‘Not his fault,’ Katherine agrees. ‘But I don’t understand why you’re saying this?’

‘How can you not understand?’ Ellie’s voice rises with incredulity. ‘Life isn’t even, Katherine. Some of us are born to do well, to succeed, while others are destined to fail. You will always fail, Katherine. It’s not your fault, it’s pre-written. There’s too much wrong with you. And Eddie was the same. That’s why I did it, the kindest thing. Because who wants to spend their life failing?’

‘Did what?’ Katherine whispers. But Ellie shows no sign of hearing her.

‘And that’s why I need to see you every day,’ she continues. ‘You are my constant reminder that I did a good thing. That dirty people will always be stained with their imperfection. There was no hope for Eddie, like there’s no hope for you.’

‘Did what?’ Katherine repeats, her voice louder this time.

‘Freed Eddie of course, from his tainted existence. He was in our bedroom, slouching against the wall, ready to inject more of that dirty stuff into his body. He’d already been sick; there was a pile of watery vomit on the carpet. In that one moment, I knew what to do. How to help him. I’d read a leaflet about it, you see, how an air bubble in the syringe can cause a massive stroke. It was so simple.’

Katherine’s mouth goes dry. She blinks under Ellie’s blind stare. ‘You did that?’ she whispers. ‘You injected him with air? You killed him?’

Ellie’s body shivers, an almost imperceptible movement. ‘Not killed him, Katherine. I freed him. Just like you tried to free yourself, but you failed, because of course you would. Eddie was lucky to have me.’

‘You’re not like Becca at all.’ Katherine pushes away, her back against the wall, burrowing into the plaster. ‘You’re a murderer; I need to tell Dr Sharp.’

Ellie smiles, as though she’s won, which doesn’t make sense. ‘Yes, do it. Then I’ll tell her it’s all lies, and she’ll believe me, not you, because you’re desperate and deluded, and she’ll make you stay. And I really want you to stay, Katherine.’

Katherine stares at her friend, a ruthless killer but also beautiful and clever. She’s right; everyone will take her side. Then Katherine thinks about her dad, and the future he’s promised her, and knows that the only way to escape is for Ellie’s secret to become hers too.

December 2021

December 2021

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Kat