Author Notes: Okay, I've got a new challenge – some song lyrics appear in this chapter, and you've got to work out where they come from. First one to spot it doesn't get a prize, but I will publish a new chapter, so don't worry about that! Keep you reviews coming in! :)

Chapter 10: Walking with Celia

It's a sunny Monday morning. Mike is driving work. Scarelett and Fearona are taking the bus to school. It's just Celia, Roary, my friends and me in the house – which is incredibly awkward.

"So," Sophie says, too cheerfully, "what shall we do for fun?"

"We could see what's on TV, I guess," says Linden as she lies on the long green couch. Psyche joins her, carrying three remotes in her hands.

"I don't understand modern televisions sometimes," she complains. "Who needs three doobries?"

"They're not doobries, they're TV remotes," says Linden. She snatches one out of Psyche's hand and starts channel-hopping. The button makes a clicking sound when she presses it.

"A cat with nine tails was rescued from a tree by a brave fireman, who, coincidentally, has nine arms-"

Click.

"Kids, remember to look both ways before you cross the road-!"

Click.

"Gosh, Kelly! How did you have the time to cheat on three men and look after your aunt's new baby without-?"

Click.

"Oversized handbags are, like, so totally the look for this fall-"

Click.

"Okay, now he was close, tried to domesticate you,

But you're an animal, baby it's in your nature-"

Celia walks over to the window. "It's too nice a day to sit in watching TV. Let's go out somewhere!" She grins at us all, but her smile disappears when she sees my costume. "Isn't that what you wore when you first came here?"

"Yes," I say.

"Won't someone recognise it?"

I shrug. "It was too long ago. But if anyone asks, I'll just play dumb."

Celia relaxes. "Let's go then!"

"But I like this song!" groans Linden.

Psyche takes the remote back and turns the TV off. We leave the apartment.

Monstropolis Park is beautiful at this time of year. Somehow, the grass is still bright green, interrupted only by stretches of gravelly paths. The trees, on the other hand, have leaves of earthy colours. On just one tree, I can see leaves of brown, red, orange and yellow, illuminated by the Sun. Nestled between branches are two-tailed squirrels and two-headed pigeons – creatures that would be freaky in the human world, but are relaxing to watch in Monstropolis Park.

Celia, pushing Roary in a pram, spots a bench made of wood the same colour as the tree trunks. She sits down immediately, but the girls and I stay standing. Caprice is watching a group of children playing Tag.

"Remember when we used to play Tag?" she says. "It was our favourite game."

"We still can play it," says Sophie. She suddenly grabs Caprice's arm. "Tag! You're it!"

"Hey!" cries Caprice. Sophie runs away, but Caprice follows close behind. Pretty soon, we're all darting between trees and hiding, then yelping and running again when Caprice spots us. Caprice is hopeless at Tag because she keeps stopping to stick leaves back on her costume, so eventually Sophie lets herself get caught – and that's when the fun really begins. You see, Sophie runs track at school, so she never gets tired and is always fast, even in flippers. The game becomes a frenzy of squeals and laughter – it's okay out here because there's nothing electrical. It's just fun.

It's only when I'm tagged myself that I realise how hot I am. It's not a particularly warm day, but the fast-paced game and my costume are making me sweat. I collapse onto the bench beside Celia.

"Mary!" says Sophie. "You can't sit down! You're it!"

I poke Psyche. "Tag," I gasp. "You guys keep playing . . . I'll catch up in a bit."

The girls run away. My chest heaves. I reach into the hood of my costume and wipe away from sweat.

"Will you be all right?" asks Celia.

"Yeah," I say. Already, my heartbeat is slowing to a normal pace and it's getting easier to breathe. "That was a good game. It's nice to be childish once in a while."

"I agree," says Celia.

We sit in comfortable silence – until Celia screams.

"What's wrong?" I say.

"Randall-"

Another flash of purple.

A cloth over my face.

The world fades into darkness.