I heard the car horn and grabbed my bag and a few seconds later I sat alongside Jane, in our taxi, on our way. “Nervous?” “Very!” “Don’t worry, Chrissy, it will be fine. I will be there.” I knew she would be, and that was a comfort, but I still wasn’t too sure what awaited me. When I met Jane for that Sunday afternoon drink, I was initially embarrassed to see her again, but she soon put me at ease. We chatted away, and it...

Late in the evening, my steps echoing on the footway were the only sound. I peered in front carefully, fearful of tripping on a raised slab. Passing along a row of parked cars on my right and a line of terraced houses on my left, I glanced at the sky, where a few bright stars pierced the town's scattered light, and it was this singular movement that allowed me to catch a flickering on the edge of my field of vision. I pau...

Jake timed it so that he knocked on Vanessa’s door at 4:45 precisely, just as instructed. Vanessa’s voice, firm yet inviting, called out from behind the door, "Come in." Jake opened the door and stepped inside, his heart pounding in his chest. Vanessa sat behind her large mahogany desk, her posture impeccable, her head down. "Close the door," she instructed without looking up from the papers she was perusing. Jake obeyed,...

7: Daisy = We awoke together in Lizzy’s bed. I stretched around and touched her side, feeling her soft, warm, naked flesh. “Wake up, Lizzy. You have to get to work.” A groan came from the other side. “No, Mum, I don’t want to go in today. I’ll send them a text to say I’m not well. Can you get Tim off to school, please?” So I rolled out of bed and staggered around looking for my clothes before quietly leaving Lizzy to slee...