I laughed because she reminded me so much of Beth in that moment. ‘Promise.’
Beth coughs and gags. The noise forces me to move. I take a step forward. Then another.
Sophie lunges at me, swinging the bat and missing me by an inch. ‘Don’t you dare try it,’ she shouts.
‘What about Nick?’ I plead. ‘What would he say about this?’
‘Nick,’ Sophie growls the name. ‘He was always checking up on me. He hated it when I left the flat at night when I wanted to come sit in your garden just to be close to you. I should never have agreed to live with him. He was getting so suspicious. I couldn’t bear it any more.’ Sophie reaches into her pocket and pulls out a lighter. Her eyes never leave mine as she crouches down and holds it to the corner of a photograph lying on the floor.
The flame leaps up before almost disappearing. The edges turn black and slowly the photograph is swallowed up until it’s all gone. The photo beside it catches even slower, and then the one beside that.
‘Your mum wouldn’t want you to do this, Sophie,’ I say, desperate now to talk some sense into her. ‘No matter what has happened in the past.’
‘Don’t talk about my mum.’ Sophie’s eyes cloud with tears. Her shoulders slump.
In the sky above us thunder roars, and when the noise dies away I think I hear the distant wail of a siren. Too distant, I think. There isn’t anytime.
‘You don’t have to do it. The police are on their way. Don’t get in more trouble than you’re already in. I …’
‘I, I, I, me, me, me. That’s all you think about, isn’t it? What about what your kids want? What I want?’ A sob catches in her throat. ‘I just want my mum to love me again.’
‘Sophie—’
‘I thought this would be a fresh start for all of us. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.’ As Sophie speaks her gaze roams the room, her thoughts now elsewhere, and I inch slowly, very slowly closer.
Two more steps.
One more step.
‘Get back,’ she screams suddenly, swinging the bat towards me. I jump away, but not fast enough. The tip of the bat smacks into my side. The blow knocks me off balance, pain shooting out, and I fall to the floor in a fit of coughing. A sharp pain hits my thigh and I realize I’ve fallen on the burning photos. The smoke is everywhere now.
‘Just let me think for a minute. I don’t … I’m not sure what I’m doing.’ Sophie’s face starts to crumple. Tears streak down her face and she’s shaking all over. Her eyes dart between the door and us. ‘Maybe we can talk some more. I thought I wanted this.’
Is she changing her mind? Is she going to let us go? I’m rooted to the spot, waiting. Every second feels like a minute. Beth and Archie’s coughs fill my ears. We’re out of time. The fire is growing. We’ll die if we stay here much longer. Resolve hardens inside me. I jump up and throw myself at Sophie. There’s a split second when Sophie is staring at me and I’m flying through the air and all I see is pain and regret in her eyes.
She crumples from the force of my body and we both fall back, landing in a heap by the bookcase.
‘Beth, Archie, get out. Rachel, get them out.’
The bat drops out of Sophie’s hands and she comes at me with her fists as her body writhes underneath me.
‘Stop, Sophie,’ I shout.
‘No.’ She lashes out, punch after punch landing all over my body. My face, my stomach, my chest. I feel the air rush out of me and the pain everywhere. Sophie is strong, but I will take it if it means my children are safe. I hear Rachel reach the door. Beth and Archie are with her. I’ll take all the punches Sophie can throw at me if they’ll just make it to safety.
‘I’m not leaving without my mum.’ Beth’s voice cuts straight to my heart.
‘I’m right behind you, Beth,’ I shout to her.
More smoke fills the room from the open door. Sophie’s fists drop and suddenly she bucks, tipping my weight so I fall to the floor. Sophie scrambles up and leaps across the room and a scream pierces the air.
Beth.
I squint through the haze and see my daughter lying on the floor. Rachel has her hand and is trying to pull her out, but Sophie’s grip on Beth’s ankle is holding fast.
I snatch up the bat and rush at Sophie, swinging it hard and fast at her arm. The crack of bone echoes through the room, followed a split second later by Sophie’s screams.
I reach for Beth and help her up and together we rush out of the front door.
