ch8) later 7.30pm

“Now that everyone’s here, how ‘bout a game of scrabble?”

Nobody is massively keen on this idea, but the party is only just starting and they’re all feeling too polite to argue. So the scrabble sets come out and the guests get into groups of four to play. Zobe is with Ellie and two other ‘phants she doesn’t recognise. After a few moments she notices that she can make an eight-letter word! That’s pretty special, and she’d be getting rid of all her letters at once!

“H-U-N-T-S-M-A-N,” she says proudly, placing the letters down carefully. She begins to count up the score, and doesn’t notice the uncomfortable looks passing between the olifunts. Her next two goes aren’t a lot better (although she continues to be unaware that she is committing a faux-pas) as she spells out P-O-A-C-H-E-D and F-U-D-G-E. One of the other guests, who has decided to play scrabble phonetically, spells Z-I-L-O-F-O-N-E. Ellie is beginning to regret her suggestion, and her face begins to gradually redden. A few minutes later she snaps. Standing up to get everyone’s attention she says, just a little too brightly, “I think the hippos are wanting to go on the bopaline why don’t we join them?”

The elephiphants scramble excitedly to their feet. In the commotion Ellie pulls Zobe aside, looking serious…