The sex wasn’t quick, and when Michael finally finished, he rolled off, stumbled out and slammed the metal door behind him.

I huddled back to my corner, heart pounding, confused, scared, not knowing what to do, say or think. It was cold – I knew that much. Michael hadn’t brought blankets. But it was too scary and dark out there to consider leaving the cottage. And even if I did make it to the house, who knew what Michael would do when he saw me?

I thought of Dee, and wondered what she was doing now. Working, probably. Looking after a bunch of middle graders. Tears came. If she knew her little sister was here, cold and alone in this abandoned cottage, she’d come and get me. I knew she would. She always fixed everything.

When I was little and Mom told me we couldn’t afford this or that, I’d say, ‘Dee Dee will get it for us.’ I thought my big sister, with her paper route and spare cash, had magical powers. She could always fix things my mother couldn’t. But even if Dee came to fetch me, I’d still be trapped. Because the cottage wasn’t the trap. My mind was the trap. That was something I’d have to fix all by myself.

Eventually, I fell asleep.

In the morning, I woke to sunlight and soft knocking at the cottage door.

I sat up tall, heart racing.

‘Lorna?’ It was Michael’s voice, gravelly and deep.

When I didn’t answer, the door flew open and Michael entered the cottage with a red rose in a skinny vase. He wore jeans and a T-shirt and was showered and shaven.

‘Why didn’t you come back into the house?’ Michael asked, eyes full of concern.

‘What?’

‘I told you to wait out here for an hour while I got rid of Diane, then come back inside. Why didn’t you?’

‘You never told me to come back inside. You said to stay out here. That you’d bring me blankets.’

‘I didn’t say that, honey. I said give me an hour to get rid of Diane, then come back in. Remember? I told you to listen for her car leaving.’ He put down the tray and gave me his big eyes. ‘Look, I’m sorry about yesterday. Forgive me. Let’s get back on track.’

‘Last night …’ I began.

‘Yeah, sorry I didn’t come get you,’ said Michael. ‘I thought you’d be sulking so I left you to it. Then I had a few too many drinks and crashed out. Talking to Diane tires me out. She just goes around in circles.’

‘No. You did come out here.’

Michael looked genuinely confused. ‘No, honey, I fell asleep in the house.’

‘You came here,’ I insisted.

‘Sweetheart, you must have been dreaming. Was it a good dream?’

‘No. It was a bad dream. A nightmare, actually. You were just disgusting.’