In the Shadows

Three steps down. If you sat there, you could see into the living room but you were invisible to other people.

It wasn’t like the parties I’d watched before – no music or laughing. They all sat in a circle round the coffee table. Mum put one of our good glasses, upside down, in the middle. She got up and switched off the big light so there was only the glow from the paraffin heater.

Everyone reached out to touch the glass. It went very quiet.

‘Is there anybody there?’ said Mum.

How did she know? I prayed I was still invisible.