‘Nowt wrong with a bit of quiet, eh?’ says Billy, which I’m grateful for.

Later, Seb’s already lying in bed when I come in, brushing my teeth. Billy has found him new batteries from somewhere and the Dreaminators are glowing a little brighter, it seems to me. They look more powerful and they scare me.

‘Hey – got something for you,’ Seb says, and then lets rip with a huge fart that he wafts over to me with the side of his duvet.

I tut and shake my head, which is not the reaction he wants. I try to sound as casual as I can when I say, ‘You know what, Lil-Bro – let’s not do the dream thing tonight, eh?’

His voice goes up in pitch just like mine does. ‘Eh? You’re boring. Why not?’

‘No big deal. I’m just not in the mood, you know.’

‘But don’t take them down, Malky! They’ve got new batteries. We can do the cave-boy one. Ride on the back of a mammuf! We could even make it a … a dinosaur. I know there were no dinosaurs when there were people, but …’

Only a few weeks ago, I’d have ignored him. Told him to shut up and stop whining. And there would have been no way I’d have done what he wanted just, well, just because he wanted me to. I’d have taken the Dreaminators down to show him that I was his big brother and that I was in charge. But things have changed between Seb and me.

Instead, I reach over and turn off his Dreaminator. ‘Another time, eh, Seb? Not tonight.’

‘Why?’ he whines.

‘Listen, man, I’m just tired, okay?’ I turn mine off as well and climb into bed. I think I’m asleep pretty quickly.

And I’m definitely asleep when Seb creeps out of his bed and turns on both of the Dreaminators again, starting the dream that will end so badly.

The dream that begins in our usual cave, and leads to Seb being captured by a tribe of huge Stone Age warriors with spears.

The dream that ends with Seb lying in a hospital bed, unable to wake up.

Now

Chapter 54

And so here we are. Seb is still in a coma, in hospital, and I am back on my unmade bed.

Earlier, I watched silently as Dad took the Dreaminators down from their hooks and now, from my window, I see him toss them carelessly into the back seat of his car. Tony and Lynn from across the road have come over to see what’s going on: there was an ambulance outside our house early in the morning, so they must know something’s up. Fit Billy’s out there as well and they’re all talking.

If only I had taken them down last night, none of this would have happened.