Or was she?
It’s your flat! Your food! Not hers.
What was she going to do? Where was she going to go? And what if Sarah wasn’t at Pet’s Corner?
Chris had knifed her manager, had crumbled rat poison into the food John had taken.
Anna froze.
The rat poison.
It would be ironic.
She had to make a decision before it was too late.
“What if I’m wrong?”
Oreo rolled onto his back and stretched. Anna patted his belly.
If she was wrong, an innocent woman would die.
Better her than you.
Like Bob had said: We need to survive. And what we have to do in order to survive has changed since the EMP.
Anna opened the bedroom door, tilted her head and listened. The flat was quiet. She shuffled into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, her heart pounding in her ears.
“Good morning, Anna,” Tom said with a cheerful smile plastered across his face as if trying to defuse the tension before it could build. He sat next to Chris who was reading one of Anna’s many crime thrillers, her bare feet resting on a chair.
Chris didn’t look up. Her eyes were red and swollen. She looked like she’d been crying.
Anna swallowed.
What if I’m wrong?
“Morning,” Anna replied.
“May I take your laptop apart?”
“My laptop?”
“I’m trying to figure out why some electronics have survived the EMP while others are toast.”
Anna thought of all the photos of her mum and sister she had on there. “I—” She scratched her temple. It took everything she had to calmly lean against the kitchen counter. Her mind was screaming at her to get out. She swallowed and tried to keep her voice from shaking. “Can you save my photos?”
“I can remove the hard drive,” Tom said. “I can’t access it without a working laptop, but who knows…”
“Sure. Go ahead.” Anna shook an almost empty Tupperware container. “I’m going to make new oatmeal bars for us.”
The time to act had come.
Goosebumps covered her arms, and she rubbed her hands together. Anna stuck her head into the dining room, waiting for Chris to meet her eyes. “Dried fruit for you, right? I’ll make mine with nuts instead.”
Chris shrugged. “That’s kind of you, but I can make my own later.”
Anna forced a smile. “No worries. It’s no trouble to make them all at the same time.” Anna rolled up her sleeves and got out two bowls from the cupboard above her stove. “Tom? Do you want nuts in yours or something else?”
“Nuts, please.”
Making sure she wasn’t visible where she stood, Anna retrieved the box of rat poison from the cupboard underneath her sink and crumbled it into the bowl with oats. She whistled to distract herself, drizzling honey into the mixture with trembling hands.
“Do you need help?”
Anna’s heart was in her throat as she turned around.
It was Chris.
“No. I’m fine.” She forced a thin-lipped smile, hiding the rat poison with her body.
Chris smiled but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m sorry…about everything. I’m—”
“It’s okay,” Anna said, the blood rushing in her ears as she held onto the kitchen counter with one hand.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
Anna nodded, not trusting her voice not to shake.
What if I’m wrong?
Chris left the kitchen, and Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly placed the box back into the cupboard.
Almost.
She spread the mixture on an oiled tray and flattened it with a spatula before setting it aside so it could set.
Tom was tinkering with her laptop.
She had to make sure he wouldn’t touch the poisoned food. “This slab is made with dried fruit,” Anna said, and he laughed.
“Thank you for the warning.”
She needed to stay calm. To focus.
She couldn’t let fear overwhelm her.
Without her fridge, it would take a few hours for the mixture to set. She’d cut it into bars and give them all to Chris. She’d promise to trust her again.
And then she’d wait.
Taking a deep breath, Anna set out to prepare a second batch with nuts for herself and Tom.
It was late in the afternoon and the sky was beginning to change colour to a darker blue when Tom entered the kitchen. Anna was cleaning.
“I was just wondering if—” His eyes fell onto the open cupboard where the box of rat poison sat on the uppermost shelf. He paled. “Why is that box open?”
“What box?”
“The rat poison. Mum put it away after…after that soldier…what are you doing?”
Anna swallowed. He was just a child. She couldn’t do this to him.
What have I done!
She resisted the urge to run to Chris, grab the Tupperware and throw it into the bin.
It’s too late.
She had to remain calm.
Trust your instinct. You can do this.
“Anna. You can’t…” Tom’s voice cracked. “You want us to go? We’ll go. I have an uncle in Waltham Abbey. I can take her there, but please don’t hurt her.”
“I don’t know what else to do,” Anna whispered. “What if she comes back? How can I ever feel safe? You said yourself that she’s dangerous.”
“I’ll make sure she doesn’t come back. Please.” Tom darted forward and grabbed the rat poison.
Anna held him by his elbow, but he pulled back. Poison pellets spilled over the counter. “Tom—”
“What is going on in here?” Chris’s voice cut through the tension in the air, and her eyes flicked from the box to her son’s face and back to the box.
Rage transformed her features into an ugly grimace.
Anna took a step back, retrieved the pepper spray from her pocket and unloaded the can in Chris’ face.
Tears poured down Chris’ cheeks and she shrieked, one arm across her eyes, the other blindly reaching for Anna.
Anna shoved Chris away. “Get out of my home.”
