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‘It’s hard to tell where the sounds are coming from on a day like this,’ says Alex.

‘It’s the snow,’ I say. ‘It makes the sound travel further, but it’s a bit echoey.’

He points. ‘I’m pretty sure it was coming from over there. Shall we check it out?’

We step off the path and make our way carefully towards where the sound is coming from. As we get nearer, we hear yells and laughs and the noise of paintball guns firing.

Alex leans down to whisper in my ear. ‘You go that way and hide in that clump of trees, and I’ll go in the other direction. That way, we’ll have them surrounded, and we can pick them off before they even know we’re here.’

I stifle a giggle. He looks so serious. ‘Good luck!’ I whisper.

‘There’s no need for luck when you have strategy and cunning,’ he whispers back.

He makes a choking sound, and I turn in alarm. ‘Are you ok?’

He’s doubled over. When he straightens up, holding out his hand, I see it’s covered in red liquid.

‘They got me!’ he gasps. ‘Run for it, Annie!’

I hesitate a moment too long, not sure whether to stay and check he’s alright.

‘That’s the one who got Matt!’ says a voice behind me.

I turn around to see two boys standing with their guns pointed at me.

‘You aren’t supposed to be working in teams,’ I say without thinking.

‘Neither are you,’ says the taller one.

I clench my teeth and wait for them to shoot me.

‘Stop!’ shouts Alex. ‘How much?’

‘How much for what?’ says the red-headed boy.

Alex pulls his wallet out of his pocket. ‘How much not to shoot her?’

‘Alex!’ I say, trying not to laugh.

‘Are you serious?’ says the boy.

‘Perfectly serious,’ says Alex. He takes a few steps towards them. ‘I have … let me see … twenty-five pounds. I also have a few first-class postage stamps, if they’re any good to you.’

‘We could get you banned for life if we told Ted you tried to buy us off,’ says the first boy.

‘Yeah,’ chimes in the other. ‘Where’s your sense of fair play?’

Alex shrugs. ‘I tried,’ he tells me.

‘This is for Matt!’ the boys say in unison and shoot me. The paint capsules hit me in the stomach and chest, and I gasp, temporarily winded. ‘That hurt!’

‘It would have hurt a whole lot more without the protective clothing,’ says Alex. ‘What are you waiting for?’ he asks the boys. ‘Go and finish the game. And I hope you both trip over your guns and break your legs.’

The boys laugh. ‘See you!’

‘What was that you were saying about strategy and cunning?’ I ask.

Alex takes my hand. ‘We’ll get them next time.’


Tags: Rosemary Whittaker Romance