Dr Oriji’s voice shatters through my thoughts of the past and catapults me back to the present moment with the force of an elastic band.

The doctors will run a series of tests. They’re a bit weird and oddly simplistic, like those science experiments you do in primary school, but on a human. They do each of the tests twice with two different doctors. The doctors then meet to discuss the results.

When I ask Dr Oriji how often this happens she says it’s standard procedure for this sort of thing. When I ask her what happens if Mum fails all the tests, she doesn’t give me a straight answer, just looks at Dad.

But that tells me everything I need to know. If Mum fails the tests, then it’s GAME OVER.

My limbs feel heavy whenever I move, like someone’s tied rocks to them to weigh me down. It’s like everything happening in my life is a bad dream, and I have to shake myself awake every few moments. Somehow it’s the memories that feel most real to me now.

‘Do you want to visit your mum?’ Dad asks, but his voice sounds far away.

I nod, even though I don’t have the book of fairy tales to unlock the next memory. Elle has it, but I’m not ready to face her just yet.

Today I want to see Mum and spend time with her without worrying about having to solve puzzles. So, I forget about memories and games and tests; I just sit by her bedside, pull The Wizard of Oz from my bag, and read.

Chapter 31

I ring Elle’s doorbell three times before someone answers.

While I wait I’m not quite sure what to do with my hands so I swap from clasping my hips, to crossing them in front of me. It looks like I’m doing a weird version of the hokey-cokey.

Eventually I stick my hands in my jacket pocket and play with the perfume bottle. I brought it and the bracelet with me. They’re my weapon and armour as I face the next challenge of the game.

Years ago, on my tenth birthday, Mum gave me a book of fairy tales. Except I wasn’t really into that sort of thing. I had just started playing video games and all I wanted was a new console. I never even looked in it, just gave it to Elle, because she was obsessed with princesses at the time.

If I had bothered to read it, maybe I would have asked Mum who ‘R’ was, and I would have known everything I know about her now sooner.

I hope Elle hasn’t given the book away. What’ll I do if I can’t get the next object?