Amelia’s shirt, rolled and pressed against Innocent’s terrible wound, was already sodden with blood. I couldn’t press hard enough to staunch the flow. He flopped sideways against me. He was trembling and whispering, ‘No, I’m sorry, no, no …’ Marcel’s response, in French, was high-pitched, borderline hysterical, and Patience was crying now too, echoing her father’s ‘Non, non, non.’ Between us we did our best to lever Innocent back onto all fours, but as he weakened he grew heavier, and though in that moment he seemed so young and frail in my arms, he was also becoming a dead weight.

‘It’s going to be OK,’ I whispered again, but as I spoke Innocent lost consciousness and crumpled completely. I struggled to keep pressure on the wound but couldn’t. He was too heavy for me. Everywhere was wet and sticky with blood. He slumped lower between me and Marcel, and for a moment my hand came away and another gout of blood pulsed hideously down the poor guide’s neck.

Patience’s whimpering turned into a moan of terror.

Amelia pulled the girl close, but couldn’t help saying, ‘It’s bright red, meaning it’s oxygenated, not venous. Cutting a vein is bad enough, but I think he’s severed his carotid artery, meaning –’

‘Shhh,’ I said.

‘Mon dieu non,’ murmured Marcel.

The same bewildering numbness that I’d felt at the roadside with Mark overtook me now. Innocent was half in my lap, half stretched out on the trampled ferns and leaves. I didn’t know what to do. I just hugged him, keeping pressure on the wound, looking helplessly from his poor daughter Patience to Marcel to Amelia to Innocent again. None of us could speak.

Caleb was now crouched next to Xander.

‘Mate, I hope you’re not hurt. Just a sprain, right?’

‘I’ll be all right,’ Xander hissed through gritted teeth.

‘The speed of that thing, eh. The size of it. If they’re as unpredictable as that, I’m surprised these visits are even allowed.’

‘Sure, whatever.’ Xander tried to adjust his position on the ground, winced and clutched his leg again. ‘I think it’s broken,’ he said to me.

‘No way,’ said Caleb. ‘Can’t be. The pain will fade. Either way, I’m sorry, but this wasn’t my fault. They should have …’

He dried up.