‘Mirabelle?’

I tried to breathe with as little chest movement as possible. She took another step closer and a small cry burst from her lips. She mumbled something about blood. So much blood. She was crying. She was crying for me. My resolve wavered. I reminded myself what she had done to Patrick, Dot and Derek. How she had kidnapped Emma and me. How she would never stop unless someone made her stop.

Something clattered to the floor and I jumped. Keys. She had dropped her keys.

‘Mirabelle? Mirabelle!’

She rushed forward suddenly. I opened my eyes and sat up as she bent over me. Bringing my right hand over her arched back, I stabbed the fountain pen into her left shoulder. She screamed. Her eyes widened and she grabbed at me as I crawled past her. I fell to the floor and she seized my ankle and dragged me backwards as I fought to claw forward. I kicked out and caught her in the face. She roared but released my foot, and I pushed myself up and ran out of the room.

I flew down the stairs and tried the front door, which was locked. I ran into the kitchen. Patrick’s body was gone. The floor was clean too. I opened a drawer, but hands seized me from behind. I cried out as she threw me into the kitchen table. My stomach smashed against wood, and fire exploded in my tummy. I dropped to my knees and began to crawl away, blinded by tears of pain, not knowing which way I was headed.

Mother grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled me to my feet. She yanked my head back, exposing my throat, and smiled down at me. Blood soaked her blouse and the ends of her hair.

‘You conniving girl,’ she spat.

She seized the wrist that I’d bitten and looked at it then threw my hand away and shook her head bitterly.

‘You’re nothing to me any more. I’ve given you chance after chance and now this!’

She yanked out a chair and shoved me onto the wooden seat.

‘Don’t move,’ she said, nostrils flaring.

She opened a drawer and pulled out a knife. Turning around, she glared at me. She sat down opposite me and lunged forward, positioning the knife behind my right ear.

‘What do you do with a broken doll?’ she said, tilting her head. Her eyes looked black. They had taken on that faraway look.

I didn’t move. I stared at the table. Shakes overtook my body; I shook so violently that the table vibrated.

Silent tears ran down her cheeks and she looked at me with something like pity. ‘Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to give you what you’ve always wanted.’

Hope flickered in my chest and I glanced up at her.