I jerk awake on the couch and look around wildly. The movie is long over and the blue screen is throwing a weird light over every surface.

‘I can see. I can see.’

Whispering it to myself I run to switch on the light. I look over the room again, ignoring the head-to-toe goosebumps and the stabby feeling that has spread from my guts to my chest. My sister is in danger.

My hand on the light switch, I search every nook and cranny of the room as if I expect something to jump out at me, I start to feel stupid. Almost seventeen for God’s sake and I’m letting a few nightmares completely mess with my head. Next thing I’ll be asking for a babysitter when my mummy is at work. If Laney were here she’d be pissing herself laughing.

Smacking the wall out of frustration, the sharp sting across the back of my hand pulls me up.

Don’t look, my mind whispers. There’s nothing there anyway.

Well, if there’s nothing there then why are you scared?

Shut up!

Reason over superstition, big girl.

Turning my head, I scream at the cuts on my knuckles.

The front door bangs like something has hit it and I sprint straight for the toilet. It’s just off the sunroom and in full view of the front door. I make it inside as another bang sends the door flying open.

It is all instinct – none of the rooms in the house have any locks, which means I can never keep my nosey twin out of my stuff. But in the toilet I can bar the door by bracing my back against it and kicking my legs up on the opposite wall. Especially handy if you’ve got a sister out for your blood because you might’ve tricked her into eating something gross, like off milk. I flip on the light, drop to the floor and assume the position – arms braced outward, body tensed up and waiting, listening to the running footsteps that come straight for the toilet door.

The door handle rattles violently and a weight hits the other side. A noise slips out of my mouth, one I’ve never made or heard before.

‘Tace! Tace, are you alright?’

Rhi’s frantic voice comes from the other side and all of the tension whooshes out of me.

‘Stacey Thomson, you open this door right now!’

My legs are too shaky to hold me so I do a 180 on my moondee and squeeze up against the opposite wall to let the door swing inward. Rhi near about skins my shins shoving it open. She gives me a quick once over before screaming:

‘You scared the absolute shit out of me!’