‘Sure? Get that resentment out. I stole your drumstick, remember?’
I wheeze, the laugh escaping me without warning. ‘Are you trying to get me to smile? Or attack you?’
He cackles in response, snapping photos all the while.
‘Alright, that’s enough. No paparazzi, please,’ I say, waving my arms. ‘Memory captured.’
He’s already holding out his phone towards me. ‘See? I think that’s a pretty good photo,’ he declares with pride.
I push his phone away without hesitation, rolling my eyes. ‘I’m sure it is. Nice job, champ.’
He insists, pulling his phone back up and holding it in front of my face. ‘No, seriously – this is a great picture, look at you.’
I scowl at him before briefly leaning down to look at the photo. He snapped it as I was speaking, my mouth open and grinning and probably mid-swear. While it certainly isn’t the worst picture of me ever taken, I have to admit that I don’t exactly love it either. My arms are dangling awkwardly and my mouth is strangely crooked as I speak, but I also can’t deny that I look happy. Really happy.
He shoots me a smug look. I withhold a groan.
‘It’s a nice picture,’ he confirms, pocketing his phone.
‘Yes, yes. You’re highly skilled, well done,’ I say dryly, making my way towards the exit. I hear his light laugh before jogging to catch up to me.
As we head back into the main Jungle area, I rack my brain for ideas.
‘Maybe we should think about the clue again,’ I suggest.
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know, maybe there’s something we didn’t see. Something we didn’t pick up on the first time. We could be in completely the wrong place.’
Elliot repeats it and I am, once again, totally stumped.
‘I don’t know where else it could be pointing to but here,’ Elliot says with a shrug.
Rapid footsteps approaching us come to a stop as Josh suddenly appears next to us in a wild flurry of limbs.
‘There you are! Come on slackers, I found something.’
19
Josh immediately takes off again towards the edge of the meadow, approaching the green fence that surrounds it. He skids to a stop and points proudly upwards to a batch of yellow A4 sheets stuck to the fence, with small tabs at the bottom meant for ripping off.
I can see from where I’m standing that the Queen Ego symbol is indeed, at the top of every sheet. I could kiss him.
‘You star, Josh!’ I gush, clutching his arm with excitement.
‘Don’t mention it, sweetheart,’ he says, looking delighted. ‘Careful, Elliot’s jealousy might get the better of him if you don’t unhand me. And I’d like to live a little longer.’
I let go of him but Elliot completely ignores him anyway. ‘Question now is, how do we actually get up there?’ he asks, nodding up at the paper.
‘Oh, it’s not that high,’ Josh replies airily. ‘Just give me a little boost and we’ll be done in a jiffy.’
Elliot glowers at him. ‘You? Why don’t you givemea boost?’
‘I can barely lift a bowl of soup. What makes you think I could lift you?’ Josh asks very seriously. ‘You actually go to one of those gym places and throw balls around.’
Elliot visibly falters. ‘Fine.’
I’m willing to bet he hadn’t expected to lift up so many people today.
