When Holly turned back to the screen, she finally saw her friend. She saw Freida, and recognised her as the woman she had once been. Older, yes. Much older. Her skin was red and patchy, from the wind out here. But those dark eyes, staring defiantly into the camera, were the same. Holly nodded, in greeting, and almost reached out a hand to touch her face.

Video log

24 August 2017 16:12

There was a reason, you know, why I went for an audio log before. Who wants to see my face, really? No one. And besides, my face has nothing at all to do with it. But I suppose it’ll prove that I am, in fact, alive. Well, that I was alive when I recorded this. The last time I made an audio log I think … When was it?

… That’s right, last year.

Last year I had my stroke.

Horrible feeling, it was. Creepy. Felt like I was turning into a ghost, the way my arm seemed to disappear, and then everything was spinning and I couldn’t make sense of things, couldn’t order my thoughts. And then I really did think I was a ghost for a while, slipped down off my chair and seeing the room from the floor like that, and next thing I know I’m in a hospital. Never wanted to end up in a hospital, but then nobody does, I suppose. And sitting beside my bed – no, not at first, at first there was no one and then the nurse who came when I started pressing every buzzer I could find – but after that, sitting by my bed and asking me how I felt, was the Asda man. It was such a shock!

And now he’s standing there listening to me. Can you see him in the video? He wants to hear his name recorded for posterity, I expect. Is that right?

I can leave, if you—

No, no, don’t go. You know I’m only joking. You’ve a right to hear this as much as anyone. More so, actually. You saved my life.