I brush my teeth at lightning speed and run back to my bedroom, Lady trailing at my heels. I grab my bag, which is sitting on my bed next to my jacket, and turn to leave.

That’s when I see the perfume stopper roll on the floor in front of me.

I frown and it’s like the thoughts go through my head in slow motion.

I turn and see the perfume bottle has fallen out of my backpack and spilled all over my bed sheets, staining them.

The smell comes almost at once. Wood, rose and orange. It feels as if the magic inside the bottle has been released, like a caged bird finally set free.

‘No!’ I scream.

Lady runs up to me and sniffs at the wasted perfume. I shove her aside and pick up the bottle. It’s gone. I scream and scream until my throat feels sore.

Lady whimpers from the corner of the room.

The monster stirs inside me and my whole body shakes. It feels stifling in here, like it’s taken over entirely, possessed the house. It’s angry.

I hurry out, but after I leave the house I realize that my feet are taking me in the direction of the hospital instead of school, and soon I’m standing in front of the great ugly building, perfume still in hand.

If I see Mum now I know she’ll still smell of the perfume, and I can visit the game again before it’s too late.

But you need to get the book of fairy tales, Saff ! And you’re not ready for that, are you?

I try to bite down the panic that’s expanding inside me.

Before I know it I’m there, outside Mum’s hospital room. I don’t remember going up in the lift or walking through the doors. It’s like there’s a gaping black hole in my mind.

I see a bunch of doctors and nurses surrounding Mum’s bed, including Amanda and the doctor that always chats to Dad.

My heart leaps. What’s wrong? What are they doing?

I watch as they talk. They seem serious, very serious.

The machine is making all sorts of noises, and they’re mumbling things I can’t hear.

Amanda sees me. She mutters something to the doctor, who looks over at me before turning back to Amanda with a curt nod, and jogs towards me.

‘Safiya?’ Amanda says. ‘Shouldn’t you be in school?’ She glances in the direction of the empty reception desk with a frown. I suppose someone should have been there to stop me getting in.

I ignore her question. ‘Why are they sticking things in her mouth . . . and . . .’ My voice breaks.

‘All right,’ Amanda says soothingly. ‘Let’s go over here, shall we?’ She talks to me like I’m a scared animal, and leads me to an empty office down the hall.