‘I experimented. I used magnetite – that’s a mineral found in rocks – and she liked it. I made the housing for her as you know, and lined it with magnetite, and set up a solar-panelling arrangement to give her energy, but every time I let her out, the time she lasted before collapsing grew shorter and shorter. In the end, I daren’t let her loose at all. I just left her to rest.’

I knew Lily was going to flip out and demand to go home any second, but there was so much to tell him, and even more to find out. I told him about Whizzy nursing Lily, and his eagle-owl eyebrows shot up in amazement.

‘So, she’s changing again.’ He whistled and stared at the wall for a few seconds. ‘Astonishing.’

Tickly shivers ran up my spine as I realised something: I’ve got much further with Whizzy than Mr Clemm has. The room was silent for a while, and then he laughed excitedly.

‘I knew I was right not to intervene. I knew you’d be just what she needed. That’s why she shows herself to you and you alone. Will you let me know as soon as she returns to your house?’

I nodded madly.

‘I read everything I could. She needs to keep her body stable in such a very different environment. As you’ve seen, when she’s restless, the weather gets wild and a little bit strange, even when she’s safely contained in the housing I made for her. And now that she’s so much stronger, that old box wouldn’t do a thing. Which is why we need this new machine.’ He patted a very long, shiny box with lots of grooves down the sides and buttons that would probably light up. ‘Just waiting for a new part because it isn’t powering up properly. I’ve found a garage in the city that specialises in electrical components for cars, and I’m going to adapt an alternator!’ He grinned. ‘When that comes, I’ll be able to move her to somewhere more remote. Maybe the Scottish Highlands. This village isn’t suitable for her. She’s a danger to all of us.’

‘I know.’

‘But don’t worry, Alfie – I’ll keep you involved in all our plans. You’ll still be able to see her.’

I stared at a green velvet chair under the window that was bloated with masses of padding, except for the seat. You could see the dip where Mr Clemm had been sitting on it for years. I needed to ask him something, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to know the answer. I took a deep breath.