Chris’ nails scratched Anna’s hands and face as she grabbed her hair, pulling hard. Anna staggered, and Chris wrapped her arms around her waist, locking her in an iron grip. “Tom.”
Tom stood frozen in place. His eyes widened with panic.
Anna forcefully kicked Chris in the shin, but the woman didn’t let go. She was trapped. Chris was stronger than her. Tom was her only chance. “Tom! She told your dad that she wished he would—”
Chris let go and screamed, throwing her entire weight at Anna. Anna swiftly stepped to the side and Chris hurtled into the kitchen door. The cheap wood splintered, and Anna grabbed Chris’s shoulders, wrestling her to the ground. Her anger spiked, and she dug her knee into Chris’ chest, pressing her head into the floor with her hand.
Chris wheezed. “Tom!”
Anna gasped for air. “Stop struggling.”
“I’m sorry,” Tom whispered. Strong hands wrapped around Anna’s neck from behind.
The edges of her vision blurred. Anna flailed and kicked, her foot connecting with something hard, but Tom’s grip tightened.
She gasped for air.
Oreo barked, but Anna knew he wouldn’t bite.
Her world went dark.
17
A high-pitched ringing sound cut through her peaceful dreams. Anna winced, her head pounding. Blood rushing in her ears. She opened one eye and bright daylight blinded her.
Unable to orientate herself, she groaned. Her throat ached as if—
Somebody had tried strangling her. “Wh—”
She couldn’t move her tongue. Saliva trickled from her mouth down her chin. She tried to wipe her mouth, but her limbs wouldn’t obey. Her head felt like it had doubled in size. Pulsating. Buzzing. Pounding behind her right eye.
Where am I?
Her dining room. She was sitting—
She was tied to a chair.
Something sharp dug into her wrists. The flesh rubbed raw. Burning.
Anna opened her mouth again and almost choked on fabric. A tea towel?
Somebody had gagged her.
She wiggled her hands, but the bonds were too tight. The more she moved, the deeper they dug into her wrists. She tried to stand, but they’d bound her ankles too. Her skin burned as if on fire.
Chris’ voice cut through the haze. “You’re finally awake.”
Anna frowned, narrowing her eyes.
“My son begged me not to kill you.” Chris stood in the doorway to the kitchen holding Anna’s biggest knife in her hand. The only weapon in her flat, save for the last can of pepper spray.
Chris came into focus as she stepped into the dining room. A black bruise had formed under her eye from where she’d slammed into the kitchen door. It was still spreading. The expression on her face morphed from serious to menacing as she moved towards Anna.
Towering above her, Chris held the carving knife to Anna’s throat.
Anna gagged. Coughed. Unable to breathe, panic flooded her.
She’s going to kill me.
Chris removed the gag from Anna’s mouth and took a step back.
“Where’s—” Anna coughed. Spat. “Where’s Oreo?”
“In your bedroom.” Chris smiled. It distorted her face. Perhaps she thought it made her look kinder, but it was an ugly smile. “I would never hurt your dog, but I was worried he might try and bite. You never know, seeing you tied up like that.”
Anna stared at Chris. The edges of her vision were still blurred as the headache continued to build behind her right eye. She had nothing to lose. “Did you kill my sister?” She struggled not to slur the words, and her stomach twisted at the thought.
“No,” Chris said. “I didn’t. She left. After a brief…struggle.”
I wasn’t wrong. Sarah was here.
Relief washed over Anna. She’d poisoned—
Fog filled her mind, distorting her memories.
Focus.
She’d poisoned the oatmeal bars. She’d put the Tupperware container down next to Chris. Had smiled. Apologised. Had waited for her to take a bar before hiding in her room.
She hadn’t wanted to watch.
How long would it take for the poison to take effect? How much would she have to eat for it to work?
Chris drifted in and out of focus and Anna felt nauseous. What if Chris died while she was tied to this chair?
Would Tom help her? Or would he walk away and leave her to starve?
A whimper escaped Anna’s mouth. “Sarah left? Did she say where she was going?”
“I didn’t ask.” Chris shrugged. “I told her that you’d gone to Colchester and that you’d left the flat to me. It took a while, but she finally believed me.”
Anna’s gaze drifted to Tom. He stood next to his mother with his hands jammed into his trouser pockets. “Tom? Why did you…”
Tom didn’t reply, couldn’t meet her eyes.
“Did you really think you could turn my own son against me?” Chris placed a hand on her hip, pursing her lips. “The position you put me in, Anna…why would you do that? Now I have to kill you. You’ve left me no choice.”
Tom gasped. “Mum! You promised you wouldn’t hurt her!”
Chris ignored him. “If I throw you out, you might bring your mates or a few soldiers. Try and take back what you think is yours. I’m not prepared to risk my son’s life. Not after you planned to poison me.”
“I wouldn’t—”
“You planned on killing me, Anna. You pretended to be kind and welcoming. You pretended to be my friend.” She scoffed. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the open box of poison. Who would do something like that?”
Tom’s eyes swam with tears.
You planned to poison me. Chris didn’t know it had already happened. She didn’t know the oatmeal bars had been—
“You’re upsetting your son,” Anna whispered.
