Seven of us sit around the kitchen table, making plans for sundown. My father starts work early so he's not home, but my sister Lina has the day off and has come home to see me. Even though the sun has just come up Ondine, Robbo, Dr. Pendle and Dr. Sidris are all awake and insisting, along with Lina, that they’re coming to patrol The Wash with me tonight.

I don’t know how Lina’s head isn’t exploding, after hearing the abbreviated version of the events of last night, which include Rufus’s emergence from the deep. Looking at the determined faces staring back at me I say, as firmly as I can, “It’s not safe – there’s no way you’re coming with me. Besides, we can’t leave Jason alone after everything he’s been through.”

Jason is Mrs. Brindle’s Border Terrier who I found hungry, lonely and worried when I stopped by her house after leaving The Wash. He seemed to know she wasn’t coming back, and walked home with me without any fuss. He’s sitting on one of the chairs, looking at us like he’s following the conversation, the name tag on his collar glinting in the early morning light.

Dr. Pendle draws an outline of the lake in the middle of a piece of paper, then adds tiny circles at the top, bottom and sides. “Thom takes the north end of the lake, where Rufus said there was the most activity. Robbo, if you’re comfortable with this, you take the eastern edge near Rufus’s house, where there was also considerable activity last night. Let’s tentatively say Ondine takes the south bank-.”

“Why tentatively?” Ondine asks.

“Because we don’t know anything about what’s happening there, as yet. If Rufus says it’s dangerous, then I’ll take it.”

Ondine starts to protest and at the same time Dr. Sidris says, “And where do I go?”

“You stay here and look after Jason,” Dr. Pendle says matter-of-factly.

“I’m not staying here. I’ll bring Jason with me, and stand guard alongside someone else, at any one of the points.”

“Where am I in this plan?” Lina asks.

“Lina and I will take the south bank,” Ondine says.

“Then Sylvester, Jason and I will take the west bank,” Dr. Pendle says.

“It’s settled,” Ondine says, staring at me like I’d better not dare argue with her. “Thom, you need to get some sleep.”

I look at Lina, thinking I owe her a huge explanation. As though she knows what I’m thinking she says, “I’ve always known something terrible lives in The Wash. I can wait to hear the gory details. You get some sleep, and we’ll talk later.”

My sister reaches over and hugs me. Jason, who seems to have decided that Lina is his new favourite person in the world, reaches his left paw up and sets it on her forearm, like he’s laying claim to her affection, or comforting her, or both.

*

The seven of us are at the boathouse half an hour before sunset, waiting for Rufus. Dr. Sidris has bought a triple layer frozen yoghurt cone, which he is sharing with Jason. Dr. Pendle is sitting at the edge of the pier, dangling his legs over the edge. Robbo is standing off to one side with his eyes closed, possibly meditating. Ondine and Lina are talking, just as they’ve been doing solidly for the past hour, but I’ve tuned them out. I’m staring into the water, looking for any signs of movement.

The surface of the lake ripples gently, almost enticingly. For the past ten minutes my lower back has been on fire, and I’m sure something is about to happen. I’m on edge, expecting one of the sea creatures to make a pre-dusk appearance, and I’m worried for the safety of the others who have come here to help. I’m worried that something will happen to them, and it will be my fault.

I lift my hands in the air and then, with a gentle movement, I move my fingers outwards. The water rises ever so slightly and parts enough that I can see a long, narrow channel running down the centre of the lake. I sense rather than see danger – small sea creatures huddled there together, watching and waiting for their chance to strike. There’s a blinding flash along the length of the channel, like a horizontal lightning strike.

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I quickly bring the tips of my fingers together, covering up the channel. I look at the others, but no one seems to have noticed.

And then Robbo opens his eyes and says, “It’s on, isn’t it?”

I nod and say, “I have no idea what’s happening, but yes, it’s on.”

I wasn’t aware that Ondine was even listening, but she tilts her head and says, “It feels like a planned invasion.”

“Change in plan,” I say. “No one is going to any other point on the shore. We’re all staying together.”

The sun dips below the horizon and a cold breeze blows off the water. And then Rufus is standing at the end of the pier, looking taller and wider than he did earlier in the day. He looks invincible, if I’m honest, and just seeing him standing there reassures me. I introduce him to everyone and then he’s standing in front of Lina, who he pulls to him in a bear-hug.

