‘The key,’ he growled. ‘Put it on the floor.’

Maggie shook her head. ‘No.’

He gripped Max’s neck. ‘Then he’s dead.’

‘Ow,’ Max said. ‘Stop it! You’re hurting.’

Maggie took a step towards them. Her left hand – the one with the talons – lifted.

The man shook his head. ‘Don’t take another step. I’ll break his neck.’

Maggie blinked. Tears came to her eyes. She couldn’t believe she’d got so close, only to fail at the last step. It was going to be even worse now. The man would take Max – that was for sure – and then what? He’d leave her in darkness for days? Weeks? Torture her? He’d have to go to the doctor for his eye – no doubt he’d make up some story about getting mugged – and then he’d take it all out on her.

And she would not be able to avoid his punishment. The bleach was gone. Even that way out was lost to her now.

So close, but all she’d done was make things worse.

‘Put the key in the door,’ the man said. ‘Then go and lie on the mattress, face down, your hands behind your head.’

‘Please,’ Maggie said. ‘Leave Max with me.’

The man laughed. ‘Key in the door.’

So this was it. The same story, yet again. She’d managed more of a fight this time, but Max was gone either way. She could try to attack the man again, but she had no doubt he would snap Max’s neck.

Then, though, there would be nothing stopping her from killing the man.

No. She couldn’t do anything that would harm Max. She had to keep him alive.

‘Key in the door,’ the man said. ‘Then walk slowly to the bed and lie down.’

Maggie turned to the door, the key between her thumb and forefinger. She inserted it into the lock. She’d dreamed of this moment so many times, dreamed of standing by this door, key in her hand and now here she was.

As trapped as she had ever been.

She would lie on the bed and the man would take Max and this would be over.

And she would be alone. She paused.

She looked at the man. She looked at Max.

She had to try. If she didn’t Max was dead anyway. She had no choice. She had to leave him.

She had to leave him with the man.

She stared at him, drank in the beauty of her son, maybe for the last time.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘But don’t worry. I’ll be back for you.’

It was the hardest thing she had ever done. She unlocked the door and walked through it.

James