The rain turns to hailstones again, pinging everywhere they hit and bouncing off, and I keep my head down and try to just keep digging, repeating the words like a mantra in my head. When I get to the holly bushes that run along the edge of my land, I dig as far underneath as I can, until I can get my shovel under the wire fence that marks the border between Peppermint Branches and the unused grassland next door and dig a gap to give the water a place to run out.

I stand upright and put my hands on my lower back, unsure if I’ll ever be able to straighten it out again, and well aware that everything is going to hurt tomorrow. I turn around, digging my way back along the trench as I go because it’s already full of wet mud, pulled back in by the force of the water.

‘I don’t think there’s much more I can do in here,’ Noel says eventually. ‘Which might give you a chance to concentrate on what you’re doing and take your eyes off me for a second.’

I hate that I can’t say something flirty to him like I would have before. Instead, I watch as he throws his spade over the heightened bank and it splashes into the water pooling on the grass. He starts to move, shuffling through the river, the force of the water rushing towards him making it a struggle.

And then he slips and crashes down into the water.

‘Noel!’ I throw my shovel and rush over, skidding onto my knees right at the uneven edge, nearly going headfirst into the water too.

He’s splashing around on his back, trying to get back onto his feet.

‘I’m fi—’ Another rush of water hits him in the face, making him splutter.

I reach down to him. ‘If you don’t give me your hand right now, I’m going to kill you.’

He manages to get his feet back under him and struggles upright, his hands on his knees, bracing himself against the flow of the water. ‘That’s counterproductive.’

‘It’s not funny! People drown in floodwater like this. You could’ve already caught an unthinkable amount of life-threatening diseases.’

‘It’s melted snow and mud, Lee. What do you think is going to happen to me? I’ll start turning into a dirty snowman?’

I ignore his sarcasm. ‘Can you climb up the bank now it’s like this?’

‘No, there’s that wee beach by the bridge, I’ll go up there.’

‘You cannot stay on your feet and walk all the way back there! Give me your hands and I’ll pull you out.’