I wasn’t sure what time it was. There was no way to tell. I thought maybe I could see some light under the crack in the door, but it could have simply been that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness just a little. I knew I’d slept, or dozed at some stage. I knew it because I dreamed that I’d been able to find my way out and run away. Dreamed that I’d been sitting beside Paul and telling him how scared I was but that at least now it was over.

Horror washed over me when I woke, still in this storeroom, my clothes now damp with sweat, blood and God knows whatever else that was lying on the floor. I desperately needed to use the toilet – was determined not to go where I was. I knew it was a silly logic, but it was the one way I felt I could keep control of the situation. But as the hours passed and there was no sign of Michael and the door remained steadfast no matter how many times I’d rammed my shoulder against it, or kicked it, I’d had no choice. I had to pee in the small space where I stood, barely four foot by four foot wide. That was when I truly started feeling all my hope ebbing away.

My heartbeat had settled, though. The adrenaline had stopped pumping in shocking surges through my veins. Exhaustion forced me to sit, to focus on breathing. I was hungry. I was so thirsty I could cry, but in these moments I wasn’t in any immediate threat.

The lull allowed me to gather my thoughts. If I could disarm him. If I could plead to his good nature. Surely it couldn’t all have been a lie? But then again, he’d lied to Clare. If I could talk to him, reason with him, find out why. Wasn’t that what they said to do, get someone who’s threatening to hurt you to talk to you, to start to see your humanity …? Then again, I’d already shown Michael all of me.

The sound of something rattling, then the heavy thud of footsteps on tiles, awoke both my senses and my fear. I could hear someone approach, someone who was walking purposefully, as if they knew where they were going and why. The creak of a door, followed by the sound of the footsteps coming even closer, forced me to try to curl myself into as tight a ball as possible in the darkest corner of the storeroom. It was a foolish and futile attempt to hide, but it was all I had.

‘Morning, sunshine. It’s another beautiful day!’

I heard his voice through the door as he scraped the furniture back. The door opened and I didn’t turn my head to look at him. I couldn’t bear to see him.