Aoife opens the drawer on her bedside locker and takes out her remaining ten euros. She hands it to me, watching me calculate out loud how much I think a taxi will cost. Then she does something I wasn’t expecting. She takes one of her shoes out of the wardrobe and puts her hand into it, pulling the insole out. Aoife removes two fifty-euro notes and hands them to me. I say nothing, looking at her with both disbelief and admiration. A part of me is surprised Aoife is breaking rules, she seems so quiet and obedient, but she is in here so…

I smile at her then grab her and hug her. ‘Wish me luck,’ I say.

‘Be careful.’ She hands me her phone, watching as I gently open the door and leave the room.

The corridor is empty, with just one main overhead light on. There are still people in the TV room; I can see the shadows from the TV dancing on the walls through the glass window. When I reach the lobby, there’s nobody there. The shutter is pulled down over the reception area. I move towards the big blue door. I could have attempted to make my way out through the emergency exit but that would be a lot riskier because the alarm might go off. The smokers are allowed out into a smoking area at the side of the building so this door is usually left open until twelve at night.

I am turning the lock when I hear footsteps behind me. Without turning to see who’s there, I slip out through the gap and close the door behind me. Then I run, down the driveway, out through the big black iron gates and onto the street. My heart is pumping. I look behind but the door is still closed.

The road is busy; normal life is still in full swing. Across from the clinic, a row of cafes and pubs light up the street. The buzz is terrific… on that side of the street.

I’m cold. I couldn’t take my jacket in case Catherine spotted me walking towards the exit. She knows I don’t smoke. I would have had to pretend I was going to the kitchen for some water.