Alexa threw her head back, hands over her ears, and stared at a spot in the eaves. After a few calming breaths, she exhaled loudly and then echoed Ellen. ‘Dead. Brilliant.’

‘That is not good,’ Ben said, stupidly. He lowered himself to the floor.

Noting the mood, Jack padded softly across the room, his face solemn, and joined them all on the floor. They sat in a circle, just to the right of the mouse’s corpse. Ellen hoped if they were up here much longer they’d at least move it. She could hear Alexa’s breathing, fast and rhythmic.

Eventually, Alexa spoke. ‘OK, so Jack’s is the only phone, and it has no signal.’

‘Or WiFi,’ Jack said. ‘The signal doesn’t seem to stretch up here, either.’

Alexa pursed her lips. ‘Right …’ She paused. ‘No signal or WiFi. So we can’t contact anyone.’

Ellen felt a sugary nausea in the back of her throat. She was suddenly very conscious of the existence of her brain inside her skull. She had read somewhere that headaches from hangovers were the result of dehydration shrinking your brain. She put her hands on either side of her head to try and stop it shrinking any further. ‘What the fuck are we going to do?’ she asked bitterly.

Alexa made no response.

Ben raised an index finger. ‘We should try shouting out of the window,’ he suggested. He sounded pleased with this idea. ‘One of your neighbours might hear? Or someone walking past might look up?’ He found Alexa’s eyes, eager only for her approval.

‘Yeah,’ she replied, evenly. ‘We could try that.’

In a shot, Ben clambered to his feet, lanky limbs working in symphony. He virtually leaped the few metres towards the skylight and stuck his head out of the window.

‘HELP!’ he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Ellen and Alexa both winced at the volume; Jack observed him with detached interest.

‘HELLO? CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?’ He paused to draw a bellyful of air. ‘WE’RE STUCK! IN THIS ATTIC!’ Another gulping breath. ‘HEEEEEE EEEEEEELP!’

Their patch of south-east London remained utterly unmoved. In the distance, Ellen could hear the hubbub of New Cross Road, the occasional honk of a horn or rev of an engine, but nothing human. London suddenly felt more immense and impersonal than ever. She reached for Alexa’s hand and squeezed it. Her palm was cool. Alexa squeezed back and gave her a grateful glance.

‘CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?’ Ben yelled again. ‘SOMEONE?’

He revved up for yet another attempt, but Alexa stopped him. ‘Ben?’

He turned.

‘I don’t think anyone can hear you right now.’

‘Except us,’ Ellen muttered. His hollering was making her head hurt even more.