‘How can I get into bed?’ I cry. ‘How will I ever be able to sleep after what you told me? This is a nightmare. An absolute living nightmare.’ I stare wildly around the room, hating the sight of it. Suddenly realising that this is where it happened. ‘It was in here! This is where she died, wasn’t it?’

‘Shh, shh, Zoe. Keep your voice down. It’s okay. It was a long time ago. It’s over now. It’s finished. It was an accident.’ He gathers me into his arms as I try to hold back great wracking sobs.

‘We need to leave.’ I gulp out the words. ‘I want to go home.’

‘Tomorrow.’ He strokes my hair and kisses my tear-streaked face. ‘Right now, you need to get some sleep. You need to calm down before you make yourself ill. Shh, shh,’ he soothes. ‘It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Come on, let’s get you into bed.’ He carefully peels off my clothes and helps me get into the enormous bed, the hotel sheets crisp and cold. I shiver and lay my head on the pillows, too tired to think any more. I close my swollen, tear-filled eyes and let sleep claim me.

Twenty-Seven

NOW

Dina’s hands are snug around my neck and I claw at them, desperate to pry them free. I kick and flail at her body, but all the energy has drained from me and I can’t seem to move my limbs properly. My vocal chords are being squeezed so tightly that I’m unable to even cry out. Nothing I try is having any effect. I’m too close to her face to make out her features clearly, but her eyes are narrowed, and her mouth is twisted, her breath hot on my face. My vision keeps blurring and I swing between sheer terror and utter disbelief that this is it. That I’m powerless to escape. That I’m about to die. Surely something will happen to break her grip on my flesh. Surely someone will intervene to save me.

I wake with a wordless cry, still in the grip of my nightmare, gasping for breath with my hands at my throat. My body is bathed in sweat and my head thumps like a bass drum. My heart pounds as I remember my dream – I was being murdered by my sister. For a few moments I have no idea where I am. It’s dark. I’m lying in Toby’s arms, the heavy curtains blocking out all but a faint thread of light from a tiny gap where they don’t quite meet. And then it all comes flooding back to me. I’m at the hotel… my sister is dead… I killed her. Each realisation is a crushing blow to my chest. I clench my teeth and screw my eyes shut again.