camped for the night. Still holding Alex’s hand – she was afraid the mask might run away with her brother if she let go – she continued on her way. A while later she stopped and stood still for a moment.
‘Why do we do a pause?’ asked the mask.
‘We have to rest. We’re only children. We can’t walk for ever.’
‘Do not be tricking me.’
‘I’m not. Look, if I let go my brother’s hand, will you stay? I don’t want you running away with him.’
‘Where would I go? I go where you go.’
The answer sounded genuine. Good. She hoped she was right in thinking that the mask had only limited knowledge. Chloe was weary and couldn’t hold on to Alex’s hand for ever. Although she was strong in spirit she was tired physically. There would come a time, she was sure, when all this would be over, but for now she had to tough it out. She let go of Alex’s hand. He did not run. Good. Now she had to question the mask. Knowledge was the key to many things. If she found out where it came from, who made it, she might be able to discover weaknesses in its power over her brother.
‘Where are you from?’ she asked, sitting Alex down and removing his backpack. ‘You’re not from around here.’
‘I am from a hot place.’
‘Borneo? South America? Madagascar?’
‘Many flies. Many rivers.’
Many rivers?
‘What sort of animals do you have? Any elephants?’
‘Yes, elephants.’
‘Big ears?’
‘Of course big ears.’
‘Well Asian elephants have smaller ears. Do you have any lions?’
‘Lions, yes.’
‘Ah, Africa – somewhere. How did you get from Africa to here?’ she asked casually. ‘Were you brought here?’
‘I come in brown paper twined-about with strings.’
It seemed that was all she was going to get.
‘What did you say your name was?’
‘Makishi. I am the One Who Circumcises Boys.’
A startled Alex interrupted with, ‘Does what?’
‘Never mind,’ said Chloe, ‘but you might want to get rid of that mask as soon as possible.’
She left the mask alone now and took some food from her bag. Their supply was getting very low. They would need to find another source soon. She wondered how she was going to feed Alex. Through the hole in the mask? She tried it, handing some to her brother, who said, ‘Thanks, sis,’ in that faraway voice and popped it through the opening. ‘Not as good as pigeon.’
What was he talking about? Chloe had far more to worry about than pigeons. Africa. What did she know about Africa? Her heart sank. Not very much.
‘Mask, what kind of grass are you made from?’
‘Strong grass. Elephant grass.’
‘So you’re very durable. You’ll last a long time?’
‘For ever.’
Nelson was having the best of times in the attic. It was one vast hunting ground, better than any garden he had ever owned. The place was teeming with mice, there were birds to be had in the dark corners of the eaves, and there were rats too. He’d already had a run in with a rat and of course had come off best, despite being handicapped. He didn’t consider himself at a disadvantage, having only three legs. It actually gave him an edge, since his adversaries took his invalidity for granted. They reckoned ill who did so, for he taught them a great lesson about three-cornered cats.
Now he was going through a strange place full of strange wooden faces, following two of his human family. Suddenly a creature popped out of the mouth of one of the masks and stood before him. The creature was human shaped, but about the size of a large rat. It showed its teeth to Nelson, who had never liked this gesture, even in his own family of humans.
‘Gaaaah!’ cried the creature before him. ‘Eeech!’
Nelson had no comprehension of these sounds and actually was now quite irritated by this strange thing which smelled of candles.
‘Urchhg. Aaaaach.’
It did a little dance before him, then took out some sharp needles and pricked Nelson’s nose with one of them. The sound that came from the small figure’s mouth sounded like triumph to Nelson. Nelson hated birds that crowed over him: and any other creature for that matter.
Another little dance and a stab with the needles.
Nelson had taken enough. He bit its head off.
The body ran away.
The head tasted just like candle. Nelson chewed it into a shapeless wad then spat it out in disgust. He loped on in as dignified a fashion as his missing leg would allow, thoroughly disgusted at the delay.
Jordy had not climbed Jagged