Charlotte put down her tea and slowly got to her feet at the sound of the doorbell. She had been expecting it, but her heart still raced a little when it rang. She could see a dark shape through the door as she made her way through the dim hallway to let the man in. David smiled warmly at Charlotte as he stepped inside and took off his shoes. He slipped them neatly into the rack next to her own…
The bell rings for break time, the shrill sound quickly being swallowed up by the even shriller shrieks of the children as they dash outside, dragging on their coats as they run to escape the confines of the classroom. Only one remains. Shoulders hunched, Tim slopes over to the corner where he crouches down on a blue beanbag and picks up his favourite book. It’s the story of a spy from the Second World War who helped bring down a…
‘Let’s play our little game.’ Carmen shuddered as the smooth voice washed over her, turning her heart to ice. She was sitting on the hard-backed chair in his living room, where he liked her to spend the afternoons while he sat in the armchair opposite, occasionally pacing up and down in front of her. She pressed her knees together and hunched over, trying to make herself as small and insignificant as possible. But as he smiled down at her, he…