A friend. Well, Jamie, I’ll be back in two hours. If you need me, I’ve got my mobile. I just need a quick word with Sally. Try to be good, yeah?’
Eva was sure that her face was fast-car red. He’d seen her watching. This had to be the most embarrassing moment ever.
‘Jamie,’ the boy said. ‘I’m Jamie.’
Eva heard a sniff. Shanika.
‘I know who you are,’ Shanika said. Her voice was as frosty as Eva’s face was hot.
Jamie squared his shoulders and lifted his chin higher. ‘Yeah? Well, I don’t know you. And I don’t want to either. I wasn’t talking to you.’
‘Good.’ Shanika grabbed Dilan’s shoulder and tugged him towards the lodge. Heidi glanced towards Shanika, then back to Eva. She gave the smallest of shrugs and then followed Shanika inside.
Eva was left on her own with Jamie. ‘I’m Eva,’ she said quietly.
He grinned at her. His eyes seemed to sparkle with hidden laughter. ‘Eva. Cool. Looks like you’re working with me.’
Eva didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded.
They stood together for a second, neither speaking. Then Sally was back by their side. Eva let out a small breath that she hadn’t even realised she’d been holding.
‘Right, Jamie,’ Sally said with a wide smile. ‘Mel says you’re keen to help.’
Jamie gave Eva a quick grin. ‘She probably did, yes. She said the same to me.’
‘Isn’t it true?’ Sally asked.
‘I’m here. I’ve got my least-best jeans on and my second-worst pair of trainers. The worst-worst pair got chewed by my dog. So, yes, it looks like I’m all ready for work, doesn’t it?’
Sally raised an eyebrow. ‘It certainly looks that way. I guess I’ll hope for the best then. Shanika’s team has taken all the aprons. So you two will be working outside. OK? Grab a bin bag and some gloves and put anything in the bag that you don’t think should be out here – rubbish, weeds. If it looks wrong, chuck it.’
Eva took a bag and gloves from Sally’s outstretched hands. She wasn’t entirely sure that she knew what a weed looked like. Perhaps she’d just stick to old crisp packets and cans. Better to be safe than sorry, as Dad said.
She moved towards the trees. Jamie followed.
As soon as Sally went inside, Jamie dropped the bag and the gloves on the ground. ‘Last one to the top is a stink bomb,’ he said.
Eva watched as he reached for a low branch and swung himself up. He followed the thick trunk, disappearing into the green canopy above. Lost in an emerald sky.
His voice floated down. ‘Sorry to tell you this, Eva, when we’ve only just met, but it looks like you’re the stink bomb.’
‘We’re supposed to collect rubbish,’ Eva said.
‘Well, I’ve found a plastic bag stuck up here. I’ll bring it down with me. Come on up – the view’s amazing. I can see our street from here.’
Eva glanced back at the lodge. A few children milled around with bin bags, but Sally was nowhere to be seen. She felt the corner of her mouth twitch. She was supposed to be working; she was supposed to be building a youth centre.
She remembered what Gran had said to Dad.
She was supposed to be making friends.
What harm could climbing a tree do?
She folded her bag carefully and put it next to Jamie’s with the gloves on top to stop it blowing away. Then she began to climb.
The bark felt coarse and flaky and smelled of earth. Tree skin.
‘Hey, what are you waiting for? A written invitation?’ Jamie yelled.
‘I’m coming!’
She could see him now. He straddled a section where the trunk divided in two. His legs hung down on either side as if he were riding a beach donkey. She stretched up once more, then swung into place beside him. There was just enough room for the two of them to sit in the cleft of the trunk.
‘Welcome to the mothership,’ Jamie said solemnly.
‘The what?’
‘This is no ordinary chestnut –’
‘I think it might be a sycamore –’
‘This is no ordinary tree. This is an organic life form, capable of sustaining living organisms as it travels at the speed of light through galaxies. The oxygen produced by its leaves can sustain us for the years required on our space-exploration mission. The super-jets concealed in its roots will steer us on a safe course through stars as we seek out aliens and make first contact.’
Eva reached her hand towards a knot in the trunk. It was dark and damp with dew. ‘I’ve found the ignition button,’ she said, putting her hand over the knot. ‘It just needs the fingerprint scans of both pilots.’ She smiled. She had played games like this with Mum.
Jamie put his hand beside hers. His fingernails were dark with dirt. Her hands had green smears from something.
‘Three, two, one . . . blast off.’ Jamie gave a throaty rumble and leaned back, g-forces pushing him against the branch. Eva copied. Sunlight poured through the prisms of green around her, like the comet trails of distant galaxies. Their exploration of the stars had begun.
Jamie dramatically described their route and the aliens they met along the way: green and tall, purple and small, teeth and scales and tails. Each one a new discovery. Eva just had to say ‘hello’ and come in as Jamie’s back-up if the encounters got too dangerous.
She forgot completely about the lodge below.
‘Enemy craft moving into range,’ Jamie said a while later. He pointed down at the drive.
The enemy craft was the woman he’d arrived with earlier. As she walked, she tapped furiously at the phone she held. Her steps were brisk and purposeful. She wasn’t someone who’d climb a tree and save the universe, Eva thought.
‘My social worker,’ Jamie said. ‘Melanie.’
Social worker.
Eva knew a little bit about social workers. One had come to visit her once, two years ago, when they were deciding whether Dad could look after her on his own. She’d been a nice lady, but that hadn’t stopped Eva being terrified of her.
‘Mel!’ Jamie yelled. ‘Mel! Up here.’
Melanie stopped at the bottom of the tree. She shielded her eyes as she searched for Jamie. ‘Have you actually done any volunteering this morning?’ she asked. Her voice was sarcasm central.
‘Not exactly,’ he said. ‘But I made a new friend. Is it time to go?’
‘Yes.’
Jamie grinned at Eva. ‘See you tomorrow?’
He slithered down the tree like a lizard.
Eva was left to climb down slowly, searching for each branch with the tips of her toes before lowering herself on to it. She’d made a new friend, she thought. It was what Gran wanted.
But Dad would not like it one bit.