Page 75 of The Sleepwalker

Hugo is slumped back on the sofa. His slack mouth is still half-open, but the fear on his face is plain to see.

‘Tell me what you’re doing,’ says Erik.

‘I’m walking towards the old caravans, the ones closest to the lake.’

‘You’re looking for your mum in the dream, but she isn’t there; the campsite is deserted.’

‘I don’t know .?.?.’ Hugo shakes his head, saliva coating his lower lip.

‘What do you see?’

‘At first I thought it was just the headlights from a car on the main road, but it’s a torch .?.?.’

‘Where?’

Hugo lets out a soft whimper. It only lasts a few seconds, but it almost makes it seem as though they have an abandoned child in front of them.

Lars Grind looks troubled, and he raises a hand to catch Erik’s attention. The hypnotist briefly meets his eye before turning back to Hugo.

‘Is there someone there? At the campsite?’ he asks.

‘Yeah .?.?. I’m following them .?.?.’

Hugo’s breathing becomes anxious, and he starts scratching at the armrest with his right hand.

‘You can see someone with a torch?’ Erik says softly.

‘It’s a woman .?.?. with a shiny coat and blonde hair. She turns left, across the playground.’

‘Describe her. Take your time. Breathe deeply and speak slowly.’

‘The light .?.?. from her torch .?.?. It sweeps over the rough sand.’

‘What does she look like?’ Erik’s voice is low but intense, his eyes focused and alert, the veins on his head beginning to protrude.

‘I don’t know, she’s too far away, walking between the rows of dark caravans.’

‘But you’re following her?’

‘Yeah.’

‘What do you see now?’ Erik asks.

‘She stops and turns the torch off .?.?. but I can see another light, further back .?.?. In one of the caravans.’

‘Can you see anyone else?’

‘No, but the lights are on .?.?. I can see it through the curtains.’

‘Do you know who is inside?’

‘Mum?’ he whispers.

‘Your mum is part of the dream,’ Erik explains.

‘No, she—’

‘I want you to focus on the woman with the blonde hair now.’