We’re up on our feet and running again. Iggy has tucked Suzy under his arm and is still managing to keep up with us.

‘I know a way through,’ I gasp to the others. ‘It’s near here.’

And I know it must be near because I can feel the tingling sensation from the force field.

‘Keep back!’ I warn them, as I edge along as quickly as I can.

Dark Streak and her partners are getting closer and I cannot feel the break in the force field.

Then the trees clear, and I see the spacecraft with its front open, ready for us.

‘Where is it?’ I yell in panic. Then I shout to the others, ‘There’s a break in the force field just near here – in fact, exactly here.’

I point to the spot where I came through. I can even see the scuff-marks in the soil where I lay down to hide from the perimeter patrol …

… which stopped …

… and made noises …

… exactly where I came through.

My shoulders slump when I realise that the hole has been repaired. Of course it has been repaired – that is what perimeter patrols do! Philip even told me.

Dark Streak is only about thirty metres away and they aren’t even running now. They know we’re trapped.

She shouts something in Anthallan and then in broken English. ‘Stop, ant you will liffing. Attempting further escape, ant you will dying!’

We are cornered. To our left, the flames are getting closer, while straight ahead, Dark Streak ambles towards us. I can even make out the burnt hair on her chest and head where she copped it from the burning vodka. Everything about her spells fury.

Then Suzy squawks and flaps her wings.

‘Shhh, Suzy,’ says Iggy.

Something sparks in my mind when I look at her burnt feathers, and then I yell at the others, ‘Suzy flew at the force field and burst through it! Where she went through, it left a hole for about four seconds. I threw a stone through it – it can be breached!’

‘It cannot be done,’ says Hellyann. ‘You will surely tie. Soossy was lucky, or perhaps her feathers protected her, or … I do not know what.’

Have I done my best?

Does doing your best include running at a force field and killing yourself?

This is all happening in seconds, and Dark Streak is almost upon us when a nearby tree creaks and starts to fall. It sends up a shower of sparks and smoke, which holds Dark Streak back long enough for Hellyann to come close to me. Then she turns and shouts something at Dark Streak in their own language. Dark Streak’s path is still blocked, but she shouts something back and begins to edge her way around the smouldering log.

‘What did you say?’ I ask.

‘I remindet her of when we were at school, ant we saw a human being leap in front of a motorcar to safe a child. I will be koing for a long-sleep no matter what happens. So, you know, tally-ho! And tell the Geoffs that I am sorry about Sheba.’

‘What?’

She moves away a little.

Then, without warning, she hurls herself at the force field.

‘No, Hellyann!’ I shout, but it’s too late.

There’s a blue flash and a loud crackling sound as a rip appears in the force field.

A strong gust of wind clears the smoke just enough for me to see the whitish gash where Hellyann has gone through, and her charred form lying on the other side of it.