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golden, silk harem pants, the glittering jewels and her bare feet. ‘I thought I heard voices in here. I didn’t know you had a guest.’
    Kora looked at David. He stood frozen to the spot, his mouth gaping open and the framed certificate clutched in his hands. She shook her head in disgust. It seemed that humans spent a lot of time with their mouths wide.
    His mother reached over and took the certificate without looking at it. Instead, she looked at Kora. ‘What beautiful eyes,’ she said, smiling. She held her hand out. ‘Hello, dear,’ she said. ‘I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Marcia Wolfe, David’s mother.’
    She reached out and took his mother’s hand. ‘I am Kora.’ She threw a smug look at David. He stared at her, saying nothing, but his eyes were narrowed in silent warning.
    â€˜What a glamorous costume you’re wearing.’ Marcia looked her up and down. ‘Are you on your way to a fancy dress party, then?’
    â€˜Yes, that’s right.’ David jumped into the conversation, speaking a little too quickly. ‘There’s a fancy dress party tonight.’
    Marcia regarded him suspiciously. ‘And were you planning on going too, David?’ Her brow furrowed. ‘Is that why you did so much cleaning up around the house today? So we’d be more likely to let you go?’
    â€˜No, no,’ he stammered. ‘Anyway, I can’t go. I, um, don’t even have a costume.’
    Kora smirked at him. ‘That will not be a problem,’ she said sweetly. ‘I have brought a costume for you to wear.’ She pointed towards the corner of the room, behind his mother, where a brown paper parcel appeared on the floor.
    Marcia smiled. ‘Good,’ she said. ‘Then we’d better have an early dinner.’ She smiled at Kora. ‘You’ll join us, of course, dear.’
    David’s mouth opened to object, but his mother cut in smoothly. ‘I’m sure Rodney would love to meet your new friend.’ She raised one eyebrow. ‘And besides, I can’t wait to see your costume.’

Hmm … yum. Tofu!
    Kora followed David down the narrow passageway. The horrid Earth scent intensified and she realised they had reached the kitchen. A middle-aged man was standing by the kitchen stove. He scuffed over to Kora and reached out his hand. ‘I’m Rodney.’
    She placed her hand in his sweaty grasp. ‘Kora.’
    Rodney’s fair skin reddened. ‘Glad that you’re joining us for dinner, Kora.’ He flicked David with the tea towel. ‘So what’s with the soldier outfit?’
    â€˜Fancy dress.’
    Rodney scratched a big patch of angry red eczema on his arm. ‘It suits you.’
    Kora smiled to herself, thinking about the costume she had intended for David. A fat, hairy baboon suit, complete with a tiny, sparkly pink tutu — that was the costume that really suited him. Of course David hadn’t thought it was funny at all and had immediately wished for a new one.
    â€˜Take a seat, kids.’ Rodney turned back to the stove. ‘Dinner’s nearly ready.’
    Kora pulled out her chair at the table. It was heavy. Curled up on it was an enormously fat ginger cat. It opened one eye at her and then leapt to its feet. Arching its back it let out an almighty hiss.
    â€˜Cuddles!’
    At David’s voice the cat twitched its ears and leapt from the chair. Skulking from the room it turned to hiss one last time at her before it disappeared.
    David smirked. ‘You seem to have a way with animals.’
    He was such an idiot. Even for a human. She ignored him and sank gracefully into the chair. She could hear the click, click, click of Marcia’s high-heeled shoes and a moment later she burst into the kitchen.
    â€˜Hmm, that smells great.’
    Kora wrinkled her nose. Surely Marcia was joking, it smelt disgusting.
    â€˜So,