‘I’d rather he just let me go. If he does, where are we? Unless Pete takes me back to Bristol, I won’t have a clue how to get home. Are we far from town?’

‘I’m not supposed to say,’ Lewis chewed his bottom lip, ‘and I’m not sure. I do know they drove you around a lot to make you think it was a long way from Bristol, but it’s not. They’ll probably drop you near a road or a service station. Yeah, I should think that’s what they’ll do and you can call your parents from there.’

Danny thought it was the best answer he’d get and left the topic alone. ‘It’s my birthday today.’ He didn’t know why he said it; what did a birthday matter now?

‘So what, d’you want me to sing to you or something?’ Lewis laughed.

‘No, but I was expecting a cake with candles.’ Danny tried to laugh too.

‘What d’you usually do for birthdays?’

‘I’m too old for parties so we go out somewhere to eat, my choice, and then to see a film if there’s anything good on. My mate Ethan would probably come too.’ Danny grew melancholy at the thought of what he might have been doing.

‘If all goes well you might still get your cake, who knows?’

‘When’s your birthday?’

Lewis shrugged. ‘December, I think. The second or third, I’m not sure.’

‘How can you not know when your birthday is?’

‘It’s just another day, nowt special.’

Danny felt sad for his friend. His life was difficult and Danny wished there was something he could do for him. Lewis, however, didn’t complain and seemed to accept his lot for what it was – even looking after his mother and being hungry some days didn’t make him grumble. It was just the way life was.

The storm outside was worsening. A flash of lightning lit up the room and made both boys jump. Then they laughed at their reaction.

‘Blimey, we’ve got enough to worry about without being struck by lightning,’ Lewis said. He went to the window to look out. ‘This wall’s soaked.’ He looked up at the ceiling to see water pouring through and down the wall. ‘Let’s go downstairs. Mum’s still out of it so we’ll not get an ear-bashing from her.’

‘What about Pete and Neil? Won’t they be coming soon?’ Danny didn’t want to encounter them until he had to, which would hopefully be when he was to go home.

‘They’ll be ages yet and if they do come, you can get back up here before they get in from the van.’