‘You see, bad things happen to bad girls, Izzy. You know what will happen to you if you tell lies don’t you?’ Tasha sat, staring ahead, saying nothing.
‘I’ll ask you again; do you love me?’
With tears in her eyes, Tasha answered in a monotone voice. ‘Yes Arnie.’
‘Are you sure that’s the truth Izzy?’
‘Yes Arnie.’
Arnold stared at her, playing with the large knife in his hands. Tasha watched in horror as his fingers bled; he was seemingly unaware of the multiple cuts to them. ‘Good, that’s settled then. Maybe later we can play a game. You like games, don’t you Izzy?’
Tasha said nothing. If she was to have any hope of getting out alive, she knew she had to play along with him. Pretend she was Izzy. She forced a smile.
‘There, that’s better. Smiling always makes you feel better.’
A moment later Arnie got up, pulling a key out of his pocket. He locked the back door, double-checked it, then walked out of the room. Tasha found herself getting up from the chair and quietly stepping along the highly polished wooden floor to see exactly what Arnie was doing. Through the crack in the door, she could see him standing on a stool, stretching up to the top of the tall side cabinet filled with glass ornaments. The key. It was there he kept the key.
Tasha’s hands were still tied in front of her as she sat on the chair in the darkened parlour. She was sure it was almost early morning, as she could see a shaft of sunlight coming through the wooden shutters, shedding light into the room. The whole house was unsettling, feeling as if it had been frozen in time. Tasha shuddered, not only cold from being clad only in the thin blue satin dress, but also chilled from the idea that any child had been brought up in such a massive, eerie house.
Arnie had told her not to move. Just to sit in the room and wait.
‘You know what happens to girls that move?’
Tasha didn’t, but she didn’t ask either. She didn’t know how long Arnie would be upstairs for. A minute? Ten? An hour? But maybe it would be her only chance. Terrified, Tash stood up from her chair and tiptoed into the next room.
She pulled up the stool and stood on it, but even standing on her tiptoes she couldn’t manage to reach the top of the cabinet. Her hands being tied made it even more difficult. She needed something to help.
The broom stood in the corner of the room and Tasha glimpsed round nervously before grabbing it. The minute she pulled it she sent a dozen cleaning products scattering loudly all over the tiled floor, the clatter of the metal tins resonating in the echoey kitchen. She ran with the broom at the same time as Arnie began to run from the attic.
Tasha used the broom to swipe the key off the top but the angle of it made it impossible to get. She noticed that the cabinet wasn’t secured on the wall. Maybe if she tipped it a bit, the key might fall towards her.
Her finger tips managed to grasp the lip of the cabinet, she pulled it and the key fell on to the floor. Jumping off the chair she heard Arnie come down the stairs. Quickly, she shoved the key in the inside of her bra.
‘Izzy, where are you?’ In the parlour, Tasha was too afraid to answer. How would she explain herself? How would she explain that she’d moved from where he told her to stay, and the things all over the floor?
Tasha could hear Arnie coming along the corridor. She was too terrified to turn around and look at him, but the words blurted out. ‘You caught me.’
‘I did Izzy, and now you need to tell me exactly what I caught you doing?’
‘It’s your turn now, Arnie.’
‘For what?’
‘I was playing hide and seek. I heard you come in and I thought it might be fun, but you caught me.’
The room was silent whilst Arnold contemplated what Tasha had said. His gut was telling him she was telling lies, playing games with his mind as she always did. Something in her words and her breathing was letting him know she wasn’t really playing hide and seek, but when she turned round her eyes were big and pleading. Urging him to believe her. Urging him to keep her safe, the way she’d done when Pappy used to come and take her from her room in the middle of the night.
‘Sing me a song Arnie. The one I like.’ Arnold bristled. He turned away, picking up the things on the floor. ‘Not now. Perhaps later.’
Arnold walked to the stool and moved it back to its original place, glancing suspiciously over at Tasha who was standing perfectly still. Part of her wanted to leap at him now and take her chances by attacking him with the broom, but she knew she had to bide her time. It wouldn’t take much for Arnie to physically overpower her, then all would be lost. She had to make him trust her. She needed to make him think she was Izzy.
‘I don’t like mess Izzy, you know that.’
‘Yes Arnie, I’m sorry.’ Arnold snorted to himself, not feeling as cheery as he had done.
