A rift seemed to have taken place. It was as if the town had slowly and silently split into two parts. Two opposing camps. Those who wanted to be with the Pastor - and those who did not.

When Vaughan Roberts' parents go overseas, he is dumped with his grandmother in an isolated coastal town. Vaughan longs to join the local gang of boys, but before he can, he must complete a frightening initiation - a seemingly impossible swim. Little does he know that he is a pawn in a terrifying ritual - and one he must fight to survive...

This book is part of a book series called Signature Series .

There are 224 pages in this book. This book was published 1999 by Hodder & Stoughton Childrens Division .

Libby Hathorn is one of Australia's most highly regarded writers for children and has also been published extensively overseas. Among other awards, she won the inaugural NSW Children's Week Medal for literature in 1992. For more information, free writing tips and teaching resources, go to www. libbyhathorn. com.