Keep as still as possible, I tell him nervously. And close your eyes if you’re afraid of heights.
Damian obediently squeezes his eyes shut, but his body is quivering in terror as I shoot up to the cloud cover. A low moan escapes his mouth as the frigid winter air rushes over his extremities. I need to fly fast so he doesn’t get hypothermia.
I attempt to connect with Sadie, but as per usual, she’s blocking me. This time, it could be to her detriment.
Hester!
Hester!
Hester!
Screaming her name over and over in my mind is myonly option, since I can’t project thoughts to her, but luckily it seems to work.
Hester:You OK? What’s wrong?
Me:Thank God you heard me. I just bumped into Alexander, and I can’t reach Sadie. Can you get back to the flat pronto? We need to check on her.
Hester:Fuck! I’m just heading back from my acting class. I’ll be there in five.
Panicking, I fly as fast as I can to Ramsay Garden with Alexander’s damned nursery rhyme—‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home’—and his maniacal laugh ringing in my head.
If he’s hurt Sadie, I’ll rip his head off ...
Damian shudders in my arms, and I realise I’ve said it in his mind.
I drop us outside the front door, and Damian sags against the railing, white-faced. But there’s no time to comfort him.
Hester appears beside me in a flash.
‘Quickly, get him inside,’ she says, and we whisk Damian through the front door. I relax slightly.
Apart from Damian’s hoarse breathing, the house is silent and in darkness.
‘Sadie?’ I call out.
There’s no answer.
Hester:Did she go out?
Me:No, Elliott was coming over.
She jerks her chin towards the staircase.
Hester:They must be in her room. We should check on them, just in case.
I nod and slide my hand into Damian’s sweaty one and tug him towards the staircase. I don’t particularly want him to witness whatever’s happening between Sadie and Elliott in her room. But I can’t leave him alone either as he’s scared out of his wits, he can’t see, and I still haven’t explained what’s happening.
I bumped into Alexander down the road from your flat,I tell him as we climb the stairs to the top floor.
He squeezes my hand and lets out a breath.
I figured it was something like that.
I add,We’re checking up on Sadie and Elliott.
He nods.OK.
I kiss his hand.Don’t worry, I’m sure they’re fine. We’ve been pretty good at evading him so far.