Tasha’s fear had made its way into her mouth and she could taste the dry stickiness of her lips. She was holding her breath and she wasn’t sure if she could let it go or not.
‘I’d like to go for a walk, Arnie. Can we go for a walk? Take me up to the river.’
‘Can’t this thing go any faster, Ed?’ Linda dug Eddie in his side.
‘What? You mean can’t I go faster than a hundred and forty miles per hour in a top of the range Porsche on a country road?’
Linda smiled. Even though her stomach was twisting over and all her thoughts were on Tash, she was comforted slightly by the fact she was with Eddie.
‘Have you got a signal yet?’
‘No. Anyway, Freddie didn’t sound keen to help. Looks like we’re on our own.’
‘The turning should be coming up in a minute.’ As Eddie spoke, he saw three police helicopters in the sky. ‘Shit.’
Linda put her hand on his knee. ‘They’re not looking for you Ed.’
‘Not yet anyway.’
‘Probably looking for some poor bastard who thought going for a walk was a good idea before getting lost.’
Eddie tried to smile. Police at the best of times made him uncomfortable; police in helicopters flying overhead made him downright nervous.
Arnie walked slightly behind Tasha. He looked down at his hands, wondering how the dried blood had got on to his hands and arms. ‘Can we play hide and seek, Arnie?’
‘What, out here?’
‘Yes it’ll be fun. You count first and I’ll hide.’
Arnie looked unsure. ‘I don’t know, Izzy.’
‘Please Arnie. Don’t you want to make me happy?’
‘You know I do, but how do I know you won’t run away and leave me?’
Tasha stepped towards him. ‘Because I love you, Arnold.’
They held each other’s stare, both feeling the wind getting up and the shower of the summer rains.
‘18, 19, 20. Coming, ready or not.’
With Arnie looking the other way from behind the tree, Tasha pulled the key out of her bra. Her hands tied in front of her made it hard for her to manoeuvre properly. She was shaking as she watched Arnie coming towards her hiding place.
‘I can smell you Izzy. I know I’m hot.’
Tasha covered her mouth to stop the cry coming out. Her breathing coming in short gasps. She could see the manic look on Arnie’s face, his eyes wild and dancing.
‘Izzy, I know you’re there!’
Crawling on her hands and knees on the moss, Tasha began to make her way up the hill. Her knee snapped a branch underneath her and immediately she heard Arnie shouting.
‘Ah ha! You’re over there. I knew I was hot. I knew it.’
Tasha began to scramble up faster but found her feet were slipping. She could hear Arnie rushing towards her. Any moment now he would see her. Standing upright, she began to run, but taking a backwards glance over her shoulder she saw Arnie laughing, only a few feet away.
‘Give me a kiss Izzy; tell me that you love me Izzy. Tell me Izzy, tell me.’
A large tree stood in front of Tasha. Picking up speed, she ran to it. She felt the bark scratch her skin as she leant against the trunk, then her blood ran cold as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She screamed and ran round the large tree, but to her horror Arnie’s face craned round the trunk, laughing hysterically. Taking a deep breath, Tasha pushed herself against the bark and braced herself. As Arnold came parallel to the tree, she jumped out, thrusting the key into Arnie’s eye with her bound hands. He staggered back, screaming, holding his face as blood spurted everywhere.
‘Izzy!’
Tasha ran as fast as she could up the winding path and along to the top of the hill to where the river ran. She could hear helicopters flying overhead. She tried to get their attention, jumping up and down, but was unsure whether they could see her or not. The wind was blowing much harder up here and she could see the torrents of water hitting the side of the verge.
The rain began to get harder, soaking her blue dress and making it cling to her skin. Trying to hurry was impossible; the mud kept making her slip and her tied hands made it hard for her to keep her balance. She couldn’t hear the helicopters any more; the raging sound of the water rushing past was so loud it prevented her from hearing anything else.
She was exhausted. Tasha turned round for the first time to see how far along she’d gone and immediately slipped in terror when she saw, not three feet away, Arnold, covered in blood. He grinned manically, waving as he shouted above the noise of the water. ‘Hello Isabel, you’re being very silly. Give me your hand and this can all be over with.’
Tasha scrambled faster along the water’s edge, slipping and sliding in the mud as she went. She wanted to look behind her but was too afraid. Something touched her leg and she shrieked and turned automatically; it was only a stick but it gave her the opportunity to see that Arnold was still there, still smiling, close behind her.
