Launched! by J A Mawter

his fingers, then sat quietly at his feet.
    ‘I swear Bella’s got ESP,’ said Clem. ‘She knows when you’re upset, what you’re thinking.’
    ‘Duh, Clem.’ Darcy pulled a face. ‘Rattle a bowl and any dog will come running. Hold out your hand and they do the same thing. It’s got nothing to do with ESP.’
    ‘Dogs can have ESP,’ said Clem. ‘They can tell when someone’s in danger, or when their owner’s coming home.’
    ‘Coincidence. Or super-sensitive hearing.’
    ‘No, it’s not. There’s lots of cases where owners have moved great distances away and the dog has turned up on their doorstep. Cats, too.’
    Bryce butted in. ‘What about when a dog takes an instant dislike to someone and then you find out they’re no good?’
    ‘Bad vibes,’ said Darcy with a shrug.
    It was Tong’s turn to contribute. ‘Elephants save people from big wave. Elephants know wave coming many hour before.’
    ‘You mean in that tsunami?’ asked Clem. She turned to Darcy and stuck out her tongue. ‘See. Even elephants can have ESP.’
    ‘I know Bella’s getting fat, Clem, but she’s no elephant.’
    ‘She’s not fat.’
    Mio rolled her eyes, thinking, There they go again! ‘Actually, you’re both wrong,’ she said. ‘It’s not ESP. Animals have this thing called a seventh sense. They sense things in their body organs.’
    ‘Enough already. Let’s go,’ urged Bryce. ‘Tong? Want to dink with me? I’ll drop you home.’
    Tong nodded and climbed onto the seat, gripping the saddle with both hands. ‘Look for bike on way home?’
    Mio, Darcy and Clem with Bella in her basket picked their way down the hill towards the entrance gates of The Peak. ‘Meet you down there,’ Bryce called to Darcy, knowing he’d be going that much slower because he had Tong as well.
    As they passed the tower Bryce stopped and stepped off the pedals.
    ‘What?’ asked Tong.
    ‘Something’s different,’ said Bryce.
    Tong hopped off backwards, glancing around.
    ‘The flying-fox has been tied back up. Yesterday we left it, remember?’
    ‘Yes.’
    Bryce’s gaze followed the line of rope. Before it had been carefully looped around two pegs, but now it was taut, as if it was caught on something. ‘Someone’s been up the tower,’ he said.
    ‘Me check,’ said Tong.
    Bryce breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to climb the ladder. ‘I’ll look around here while you’re up there,’ he called.
    ‘Okay.’ Reaching for the ladder, Tong began to climb.
    Bryce circled the mound of tyres, seeking the entrance tunnel. From ground level, it all looked just as before, but he wanted to make sure. Dropping onto his belly he wriggled forward, squinting into the darkness. The air smelt musty, earthy, tinged with something Bryce couldn’t put his finger on. It smelt like the dead rat his dad had found behind the water tank at home. Automatically, Bryce reverted to mouth breathing. He wondered if breathing in the smell of dead rat through your mouth was the same as tasting it…
    Suddenly pain exploded behind his eyes—all Bryce could see was bursts of red and black with sparkly stars. Before he could cry out two handslatched onto his chest and flipped him over. Someone, Bryce couldn’t see who, sat on top of him, pinning down his arms. A stinking rag was tied around his mouth. It tasted like stagnant water, causing him to dry retch.
    Bryce’s eyes were streaming from the pain. Unable to see, unable to call out or move, he morphed into the old Bryce. The Bryce who had survived on the streets. Twisting his torso he managed to free one arm, then lunged for his assailant. As his attacker pulled out of range, Bryce’s other arm flicked free. He grabbed the attacker’s shirt and yanked him down, headbutting him in the chin. Teeth clacked together like a movie clapboard. Then Bryce shoved the person and tried to roll away, but they both lost their balance. The air was filled with oomphs and grunts and frantic panting as