I turn to tell Hope to go back but she is already running toward me down the hall and there is fear in my gut as I turn back around to stop him going near her.

He is right behind me.

Mr Udnam jabs forward and stabs me as hard as he can – right through to the heart.

He grunts.

Fat red hands shake with rage.

The knife is still in me.

I turn to look into his eyes and he looks triumphant, then afraid.

Hope runs into the room barefoot. Tiny feet thud, thud, thud. Blood billows across the floor at my feet as if I have spun around with a crimson gown on a ballroom floor and the lights are coming down so pretty and light. Mr Udnam pulls the knife out with some effort and in full view of our child he plunges it back into my gut.

I whisper it low…

– I curse you and your precious Luckenbooth for eternity.

Elise runs toward him with her dagger raised.

Hope has got hold of my skirts. She is tugging and roaring, her face red.

– Mama, Mama!

I fall to the floor just as Elise stabs him once from behind but she has missed any vital organs, just grazed him, he pulls the knife out of her hands and turns and stabs her over and over, again and again. Hope screams. My hand reaches out. I have to hold her back from running to Elise. Her heart is gone. I feel it as my own flickers out.

The toddler shakes with rage looking from Elise to me.

My father appears at the door.

Mr Udnam raises his knife.

I see Elise’s spirit rise up from her body as our child’s throat is slit.

– You can’t ever have her or us, better we be in spirit than stuck with you here!

I roar.

The building shudders.

All the limbs of Luckenbooth lock together to try and contain my rage. I curse him, and everything he touches to eternity. I curse those who protect him. I curse those who demanded my silence for his favour. Rain batters down onto the streets. The skies darken. My lover’s skin is still scented from her morning bath. This man disgusts every single fibre of my soul. This life is not all there is. Our actions don’t end here. I have always known that to be true. I rise up out of my body. Turn to see it laying on the floor behind me.

Hold my hand out for Elise to come to me, away from him.

My daughter has stepped out of her body, just as easy as if she were getting out of bed.

Children don’t need to question it. They are so close to the other side anyway, so newly arrived, going back in this other realm is not so hard for them.

I lift her up.