Page 59 of Then She Vanished

‘Do you know if he plays chess?’

She tilted her head. ‘No, I think he’s more of a golf man because I’ve seen golf clubs in his car.’

‘What does he drive?’

‘Some silver executive thing. I’m not really up on cars. It’s a shiny car. Always clean.’

‘Do you remember Elissa?’

The woman hugged the rabbit closer. ‘She was a lovely girl. She’d come round here and we’d make cakes and she’d sit in my garden. I used to look after her sometimes during the holidays, when she was too young to be on her own, so Ruth could go to work. Elissa was an absolute delight. When she went missing, I was devastated. She wasn’t mine, but I loved that girl to bits. I never did have children. Always wanted them.’

‘Did she confide in you much?’

‘I remember she liked a boy when she was around thirteen and he dumped her. She was so upset. I think…’ – she scrunched her brow – ‘when she reached fifteen, I didn’t really see her as much. She grew up and didn’t want to hang out with me. I used to lend her books, though. She was good at art, too. Her drawings were beautiful. She used to draw animals and people,mostly. Such a talented girl. Why are you asking about her? Do you know something?’

‘We don’t as yet, but Mrs Pritchard is missing and we have to cover all bases.’

She swallowed. ‘Now, I know Gary shouts a lot, and since he and Ruth split up he also drinks too much, but I’ve always found him quite sweet. He’s all bark and no bite. He worshipped the ground that Ruth walked on, but the loss of Elissa destroyed what they had. It was sad to see a good marriage slowly deteriorate over the years. He still struggles with what happened, and I think Ruth moving on has hit him hard, but he would never hurt her.’ The rabbit began to fidget and the woman placed him on the floor.

‘When you went to get your milk yesterday evening, did you see Mr Pritchard?’

‘Oh no, he wasn’t even in. He didn’t get back home until about midnight. I was just locking up for the night when I saw his car coming up the road.’

Gina felt her heart race. He had told them he was in all night. She stood and ran over to the window.

The neighbour cleared her throat. ‘Oh, and Eric didn’t play chess, but Gary did.’

THIRTY-EIGHT

GIRL

I’ve never cried like this before. We didn’t have a child in our last lives together and now we’ve lost our baby. The moment I saw blood this morning, I knew. I stare at the camera crying, hoping that he’ll see me and come, but he mustn’t be in. He must be at work.

He refuses to speak about his work, but he comes here smelling of the outdoors. It’s too painful for him to talk about because he loves me and all he wants is to take me to the surface, but he doesn’t want to risk anyone finding me because they will tear us apart.

Neither of us wants to lose the other, and I know how hard he worked for us to be together.

I hit my bed over and over again because I want to go out, even though I know I shouldn’t desire any more than I have here. He has provided me with everything I need and he has to work really hard to keep us going like this.

My mind goes back to my baby, to the little life within me that has slipped away.

I took the folic acid and I ate all the salad he gave me. Powerless, that is how I feel. Knowing I had no control makesme feel like this, and all I want to do is see the sky again; I want to feel the breeze on my face and smell freshly cut grass.

Suddenly this capsule is closing in on me, and I gasp.

I want to get out.

We love each other. Why am I still here?

Stop it, stop it, I tell myself. He is doing all this for me. Outside is not like I remember. He told me it wouldn’t be.

In our previous lives, the air was fresh and the fields were green. The harvests were the best. I think I can remember all the things he can. He’s tried to hypnotise me so that I can unlock even more repressed memories. He talks to me soothingly and counts backwards. I feel our connection deeply. And still, we can’t have a baby.

Tears stream down my face. I’m lonely in here and if I had our little baby, I’d be happy. We could read books, lots of books, and we could draw because we have lots of drawing paper.

I wanted to cuddle the little human that looked like us. Maybe our baby would have had my eyes or his. I don’t mind whose.

I hear clunking at the metal door. He saw my pain and he came because he loves me.

---