- and found her. Screaming at the top of her voice, she leapt out of the way and raced across the lane into the woods. The car screeched to a halt in a narrow lay-by, and a door slammed. She was being chased again - but she knew these woods. Scary as they were, perhaps she had an advantage.
Her energy came from somewhere, and she ran a few metres into the trees. She couldn’t be seen from the road, but she was close enough to jump out if she saw a car coming. There was no footpath, and the twigs and stones that covered the ground were cutting into the tender skin on the soles of her feet, adding to the pain of the nettle stings. What little light there had been in the open fields was gone now, and although her eyes had adjusted, the black silhouettes of trees emerged threateningly from the shadows and she was forced to slow her speed. The unlit lane didn’t help, although an occasional glimpse of moonlight breaking through the brooding clouds and reflecting on the wet tarmac helped her to keep her bearings, and stay as close as she could to the road.
She knew she was running farther and farther away from the village and civilisation, but she didn’t know what else to do. She stopped to catch her breath, and she could hear somebody crashing through the undergrowth behind her. She remembered her dad saying that fear lends you wings, and for the first time she understood what he meant. She needed those wings now. Her breath was coming in deep rasps, so loud that she was unable to hear how close behind her pursuer was.
There was a moment’s silence as she held her breath and listened for sounds of pursuit. Nothing. She knew the instant she moved she would give her position away, so she waited, trying to control her breathing and expecting to hear the eerie sound of a voice, softly calling her name. But the next sound she heard was much sweeter. It was the roar of a powerful engine.
She raced to the edge of the wood, ready to throw herself in front of whoever was coming. She leapt out into the road, but she was moments too late. The driver was going so fast, as if they themselves were being chased. She waved her arms in the air behind the retreating car, but the driver never even noticed her. A howl of anguish escaped from her throat. And now she had given away her position. She scrambled her way back up the bank to the edge of the wood, and without glancing behind her she carried on running.
Then against the dark, stormy sky she saw a strange light coming towards her. In an instant, she realised what it was - it was the headlights of a car lighting up the canopy of branches above the road. Thank God, she thought. But this time, she was going to time it right. She would hide in the trees close to the road until the very last moment, but she’d be ready. She didn’t want to give away her location in case the car didn’t stop.
And then she heard it. ‘Abbie, Abbie. Stop running. I won’t hurt you. Wait for me.’
Her pursuer was right behind her.
She saw the car as it turned the bend. She waited until the last possible moment, and then she jumped.
5
Day Two: Saturday
Leo was downstairs in the kitchen making the children some breakfast when a bleary eyed Max made an appearance. His short, dark brown hair was even spikier than normal, and black stubble covered the lower half of his face.
‘Morning Leo. Lovely to see you - I think.’
Leo raised her eyebrows and waited to see if he would dig himself in further.
‘I mean it’s lovely that you’re here, I’m just frightened of opening my eyes properly because it hurts too much.’ Max’s cheeky grin made a fleeting appearance. ‘Ellie said you’d arrived so thanks for sorting out the kids’ breakfasts.’
‘I didn’t know if you would be sufficiently compos mentis last night to take in the fact that I was here,’ Leo said. ‘I was prepared to be greeted with shock and horror.’
‘Never.’ Max picked up a tea towel and threw it at Leo. It missed by a mile, which was way off his usual accuracy. ‘You should know better than that. I’m delighted that you’re here, and it will be one less thing for your