done, Zak,’ Raf said quietly. ‘People have been using the stars to navigate since before there were even maps, let alone GPS. We might have all sorts of modern technology to help us, but that doesn’t meanyou should forget the old ways. The time will probably come when you need them.’
He put one hand around Zak’s shoulder and pointed up. ‘You see that constellation?’ he asked. ‘It looks like a saucepan with the handle bending upwards.’
‘I see it,’ Zak said.
‘That’s Ursa Minor. Some people call it the Little Dipper. The third star of the handle – the bright one – is Polaris. The North Star. Walk towards it and you’ll always be heading north. You can work out your other bearings from that. Sometimes, though, you can’t see Ursa Minor.’
‘So how do you find the North Star?’ Zak asked.
Raf’s finger traced out another saucepan-shaped constellation. On this one, the third star of the handle bent crookedly down. ‘That’s Ursa Major,’ he said. Then he moved his arm across the sky and traced out a W-shaped constellation. ‘That’s Cassiopeia. Polaris is about halfway between the two constellations. Have you got that?’
Zak nodded.
‘Good. These stars need to become like friends. You never know when you might have to ask for their help. This technique works in the northern hemisphere. Do you know what that means?’
‘North of the equator,’ Zak said.
‘Right. In the southern hemisphere you need to look for a constellation called the Southern Cross to show you which way is south. I’ll show you that on a star chart another time.’ He paused. ‘Gabs was right, you know,’ he said after a moment. ‘You need to start trusting us.’
‘Michael told me I shouldn’t trust anyone.’
‘Well, we’re the exception that proves the rule. I know you’re angry with Michael, but you can’t let that get in the way. We’re here to teach you and help you. We can’t do that if you’re fighting with us.’
And Zak knew Raf was right. He looked at his guardian angel. ‘Just one thing,’ he said.
‘What’s that?’ Raf asked.
‘Can we cut out these midnight alarm calls?’
Raf’s permanent frown softened slightly. ‘It’s a deal,’ he agreed. He held out his hand and Zak shook it.
‘Now,’ Raf continued, sounding suddenly brusque again, ‘close your eyes and turn round three times. Keep your eyes closed.’ Raf’s voice grew more distant. ‘The house is about three kilometres away to the south-east. I’ll see you back there.’
When Zak opened his eyes, his teacher had disappeared.
‘Raf!’ he called. ‘
Raf!
’
There was no reply. Zak felt a little surge of panic. He was on his own.
It was incredibly bleak out here by himself. The wind ruffled his hair and in the distance he could just make out the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach. He shuddered. For the first time since being on the island he felt a desperate desire to be back within the walls of St Peter’s House.
Stay calm
, he told himself.
Remember what Raf just taught you
. . .
He looked up. It took a moment to orientate himself and locate Polaris again. South-east, Raf had said. He faced the North Star, then turned 180 degrees. That was south. He held out his arms at right angles, so his right was pointing forward to the south and the left was pointing east. South-east bisected the two. Zak started jogging in that direction. Every few minutes he stopped and checked his bearing against Polaris, and occasionally he found he had veered off course, so he readjusted his direction before continuing.
Zak had been running for about five minutes when he heard it – or thought he heard it. It wasn’t much: just a vague rustling nearby. He found he was holding his breath as he stopped and looked around, his eyes straining to penetrate the dark.
‘Raf?
Raf?
Is that you?’
No reply. Just silence. ‘You’re probably hearing things,’ he muttered to himself, even as he felt a chillthat was
He put one hand around Zak’s shoulder and pointed up. ‘You see that constellation?’ he asked. ‘It looks like a saucepan with the handle bending upwards.’
‘I see it,’ Zak said.
‘That’s Ursa Minor. Some people call it the Little Dipper. The third star of the handle – the bright one – is Polaris. The North Star. Walk towards it and you’ll always be heading north. You can work out your other bearings from that. Sometimes, though, you can’t see Ursa Minor.’
‘So how do you find the North Star?’ Zak asked.
Raf’s finger traced out another saucepan-shaped constellation. On this one, the third star of the handle bent crookedly down. ‘That’s Ursa Major,’ he said. Then he moved his arm across the sky and traced out a W-shaped constellation. ‘That’s Cassiopeia. Polaris is about halfway between the two constellations. Have you got that?’
Zak nodded.
‘Good. These stars need to become like friends. You never know when you might have to ask for their help. This technique works in the northern hemisphere. Do you know what that means?’
‘North of the equator,’ Zak said.
‘Right. In the southern hemisphere you need to look for a constellation called the Southern Cross to show you which way is south. I’ll show you that on a star chart another time.’ He paused. ‘Gabs was right, you know,’ he said after a moment. ‘You need to start trusting us.’
‘Michael told me I shouldn’t trust anyone.’
‘Well, we’re the exception that proves the rule. I know you’re angry with Michael, but you can’t let that get in the way. We’re here to teach you and help you. We can’t do that if you’re fighting with us.’
And Zak knew Raf was right. He looked at his guardian angel. ‘Just one thing,’ he said.
‘What’s that?’ Raf asked.
‘Can we cut out these midnight alarm calls?’
Raf’s permanent frown softened slightly. ‘It’s a deal,’ he agreed. He held out his hand and Zak shook it.
‘Now,’ Raf continued, sounding suddenly brusque again, ‘close your eyes and turn round three times. Keep your eyes closed.’ Raf’s voice grew more distant. ‘The house is about three kilometres away to the south-east. I’ll see you back there.’
When Zak opened his eyes, his teacher had disappeared.
‘Raf!’ he called. ‘
Raf!
’
There was no reply. Zak felt a little surge of panic. He was on his own.
It was incredibly bleak out here by himself. The wind ruffled his hair and in the distance he could just make out the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach. He shuddered. For the first time since being on the island he felt a desperate desire to be back within the walls of St Peter’s House.
Stay calm
, he told himself.
Remember what Raf just taught you
. . .
He looked up. It took a moment to orientate himself and locate Polaris again. South-east, Raf had said. He faced the North Star, then turned 180 degrees. That was south. He held out his arms at right angles, so his right was pointing forward to the south and the left was pointing east. South-east bisected the two. Zak started jogging in that direction. Every few minutes he stopped and checked his bearing against Polaris, and occasionally he found he had veered off course, so he readjusted his direction before continuing.
Zak had been running for about five minutes when he heard it – or thought he heard it. It wasn’t much: just a vague rustling nearby. He found he was holding his breath as he stopped and looked around, his eyes straining to penetrate the dark.
‘Raf?
Raf?
Is that you?’
No reply. Just silence. ‘You’re probably hearing things,’ he muttered to himself, even as he felt a chillthat was
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