‘How old are you?’ I said.

‘I was forty when she put me down here.’

Her answer reminded me that she had no idea how long she’d been held captive. It was a horrifying thought. Would I still be here when I was twenty? Twenty-five? Thirty? Forty? Would Mother really do that to me? I couldn’t bear to think about it.

Her stomach grumbled. I rested my free hand on my own hollow stomach.

‘When did you last have something to eat?’ I said, fear trickling down my spine.

She sighed. ‘I don’t know. Sometimes I think she’s trying to starve me to death – then she’ll open the roof and put a cup of water and a few scraps of bread on the step.’

‘Does she ever talk to you?’

‘No. At first I tried to reason with her, but I don’t bother any more. She’s a cold-hearted monster. Totally insane.’

‘Have you ever tried—’

‘Escape? Yes. And I nearly died trying.’

‘What happened?’

‘I must have been here less than a week. I spent my time working out where everything was. Feeling for anything I could use as a weapon, but there was nothing except for a small table. Back then I was still strong enough to lift it above my head – but only just. I hadn’t eaten anything for days and by that point hunger was making me weak.

‘I positioned the table on my lap and sat at the top of the stairs for God knows how long, waiting for her to come. I didn’t even know for sure that she would come. I was terrified that she was going to leave me here, let me starve.

‘But finally she came. I heard scraping above my head, so I grabbed the table and the moment she opened the roof fully – because that’s what she used to do – I threw the table as hard as I could through the opening, straight at her.

‘But her reactions were too quick – she put out her hands, so the table bounced back into my face. The force sent me tumbling down the steps. I landed awkwardly – really awkwardly – and for a while I didn’t dare move, thinking I’d broken my neck. She slammed the roof shut, leaving me nothing but a cup of water.

‘I lay there sobbing. I was in agony and too scared to move. After a long time, I got up the courage and managed to pull myself into a sitting position. My neck was very sore but not broken.

‘She didn’t bring me any food for a really long time. I thought I was going to starve to death. Since then I’ve thought about trying something again, but I’m so weak and I keep having visions of breaking my neck for real.’

‘Shit,’ I said.

‘Yeah. Shit.’

‘Did she say anything when she brought you food?’