When my friends are in danger,” he says, his voice sincere. “I will always be there to help them, no matter what.” “Sheesh,” I comment, catching Adam’s eye and making him grin harder. “I think I preferred the moodier you, not the soppy one.” And with that, we are back in business.

Chris had been a genuinely nice guy – a guy with a warm heart and friendly demeanour. What’s more, he, Mortimer, had lived and laughed alongside him – something his dead companions didn’t exactly evoke. OK. So they had their uses from time to time and offered him company when he desired it. Even so, that was it. They were dead, not living. Anyway, their conversations weren’t exactly inspiring.

Stop moping and think of a solution. A voice in his head told him. If you want to find your mojo again, then get on with it and stop wallowing in self-pity. This voice spoke the harsh truth. He needed to man-up. Nodding, Mortimer set his face in a line of steely determination, created a pile of papers and began to draft down possible ideas.Mass suicide? Too messy. Global war? Too soon. Revenge cult? Too predictable. NO.

Well…I like your attitude,” he told me, smiling. “Although I don’t like yours Mr Lewiston,” he added, his voice suddenly going harsh. “Try to bring a whoopie cushion into my class again and you’ll find that your end of term Maths paper might just be mysteriously downgraded.

I had broken another of her endless rules – never backchat the librarian.

Life’s too short to let people walk all over you and be the person you’re not. I’ve come to realise that and I hope that you will too, one day.

Believe in yourself and readers will believe with you!

How dare you call me ‘it’?” It was my turn to point the finger, as I glide over to where he is standing and gibbering. “‘It’ has a name,” I continue, scowling. “It’s Clara and, if you ever look at me like that or refer to me as a thing rather than a human being again, then I’ll find out where you live and I’ll haunt you for the rest of your puny life and that’s a PROMISE!” And that’s how you threaten someone…ghost style.

I see her in the stars,” he said breathlessly. “I see her in the great lake that surrounds this glorious academy. I see her everywhere.” He looked drunk on love. “She is but a light and I her moth. I can’t help but be drawn into her soft beauty and her wilful manner.