…‘Where are you, mouse?’ Michael asked, crawling around the side of the couch. She laughed up at him and they knelt beside each other, peering into the dark gap.

‘There it is,’ Sally screamed as the mouse ran out the end, past her legs.

They lunged forward, grabbing for it, faces level on the floor, laughing and laughing. ‘That's enough exercise for you, mouse. Up you go.’ Sally dropped it back into its cage. She could feel she was lit up, like the mouse pit, and giggled at the fun of it.

… Sally woke. She lay with her eyes closed for several minutes. She knew it was Michael holding her, but she didn't want to know. After a while she opened her eyes and breathed deeply.

‘Michael,’ she whispered. Then she sat up, because she had to see this through. ‘Michael. You have to go home. Your mum'll wonder where you got to…