‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘You’re just telling me what I want to hear. I died! That makes me a ghost. I’m trapped in this body, but I know I’m dead. Everything inside me is jelly. It sloshes and floats, and the whole world smells like death. Don’t you smell that?’

Elspeth gave Meggy a sharp look and a single shake of her head.

‘I smell nothing,’ Elspeth told him. ‘Why don’t I make you a warm drink. Perhaps that would help.’

‘Why do I need to drink? I just told you I’m dead. Corpses don’t need food or liquid. What would be the point? It’ll run straight through me. This …’ He pushed his own stomach.

Elspeth took a step away.

‘This isn’t mine any more. I’m just inhabiting it before I move on.’

‘Okay,’ Elspeth murmured.

‘I fell down the stairs because of her.’ He pointed at Meggy. ‘I brought her here for you, then I got hurt and I died too soon. No one was ready for me.’

He peeled his lips back from his teeth and took a step towards the sofa, where Meggy was trying to disappear into the far corner. Elspeth stepped into his path.

‘She heard you fall. We were both worried about you. In fact, we stayed by the door for hours calling, wishing we could get out to help you. What happened was terrible, but we still care about you. We want to help you, don’t we, Meggy?’

The girl sobbed.

‘Were you really worried?’ he asked.

‘Of course we were,’ Elspeth confirmed. ‘We’re your family now.’

‘It’s not finished,’ he said. ‘There’s still an empty bed. I have to fill it. That must be it.’

Elspeth froze. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s not done yet. I’m not finished. How long ago did I die?’

‘I don’t know …’ Elspeth said.

Taking her by the shoulders, Fergus shook her.

‘Tell me.’

Her head flew backwards then forwards again.

‘When did I die? How long ago?’

‘It was only one day!’ Meggy shouted. ‘Leave her alone. Let go. You only died yesterday.’

Releasing Elspeth, Fergus collapsed backwards against the wall.

‘Thank God. I still have time before the foam starts leaking out of me. I’m going to bloat like a balloon, did you know that?’

His eyes were holes in his face.

‘I’m going to liquefy. I’ll have to finish everything before that, or I’ll be useless. You have to help me.’

‘What do you need?’ Elspeth asked.

‘Tidy up, for a start. You’re going to have someone else to look after. You’ll like that. Mothers like looking after people.’

‘Sure,’ Elspeth said. ‘Whatever you want. Meggy and I will help, won’t we, sweetheart?’

‘Sure,’ the girl said as she moved to stand in the pool of light where the lamp was plugged in.