I think the best number in the whole universe is eight. My friend, Asim, likes numbers about as much as me, but he likes them all - odd or even. Esmarelda, though, who lives across the street, isn't so fond of numbers and she hates maths. Singing's more her thing. She's really good, too, nearly as good as my mum. Mum's a professional singer. Or was, until we had to move. The worst number in the universe, though, is seven. For a start it's an odd number, and it's thin and sharp and mean-looking, like a medieval scythe. So when I saw 777 on that Mustang's numberplate, I knew it was the start of something bad. And I was right.