Save Her by Abigail Osborne (i can read books .txt) 📕

I got his dinner wrong. What do you think he’ll do when he finds out I’ve reported him? I don’t want to take that risk. Do you?’

Flora punched the dashboard in frustration. She was just so damn angry and frustrated. ‘We’ll just have to leave tonight.’

Sophie was leaning down, reaching for something in a compartment in the door. Her head swivelled to look at Flora, her face ashen and shocked. ‘Tonight? But I told you I needed time.’

‘Look at you, Sophie. By tomorrow you are going to be black and blue. What sort of person would let their friend go back into a house where they are being beaten up? I can’t stand it.’ She punched the dashboard again. The alcohol stopped her feeling pain so it felt good to let out some of the anger beating a drum in her head. If she opened her mouth wide enough a jet of lava would spew from her. She was ready to erupt with the hatred that was burning within her.

‘You really want to leave. Now?’ Sophie did not look convinced. Flora stared into her eyes, trying to let them confirm the sincerity of her words.

‘Yes. Now.’

Sophie moved her hand away from the syringe, she wouldn’t be needing that anymore.

56

Sophie squeezed Flora’s hand and switched on the car. They would need another car. She knew just where to get one. The plan she had loosely outlined before she had given up hope that Flora would leave with her resurfaced. The neurons in her mind were firing on all cylinders as she tried to rapidly adapt her plans and enhance them. She had to be very careful with her next moves. She thought about discussing it with Flora. But that would just slow her down. No, this was where Sophie’s strengths lay, she was going to outmanoeuvre the Cavendish family this time.

‘Okay, let’s go.’

She drove the car towards Flora’s house on Trelawney Close. The streets were relatively quiet, and she passed few cars. The car was dark except for the intermittent spotlight of a street light. Sophie glanced over at Flora and saw her mouth open, head back, lolling with the gentle turns of the car. The alcohol on Flora’s breath had filled the car when she had first got in, but Sophie hadn’t said anything. It seemed like she had finally fallen into a deep sleep. Judging by the drool on her face, she wouldn’t be awake for a while. Tonight was going better than Sophie could have ever planned. She drove with a smile on her face. For the first time in a long time she no longer had a knot in her chest. Her whole body was relaxed, and she even began to hum gently to herself. Everything was going to work out.

With bated breath, Sophie turned off the car and looked over at Flora. Her head was leaning against the window, each breath fogging up the glass. Her hair covered her face making it impossible to tell if she was awake. After a few minutes, Sophie quietly opened the car door, she had switched off the interior lights so they would not come on when the door opened. Again, she stopped but Flora’s breathing was still even and she did not stir. She leaned over and reached into Flora’s coat pocket, she gently coaxed out her keys, her eyes on Flora the whole time.

Opening the front door, she looked back at the car and could just make out Flora’s slumped body in the passenger’s seat. As soon as she shut the door she was assaulted by the smell of fresh paint. The change in the house was astounding and she marvelled at what a fresh coat of paint could achieve. The house was no longer neglected and depressing. It was vibrant and welcoming. It gave her a momentary pang of sadness. Flora would have been so happy here. It made her anger at the Cavendish family explode. She strode through the house with a sense of purpose, locating the money exactly where they had left it. Hauling it from the hiding place, she turned to leave when she stopped suddenly.

If they were leaving forever, then Flora would get nothing. She would lose her centre and this house would stand empty. Sam might even lay claim to it. Her mind raced with the possibilities of what could happen to this house. Eventually, she looked around and nodded. There was only one thing to do. She pulled out her lighter and looked around her. Now, how to do this… It could not look like Flora had done it, it had to look like arson or an accident. Her mind raced with the possibilities. She needed to think quickly. Who knows when Flora would wake up?

The house was an empty shell due to the renovations. The only thing that had been finished so far was the kitchen. A pile of unopened mail lay on one of the worktops. It was such a pokey kitchen. The paint job had done wonders but there was no getting away from the fact the house was so small. She fingered the cooker and wondered if that was the answer. Pulling out her phone, a quick Google search told her what she needed to do. She pulled out her pack of Marlboros and lit one. It was the same cigarette brand she used to steal from her mother’s purse when she was younger. It was the only link to her past that she had permitted herself.

Inhaling deeply, she felt the smoke unfurling in her body and revelled in the seductive numbing effect as it smothered all her stress and anxiety. Slowly, she put the unfinished cigarette on the side and moved towards the gas hob. The last time she’d used a cooker like this was when she lived with Flora in their student flat. She supposed they would have to get used to cooking their own food again.

Turning the hob, she listened to it clicking