The other two went quiet. Emily very rarely talked about her uncle. He was renowned in their village for the wrong reasons, always doing or saying strange things. Normally Emily seemed embarrassed to be associated with him and would try to pretend he didn’t exist. It was rare for her to mention him at all.

“I didn’t know your uncle ever came to Bird Rock,” Kenzie finally said.

“Just once,” Emily replied. “With the gannet hunters when he was our age. He refused to come back after that.”

“Well, what did he see then?” Will asked.

“He went into the lighthouse with his friends,” Emily said. “And he said he saw white hands pressing against the windows from the outside. But when the other hunters went to look, there was no one there.”

Their eyes flicked towards the dilapidated building once again. It was too dark to see in any detail, but they knew that the paint was peeling from its exterior, 8and the door was practically falling off its hinges. The windows were dark and the rooms empty. There was no one there. There hadn’t been for years.

“That’s not all,” Emily said. “My uncle said there are words you mustn’t ever say inside the lighthouse.”

Will looked delighted by this. “Go on,” he encouraged. “What were they?”

“I know you’re there.” Emily whispered the phrase, as if concerned that the lighthouse might hear her from a distance.

“What happens if you do?” Kenzie asked, looking more curious than frightened.

“He wouldn’t tell me,” Emily replied. “But it’s something bad. Especially if you say it three times. He only managed to say the words twice and … something bad happened, but he’d never tell us what.”

“Well, this just makes it an even better dare!” Will exclaimed. “How about it, Kenz? Is a haunted lighthouse too much for you?”

His sister snorted. “As if! I’m not scared of that old place. In fact, I’d happily live in it while we’re on the island. It’s got to be more comfortable than those damp bothies.”

“Please don’t,” Emily said. 9

“Come on, Em—”

“No, really!” Emily said with unusual sharpness in her voice. “I don’t think we should. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, people have died there. It’s … it’s disrespectful.”

Kenzie placed a hand on her friend’s arm. “It’s only a bit of fun,” she said. “But if it upsets you that much then we can do something else—”

Will immediately started making chicken noises. “You’re just looking for an excuse not to do it!” he said, pointing at his sister triumphantly. “You’re scared!”

Kenzie bristled. “I am not! Don’t be a knob!”