Below us, komodos circled and gazed upwards, opening their mouths and flicking their tongues.

Ahead, the track dropped down sharply, then levelled out under some overhanging branches next to a wooden fence.

‘We could trying jumping down on the other side of that,’ I said, nodding at the fence.

‘Why not?’ said Rupert, grinning a bit crazily. ‘What could possibly go wrong?’

The stress must be getting to him a little.

‘Okay,’ I said, ‘now we just have to get everyone down this scarily steep slope.’

As we moved, the komodos followed underneath, staring up at us hungrily.

‘Why are they like this?’ grunted Rupert.

‘Too many predators in too small a place?’ I guessed. ‘They probably haven’t been fed in a long time.’

As we crawled along, tree fronds parted over the track like a green tunnel.

‘How will we—’ Rupert began, before a hiss! from above threw him off.

A green dappled tree snake landed right in front of him. Rupert barely had time to gasp as it reared to strike.

I’ll have my revenge against all snake-kind!^{said Tiny.}

Tiny clamped his jaws down on the snake’s neck and, while still in the air, heaved it away. The snake hissed in surprise as it went flying down towards the snapping dragons.

Tiny landed firm on the track, and puffed up his little chest.

There, he yapped. No snake gets the better of me!

Rupert looked upwards.

‘Hurry!’ he shouted.

The track was now flat enough for us to rise to our feet and run. Overhead, the hissing grew louder.

We reached the point closest to the fence. Over the other side was a two-metre drop into a yard behind a round building. At least there weren’t any reptiles – visible ones, anyway – down there.

‘Jump, everyone!’

Nosey and Brutus did as they were told. I scooped up Tiny and leapt after them. Rupert was too scared, and tried to put his leg over the top of the fence in order to turn and climb down.

As I landed on soft grass, Rupert slid noisily after us.

‘Your way was probably better,’ he said, looking at his reddened palms.

I glanced around. The yard was completely enclosed. The only way forward was into the building. I ran to the back door.

Please be unlocked, please be unlocked …

The door was unlocked, but grass had grown so high and clumpy on our side that I couldn’t wrench it open!

‘Over here!’ said Rupert.

He ran across the yard to a part of the fence where the wood was rotting. He began to kick at it, breaking parts loose.

I hauled on the door, trying to flatten the grass beneath it.

‘Forget that!’ I said. ‘Come and help me instead!’

‘But I’ve almost cleared enough room to fit!’ called Rupert.

He kicked again and a large piece of wood flew outwards. Suddenly, he gave a frightened yelp.

A moment later Rupert was with me at the door. As we joined forces and strained on the handle, it finally gave and scraped wide open across the grass.

‘Everyone inside!’ I said.

We raced into the darkened building as snakes began to fall from the trees behind us.