Kellyanne opened the car door and crawled into my bedroom. Her face was puffy and pale and fuzzed-over. She just came in and said: “Ashmol, Pobby and Dingan are maybe-dead.” That’s how she said it.

I still say Kellyanne could do with some real-live mates,” went on my dad, as if he was talking to someone inside his beer.Mum had stomped off into the kitchen. “Maybe they are real!” she...