“Lina,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

“It’s good to see you,” she says, sniffling. “I didn’t think I’d ever going to get the chance again.”

After a moment, Rufus turns to look at us all and I see the exhaustion on his face, in the way he holds his body. “I should probably sugarcoat this, but there isn’t time and anyway, I don’t think you’d want me to. We’re losing, down there. Allegiances are being made and creatures are banding together who are usually arch-enemies. I don’t know how much longer we can hold them back, but I would say you’ve got hours if not minutes to get out of Juniperville.”

“Before what happens?” Ondine asks.

“To the best of our knowledge, they’re planning an underwater quake,” Rufus says, shaking his head like he can’t believe it. “There’s a huge underground canyon in The Wash – the deepest one anywhere on the planet – and when the quake hits, it’ll flood with a force we’ve never seen before. That'll cause a tsunami, and Juniperville will be completely underwater. Every living thing will drown. And they’ll take it as their underwater city.”

“Why do they want Juniperville?” Lina asks.

“Because it’s such a goddamned cool place to live,” Rufus says, rolling his eyes. “Sorry Lina – I shouldn’t joke. It’s a power play. The Sentinels have held them back for centuries – millennia, actually. But they’ve found a way to outnumber and outpower us.”

“So we need to evacuate the city?” Lina asks.

“As soon as you can. Don’t tell people the truth though – make up some kind of public health emergency,” Rufus tells her.

“I can do that,” Lina says confidently.

“You all have to leave. Get out of here – get as far away as possible.” Rufus fixed his gaze on me. “You too, Thom. It’s not safe for you here.”

“It’s not safe for you here,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Their goal is to take Juniperville, and at this point I don’t know how we can stop them,” he says quietly. “But taking it isn’t enough – they won’t stop until every single Sentinel is dead. They’re obviously aware of your existence, after what happened last night. You have to get out of here.”

“I’m going to stay and fight,” I say, not breaking eye contact.

“You didn’t choose to be a Sentinel. I accepted the risk when I became one, but you didn’t. I’m not letting you die here.”

“I’m not letting you die here.”

“Thom, I don’t have the time or the strength to argue with you.”

“Then tell me what I can do. And don’t say leave.”

“We can hear what you’re saying, by the way,” Ondine says. “And just so you know, I’m not leaving either.”

“Neither am I,” Robbo says firmly.

Rufus sighs. “Aren’t you listening to me? You’re all going to die if you stay.”

“Lina, call Dad and make sure he gets out of town, and then start evacuating everyone. Dr. Pendle, Dr. Sidris, you can help her, but then I want the three of you to get out of Juniperville right away, and be sure to take Jason with you.”

They all started to protest, but I hold my hand up to silence them. “There’s no time to argue. We’ll find you when this is all over. Go! Please go.” I watch as they leave, reluctantly, but thankfully without any further argument. Then I turn to Rufus. “Ondine and Robbo can stay and fight.”

Rufus squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head once, quickly. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but fine.” He holds his hands out on either side of Ondine, runs them along the side of her body, then repeats the procedure with Robbo. “That should offer you a bit of protection at least.”

“What from?” Robbo asks.

“Oh, the skin-burning water demons, the electric shocks of the giant eels and snakes, and maybe even a bit of protection from the mind-benders, who will try to trick you into thinking you’re looking at Thom, or me, or each other, so they can swallow you whole.”

“Well that’s fabulous,” Ondine says.

“So what do we do now?” Robbo asks.

“For now, do what you can to hold them back,” Rufus says. “I’m going back under, but I’ll let you know when it’s time to run to higher ground.” He reaches out and grips my forearms with his strong hands. “And Thom, when I say run, don’t hesitate for even a second. When I give you the word, you run like hell, straight up that hill and don’t look back. You just keep on running.”

And then he’s gone and Ondine, Robbo and I stare at each other for a long moment before Robbo says, “Right, well, there’s no point in standing around here like lemmings. Let’s find a platform or somewhere where we can get a good look at all of these seaholes as they come out of the water.”

“Good idea,” Ondine says. “I can’t wait to try out my new powers. But I’d feel slightly better about it if we weren’t standing practically right in the water.”

I start to lead them towards the lookout tower in the boathouse, when out of the corner of my eye I see a blue streak light up the channel, and then again, and again.

Robbo sees it too. “It’s definitely on,” he says, and then the three of us start running towards the boathouse.