The explosion blooms behind me, reflected briefly in the rear view mirror, and that is that.
The job is done, and I can only hope it buys me a few months of silence.
I don’t even consider goinghome.
I drive straight for the airport, towards the only place that matters to me now.
Chapter 55
Octavia
Overwhelming pain surges through my body, and it hurts so badly I can’t think past it.
Make it stop.
“Kukolka,” he whispers against my ear.
Bile burns my throat as I cough and gag, choking on the sound of it.
I tear myself out of the nightmare and stumble from the bed, barely making it to the toilet before everything inside me comes up. My hands brace against the cold tiles as my body convulses.
When it finally stops, I stay there, breathing hard and shaking.
When I finally manage to stand, I make my way to the sink, turn on the tap, and splash my face repeatedly with cold water.
I lift my eyes to the mirror.
My reflection stares back at me, and the girl looking at me is a stranger.
I don’t recognise her.
The void opens.
Tainted.
Ruined.
Tainted.
Tainted.
Tainted.
I feel dirty and disgusting, and I need a shower.
Tainted.
Ruined.
Ruined.
My fingers tremble as I peel the T-shirt over my head and step into the shower. Water crashes down over me, and I close my eyes.
I start scrubbing my skin all over again. My body turns red and sensitive, burning under the heat and the friction, and it hurts, but I welcome it.
Tainted.
I scrub harder.
