Page 9 of Five

My eyes widen in shock, and I yank my fingers through my hair. “What are you talking about? That’s ridiculous. You must have mixed up her details. Here–” I desperately thumb through my phone until I find my digital copy of the Nulla Osta, the legal document stating Maria and I have the right to marry in Italy, since I’m a foreign citizen.

The nurse looks from the documents, which she scans quickly, to me, to Maria’s lifeless body, before she purses her lips and finally says, “I’m sorry. It appears Ms Costa decided to terminate by way of the abortion pill, several weeks ago. Now, if you’ll excuse me, you can pick up her belongings from reception.”

I’m left feeling like I’ve been punched in the gut, then again in the face, just for good measure. Nothing makes any sense.

I don’t remember collecting her things or getting home again. My phone has been ringing and pinging with calls and messages, but I’ve ignored it. It’s not until Maria’s own ringtone sounds within our living room, darkened with the onset of dusk while I sit blindly on the couch and stare at nothing, that I snap out of it.

I look at the plastic bag they gave me at the hospital, then dig through it until I find Maria’s phone. The caller has rung off now, but something dark and foreboding pushes me to click on her recent contacts.

Arun Li

I didn’t remember the name the nurse gave me, but I recognise it when I see it.

I’m not even thinking when I press to connect the call.

A man answers. His voice has an accent I can only pinpoint as Asian.

“Hey, baby, missing me already? I only dropped you home this morning. Did you finally tell that big lug you live with about us, or is it just that a weekend with me wasn’t enough?”

His laughter in my ear is the last thing I hear as I hurl the handset at the wall.

BECK

“Wildbyname,wildby nature. Don’t worry, I’ll beat that out of you.”

I’m tossed across the floor, jarring my shoulder and banging my head, before my screaming arm is yanked mercilessly behind my back and my wrists are bound way too tight.

I can feel something warm and wet trickling down my temple, so I know I cut my head when I hit it.

I feel kind of woozy, but before this night is over, that will be the least of my problems.

“Arghh!” I cry out as the guy who snatched me out of the alleyway I use as a shortcut on my way home from school yanks me to my feet by my aching arm.

For a moment, I totter, unsteady on my feet, but it doesn’t matter because a second later a large fist backhands me and I’m on the floor again, knowing that this is just the start and there’s so much worse still to come.

The bastard wants to break me.

He can try.

I might even let him think he’s won if it means getting out of here.

But not yet. Not right now. For now, that fucker’s going to have to work for it because there’s no way I’m cowering like some mindless moron. I’m not stupid, I know I need to be clever if I’m going to get away. But right now, this bastard can work for taking my freedom.

I shoot up in bed, clammy from the cold sweat that covers me. Past experiences mean I’m immediately alert and I look around with wild eyes, but there’s no one here but me.

Reaching out to my bedside table, I fumble to switch on the lamp, then grab the glass of water there with shaking fingers.

It sloshes a little as I gulp it down, but none of that registers for a good few minutes.

Finally, my breathing regulates, and I run the back of my hand over my sweaty forehead.

Fucking night terrors.

I hate this cloying sense of vulnerability. I feel like a defenseless little kid again…but I’m not.

Not anymore.

But God damn it, I hate being alone.