The world lurched and spun and moved in ways that it should not. Xandra tingled all over, a sense of exhilaration coursing through her like a jolt of electricity.

Then she hit the marble floor. Seconds later, her brother was there, sprawled out next to her, panting hard.

‘That was awesome!’ she whispered.

‘Are you kidding?’ groaned Lex. ‘That was awful.’

‘You came with me,’ said Xandra.

‘Of course.’

And then someone screamed – long and high; a note that felt like it could burst eardrums.

At the far end of the room was an enormous lady in an extraordinary Victorian gown, an eruption of lace and frills in mauve. The lady was backing away, and screaming at the top of her lungs.

Except that she wasn’t a lady.

Xandra rubbed her eyes.

Lex blinked and jumped up.

‘Is that …’ Lex’s voice trailed away.

Xandra nodded. ‘I think so.’

There was no denying it. The lady was actually a cow – standing on her hind legs and squeezed into a dress.

‘I didn’t know cows could scream like that,’ said Lex.

‘I didn’t know cows could dress like that,’ said Xandra.

And the cow in the dress screamed and screamed and screamed.

‘What do we do?’ asked Lex.

Xandra shrugged.

Accompanied by shouts and much commotion, security guards came barrelling into the room. Except that they weren’t security guards … they were crocodiles in security guard uniforms.

Lex stumbled backwards, looking for the doorway they had come through. Xandra gasped! It was gone.

The uniformed animals came rushing towards her. Xandra didn’t move. Without her wheelchair she was helpless. Lex returned to her side, crouching down, a protective hand on her shoulder.

‘We’re trapped here,’ he whispered.

Xandra was beginning to regret her rash decision to go through the doorway. She could feel her heart thumping in her chest. Were these animals about to devour them?

The five crocodiles formed a circle around Lex and Xandra.

‘I don’t believe this,’ said one of the crocodiles.

‘Neither do I,’ said the one to his right.

‘What … what are they?’ asked another.

‘They can’t be real,’ said a fourth.

The fifth carefully drew a pistol from his holster and levelled it at Xandra and Lex. ‘Okay, lads,’ he said, voice shaky. ‘No matter how incredible this ’ere situation may be, we’ve got a job to do.’ He was obviously in charge. The other crocodiles responded with nods as they all drew their pistols. ‘Keep ’em covered lads, while I fetch the coppers.’ The lead crocodile raced from the room.

‘They’re speaking English,’ Lex whispered.

‘I’d noticed,’ said Xandra. She could hardly believe that the animals were talking at all – let alone in English. It was incredible.

‘Stand up and put your hands above your heads,’ demanded the first crocodile.

Lex straightened from his crouch and raised his arms.

‘Um, I can’t,’ said Xandra. ‘My legs don’t work.’

‘What?’ said the crocodile. ‘How come?’

‘She has muscular dystrophy,’ said Lex.

‘What’s that?’

‘It’s a disease,’ explained Xandra. ‘It stops my leg muscles from working properly. I’m usually in a wheelchair.’

The crocodile gave his colleagues a nervous glance. It was hard to read the reptilian expressions, but Xandra was sure that they were confused … and scared.

‘We’re not dangerous,’ said Xandra. ‘We’re human beings.’ The animals’ expressions didn’t change. ‘My name is Xandra Volodin and this is my brother Lex.’

Lex gave a half-hearted smile and tentatively waved.

‘We were on a school excursion to our local museum,’ continued Xandra. ‘I’m not sure how we got here.’

‘Or where here is,’ added Lex.

‘Ah … well …’ The crocodile seemed uncertain. ‘I’m Caruthers. Second in charge here … here at the V&A.’

‘V and A?’ asked Xandra.

‘Victoria and Albert Museum.’ All the crocodiles stood up straighter as Caruthers said this.

‘Isn’t that in England?’ Xandra asked her brother.

‘How should I know?’

‘So what’s going to happen to us?’ Xandra asked Caruthers.

‘That’s not up to us, ah … Miss Volodin,’ he answered. ‘That’s up to –’

A shrill whistle cut through the air. Moments later the leader of the crocodile guards came running back, followed by …

A rhinoceros in a police uniform, blowing a whistle.

‘This just gets weirder and weirder,’ said Xandra. It’s like being in some sort of bizarre cartoon, she thought. She half expected to see dancing furniture next.

‘It’s not just weird,’ said Lex. ‘It’s ridiculous. It … it can’t be real. It just can’t be.’

‘Oh, I assure you, young lad, that this ’ere predicament is very real indeed,’ said the police rhino, as he stomped up to them. His voice was deep and raspy.

He regarded them through squinty eyes and snorted. ‘What manner of animal are the two of you?’

‘We’re people,’ said Xandra. ‘Humans.’

‘Humans?’ repeated the rhino.

‘Human beings.’

‘Poppycock!’ blustered the rhino. ‘No such beast. They’re a myth. A fairytale. No, I’m thinking that the two of you are some bizarre, hitherto undiscovered species from beyond our borders.’ He lowered his voice. ‘From the ocean, mayhaps.’ The rhino shivered. Then he straightened up, adjusted his uniform and put on his most official voice.

‘I am Police Sergeant Lightfoot,’ he declared.

Lex looked at the Sergeant’s massive feet, squeezed into shiny, black shoes, and stifled a giggle.

‘As a duly appointed officer of the law,’ continued Lightfoot, ‘I hereby arrest you in the name of Queen Victoria.’

He lifted the whistle to his mouth and blew a long, loud, shrill blast.