‘Why can’t we wait till morning?’ Bonnie was begging.

I stared at the water, its white foam bubbling and spitting in rage. ‘Because—’ Dad shouted. ‘God, will you both just get in?’ He flapped his hand again, his gaze drifting over my shoulder to where Mum was coming down the jetty. Her head was low, arms tucked inside a plastic poncho as she trailed a suitcase behind her.

‘Where’s Danny?’ Dad yelled as another flash of lightning lit up the sky, making both Bonnie and me jump. I counted, too quickly, only reaching two before thunder roared overhead. The storm was creeping closer.

My brother trailed behind Mum, shrouded in a shapeless black coat that hung over his bulky body, reaching the ground.

Bonnie started shouting again, gesturing at the sea as it rose and dipped, higher and lower than I’d ever seen it go. Another loud crack filled the air and I yelped as a branch from one of the pines fell to the ground beside me. I jumped out of its way as the wind carelessly tossed it along the jetty.

For a brief moment, Dad stopped yelling and stared at the branch. My tears were already bleeding into the rainwater that soaked my face, but my heart twisted every time I thought of leaving my beloved island. All I wished was for Dad to realise that whatever we were doing, it wasn’t worth it.

‘I do think we should wait, David.’ Mum’s voice was high-pitched, her eyes wide as she looked from him to the water. ‘It wouldn’t hurt to stay another night. We could leave first thing …’

We held a collective breath as Dad took his eyes off the broken tree and glared back at her. ‘No, Maria. We go now.’

‘I don’t understand,’ I said. Dad was the easy-going parent. The one who allowed another half-hour of play or a chocolate digestive even if we’d just brushed our teeth.

‘Mum?’ I cried, turning to face her. Why wasn’t she doing more to stop him? Mum understood more than anyone how much this island was a part of me, that I wouldn’t be able to survive without it. She loved Evergreen as much as I did.

She stared back at me, the fear I’d seen only moments ago replaced by a blankness. ‘Mum—’ My voice trembled as I waited for her to demand we go back to the house, but instead she placed a hand on my back and started moving me towards the steps of the boat. I hesitated but she pushed harder until I had no choice but to get on, ignoring Dad’s outstretched hand as I scurried to one of the few benches that sat undercover.

Danny silently followed, sitting behind me, turning to stare out of the window. He wouldn’t look at any of us, though there was nothing unusual in that.