No Place Like Home by Rebecca Muddiman

Author:Rebecca Muddiman [Muddiman, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Published: 2018-08-05T16:00:00+00:00

30

Phil looks down at me, his face twisted into something like disgust. I don’t know why he hates me so much, but it’s clear that he does. Maybe he hates everyone. Maybe he’s just that kind of person.

I can see Jacob out of the corner of my eye, my knickers in his hand, and my stomach turns. ‘Please don’t do this,’ I say. ‘I’ll do anything. Just please, not that.’

‘Not what?’ Phil says.

My eyes go to my underwear that Jacob is mauling and Phil starts to laugh. ‘Don’t flatter yourself,’ he says. ‘I wouldn’t touch you with his.’ He nods to Jacob who suddenly seems aware of what he’s doing and throws my knickers onto the floor. ‘Can’t speak for him, though.’

I look at Jacob, and he just stands gawping. He grabs Phil’s jacket and tugs, pulling him out of the room. As they leave I start screaming, trying to take advantage of the opportunity. Even Ethel should be able to hear me.

Phil strides back into the kitchen and punches me in the face so hard that I fall back, the chair slamming into the floor. I hear something crack, and I don’t know if it’s the chair or me. But either way, pain reverberates up my arms. I think I’m in shock. The pain shoots across my face, and I can feel blood. I guess it’s from my nose, but it’s hard to tell while I’m lying here as it runs sideways, settling in my ears.

Instinctively, I try to reach up and wipe it away, but my hands are tied, I can’t do a thing. And then, I’m lurching forward as Phil pulls the chair upright and I get a head rush, my vision blurring. Jacob is standing there, watching, his hands digging in his hair.

‘What did you do that for?’ he asks, and Phil wipes his face, some of my blood smearing across it as he does.

‘I had to shut her up,’ he says, and looks around, finding the dishcloth and stuffing it back in my mouth.

‘But…’ Jacob starts, but Phil spins to face him.

‘But what? You want to do this or not?’

I don’t know what they want to do, what their plan is, but I know it won’t end well for me. All I can hope is that Jacob changes his mind, that he can’t go through with whatever it is.

‘Well?’ Phil says, and Jacob nods. I see Phil’s shoulders drop. He’s relieved. He wants to go through with it.

I close my eyes and cry. I don’t care if I choke on the cloth, it must be better than whatever they’re going to do. I think about the last few months, about how things turned out, about the choices I made, and I wish I hadn’t been so stupid, so naive to think that getting involved with him wouldn’t end badly.

‘Hey,’ Phil says, and slaps my face. ‘Look at me.’

I open my eyes, and they’re both standing there in front of me, and I wish they’d just get on with it.

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