Catrin’s already by the postbox. She grabs my arm and pulls me along the road. ‘Come on. I haven’t got long.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘Are Tam and Jinx down by the Blue Bridge?’

‘Suppose so.’

‘Then that’s where we’re going.’

When we get there, they’re skimming stones. Me and Catrin race across the bridge, making it judder and clang. On the other side, we run down the bank and come to a stop on the pebbles.

‘All right?’ Tam says. ‘I got one to the other side in three skips.’

‘I did a sevener once,’ Catrin says. ‘As far as that tree it went.’ She points downstream.

Jinx folds his arms. ‘Oh, did you?’

‘Yeah,’ I say. ‘She did. I was with her.’

I wasn’t, but I’m not having Jinx make out like Catrin’s lying. She glances sideways at me and smiles.

‘Well,’ he says. ‘I did a niner once, didn’t I, Tam?’

‘No idea,’ Tam says, rummaging around for another flat stone.

‘Well, I hope that made you feel very special,’ Catrin says.

My laugh comes out like a snort.

‘What’s up? Tam asks, lining up his aim. ‘You don’t usually come down here, Catrin.’

‘It’s about the big cat,’ she says, looking really excited. ‘I’ve got a good camera, a really good camera.’

Jinx is horrified. ‘You told her!’

I give him a Shut it or else look.

Tam frowns. ‘What sort of camera?’

‘It’s a Pentax.’ She glares at Jinx. ‘A Spotmatic SP500, 50mm with a wide-angle lens. Think that’ll do the job?’

‘Where’d you get that from?’ I say quickly, before Jinx can react to her sarcasm.

‘My dad had it for his birthday,’ she says. ‘Remember, Jason? He made a big fuss about wanting a special present for his fortieth but I don’t think he’s even taken it out of the box.’

‘And he’ll lend it to us?’ Tam asks.

‘No, but he’ll lend it to me.’

‘But that means you’ll have to … Hang on … no way!’ Jinx yells. He looks from me to Tam, wide-eyed. ‘No way is she coming on our quest!’

Catrin sighs. ‘There won’t be a quest if you don’t have a decent camera.’

‘We don’t need your dad’s stupid Pentax,’ Jinx says.

‘I think you do. Or you could take yours and hope the Beast likes you enough to come nice and close. Or – I know! How about taking your crayons up and doing a nice drawing of it?’

Me and Tam laugh.

‘This is for Jason and Richie,’ Jinx says.

She puts her hands on her hips. ‘I know. Which is why you need the best chance. My dad’s camera gives us that.’

‘How come you’re even allowed? Whoever heard of a girl going on a boys’ camping trip?’

‘Not all of us have parents in the Dark Ages! I’m allowed because Jason will be there. And he’s my—’

Tam chucks the stone down so hard it splinters, making us all jump.

‘Catrin’s coming,’ he says. ‘No decent camera, no decent chance.’ We all stare at him. ‘But you two better find a way to get on because if you think I’m putting up with this rubbish all the way to Blaengarw and back, you can think again.’

Jinx huffs loudly. ‘All right, mun!’

Thank God for Tam. I didn’t want to have to get in the middle of that. ‘So, when do we go?’ I ask.

‘Tomorrow,’ she says. ‘First thing.’

‘You’re not in charge.’ Jinx seethes.

I turn to him. ‘When do you think we should go then?’

He pushes some stones around with his foot and mumbles. ‘Tomorrow.’ He looks up. ‘But I was going to say it first! None of this is her idea, remember!’

Idiot.

I look around at them all and I feel excited for the first time in forever. Like I can do something to help Richie instead of just peeling spuds and buying dented tins of spaghetti hoops from Gwyn’s.

We’re really doing it.

We’re going up the valley to find the Beast of Blaengarw.