Sometimes, maybe once every couple of months, his brain wakes up before his body. He’s paralysed. It’s seriously unpleasant, but it’s become so familiar that he can get through it. This additional waking problem is something else, though. The creatures appear real and they come straight for him and, because he’s awake but still dreaming, he thinks he’s going to die. It’s fucking terrifying. No kidding.

He wonders whether Taisie’s vindictive, spiteful game is going to go on, or if the others will get bored with it.

He gets up and goes to the loo, peeing for a long time, his hand pressed against the wall. There’s no sound yet from downstairs. Back in his room he takes the picture down and hides it in the wardrobe, where it can’t bother him again, then twitches open the curtains. It’s dawn. With a groan he gets back into bed and pulls the sheet and blanket over him.

Angus clearly does not believe Tim’s bullshit stories. He thinks Nick’s dad is a jerk and he’s already sussed that it’s his mum who’s keeping a roof over their heads. Angus can see straight through Tim, and the sad thing is, Tim doesn’t get it; he thinks he’s rolling them all over and tickling their tummies. Can’t he see that Angus is successful because he’s fucking intelligent and knows a chancer when he sees one?

Apart from the whole ‘pretend Nick doesn’t exist’ scenario, because it hasn’t been forgotten, cancelled or deferred, he also has this crap to deal with. It is blindingly obvious that the Moodys are wishing them a million miles away. Why the hell did Taisie’s mum and dad suggest they come? Or did his father wheedle an invitation? Despite his and Taisie’s families being so close, they’ve never actually been away on holiday together and it’s intense. It’s like everyone has turned their emotional dial up a notch. There’s a real bromance going on between Taisie’s dad Sean and Tim. Jesus, get him out of here. Then there’s his mum feeling threatened by Lorna Moody, who is much more attractive. A slender brunette with a pair of oversized sunglasses permanently pushed up into her hair.

The only person in this entire place who is on his side is Izzy. She’s the only one with the guts to deviate from Taisie’s strict instructions. It’s all about loyalty with Taisie. He knows because Izzy told him that she’s practically blackmailed every one of them into this.