He cringed. Was nothing confidential? It was too dark to see her face, but he could sense her brow was creased with concern. A point of light shone from her pupils, like a small woodland creature peeking from its burrow. In the tomb-like atmosphere, it was easy to picture what it would feel like to be dead, and for once the thought didn’t frighten him. His spirit freed at last, while the atoms from his corporeal body returned to the earth from whence they came. How calm it felt to consider death in this place, with this girl beside him, when all his life he’d had a fear of dark places and a terror of dying. Damp grottos and train tunnels. Locked cupboards, prison cells deep underground.

Warm fingers grazed the back of his hand. ‘You’re shaking.’

He gasped as his mind returned to his body. ‘No, I’m fine.’

She pulled her hand away.

‘No, don’t. It’s… ’ His cheeks flamed hot. ‘It’s nice to know that someone else understands.’

‘Understands what?’

He sucked in his breath. ‘The pain of living. The death of desire.’

For a moment she was silent. ‘It doesn’t have to be painful.’

He could just make out the ghostly outline of her profile, the smooth plane of her forehead and upturned nose. He took comfort in the idea that her whole life stretched before her like a field of wheat, shimmering in the sun. So, how could he possibly tell her that the sun-kissed grain transformed, at some point, into a minefield? You woke up one day to find that everything you loved was gone. He coughed and closed his eyes. ‘I wanted to tell you before, but I didn’t know how,’ he said, crossing his hands over his chest. ‘I think Ismail is alive.’

She gasped and bolted upright. ‘Why would you say that?’

‘I’ve seen him. Twice. The second time was just the other day, not long after the sun went down. He was lurking in a corner of the Zen garden and didn’t see me. But he must have heard me coming for as I drew closer, he slipped away. I thought of calling out his name but… it seemed wrong to disturb him.’

Her voice was ragged with grief. ‘It was a hallucination. Or one of your optical illusions.’ She stifled a sob. ‘I know he’s dead. Dr Gessen told me he identified the body himself.’

‘He could be lying.’

‘And why would he do that?’

Her anger was like a slap in the face. It might be best to keep quiet about any further sightings. Something was going on, though, he was sure of it. Part of Gessen’s plot to drive him to the brink of insanity.