‘Now that’s not much of a welcome, is it?’ he said.

I was aware of him around me, close to me. The smell of him, the heat from his body, the warmth of his breath on the bare skin of my shoulder.

‘I mean, I wasn’t expecting you to jump into my arms, but maybe a kiss?’

I recoiled further as I felt the brush of his lips on the top of my head.

‘Anyway, it’s time to rise and shine,’ he said, pulling at my arm, ignoring my yelp of pain, dragging me into the main classroom.

It was lighter, but only just. Thin slivers of light cut through the spaces between the wooden boards. The classroom looked no more appealing in the daylight than it had the night before. Clearly, we weren’t the first visitors to the abandoned building. There was evidence it had been used as a drinking den. I glanced around, trying to find my bearings. Trying to place exactly which classroom I was in, which way would be the easiest way out – if there was a way out.

‘I’ve brought you some water,’ he said, reaching into a rucksack he’d placed on the floor and taking out a bottle of still mineral water.

I looked at it, not wanting to take anything from him. But being so thirsty it was all I could do not to grab it out of his hands.

‘Take it,’ he said, holding it out towards me.

I hesitated.

‘Look,’ he said, ‘you can take it yourself, or I can force it down your throat. It’s really no odds to me; although a part of me would like to watch you choke.’

I took it. The seal was still intact, which offered me a little reassurance, so I opened it and put it to my lips. It was ice-cold and felt so good as it hit the back of my throat. I drank my way through the full bottle, only thinking afterwards that I shouldn’t have been so greedy with it. I didn’t know when I’d get more. Or if I would get more.

‘There are toilets across the corridor,’ he said. ‘The water’s been switched off and well, some of them are a bit smashed up, but if you need to go …’

I nodded. If anything, I’d be able to gauge exactly where I was if I got out of the classroom again.

He pushed me towards the toilet block. It was as grim as he’d said it would be, but at least it afforded some privacy. I thought of how I’d been forced to relieve myself in the storeroom and my face flushed red with embarrassment.

‘You’re not very talkative this morning,’ he said. ‘It’s not like you, Rachel. Normally, you chat away to me. Banter. This is quite disappointing.’