The Ghost Behind the Wall

The opening sentence has told us that David is 'a bit of a brute' so it is unsurprising that, having found he can get into old Mr Alveston's flat through the ventilation shaft, he starts to play some cruel tricks. Which is fun until he finds that he is working with a ghost-child who goes further than David. We begin to share in Mr Alveston's life too, feeling his frustrations about memory loss and his confusion, and when David is caught we experience outrage at what he has done. Giving apologies and trying to make amends brings David and Mr Alveston together. But when the old man's flat is trashed David, who cannot explain about the ghost, is suddenly led towards its surprising identity in an humane and poignant climax.