Panic grabs hold of me, twisting my stomach into a tight, hard ball. I fumble at the ties around Ryan’s wrists, snagging my nail. Blood trickles down my thumb but I don’t stop, working the knots free.

Hurry.

‘Ryan? Are you okay?’

The rope loosens.

Thank God.

Hurry.

Chapter Seventy-Five

Ryan

Once more Ryan hears her voice and the sound of it causes his teeth to press together painfully. His whole body rigid.

Before, when he’d heard her, she was just… normal. Now she is anything but.

Oh God. He should never have got in her car.

He should never have got into Lucy’s car.

Chapter Seventy-Six

Aidan

Aidan runs through the twisty corridors of the old hospital. The hospital Lucy had spent much of her career working in.

‘Lucy?’ he shouts. ‘Lucy?’

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Ryan

Ryan hears another voice again. As much as he wants to warn Aidan to run, to save himself, it’s impossible.

It’s too late for both of them.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Lucy

Ryan stiffens when he hears Aidan call my name. He’s awake, this I know not only from his muscles, but from his laboured breath. From the sweat that trickles down his forehead, his hair damp against his scalp. I didn’t mean to scare him, really I didn’t. It crosses my mind that I should give him something to help him relax. Sleep. But I don’t.

I hadn’t meant to take him.

I’d gone to lie down after bringing Kieron home from hospital after his terrifying bout of sepsis and had fallen asleep. I’d woken up at 8.30. Both Connor and Kieron were asleep. Aidan was nowhere to be seen. I’d missed dinner, hadn’t wanted chips when everyone had eaten, but my stomach had growled and I’d slipped out of the house to pick up a ready meal from the garage.

Ryan wasn’t far from our house, saturated in the pelting rain.

‘Do you want a lift?’ I shouted from the window.

‘I was coming to see Kieron. Is it too late?’

‘It is a bit. He’s asleep, I’m afraid. I’ll drop you home.’

He got into the car, dripping wet and, I swear to God it was like the streak of lightning that lit up the sky. An epiphany, you might say. I knew exactly what I had to do.

I pretended the car had a flat tyre and when he got out I injected him with something to make him sleep – I still carry medical supplies in my car. He was heavy to move, but I got him back into the car and then outside here there was a trolley which made moving him a little easier. Once we were inside, I ordered what I needed from the black market. I’ve had a notification that it’s been delivered.

It’s almost time.

Aidan is nearly here.

And then we can begin.