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No, no, no, no, no!
Sarah pulled the sweater up and over her head, pushing past Alex as she rushed to her bedroom. She flicked the light on, revealing her room to be as neat and tidy as she’d left it that morning. The sweater landed on the floor and Sarah sat on the edge of her bed, tugging at her boots until they slipped free. She unzipped her black trousers, shimmying them down her legs.
Her knees were stained reddish brown. Sarah gasped, her stomach churned.
‘Sarah?’ Alex called.
Shit! She was standing in her underwear. A pair of tracksuit pants sat folded on the top of her dresser. She pulled them on, throwing open her closet door and grabbing a comfortable, old sweater. Then shrugged into a hooded jacket, needing to be warm.
Alex appeared at her door. ‘We gotta move. Get some shoes on.’
‘What?’ Her brain was slow to respond.
‘We gotta get out of here.’
‘But Heather—’
‘I called the ambulance. It’ll be here any minute.’
Relief eased some of the tension in her body. She slipped her feet into her runners, her fingers stumbling with the laces.
Alex disappeared for a moment, returning with two heavy coats she recognised from the hall stand. ‘Ready?’
‘But… shouldn’t we wait for the ambulance?’
‘No Sarah, there’s no time.’ He held out one of the coats for her. It was Heather’s.
Her temper flared. Who the hell did he think he was? She curled her hands into fists. ‘I’m not leaving Heather.’
‘And what if Brodie comes back?’ said Alex, his eyes flashing with impatience. ‘He’ll make sure he finishes the job he came to do.’
She shuddered and Alex pulled the coat around her, her arms automatically finding the sleeves. Then he shoved his arms into the second jacket, zipping it over his bloodstained hoodie. He gripped her arm and hurried her through the kitchen and out the back door. She couldn’t draw in any air, her body refused to cooperate. Once outside, the darkness threatened to swallow her whole.
‘No noise.’ Alex put his hands on either side of her arms, manoeuvring Sarah towards the back fence. She had no control of her direction, speed or movement but his hands on her kept the darkness at bay.
They reached the fence and Alex released her arms and motioned for her to stay still and silent. Sarah could just make out his profile in the dark as he listened intently to the night. He reached up, pulling himself to the top of the fence in one catlike movement. Satisfied, he returned to stand beside her.
‘Okay,’ he whispered. ‘I’ll give you a boost. Land as quietly as you can on the other side.’
Alex squatted low and interlocked his hands. She stared at him, frozen still.
‘Sarah, please.’ He rose to stand closer to her. ‘We need to get out of here.’
She shook her head. ‘Heather,’ she whispered. She couldn’t leave her. What if she woke up next to a dead man? What if Brodie came back and killed her? She opened her mouth but Alex shushed her.
‘Listen,’ he whispered. ‘Can you hear that?’
A high-pitched shriek sounded in the distance. The ambulance was coming.
‘Sarah.’ His hands gently squeezed her arms. ‘Heather will be okay. We can’t stay here. Please?’
It made no sense. Why couldn’t they stay?
‘I’m sorry, Sarah. I promise I will explain everything but we need to get away from here. It’s not safe.’
Arguments formed in her head; there was no reason why she would go with him. He was the reason she was in this mess. But when Alex dropped down in front of her again, his face was pleading.
‘Please trust me. I know that is a massive ask, but it is the best way to keep Heather safe, and you too. I promise. Just come with me now and I will explain.’
