Thea wasn’t listening. She was marvelling at how fast she could think, and how she didn’t feel like her joints were gummed up with sludge. There was so much space in her brain, now she wasn’t always obsessing about how tired she felt, or how she’d get through the day, or whether she’d had enough coffee to attempt driving. But there was another kind of space opening up too: it was picnic-blanket-sized and big enough to fit jokes and gossip and random chat that went nowhere. It was big enough for Rosie and Rory.

Thea clenched her fists. ‘Look. I think I saw something. Up at the monastery. I went for a walk up there when I first arrived and I saw … something at one of the windows.’ She picked up pace. ‘And I know it’s stupid but I can’t get it out of my head and I need proper outdoor shoes to get up there again and, no, I don’t believe in ghosts and, yes, I totally understand if you think I’m crazy—’

She gasped for breath. It was probably the most she’d said in one go since she’d arrived. Rory and Rosie stared at her.

‘Ghosts?’ Rosie said hopefully.

Someone cleared their throat behind them. ‘It was you, wasn’t it – you’re the one who asked for shoes?’

Thea twisted to see Ethan stood behind her, feet planted wide, arms crossed like a bouncer in a nightclub doorway. Rosie hurriedly smoothed her hair and swiped chocolate stains from her mouth.

‘Yes,’ Thea said. ‘I did.’ She hoped he hadn’t heard her rant about ghosts and faces in windows.

He nodded and frowned. ‘This phone thing …’

‘Chocolate?’ Rosie offered.

Ethan ignored her and stared off into the distance, as if the trees were doing something he disapproved of.

‘Sometimes you sniff the milk and it smells okay, but you know – despite the smell – that it’s about to turn,’ Ethan said, still staring.

Rory turned to get a better look at him. ‘Are you okay, mate? Look, there really isn’t anything to worry about. Studies show that smartphones—’

‘Thea!’ Harriet called to her as she teetered over the grass towards them, the wet earth sucking at her heels. ‘Thea, so this is where you are! Really? In this weather? You’ll catch a chill. Anyway … ‘She stopped at the small group of people and inspected the damage to her shoes. ‘Delores would like a little word with you.’

She began to wobble back to the Centre, calling behind her, ‘Come on then!’

Thea got up, clutching her blanket to her, feeling a bit light-headed. ‘Wait! Why—?’

But Harriet was too far away. Was this about the shoes? Was Thea about to be reprimanded by the headteacher for a stupid pair of stupid shoes? It seemed so ridiculous.