I know we’ve never met a Marcus Klein.”
“Good to know.” Liar, liar pants on fire.
“I’m sure it is.”
“Anyway, what have you been doing?” I change the topic because I can tell I’m not getting anything more from her, and quite frankly, I’m not in the mood to challenge her any further.
“Relaxing, my dear girl, relaxing. Long overdue.” The tension in her voice decreases. “Where are you at the moment? Some fancy schmancy restaurant?”
“I was actually with a guy named Grady who works for the firm. I just stepped outside to call you, and I’m now enjoying a wee stroll. It’s so busy here, even this close to nine.”
“That’s Sydney for you. I’m not sure why we’ve never gone together.”
“Yeah, me neither, but I guess your boss never wanted you to take your kid here with you. Hey, Mum, I’m going to go now. I think I’ve walked a little too far. I’m not exactly sure where I am.” I laugh, trying to break the sudden sense of doom ripping through the pit of my stomach. “I’ll ring you tomorrow, okay?”
“You all right, petal?”
“Yeah, fine. Just need to retrace my steps. You know how I am with directions. I’d get lost inside a paper bag if I had one.”
“Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?”
“Don’t be silly. I’m in the city. There are people everywhere.”
“Well, okay then, take care and call me before you go to bed.”
“Yeah, okay. Bye.” As the phone slides back into the clutch, the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention. Looking left, then right, nothing around me seems familiar. Did I veer off somewhere?
Turning back the way I think I’ve come doesn’t shed any light on where to go either. I can no longer see the restaurant I was at. The swarm of people surrounding me only moments ago has all but vanished.
Holy shit. I take a street to my left which has no street sign attached to the pole. “Great. I’m lost at night in a fricking city. Just great. My legs feel weak as I force myself to walk at a quicker pace. The sound of footsteps behind me makes my heart pound erratically. The feeling of danger lurks in my mind, pumps through my veins, urges me to run. The bright lights that not long ago lit these streets like a Christmas tree have now been replaced with a gloomy darkness.
My body is shoved against the brick wall of the nearest building. My mouth is covered with a damp material reeking of petrol.
“A pretty lady like you shouldn’t be walking these streets alone at night.”
Terror rips through my core. Panic rears its ugly head as I whimper. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pray for this man to take whatever he wants and leave.
“How silly are you fucking women, really?” His voice is raw. “Give me your bag!” he commands.
My hands tremble with such force the clutch falls from my fingertips, dropping to the ground.
“You silly bitch,” he grunts. “Why would you go and do that?”
Frozen, I stand pressed against a wall with zero defence tactics in mind.
“I’m going to take my hand from your mouth now, and if you scream, I’m going to put a bullet in you, you hear me?”
I manage to nod.
“Good. Now bend down and pick up that fucking bag and hand it over.”
I nod again. The pressure is removed from my mouth immediately, and even though I try to suck air into my lungs, I can’t. Breathing right now seems almost impossible.
“Get the fucking bag!” he yells.
Slowly, I squat, my back sliding down the wall until my bottom rests on my heels. Frantically, I search the rough cement with one hand as I keep my eyes sealed shut, still too scared to open them. The sound of feet running, followed by a loud thump against the ground has my eyes springing open. The clenched fist of a mysterious hero is raised high into the air, then soars downwards. It happens again and again and again, beating against the man who threatened to put a bullet in me. I commence screaming bloody murder and run in the opposite direction.
“Shit!” Someone yells. It’s a primal roar of the words echoing down what I believe to be a laneway.
I run harder. The sound of my heels clopping against the bitumen rings loudly. I try to scream, but my lungs have no air and nothing comes out of my mouth.
“Stop. Abigail,” a gentler tone says,