I kneel down in the dirt and stones, trying to show some concern.

‘I thought I’d lost you,’ he says. ‘I really thought I’d lost you.’

I stroke his hair and pull him in towards me, ensuring we don’t make eye contact. Then I lift the rock from the ground and swing it through the air, bringing it crashing down on the back of his skull.

55

Tom crumples to the ground with the slightest of grunts, and his head hits the floor with a sickening thud. I’d planned to hit him and run, but then again I was expecting him only to be injured and set back a few seconds. I wasn’t expecting him to be completely unconscious, bleeding profusely onto the dirt.

In the silence of the night, I hear the slightest of gurgles escaping his lips and I decide I need to run. Need to call the police. I shove my hand into his jacket pocket and grab my phone. Then I turn on my heels as suddenly as I can, and dart off back in the direction we came from.

I run as fast as my legs can carry me, the bones and joints searing with pain as the sudden strenuous exercise fights against my freezing cold legs. The muscles feel fit to burst, but I push through. I have to. I need to.

As I run, I fumble in my coat pocket for my mobile phone. It’s still switched off from when Tom grabbed me in the car park, and I force my frozen fingers to hold the right buttons to turn it on.

I glance behind me, just to check I’m not being followed, and wait an eternity for my phone to spring to life. When it finally does, I look in the corner of the screen. There’s no signal.

Shit.

I slow down, moving in one direction, desperately willing my phone to pick up a signal from somewhere. I’m focused completely on the screen, clenching my jaw as I wait for one — just one — tiny little bar to appear to let me know I can make a call.

I don’t know how long I move around for, or in which direction, but when that signal finally appears I’m overjoyed.

I tap in 999 and press Call. The call connects almost instantly.

‘Emergency services, which service do you require?’

‘Police. Quickly.’

‘Please hold. Connecting you.’

The next couple of seconds are the longest in my life.

‘Hello, where are you calling from?’ says a new voice.

‘Uh, I don’t know. I’m in the middle of some woods. It’s down a lane outside of town. I don’t know where I am. My ex has kidnapped me and brought me out here. He’s got a knife. He’s trying to kill me. I managed to hit him with a rock and I’ve run away, but I don’t know where I am or where he is.’

‘Okay, we’re going to try and locate your call. Can you see any distinctive features around you?’