From the No.1 bestselling author of The American Boy and The Ashes of London comes a gothic novella – perfect for fans of The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley. Clare and Gerald live a perfect life in the Forest of Dean with their cat, Cannop. Then Gerald's young nephew comes to stay. Jack is from another world – active service in Afghanistan. The experience has left him outwardly untouched, but for a scratch that won't heal. Jack and Cannop don't like each other. Clare and Jack like each other too much. The scratch begins to fester.