‘Is Melanie here?’ I asked the woman. ‘I’m her friend from school.’ ‘Yes, come in.’ ‘No, I won’t thanks, I’ll just give her a message, if she’ll come out.’ Melanie came to the door. When she saw me she tried to shut it. ‘I’ve got to talk to you,’ I begged. ‘Go upstairs in about half an hour, I’ll go up now and wait for you.’ She nodded, and let me slip past. I heard her say goodbye very loudly and shut the door. No one seemed to think anything of it. It was a crisis and once again I fell asleep.
