Oh yes, I’ve already had lots of other roles offered,’ Petal was saying to a circle of reporters. ‘Except they’re all for parts playing, well, little girls. My agent thinks it very important that I don’t get stereotyped at this stage in my career. That’s the problem with Hollywood – everyone wants to put you in a box.’
‘I wish we could put her in a box,’ said Archie.
‘And post it to the moon,’ added Holly.
The party was being held at World Studios on the set of Little Hope Village Hall. The wooden chairs had been cleared to one side and on the stage a jazz trio was playing far too quietly to be heard above the throng of people. Holly and Archie had spent a while trying to spot famous people, but the novelty soon wore off when most of them were ‘that bloke from that thing about the big missile’ or ‘that woman who played an alien in that film about the world blowing up’.
‘I’m starving,’ said Archie. ‘We need to find some of those waiters with the food trays.’
On their way across the room they saw Miss Gilfeather talking to Chase Lampton. Her auburn hair was down around her shoulders and she was wearing a black silk dress.
‘Hello, Miss Gilfeather. You look nice,’ said Holly.
‘Thank you, Holly. I feel sorry for those poor musicians on stage. I can’t hear a note they’re playing with all these awful film people talking,’ she replied. She turned to Chase, who had slid his sunglasses into the pocket of his black suit jacket. ‘Now, Chase, I think you owe these two an apology.’
The director looked at them. ‘I’m very sorry for my shameful appearance yesterday. I was tired and drunk and there was no excuse for my behaviour.’ He looked at Miss Gilfeather. ‘How was that?’
‘Very good. Holly and Archie, I hope you accept Mr Lampton’s apology.’
They said they did and Holly said, ‘Petal seems to be back on form.’
‘Shallow waters are easily calmed,’ said Miss Gilfeather. ‘Are you having a nice time?’
‘Yes, thanks,’ said Archie and Holly. ‘We’re off to find some food.’
‘If you see my son on your travels, can you ask him to come find me? It’s almost speech time,’ said Chase, as a passing waiter topped up his and Miss Gilfeather’s champagne glasses.
Holly and Archie continued through the crowd.
‘There’s Dante,’ said Archie, ‘talking to that boy.’
Holly looked and saw Dante in a corner talking excitedly to a boy with dark greasy hair. The boy raised a hand and smoothed down his hair, edging away from the director’s son while nervously glancing around.
‘It’s Callum,’ said Holly, making her way over.
‘Who?’ said Archie.
‘Callum Thackley, the person Dante was supposed to be playing.’
‘Crazy Callum Thackley? I’ve got to meet him,’ said Archie, walking over.
‘Don’t call him that,’ said Holly.
They reached the two boys and Callum’s dark eyes flickered briefly to look at Holly. He edged away.
‘Hey, guys,’ said Dante, ‘look who it is. I’ve been working on my accent, not that it matters now we’ve wrapped, but I reckon I came pretty close, eh, Callum?’
Archie put out a hand but Callum let out a nervous giggle and shrank away. Dante laughed.
‘I really wish we’d met before I did the film,’ he said, imitating Callum’s movements.
‘Dante, your dad’s looking for you. He said something about a speech,’ said Holly.
‘Right. I’ll see you later, Callum,’ Dante said, slapping him on the shoulder.
Callum tensed up, smoothed down his hair and looked at the floor.
‘I love this guy,’ said Dante, leaving to find his dad.
‘How are you, Callum?’ said Holly.
He edged closer, still avoiding her gaze, and spoke quickly, breathlessly. ‘They say I’m making progress but only because I pretend that it’s not true. I say I know the monsters are in my head because that’s what they want to hear. I say I want to get better and I don’t believe these things. But Callum lies. They are there, Holly knows. They are real, with real claws and real teeth and real flames and real anger. Soon everyone will know, won’t they?’
Holly and Archie exchanged a glance.
‘Has he been in contact again?’
Callum didn’t respond.
‘Vainclaw,’ said Holly. ‘Has he spoken to you recently?’
‘Master is always there, in my head. He’s always with me. Soon he’ll come back for me.’
Something behind Holly made him stop talking. Holly and Archie turned round to find Brant Buchanan standing behind them.
‘Ah. I was hoping you’d get a chance to meet my house guest,’ he said.
‘Callum’s staying with you?’ said Holly.
‘His father is an old friend of mine,’ said Mr Buchanan, ‘and Callum’s been through so much, I thought he deserved a holiday. You used to go to school together, didn’t you? What an appropriate setting for a reunion.’ He motioned to the film set. ‘I expect it brings back all sorts of memories.’
‘Excuse me, everyone,’ a voice was saying through the microphone. The crowd fell quiet. Theo Leggett was standing on the stage, red-faced and nervously tapping his glass on the microphone. ‘Hi. Thanks. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m proud to give you Chase Lampton, his son, Dante Lampton, and the leading lady herself, Petal Moses.’
The three of them walked on to the stage to applause. Petal was beaming with pride. Chase took the microphone. ‘Thanks, Theo.’ He addressed the crowd. ‘My old man, Connor Lampton, used to say that making movies is like making a cake. All you need are the right ingredients, the right amount of time and a hungry audience. Well, for this particular cake we …’
The sound of a mobile phone ringing interrupted him.
‘… I’m sorry, that’s mine,’ said Chase, laughing. ‘I meant to turn it off. Just one second.’ He pulled the phone from his jacket and answered it. ‘Hi, I’m kind of busy right now,’ he said, winking at the crowd. The audience laughed too but Chase’s face suddenly fell. ‘I see, right,’ he said seriously, stepping back from the microphone, talking on the phone. For a moment no one was sure what to do. Petal and Dante stood grinning uncomfortably, glancing at Chase. The director returned to the microphone. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, there is no need for alarm but I need you all to leave the building as calmly as you can. There is no danger, but I’ve been informed that a fire has started in another part of the studio.’ A concerned hum rose up in the hall. Chase raised his voice over it and said, ‘As I say, nothing to worry about but studio regulations require that all hangars must be evacuated. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.’
The crowd turned and made for the door. Buchanan placed a hand on Callum’s shoulder and led him out.
‘Why would Callum be staying with Buchanan?’ said Holly as they shuffled out.
‘It makes sense that he would know his dad. I mean, a man like Buchanan must know loads of important people,’ said Archie.
‘I suppose,’ said Holly. ‘But Buchanan’s interested in dragons and Callum’s been in contact with the most dangerous dragon of all. It’s not good.’
Outside, the fire smelt like burning chemicals. Fire wardens in yellow bibs were showing everyone where to go. As they rounded a corner, they saw the blaze in a nearby building. Three fire engines had arrived and fire fighters were trying to keep it under control, while others were making sure that no one got too near.
Holly and Archie found Chase and Dante standing in the front row watching the flames. Dante turned round and looked at them. He looked upset and his voice trembled as he spoke. ‘P … P … Petal’s in there,’ he said.
‘Petal’s over there talking to that woman who played someone in that thing about a giant octopus,’ said Archie, indicating where Petal Moses was standing chatting to a vaguely familiar actress.
‘Not her,’ snapped Dante, ‘the film. The whole film. It was all in there. It’s all gone.’
‘Gone?’ said Holly and Archie together.
‘That’s right,’ said Chase. ‘They were duplicating the tapes when the place caught fire.’
Holly looked up at the director. Perhaps it was a trick of the light but she thought she saw the curve of a smile appear at the corners of his mouth. Then he spoke.
‘You realise, Dante,’ he said, ‘that everything we worked for over these past few months has just gone up in smoke? Let’s go get a bagel.’