Ella closed the door. She hadn’t seen it. That’s what she’d tell herself. It wasn’t real. She glanced in through the open door of another bedroom and saw a similar sight. The house was full of them. She swallowed. Felt sick rising up her throat again. They were only heads, only the heads of dirty grown-ups.

No … The house was empty, remember? Just an ordinary farmhouse. There was nothing in it. She hadn’t seen anything …

She went quickly down the stairs, picked up the rucksack and pulled it out of the front door, which she locked carefully behind her. The house and its secrets could stay there.

When Ella eventually got to him, Scarface looked to be asleep, but he opened one eye and peered at her when she got close.

‘Water,’ he said.

‘OK.’

She fetched a plastic bottle of water from the stash in the barn and tipped some into his mouth. His own head didn’t look much different to the dead ones in the farmhouse. There were fresh cuts to add to the scars that covered his skin. There were so many chunks missing from him it was like the maggots had been at him already. He didn’t seem able to open his bad eye any more. That was OK. She didn’t like that bloody, dead jelly.

When he’d drunk enough, Ella took a big swig herself and then sat down next to him.

‘What are we going to do?’ she said. ‘I can’t carry you and the bag and everything. How far can you walk?’

‘Not far. You?’

‘Not far. I’m so tired.’

‘It’s only five minutes away. In the woods. You know the tree that’s split by lightning?’

‘Yeah. I think so.’

‘Five minutes,’ Scarface repeated.

‘If you could walk normally,’ said Ella. ‘Which you can’t.’

‘We’ll go one step at a time. You take the bag ahead. Then we’ll catch it up.’

‘I can’t do it,’ said Ella. ‘I can’t do anything any more. What do you think I am?’

‘I think you’re a hero,’ said Scarface. ‘I think you’re the bravest girl in the world.’

‘You’re just saying that.’

‘I haven’t spoken in nearly a year, Ella,’ said Scarface with his broken voice. ‘I’m not going to waste my breath on lies. Get me to the hide and you can sleep for a thousand years. When you wake up, everything will be fine.’

‘I’ve seen things today,’ said Ella. ‘I’m not ever going to be normal again.’

Scarface gave a little laugh and Ella glared at him. Cross.

‘What are you laughing at?’ she asked.

‘Nothing,’ said Scarface, closing his eye. Laughing had tired him out. ‘It’s just … I kind of know the feeling. Now take the bag to the shed near the gate then come back for me.’

‘No …’

‘Ella …’