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Mary watched Ryan’s back disappear into the trees. She could hear Sally crashing through the undergrowth ahead of him, and she knew her daughter would be easy to follow.

Nevertheless, she hoped.

Go on, Sally, she thought. Find a way. Somehow. You can do it.

Moments later, her hope evaporated. Another shotgun blast ripped through the night, followed by a piercing scream.

No, she thought. Please, no.

Mary ran towards the trees, heedless of any danger. She had to get to her daughter, see if she was hurt or injured, see if there was anything she could do to save her. Before she reached them there was the sound of twigs snapping and small branches breaking, and then, Sally emerged onto the path by the side of the house.

Mary’s first thought was Thank God, she’s alive, but then Ryan walked out behind her, the barrel of the shotgun pointed between her shoulder blades.

‘Good try, Mary,’ he said. He shook his head. ‘But all you did is make it worse for yourself. And for her. The boy I’m just going to kill. But before you die you’re going to watch her suffer.’

He stepped forward and jabbed Sally with the barrel of the gun.

‘On the lawn. Where you can be seen.’ He nodded towards the grass that ran down from the back of the house to the lake. ‘You too, Mary.’

Mary stared at him, paralyzed with fear.

‘Now!’ he shouted, and jabbed Sally hard between her shoulder blades. She stumbled forward, then turned to look at him.

‘You’re more stupid than I thought,’ she said. ‘And I thought you were pretty fucking stupid.’

Ryan laughed. ‘Lawn. Now.’

Sally shrugged, and walked towards the lawn. When she reached the corner, just past the side of the house, he motioned with the shotgun.

‘Stop there,’ Ryan said. ‘On your knees.’

Sally sank to the ground. He planted his foot on her back and shoved her onto her front. She crawled away from him, leaving a trail in the dust.

‘That’s far enough.’

He stepped back so that he could see Mary better, the shotgun still pointed at Sally. She was about eight feet from him now, a distance at which the shotgun would obliterate her.

‘It’s been a while since I killed anyone like this,’ Ryan said. ‘Carl doesn’t count. That was a fight. This is for pleasure. I’ve been letting the anticipation build. So, when I take it out on your daughter, it’s going to be delicious.’

There was a savage intensity in his words, and Mary saw for the first time the depths of his madness.

‘But first,’ he said. ‘The boy. Where is he?’

‘Gone.’ Mary shrugged. ‘He went a different direction.’

‘Otis!’ Ryan screamed. ‘Otis! I have Sally!’

In the silence of the forest there was little doubt Otis would have heard his shouts.

‘Stay away, Otis!’ Sally shouted. ‘Don’t come!’

‘I have your mother, too,’ Ryan shouted. ‘Are you really going to let them die?’

He beckoned to Mary, and pointed at Sally.

‘Next to her. Now!’

Mary walked over to Sally. Maybe there was some way she could shield her from the blast, a last effort of a mother to save her child. She lay on the ground next to her.