‘There is no “Mr Bunting”, it’s just a story to frighten the recently forgotten with. It’s all just an urban myth. We told you last night, remember?’ ‘No!’ Rudger insisted, gabbling, breathless with urgency. ‘It’s not a myth. It’s true. I’ve seen him again, him and the girl. Just now…looking for the alley… I had to run, but he got Emily. I saw him eat her. There was nothing I could do. I’m so sorry.’ ‘Who?’ Rudger rubbed his eyes. ‘Emily,’ he said. ‘She’s gone, she’s—’ ‘Emily?’ The bear’s face was hard to read. Was she playing some sort of game with him, pretending not to have heard the name before? But why? ‘I saw him eat her,’ Rudger said quietly. ‘She’s gone, isn’t she? She’s not coming back.’ He paused for a second. ‘Or can you? Once he’s swallowed you, is there a way to come back? Could we rescue her?’ Cruncher-of-Bones rubbed her chin with a paw as if thinking, before saying, ‘All the stories I’ve heard say once you’re swallowed you’re “lost to the world”, as if you never were.
