A song played. ‘Magic Moments’ by Perry Como. It had been used in the Dark Places finale, albeit ironically. Now it played in her dream, like a thin, scratchy record.

Her demon-self smiled as she brought the hammer down, and ugly old Amber screamed beneath the mountain of Imeldas. She tried to pull her hand back, but Glen was suddenly there, grabbing her wrist and holding it down. He didn’t say anything. He may have been moving, but he was as dead as Imelda.

The hammer came down one last time and Amber was allowed to pull her hand back. Screaming, she watched her fingers as they twisted and snapped like they were still being pummelled by an invisible hammer. Then the corpses were gone and she was sitting up in the booth, and the demon was gone and now she was the demon, and her parents sat opposite.

Her father opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was ‘Magic Moments’. He chuckled at something and Amber’s mother rolled her eyes good-naturedly and opened her mouth to respond. More Perry Como.

They picked up their knives and forks and Amber did the same, but her strong red hands were bandaged and weak, and she dropped her knife and it fell to the floor. The waitress came over. She was dressed like Brenda from Fast Danny’s, but was actually Kirsty. She looked tired and bored and worn down, with not a trace of her usual glamour. She set down a large tray covered with a silver dish. Her husband, Grant, stood at the door to the kitchen, wearing a chef’s hat. He looked proud. There was blood on his chin. Kirsty uncovered the meal – Amber’s ugly old head on a plate of lettuce and cold cuts.

Amber’s parents started eating immediately. Amber hesitated, then dug her fork into the cheek and pulled away a chunk of meat dripping with blood. She popped it into her mouth and chewed. She tried to ask Kirsty for some salt, but all that came out was that damn song. Then she woke.

She lay where she was for a while, the song still playing behind her thoughts. She heard Ronnie ask Kelly how she’d slept, and Kelly said it was better than the damn van.

Amber reverted to normal, then pushed herself up on one elbow, making sure to hide the rips her claws had made in the blanket.

“Good morning,” Kelly called over. “We’ve been told the Chief of Police himself is on his way to see us. We might be getting out.”

“Freedom at last,” Ronnie said, groaning as he stood. He stretched, arched his back. “Now begins the gradual assimilation back into society.”

“Ronnie uses big words,” said Kelly.