Chris’ stare hardened. “How dare you talk about my son. You were going to murder me—his mother. How sick is that?”
“I had to—”
“You had to?”
Anna swallowed. She’d had to, hadn’t she? “You’re scared of me? I’m terrified of you. I didn’t feel safe in my own home. Even Tom thinks you killed his—”
“I did not.” Fury flashed in her eyes. “I didn’t hurt Lester.”
“You admitted to poisoning Jo—”
“To protect us!”
Anna lifted her chin defiantly. “To protect yourself and your son. You’ve proved your willingness to kill anyone standing in your way. What if that’s me one day? Do I just wait? What would you have done in my situation, Chris?”
“You told me to act,” Chris said softly.
“I told you to act, and that’s what I did as well. I want to survive, Chris.”
Chris raised the knife. “Don’t we all?”
Anna flinched. She had to buy herself time.
Somehow.
Until the poison began to work.
She cried, “Please don’t kill me.” Thoughts were swirling around her head. She needed more time. Perhaps if she apologised? Begged? Asked Chris to untie her so she could stroke Oreo one last time?
“You’ve left me no choice,” Chris repeated.
“Mum?”
“I’m sorry, Tom, but she’s dangerous. You have to trust me.”
Anna sniffled. “If I could just—”
“Shut up,” Chris barked.
Tom sobbed. “Mum—”
The blade of the carving knife sparkled in the pale sunlight. “Everyone shut up. Now. I need to think.”
Anna closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks. She bit her lip and waited.
Let it be quick. Please let it be quick.
A knife to the throat had to be better than being burned alive or shot in the back by a rogue soldier. Her breathing quickened as she braced herself for the cold steel against her skin.
A faint sound caught her attention. She tilted her head and listened. Oreo’s paws scampered across her bedroom floor.
She knew that sound. He was spinning around.
Somebody was in the stairwell and Oreo knew whoever it was.
It had to be Sarah.
Adrenaline spiked in her stomach. She had to distract Chris. She had to make sure the woman wouldn’t notice the noise. “I’m truly sorry,” she said loudly.
Tom cocked his head. Anna stiffened. Had he noticed Oreo moving about?
She had to distract them both.
Chris tightened her grip on the carving knife to keep it from shaking in her hand. The pounding of her heart was seemingly the only sound in the flat. Considering her options, she watched the blood drain from her knuckles.
How had this gone so wrong? What was she doing? The woman in front of her had been nothing but kind to her. Both Mike and John had been attacking her son. Attacking her. Weapon in hand.
It was kill or be killed.
But this was different. Anna was afraid. Tied to a chair.
Could Chris do this? Could she do what needed to be done?
This woman in front of her had planned to kill her.
Anna struggled, pulling on her ties, rocking the chair back and forth. Tom sat down at the dining table and buried his head in his hands.
Anna had turned out to be a lot stronger than she looked, and Chris had needed Tom’s help to knock her out. But he’d stood motionless at first. Had watched Anna wrestle Chris to the ground. Had watched her knee digging into Chris’ chest.
He’d only come to her aid at the last second.
Had he been afraid? Or had he briefly considered helping Anna?
No. Tom was her son. She could trust him.
What was she going to do now?
Anna was at her mercy.
And she
had no other option but to kill her.
She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to give her son another reason to hate her. You promised not to kill her. She felt a pang of guilt thinking of Tom’s words. The look he’d given her. As if she was a monster.
You are a monster.
Was she?
Chris bit back a sob.
If she let Anna go, they’d have no place to stay. They’d have to leave and—
There was no more food left. The soldiers packing the crates at the warehouse had all but admitted that the government had run out of supplies. Then John had confirmed it.
If she and Tom left Anna’s flat, they’d have nothing. She wasn’t going to give up their meagre supplies. She’d fought so hard for them. Had killed John and got rid of Sarah for them.
Anna was the only thing standing between them and survival.
Tom gave her a pleading look. “Mum? Can’t we move into one of the downstairs flats?”
“Oh, sweetie…” Chris’ voice trailed off as she studied Anna’s face. It wasn’t about the space. This flat. Their old home. None of it mattered.
What mattered were their supplies.
And that she could keep Tom safe.
Anna’s eyes lit up at Tom’s suggestion, but Chris shook her head. “I wish we could, but we’ve both admitted to not trusting each other. Anna was prepared to poison us. How could we ever live in the same building and feel safe?” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Remember how I told you I’d have to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks? And that I need you to trust me?”
Tom nodded.
I’m sorry, but Anna has left. Sarah’s gaze had stared right into her soul as if she were seeking the truth within Chris. She’d craned her neck, trying to peer past her and into the flat.
Perhaps she was a monster.
But after John had taken half the food, she hadn’t seen any other way. She wiped her brow with the back of her hand.
If surviving meant turning into a monster, then that was what she’d do.
Her chest tightened. She’d never wished for anything like this to happen.
You enjoy—
No.
She didn’t.
The cat. Its bulging eyes. The surge of power coursing through her veins as her knife had slid into Mike’s stomach.
Darkness Ahead of Us | Book 1 | Darkness Within Page 15
