Page 58 of The Lucky Winners

Fifteen Years Earlier

It was the second night sleeping in my new bedroom when I woke suddenly. It had taken me ages to get to sleep because it was so cold without a radiator.

I opened my eyes, but I didn’t move. Something must have disturbed me, but all seemed quiet. Then I heard it: the door handle was being pushed down and the door was opening carefully. Bit by bit, scraping slightly on the old carpet off-cut on the wooden floorboards.

I froze, not moving an inch. I’d woken up lying on my side and facing the wall. My eyes were wide open as I held my breath.

The door closed again and then soft footsteps crept towards the bed. I felt myself start to shake. I couldn’t stop. I balled my hands into fists under the covers and squeezed my eyes closed. I didn’t want to know what was about to happen.

When the bed covers were pulled back, a gasp escaped my lips and I turned over. Saw the outline of a man. He bent closer and whispered in my ear. ‘It’s just me, David. I’ve come to hold you because it’s cold tonight.’

I said nothing and turned to the wall again.

His body felt warm as he slipped into the bed behind me and pulled the covers over us.

His arm slipped over mine and he held me gently.

I thought I’d turn to stone, but a wonderful wash of warmth enveloped me.

I’d never been held like that before, or experienced that level of closeness, of being wanted by another person.

After a while, the rhythm of his breathing matched mine, steady and calm.

I found the smell of him – faint aftershave and sweat – strange but pleasant.

For the first time in years, I wasn’t fighting sleep.

I wasn’t fighting anything at all. I let the weight of David’s presence pull me deeper, into a quiet, safe place I hadn’t known existed.

And, just like that, we drifted into sleep together.

After that night David came to my room every night. Soon he wanted to touch me. I was nearly eighteen, yet I’d had no experience with a man at all. David made me feel special, told me there was nothing to be afraid of, that it was a natural thing to do for ‘people who love each other’.

I lurched between terror and excitement. But I didn’t ask him to stop.

His firm, probing fingers made me catch my breath until pleasure racked through every inch of me. But we didn’t have full sex. ‘Not until you’re eighteen,’ he said. ‘Nobody is going to say I forced you to do anything.’

I’d be turning eighteen the next month.

We took our meals together, watched TV together.

We did everything together. Beth spent all her time with Mrs Webb.

When I asked her to come out for a walk with David and me she shook her head and said she was busy.

I didn’t mind. Beth was happy and I lived in a protected world with David.

So long as I did what he wanted, when he wanted, it kept him happy. And Mr and Mrs Webb left me well alone.

Then, one day, I discovered where his power came from.