My name coming out of this stranger’s mouth is more than enough to convince me that I’ve had some kind of break with reality, and I sway on my feet, my knees threatening to buckle and send me tumbling back over the cliff. In a couple of swift strides, the man catches hold of my jacket and gives me a steadying clap on the back. “Easy, easy,” he says. “You’re all right. Here, take a seat. It’s always a bit strange the first time it happens to you,” he adds with a chuckle, completely unfazed by it all. Helping me onto a nearby rock, he plops down beside me. He crosses his legs and leans back as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, like we’re just having afternoon tea instead of recovering from a paranormal (and very much near- death) experience.
My throat is as dry as paper, but as my
