I’m not sure that being imprisoned for eleven years is preferable to being dead and at rest, and I don’t even believe in heaven. Lisbeth and I drift towards the breezeway door, waiting for a flood of Year Eights to pass through.

‘Do you know what email they were talking about?’ I stop for a moment, to speak face to face. Lisbeth has told me that noisy, open places don’t work for her.

‘I got it last night, I’ll send it to you.’ Lisbeth holds onto her red lunchbox and smiles. ‘See you in Japanese, Chloe.’

I say goodbye and dump the rest of my sandwich into the bin. On the way to English I count how many people would notice if I never showed up to school again. I do not need to use more than one hand.

Lisbeth is true to her word. Halfway through English an email comes through. I drop my iPad into my lap, using the desk as a shield.

Dear chloe, I don’t believe in chain emails but some of these points do seem quite sensible. liss x

WARNING!!! You must forward this email to five people in the next five days or someone close to you will be kidnapped!! Do not ignore this warning!

IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF AN ABDUCTION

1) Become an unappealing target. Deviants have fantasies about the innocence of schoolgirls so ruin that by making yourself seem older and experienced. If you have no personal sexual experience to draw on, you can channel a promiscuous character from a TV show.

2) Urinate. Experts recommend peeing yourself to prevent rape. It has never been reported that prior victim Karolina Bauer was raped, but statistically speaking that’s what these perpetrators usually do.

3) In the event that you can’t avoid abduction, remain calm and alert. Mentally record evidence and information. Some examples are: what kind of vehicle are you in? How many minutes was it to your destination? Did the car sound old or new? Did it smell of anything?

If you are taken to another location take note of your surroundings: stairs, paving, grass, type of doors, number of lights. Pay attention to outside noises: cars, trains, buses, trucks, planes, school bells, birds, lawnmowers and other people living nearby.

4) Do not look at the attacker or attempt to see his face. Identifying him is a death sentence.

5) If the attacker ties you up, breathe in as deeply as you can to expand your torso, and tense your muscles to make them bigger. When you exhale and relax, hopefully the binding will have loosened enough for you to free yourself.

6) You should try to be a good girl, obedient and well behaved, and make the attacker like and/or pity you. You shouldn’t try to escape. (This advice makes no sense in relation to points 1) and 5) but this is what the experts say, and it’s all we have to go on.)

DAY 4