Up ahead she saw a wall blocking her way; the only way round it would be if she climbed down the verge and along, then up to the stone pathway. It looked almost impossible but rather that than face the prospect of Arnie catching her.
The rain was still streaming into Tasha’s face. She glanced round and saw a different expression on Arnold’s face. A look of horror, maybe even panic. He was mouthing to her but she couldn’t hear what he was saying from the pounding of the water.
Arnie watched in terror. From where he was he could see the bad man at the top of the hill. He’d found them. He needed to warn Izzy, but she was pushing ahead. He could see the man waving. He had to stop him hurting Izzy. Arnie called out to her but she still wasn’t stopping.
When Izzy was at the wall, he was certain she’d stop, but he watched her clambering down and his head started to whirl as she tried to cling on to the side. In her attempt to try to get away from the bad man, she was going to fall.
‘Stop there Izzy. Please don’t go any further,’ he pleaded, but she wasn’t listening and continued to climb down, precariously close to the surging river. Arnold stood up as best he could, trying to hold his balance. ‘Isobel! Stop!’ It was no use.
Edging forward, Arnold saw Tasha was stuck on the bottom ledge, attempting to move along with her hands tied and her foot slipping. He stretched out his hand for her to take it.
He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t taking it. She could hold on to him and be safe. ‘Take my hand Izzy. I’ll save you.’
Tasha looked directly into Arnie’s eyes, then at his hand. She looked at the raging river below. A second later, she jumped.
‘NO!’ Without a moment’s hesitation, Arnie jumped into the water after her.
‘Oh Christ. Jump in!’ Linda yelled at Eddie as she watched the drama unfold in front of her.
‘Me?’ Eddie looked at the fast-flowing river, not rating his chances. Out of the corner of his eye he saw at least half a dozen police officers running up the hill. Rather the water than the coppers. He looked at Linda and gave her a resigned look. ‘On second thoughts, I’m going in.’
The water smashed over the top of Tasha’s head. Gasping, she tried to pull herself up above the water, but the undercurrent was dragging her down. She tried to get her breath, but the water overwhelmed her and caused her to swallow great quantities of it. She went under again, rolling over in the surge of water and attempted to twist her hands out of the rope, but it was too tight. Panic was beginning to take over as Tasha felt herself weakening. Her body was exhausted and she could feel the fight draining from her as she was sucked deeper and deeper into the billowing waters.
Suddenly she felt something around her neck. It was an arm. Arnie’s. He was pulling her up, screaming words above the noise of the water. ‘I’ve got you, Izzy,’ he was spluttering as he spoke, trying to keep them both up as the flood carried them along. She screamed and struggled, trying to break away. Rather the water than Arnie. Kicking out, Tasha’s head went back under the water and this time she tried to open her eyes as it began to fill her lungs. The tightness in her chest felt as if it were going to explode and the crushing weight of her airless body made her want to scream out in pain. Her head began to feel heavy as she started to black out, sinking down to the bottom of the river.
As she sank down, through her haze, Tasha felt Arnie release his tight grip. She knew this was her chance. It gave her a surge of energy, allowing her to find the last bit of strength to kick up to the surface of the water. As she fought to get her breath, she saw Eddie pushing Arnie’s head below the raging river. She watched, terrified, as they struggled, thrashing arms everywhere, dipping in and out of sight as the water rushed over their heads. Then both Arnold and Eddie disappeared beneath the bubbling river.
Tasha sat shivering, wrapped in a blanket next to a shaking Eddie, and a relieved-looking Linda who was holding Eddie’s hand. Tasha managed to smile to herself as the police tried to take Eddie’s name. ‘It’s Brown. John Brown. From Scotland.’
‘You don’t sound Scottish, sir.’
‘No? First person who’s ever said that to me mate. Maybe you ain’t got the ear for accents.’
Tasha leaned over to Eddie and gave him a kiss on the cheek. ‘Hey, John Brown, that’s the second time you’ve saved me life.’
Another police officer came in and spoke to Tasha.
‘I thought you’d like to know we’re going to call off the search, or at least a search and rescue. The divers have informed us they’re doing a search and find; looking for a dead body. We’re so near the river mouth, in all likelihood he’ll probably have been swept out to sea. The river’s been torrential because of the floods.’