Prepare yourself for a roller coaster run of thrilling adventures with the Hadwin children and their friend Odi. After their parents are cruelly spirited away by sinister men in Macs, the youngsters find themselves at the mercy of some very unpleasant characters – such as the nasty nunjas, rampant crocodiles and ultimately, Elymas, the most evil man in the world! Fortunately, Alice, Miles, Joe and Odi make a lot of friends on their journey, starting with the tree people who come to the rescue when the younger children are imprisoned by the nunjas, members of a weird sisterhood dedicated to Elymas and his image - a three-headed snake. Only one man can explain why the children have to keep on running, and only young Joe can bring the nightmare to an end when he faces the greatest test of all. This first part of the trilogy shows how the runaways escape from Elymas' henchmen, the nunjas and the Babel retreat. .