Mrs W continued to stare at her, her expression mean, though she didn’t react to Rosie’s apology. Instead, she called for Bill. ‘Can you come here, please?’

Moments later, he wandered into the room, glancing briefly at Rosie and Miles, then at his mother. ‘What’s up?’

‘We have two very naughty children here. They are going to need to be punished.’

Rosie gasped, her legs trembling in fear. ‘I said I was sorry,’ she mumbled, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. Beside her, Miles started sobbing quietly.

Mrs W smiled at them both. It wasn’t one of her friendly smiles though. It made her face look scary. ‘You wait. I’m going to give you both something to cry about.’

The box was barely big enough for the two of them and Rosie screamed and sobbed as Bill and Mrs W forced her and Miles inside. They were out in the barn and she was terrified.

What was Mrs W going to do to them? She wanted her mum and dad. Wished she had never come to stay here.

Then the lid closed and they were trapped inside. Rosie was hysterical, begging to be let out, while Miles cried quietly. She banged on the plastic lid, looking at Mrs W, pleading with her and apologising again and again. She hadn’t meant to break the rules. She had dropped the music box by accident.

Why were they in this box in the ground? Mrs W couldn’t just leave them here.

‘Bury them.’

At first, Rosie thought she had misheard. The plastic lid made it difficult to hear properly. But then the first shovelful of dirt landed on the box.

She screamed harder, clung on to Miles.

Soon they were completely in the dark and there was no light filtering through from the lantern Mrs W had brought into the barn with her.

Eventually, Rosie’s voice was hoarse from the screaming and she sobbed along with Miles, who was gulping for air as he cried. Seconds ticked into minutes and although there was no way of telling how long they had been down there, minutes turned into hours.

What if she is going to leave us down here?

The thought filled Rosie with dread, had her crying out again.

Somehow they fell asleep, but the box was cramped and the air was stale and there didn’t seem much of it. Rosie woke again and felt like she was suffocating.

‘Miles?’

Her voice was croaky and she was desperate for water.

‘Miles?’

She could feel him against her, and he was no longer trembling. He was really cold and when she found his hand, threaded her fingers through it, it was stiff and cool, and he didn’t squeeze back. Was he still asleep?

She wanted him to wake up. Hated feeling all alone in this nightmare.