I traced the maze as far as it
went; it stopped a few inches past my wrist. I wondered how long it would
take to cover me. What would it feel like when it reached my brain? My
heart? I laughed, imagining that it would probably tickle, then I went in
search of clean clothes.
The light on my phone’s message bank flashed as I passed it. I pressed
the button and listened to the message as I dressed. Lucky’s voice was
distorted by the machine but still recognisable.
“Hey, Jo. It’s me. I wanted to check that everything was okay. With
you… with Ruby… with the house… if you need me, I can— ”
Irritated, I pressed the button to delete the message. Lucky had no
business butting into our lives. We were fine, Ruby and Shreya and I. We
didn’t need him messing anything up.
I plaited my hair then returned to the kitchen. Raul’s blood had dried onthe side of the fridge and the tile floor. I boiled the kettle and found some
bleach then resigned my sore muscles to another few hours of work.
The blood came up without too much resistance. It left some light stains
on the grouting, but that didn’t bother me. I followed the drips down the hall,
out the front door, and scrubbed them off my driveway, too. I found Ruby’s
doll, which Raul had taken, partway down the hallway. A drop of blood
marred its face. I washed it off with a damp cloth, being careful not to
damage the painted features, then sat it back on the windowsill.
By the time I tipped the last bucket of water down the sink, it was nearly
dinnertime. I returned downstairs to find my phone ringing. I answered it and
set it on speakerphone while I pulled food out of the cupboards.
“Hello?”
“Jo, it’s Lucky. Didn’t you get my message?”
“I did. Just didn’t feel like returning it.”
His tone turned frosty. “Seriously? I’ve been worried. I kept thinking
something had happened—”
“Plenty of stuff has happened.” I laid pieces of bread on a plate and began
spreading peanut butter over them. “ Just nothing you need to bother about.”
The phone was silent for a few moments, and I hoped he might have
actually hung up. Then he said, “Jo, you sound strange. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“Blink twice if you’re being held hostage.”
I might have laughed at that joke once. But that afternoon, with my
muscles sore and my stomach empty, it just annoyed me. “Look, I’ve got a
lot of work to do. I’ll call you if there’s anything I think you can help with.
But I’m not expecting there will be.”
“Jo, seriously, you’re starting to worry—”
I ended the call. I couldn’t stand hearing his self-righteous voice any
longer. He was just as bad as his mother; they wanted to gloat from a
distance, mock me, and laugh about how much better they were than weird,
stupid Jo. Well, I wouldn’t give them any more opportunities. If Lucky tried
to visit, I would lock my door.
The sandwich didn’t taste right. I’d nearly finished it by the time I
realised I’d spread tomato sauce over it instead of strawberry jam. It would
take too much effort to make a new one, so I finished it and threw the plate
into the dishwasher. There was one more thing I needed to do that evening. I plucked Raul’skeys off the kitchen bench, donned my jacket, stuffed a towel into my pocket,
and stepped outside.
Twilight had fallen, which would help mask my presence. I walked up
our street, peering into driveways and connecting roads. Almost no one was
outside. Those who were didn’t look at me. It was peaceful.
I found Raul’s red sports car parked a block away under a thick oak tree. I
unlocked it and slid inside. The plush leather seat tried to embrace me. The
sensation was repulsive, but I repressed my shudder and closed the door
before starting the engine.
The drive to the nearest beach took more than an hour. It was a scenic
route. Except for the distasteful feel of the leather, I enjoyed the ride. I parked
in a lot overlooking the beach.
The storm wasn’t far from breaking. Spits of water hit my face as I
stepped out of the car, and the salty wind whipped my hair around my face. A
handful of other vehicles were scattered around, their families braving the
weather for a final afternoon at the beach before winter made it intolerable,
but no one was nearby.