I faltered as a sick feeling of horror swept over me. What was her name? Suddenly I couldn’t remember it. Was it Rosalyn? Rosemary?

“Rosie?” Will said, watching me closely. “You told me her name.”

“Yes!” I gasped. “That’s it! Rosie!”

“You forgot for a moment, didn’t you?”

I felt a hot wave of shame prickle over my skin. “Oh God,” I said miserably. “Eventually I’ll forget her too.”

I quickly told him about Dad’s weird behaviour, how he had smashed up the mirror.

“I don’t like it,” Will said, narrowing his eyes. “There’s too much talk in the logbooks of other keepers acting in similar ways, usually before something horrible happens. We’re running out of time. Let’s head up to the tower.” 252

“Actually, wait,” I said. “Do you know if any of the lighthouse keepers ever brought their families with them? Has there been any mention of children in the logbooks you’ve read? A boy called Conall?”

Will slowly shook his head. “Not that I’ve seen. Keepers did take their families sometimes, but I guess Bird Rock isn’t the most suitable place. I haven’t been through every single logbook, though, so there could be a child I’m unaware of.”

I told him what had happened with Charlie and the letters I’d read.

“Rosie thought she saw a boy in the lighthouse too,” I said. “And you know when we were in the photo room earlier and … and there was something in there with us? I thought they were shuffling on their knees because I could feel their breath on my elbow, but what if they weren’t on their knees, just shorter instead? What if the presence in the lighthouse is a child?”

“Could be,” Will agreed. “Either way, it’s pretty interesting what the letters said about the lighthouse affecting the birds. That would explain why we don’t normally notice any strange behaviour from the gannets when we come for the hunt. If the 253lighthouse is shut up, then they wouldn’t get inside it. And we should definitely take a look at the basement.”

I led him back out to the entrance hall. The basement door loomed out of the darkness at us, and I hesitated. Every cell in my body screamed at me not to go down there after what Charlie had said. Or at least to wait until morning. But the fact that I’d just forgotten Rosie’s name for a moment proved there was no time to waste.

“Come on then,” I said.

I reached out for the door before I could change my mind. It swung slowly open to reveal a stone staircase disappearing down into murky darkness.

254

Chapter Twenty