Geoff Sr clicks his car key to open it, and the vehicle’s interior lights come on. In the glow, Iggy and I exchange a look.

I am definitely not about to get into a stranger’s car, even if he isn’t a complete stranger. I am not that stupid and neither, I think, is Iggy.

But what can we do other than run back to the pub, or to my house? I check out the distance: it’s not all that far, really. He wouldn’t pursue us into the pub, surely, but I really do not fancy going back in there again. What about Gran? Would we be endangering her? All of these thoughts are going through my mind when Geoff Sr says, ‘I am waiting.’

Iggy gives a tiny shake of his head and a flick of his eyes towards the pub. So, we’ll run for it?

I have already shifted my weight to my lead foot to start running when, from the woods, comes a ferocious growling followed by a terrible, animal scream.

‘Go on, Sheba – get it!’ shouts Geoff Jr.

‘Sheba?’ calls Geoff Sr. ‘Geoff? What’s going on?’ He moves towards the woods and then turns back to us. ‘Don’t you dare move!’

There’s another bout of snarling and a howl of pain.

‘The dog’s got her,’ says Iggy, slowly, sounding really sad.

From the black woods comes an urgent shout. ‘Oh my God! Dad! She’s dead! Quickly!’

Geoff Sr runs into the darkness, where the light of Geoff Jr’s torch beam can be seen flickering through the branches.

I really don’t want to see Hellyann’s body carried out. I give Iggy a nudge and we run to the other side of the car park, where we feel safer. Then Iggy stops.

‘I want to see,’ he says. ‘I want to see what they do with her.’

And so we wait by the little gate that leads up our path, not even bothering to hide.

Something has changed with the Geoffs running into the woods and the screams of Hellyann. Somehow we feel more confident that the Geoffs will not come after us. Besides, I’m only a few metres from my front door.

Then we see the torchlight bobbing nearer, and two figures emerging from the woods. The fatter figure, Geoff Jr, carries Hellyann’s limp body in his arms.

Their car headlights flick on with a little bleep, and Geoff kneels down in front of the lights, obscured by the car, meaning we can’t see what he is doing – examining Hellyann’s body, I guess.

I glance across at Iggy – his face is sad. Then he puffs out his cheeks and shakes his head slowly.

‘Dead alien, Tait. This is gonna be huge.’

I think about the things I saw on YouTube: ‘alien autopsy’, the Roswell incident, Area 51 …

‘Hang on,’ I say. ‘Look.’

Both Geoffs are bending down to pick up the body. They shuffle round out of the headlights, towards the back of the car, one Geoff holding the arms, the other the legs. I think we both notice it together.

‘That’s not her!’ I say.

Geoff Sr lays his end down and opens the hatchback of their car. The shape is obvious in the red glow of the car’s tail lights and we both say it together.

‘It’s the dog!’

We’re too far away to see clearly, but it looks as though Sheba has suffered a massive gash across her throat and down her chest.

‘Quit your flamin’ crying, you wet blanket,’ barks the older man to his son. ‘It’s just a dog. Honestly, you’re worse than your mother.’

The Geoffs heave the dead dog into the back of the car.

By now our confidence has diminished again, and we have both shrunk back behind a bush by my front gate, although we can still see what’s happening. Geoff Sr slams the car’s hatchback and turns to shout into the forest.

‘We’ll be back, you fiend!’ Then he looks towards where we were hiding and shouts, ‘Hey, kids! Not a word, or you’ll pay!’ He goes round to the driver’s door and yells at Geoff Jr. ‘What are you waiting for? Let’s go and get the boss. And put that thing away. It’s evidence.’

I hadn’t noticed at first, but Geoff Jr has under his arm a black baton – the one that Hellyann used to heal Iggy’s leg. He tosses it into the car then they both get in and speed out of the car park, sending flurries of fresh snow clouding off the car roof and spitting up from the rear tyres.

I look at Iggy, who has a strange expression on his face.

‘Who’s their boss?’ I ask.

He shakes his head. ‘It’s not a person,’ he says in a monotone. ‘At least, I don’t think so.’

‘Eh? He said, “Let’s get the—”’

‘Boss. I know. Boss and Company. It’s … it’s a brand of shotgun.’

Iggy and I run back to where the car was. There are splatters of Sheba’s blood leading from the woodland path, and a small pool of it where they put her down in front of the headlights.

I think we both know what will happen next, so we stand and wait in the snow for Hellyann to emerge from the woods.

She doesn’t take long. Her face and hands are covered in blood and there’s a long tear in the sailing jacket. She stays in the shadows.

‘Thank you,’ she rasps. Then she adds, ‘Please help me.’ She is trembling. ‘I have neffer kilt anything before. But … it was going to kill me and … and …’ She kind of buckles at her knees and I have to hold her up.

I stop myself gagging at her smell. I look over at Iggy to try to work out what to do next, and his face is a picture of fear. It’s the blood that does it: suddenly we are aware of Hellyann’s power and we are scared. At least I am.

I follow Iggy’s gaze. People are coming out of the pub’s side entrance. The press conference has finished. Around us in the car park the cars go bleep bleep and their amber sidelights flash as people unlock them remotely. No one has seen us yet and we’re still in the shadows, but we’re pretty exposed.

It’s the perfect opportunity to get help!

‘No people! No people! Hide me,’ says Hellyann urgently. Her mouth is pulled back, showing her teeth.

I look at her for a moment. Her face is terrifying and bloody. She has just killed a vicious dog with those teeth. I don’t feel like crossing her.

‘Your house?’ says Iggy. ‘Come on, quick!’

‘No! My gran’s there.’

As if on cue, I hear Gran’s voice from the direction of our house. ‘Ethan! Are you there?’

‘Behind the pub!’ I say, pointing. ‘Take her round behind the kitchen. No one will see you there.’

This, then, is how I end up making friends with the strangest creature I have ever met. And it’s all about to get a lot stranger.