‘How bad are you hurt?’
‘It’s nothing.’ That’s what I tell her but I can feel blood trickling down my wrist. As soon as we get free, I can get it looked at.
‘Why did you come to help me?’
I swallow, not knowing if I should tell her that I love her. I’m just a stupid kid. It’s so clear now but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel strongly. I do. Every day, I think about her. When she talks me through my schoolwork and gives me feedback, I hang on to her every word. She’s incredibly clever and I like that in a girl. I pause my thoughts. A girl. Mrs Braddock is not a girl and I’m an idiot but we’re stuck here alone so I’m going to be honest. When this is over, I’ll probably be permanently put into Ms Law’s class and she’s not as good a teacher but I’ll understand. ‘I love you.’ She pauses and now I feel awkward.
‘Oh, Omar, I’m your teacher.’
I continue to prod at the rope, my head feeling woozy because I’m losing blood. The thought of blood always sickens me. I can’t even watch horror films. Maybe this is how I die. I jolt forward. No, I can’t die. Annabel’s safety depends on me getting free and I’m scared of what will happen to Cally. She’s just a little kid.
‘I know you’ve been by my house, I saw you.’
‘I’m really sorry, miss. I’m so stupid. When we get out of this, I won’t do anything that stupid ever again. Please keep teaching me. I don’t want to go into Ms Law’s class. She’s not as good as you. I’ve grown up a lot. And as for the things you told me not to say, I didn’t tell anyone.’
I hear her weeping behind the door. ‘It’s okay, Omar, and thank you. Let’s just get out of this. You’re doing really well and I know you’re going to go on to huge things in life. You’re much cleverer than I was at your age. You’re going to do your A Levels, you’ll go to uni and I hope you’ll study maths, then you’ll graduate. It’s there where you’ll find out who you really are. You’ll break hearts and you’ll have your heart broken. Whatever happens now, I’m really proud of you and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you’ve done to help me but if you get the chance, just run. Leave me and run. Go and get help. Don’t look back for anything. Do you promise me you’ll do that?’
My hands begin to shake. ‘But I can’t do that. I can’t leave you.’
‘Listen to me,’ she shouts, ‘you have to. My daughter’s life will depend on your actions and getting the police here is the most important thing you can do and you’re a child, I can’t put you at risk any more than you already are. You are my responsibility…’ She cries a little. ‘I don’t want anything to happen to you. Promise me.’
‘Okay. I’ll get free, get you free and run for help. Deal?’
‘Deal. Now hurry up.’
As I go to speak, the rope loosens against my wrists and falls to the floor. Blood has pooled a little underneath me. A wave of dizziness sweeps through my body. I normally freak at the sight of blood. It scares me but I can’t pass out, not yet. I grab a tea towel that is hanging from the handle on the front of the tiny oven and I use my teeth to tighten it around my wrist to stem the bleeding. Reaching down, I untie my feet and stretch out. My legs and arms are stiff. I reach for the table and use it to pull my body up.
‘Omar, I can hear a car. Leave me and get out. Save Cally.’
I glance at the back of the boat and see that the main door is still closed. I have time to let Annabel out. I can’t leave her. I know I promised. Staggering to the door, I reach for the handle and it’s locked. I need something to smash it down with.
‘I can hear him. Go.’
He jangles his keys from the other side of the door. I smash the little window above the cooker with a coffee jar and begin to push all the outer bits of glass out of the way. It’s so small, I don’t know if I’ll fit. I push my head through and I’m thankful that it’s pavement on the other side and not water. My shoulders are through. I’m nearly out.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’
I’m yanked back in. He pulls me that hard, I’m swept back and I bash my chin on the table. The scared little girl cowers in the corner. I failed and now we’re all going to die.
‘Mummy,’ Cally cries.
Annabel wails from the other side of the door. I’ve let her down. I’ve let her little girl down and I’ve let myself down. I feel as though the boat has tilted sideways as I fall onto the carpet. It’s not the boat, it’s me. I’m too weak to save anyone. He’s won and I’m dead.
FIFTY-SEVEN
Annabel
My hair falls loose over my shoulders. He fluffed it up a little after he cleaned my face up. Cally is pressed against my side, her face pale and her eyes red and puffy. Then, I think of Omar, unconscious from the attack. At first, I thought our captor would kill us but instead, he threw Omar into the small bedroom where I’d originally been kept. I fear his injuries are serious and he’s losing so much blood. If I could help, I would, but I’m trapped too.
As he tidied me up, my captor said, ‘You look so beautiful, Annabel. I can’t believe you’re finally mine. In fact, I can’t believe we’re all together as a family.’ He told me how he uses the same deodorant as Grant as he knows I buy it for him when I go shopping, therefore I must like it. I can smell it on him now that he’s cleaned himself up a bit for dinner.
I swallow and try not to look alarmed so that I don’t upset him. I try to listen above the gentle sounds of Chopin that he’s playing but I can’t hear Omar at all and I’m scared that he’s dying. The smashed-in window that he tugged Omar back through has now been temporarily blocked off with a square of wood.
‘When we get up the canal a bit, we’ll dispose of him. Can’t have him stinking the boat up when he starts to decompose. Eat.’
He holds a forkful of packet mash potatoes to my face. Grimacing at the thought of Omar’s body in the bedroom, I force myself to bite and swish it around my mouth. A big glob of dried potato hits my tongue and I want to spit it out. Now all I can think is that Omar is dead in that cabin. I wished that he’d done as I asked. He should have run earlier instead of trying to free me. I can’t help feeling like I should have done more or maybe I should have been a bit crueller to stop him hanging around me and my classroom. I knew his father had died and I wanted to offer him support, make sure that his academic gift didn’t get wasted in a bubble of grief. The mash is still in my mouth. I swallow, forcing it down. It feels like a big lump that is sticking all the way down. If my child wasn’t next to me, I’d spit it in his face and take my chances, but for her sake, I won’t antagonise him.
‘I’m scared, Mummy.’ Cally snuggles closer to me. I can’t hug her with my hands tied at the front of me now. ‘Mummy.’ I can tell she is about to cry. Her eyes shine like they’re filling with water.
