I couldn’t make out his expression properly from this distance and didn’t think there was much chance he’d be able to spot me, but I found myself stepping back instinctively. The heel of my shoe came down on something that felt like a foot, as if there was someone standing directly behind me, but when I turned round there was no one there. There had to 148be an explanation – I’d probably just trodden on a loose tile or something … but it had really felt as if there was a person there, and suddenly I really didn’t want to be in the Strangers’ Room any more. I didn’t want to be in the room at all.

I left as quickly as I could, my heart beating uncomfortably fast in my chest. I had no idea what Will had said to Rosie, but he’d obviously upset her, so it was probably something about his sister. I hurried out of the tower and went along the cliff path to meet her. There were tears pouring down her face when she rounded the corner and almost ran straight into me. I had to grab on to her arm to force her to stop.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I said. “What’s wrong?”

“We have to leave the lighthouse,” she gasped, her hands trembling as she pushed her hair out of her face. “Someone died there, a girl my age, just last summer. I saw it! That guga hunter, Will, he showed me a video of it happening on his phone.”

“He did what?” I stared at her, feeling a bit sick.

I’d been worried that Will might mention his sister, but it had never occurred to me that he would have a video of her death on his phone, let alone that he 149would show it to Rosie.

“She died!” Rosie went on. “There was so much blood, and her head, it … it was all over the ground!” She began to cry again, tears pouring down her face.

“Oh, Rosie.” I was so furious with Will that I could hardly get the words out. “I don’t know what the hell he was thinking, showing you a video like that, but even if there was an accident here last year it doesn’t mean that—”

She shook her head and was already backing away. “No, you don’t understand. The lighthouse is haunted. I mean really haunted. I can’t stay here, Jess, I can’t!”