“There were other people there too. They never spoke to me, and I never spoke to them. It’s hard to remember them now. I didn’t feel like myself in the fog – I didn’t feel like a person at all. I never thought to ask any of the others about what was happening. It was as if it was just too much effort to speak. But I saw that they were always trying to get back into the lighthouse and reach the boy, Conall, and it felt like something I should do too. I knew that he was responsible, somehow, for what had happened to us. Sometimes we’d make it as close as a window, or one of the mirrors inside, but we could never break through, at least not for long.”

“The hands,” I said. “That’s what they were the whole time.” I glanced at my sister. “I think some 331of the keepers remembered the people who were forgotten too, and that’s why they were taken off to asylums. Other keepers just seemed to have a nagging doubt that something was wrong or missing, but they didn’t know what. Anyway, I’m glad it’s over. I love you.”

I gripped Rosie’s hand. God, I’d missed her. “I’m so glad you’re all right.”

“Me too.” She squeezed my fingers tight. “And thanks, Jess, for coming after me.”

“I’ll always come after you. Anywhere you go, I go too.”

After the events of the day before, everyone was wary of the gannets, but none of the birds came anywhere near us as the hunters packed up their camp. Will and I speculated that perhaps they were no longer being influenced by the lighthouse now that Conall’s angry presence had gone.

A short while later, the boat arrived, everything was packed and ready, and we all went aboard. I was relieved to find that because this was an emergency rescue boat it had a warm, comfortable inside bit, 332and I was stationed there as the only person with a piece of glass sticking out of them. There was a window, though, and I watched as we sailed away from Bird Rock, the lighthouse growing smaller and smaller behind us. It was a relief when it finally vanished over the horizon. I felt like I could breathe easily again for the first time in a long while.

Dad stuck close by me for most of the trip and so did Rosie, but at one point I persuaded them to go out on deck for some air, and Will came in to chat to me. After a while, I said something about how well Rosie had slipped back into the group.

“What do you mean?” Will asked, looking puzzled.

“Well, it was like she was there all along,” I said. “Like she was never forgotten.”