‘Was that his name? Well, I put them out of action and was trying to help the boy when you ran round the corner, and I must’ve scared the crap out of you because you fainted. Like you just switched off. So then I had some work to do. Taking them all out, finishing them off and trying to keep you and your friend alive. And anyone else. I quickly found out there were no more kids in there – not alive anyway – and I brought you and the boy outside.

‘I’m sorry he died. I did what I could. Killed the rest of the grown-ups. And then … well, I couldn’t chuck myself in the river then, could I? Couldn’t leave you there all alone. There was nobody else around to look after you. So I brought you back here. I’d never let anyone else in my camp before. Thought I’d get you well and take you to Windsor or Bracknell. Leave you on someone’s doorstep.’

Malik stopped and made a noise. Ella realized he was laughing. For a while he said nothing and she waited for him to carry on.

‘I’m sorry about what happened to your farm,’ she said and squeezed his hand.

Finally he spoke again.

‘It was stupid of me,’ he said. ‘Trying to defend the place like that. All I did was get those kids killed. I should have come straight here.’

‘No,’ said Ella. ‘It was worth fighting for.’

‘I knew it couldn’t last,’ said Malik. ‘I knew I couldn’t hold it by myself. Sooner or later someone was going to come along and take it all away from me. A swarm of grown-ups, or more likely some kids. They’re spreading out more and more, the ones in Windsor and the ones at Bracknell. I tried to scare them away, but I always knew that one day there’d be someone brave enough to come take a look and, once they’d found the chickens in the barn, or the food, they weren’t going to let me keep it all for myself.

‘Never thought it would be quite as spectacular as what happened last night, though. That was mental. Never seen anything like it before, and I’ve seen a lot. Can’t remember all the people I’ve seen die. Friends and enemies and strangers. But I’ve forgotten so much as well. Sometimes I can’t even remember what I did the day before. My brain is full of clouds. I remember the start of it all quite clearly, being at school, down in Kent. The disease. When it all began to go wrong.