By the time he got back to his dormitory, Simon had almost convinced himself that the meeting with Venus must have been a dream. He had been affected by the hot sun on the beach, he was trying to tell himself. He paused in the corridor outside his room, digging in his pockets for his keys. Yes, he told himself firmly yet again. It had obviously just been his imagination playing tricks on --

"Hey!" called a voice. "Are you Simon?"

Simon turned, and saw a girl running up the corridor towards him. She had bright red hair, and she wore a pretty, flower-patterned sundress.

"Um -- yes," he said....