It took us ages to get out of the maze. Kitty kept asking me why the rush, but I just said I needed to get back to the cottage. As soon as we emerged from the entrance I yelled goodbye and sprinted as fast as I could across the snow.

The chicken was sitting on the back doorstep, and she squawked when I rushed inside, my wet feet skidding on the kitchen floor. I ran up to Mum’s room and grabbed the bag, which I’d emptied apart from the one thing. I sat on her bed and slowly undid the zipper. There it was, nestling in the corner as if it had been waiting for me all this time. My birthday gift. My birthday gift from my mum. I carefully undid the sticky tape, and beneath the blue polka-dot wrapping paper were layers and layers of yellow tissue, protecting whatever was inside. I unpeeled them one by one, my hands trembling, and then finally, there it was.

My present.

It was a light jar.

The most beautiful light jar I had ever seen. My heart pounded as I unscrewed the silver lid and took out the little bunch of lights. I found the switch and clicked it on and the tiny bulbs twinkled against the glass. It looked magical.

I took a deep breath.

Mum wouldn’t have gotten this for me if she was going to go back to Gary. No way. This present was her way of telling me we were going to have a fresh start, without him. I felt relief. Relief that I’d been wrong about her. Relief that she hadn’t gone back to him after all. But then my heart sank. If she wasn’t with Gary, where was she? There must be another reason for her not coming back.

Something must have happened to her.

I filled my backpack with my Freaky Things book, Mrs. Ellie-Fant, the Ask Me a Question magic ball, my tennis ball, and all the other things I’d brought with me. I put my light jar on top and closed the zipper. I had to get help. I had to find out what had happened to my mum.

As I packed, I came up with a plan. I was going to go to the big house and ask Kitty’s family for help. I’d say I was a friend of Kitty’s and could I possibly use their telephone. Kitty’s parents would probably be a bit shocked when I appeared on their doorstep; they might even be a little angry, not knowing who I was, but they couldn’t refuse to help. Could they? Then I’d call Grandma and tell her everything. And then I was going to ask Grandma the big question. When we find Mum, could we come and live with her?

I found two more plastic shopping bags, and I sat on the sofa and put them on over my sneakers, tucking the tops into my socks.

“So, you’re off then? Not going to say goodbye?”

Sam had appeared beside me. I stopped for a moment, then carried on sorting out my footwear. My feet rustled as I moved.

“There’s no need. You can turn up whenever you want to, so why say goodbye? I’ll see you when I’m at Grandma’s.”

I couldn’t look at him. Not yet.

“We both know we won’t see each other again, Nate,” said Sam. I took a deep breath and this time I looked up at him.

“I thought seeing you was my choice? You’ve always said it was because of me that you were here in the first place. That means if I want to see you again, then I will, won’t I?”

Sam smiled. “But you don’t need me any more. There’s a difference.”

I felt my cheeks burning. “B-But you’d love it at Grandma’s. She’s got the most amazing garden! We could play hot potato with the tennis ball or hide-and-seek or whatever you fancy.”

I stopped. Sam’s face was telling me it was no use.

“I can’t, Nate. It’s time for me to go.”

Tears ran down my cheeks.

“I need you, Sam, okay? I know, I know that I haven’t always been the best of friends to you … B-But I don’t want to be on my own. I don’t want to be on my own ever again.”

Sam smiled. His color was bright. As bright as it was when I’d first seen him back when I was small.

“I can’t stay, Nate. You need to do this alone, okay? You need to find help and you need to do it for you.”

He looked away and stared toward the corner of the room where he’d disappeared before, and then he took a step toward it.

“No, no, no! I’m not ready!” I called. “I—I want to tell you things! Show you more of the things in my book. You haven’t seen them all yet, have you? There are so many wonderful things in the world, Sam. Did you know that? Did you know how many amazing things are out there? I can tell you all about them!”

I was sobbing now, but I didn’t care. I just didn’t want him to leave.

“You’re my best friend, Sam. You’re my very best friend. And you’re everything I want to be.”

Sam stopped in the corner and turned around to face me. “But, Nate, I am you.”

I stopped crying, trying to get my breath back. “What? What do you mean?”

He smiled again.

“I’m right there.” He lifted his arm and pointed toward my face. His color was so bright now it dazzled my eyes. “I’ve been there with you all along.”

And then he gave me a final smile before turning away and vanishing into the corner.

I shivered. The room was cold and dim, and he wasn’t going to be coming back ever, ever again. I rubbed at my face. He was gone.

And I was all alone again.

The chicken was sitting in her washing-up bowl. I scrunched up some stale cornflakes and filled a bowl and then topped up her water. I couldn’t leave her shut inside, so I left the kitchen door open a little so she could go out and then come in for shelter when she wanted. I gently tickled the top of her head on the soft feathers.

“Bye, chicken,” I said. “Thanks for the eggs.”

I took one last look around the empty kitchen, and then I stepped out into the snow.