BooksBarbecue
Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Or maybe,’ Michelle lifted the glass to her lips, ‘there’s some other reason you keep her close.’

Karin looked up sharply, just as they heard a commotion in the hallway. They headed out to see Lydia pressed against the wall. She was sobbing, hands lifted to her face, as she fended off Paul’s attempts to calm her.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Karin. ‘What’s happened?’

Paul stepped back. ‘I don’t know, she’s upset.’

Pressing the wine glass against her cheek, Michelle leaned against the door frame. ‘She looks how I feel.’

Lydia moaned.

‘If she’s upset, we should take her home,’ said Simon.

‘How about we all go home?’ suggested Michelle.

Lydia’s scrawny body, her stick-thin legs, were smothered by the giant parka she wore. Her long, lank hair stuck damply against her wet cheeks. Her tears soaked into the matted faux-fur lining of the parka’s hood. She cringed as if she was scared of being struck.

‘I saw it… We have to help…’

‘What did you see?’ Lydia slid down the wall, pulled her legs to her chest, as Karin kneeled in front of her. ‘Someone get tissues.’

‘We’ve got to help her!’ Lydia gulped down big, juddering breaths, as Paul rushed away. ‘We have to!’

Karin tried to lift Lydia to her feet, her malnourished frame was as light as a feather, but was shoved away – ‘No!’ – and she crashed against a side table, causing a vase of flowers to smash to the floor.

‘What’s wrong with her? Is she on drugs?’

‘Please, Michelle,’ said Karin. ‘You’re not helping.’

Sobbing, Lydia wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

‘I don’t need this madness in my life.’ Michelle took a swig of wine. ‘It’s just not healthy.’

‘Where’s your compassion?’ Paul was returning with paper from the bathroom. ‘Lydia needs our prayers.’

Michelle gave him a withering look. ‘Stuff your bloody prayers. We’ve all had our demons, Paul, but some of us have managed to make something of our lives. Once upon a time you were a gobby little shit, now you’re a self-righteous little shit.’

Paul flapped a hand at her. ‘You’re not very nice.’

She placed her long nails to her chest. ‘I’m truly heartbroken about your opinion of me.’

‘Guys, let’s not fight,’ said Karin.

And then Lydia let out a piercing scream that shocked everybody into silence.

‘You’re not listening to me!’ She looked at each of them in turn – at Karin and Simon, at Paul and Michelle – and her eyes were wide with fear. ‘We have to help her, she needs our help!’

‘Who does, Lydia?’ asked Karin softly.

‘The girl.’ Lydia let out another sobbing gasp. ‘The one who was taken.’

‘Who was taken, Lydia? What’s happened?’

The terrified look on Lydia’s face sent a chill down Karin’s spine.

‘He’s back.’ Her eyes bulged in terror. ‘Jerry’s back!’

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