Stuart James - Apartment 6

She went to the open window. The wind howled through the gap, the high-pitched whistle piercing Meagan’s ears. As she reached the glass, she went up on her tiptoes, looking out.

A full moon shone in the sky and sprinkles of tiny stars were dotted everywhere. Meagan thought how wonderful it looked. The field behind their house was black. Dark shadows waved from the trees. Meagan often thought there were people in the hills, calling her to come over and join them.

She stood on the skirting board so she could look out. Suddenly a spotlight came on. She saw a figure walking away from the house, across the back garden and heading towards the fields. Meagan was unsure if it was a person or an animal. As she leaned her face closer to the glass, she could make out the shape of her father. He had something slumped over his shoulder.

Her mother.

Meagan watched in horror, wanting to shout out the window at him to bring her mother back and not leave her alone in the house. She panicked, trying to open the window wider, but the handle was jammed. Meagan forced it upwards and then down. It was no use.

She ran into the bedroom, making sure her bunny was warm, then put on her white slippers and her pink Tom and Jerry dressing gown and went downstairs.

Meagan struggled to push the back door open against the force of the wind. She watched the blades of grass swaying hard in the breeze, small trees with overgrown branches pounding against the side wall.

There was no sign of her father. Meagan walked along the path across the lawn, stepping into the middle of each paving stone, counting them out loud. Reaching the end, she jumped onto the grass bank, forcing herself upwards.

She looked further into the distance. Her father was down by the water, moving across to the caves which were cut into the hill.

Meagan ran towards him, making sure to keep out of sight: she’d be in so much trouble if he saw her. She waited, the wind beating against her face, her body numb with the cold and her bones aching. She watched the cave below, wondering what her parents were doing.

Meagan was shivering, fighting off the cold, stamping her feet. Her teeth began to chatter, vibrating behind her lips, and her mouth was dry with the taste of salt in the air.

In the distance she watched the glare from the lighthouse, wishing she could swim over, stay the night, and keep watch for the ships.

After another couple of minutes, her father resurfaced, coming into view, moving fast. He was on his own.

Meagan stepped backwards, terrified he’d catch her out here. She ran as fast as she could back to the house and up to her room, shutting her bedroom door tight.

The following morning, Meagan got out of bed and headed into her mother’s room. It was empty. The covers were made, and the room was spotless, as if she hadn’t been here for a while.

Meagan listened from the upstairs hall, her father talking in his room. His occasional laughter, then whispers.

Suddenly, there were footsteps coming towards her. Meagan stepped back into her room, shutting the door.

Her father called out. ‘Meagan. Are you awake? I’m popping out; I’ll be back in a while. Don’t open the front door to anyone. I’ll be as quick as I can.’

She heard him move down the stairs and leave the house a minute later. The smell of his aftershave made her sneeze.

‘Okay. You wait here, bunny, I’m going to find Mummy. Daddy told me not to open the front door. He didn’t say anything about the back door.’

Meagan walked through the kitchen, still in her night clothes.

She remembered her father had walked down by the water, going into the caves with her mother slumped over his shoulder. That’s where she wanted to go.

Meagan stood in the back garden, pleased to feel the warmth from the sun, which had finally pushed through the clouds, making everything much brighter. In the distance, she saw a boat far out, and the lighthouse was clearer. Its light was just a dim glow in the distance.

She looked above at the scattered clouds moving fast across the sky. The shapes amazed her; she could see sheep. Another one seemed to form the picture of a genie.

Meagan reached the hill, peering underneath at the caves. They reminded her of a dark grey cauldron from a story her mother had read to her. She watched the clear water flowing, rolling back and forth, like a baker kneading dough, pushing it away, pulling it, rolling it outwards.

She removed her slippers, placing them to the side to make sure they didn’t get wet. She pulled her dressing gown tight, adjusting the belt.

From the mouth of the cave, she called out. ‘Mummy. Where are you? Are you still here?’ The echo made her jump, and imagine that there were more people inside. Meagan crouched, pushing her way inside. She could hear the shriek of bats hanging overhead.

Meagan suddenly heard a whining sound in the distance, underneath where she stood. ‘Mummy. Is that you?’ Quickly, she went further inside the cave. She found steps towards the back that led below.

Once at the bottom, the cave became wider, the ceiling higher. A large wooden container like a coffin lay on the floor at the back. Meagan opened the heavy lid.

She fell backwards with the fright of seeing her mother, a gag placed around her mouth, rope holding her hands behind her back. Tricia was lying down on her stomach, her head resting to the side, struggling to manoeuvre onto her back.

Meagan panicked, stood up and helped release the gag from her mother’s mouth. She wriggled the rope until Tricia’s hands were free. ‘I’d never have found you Mummy, only I peeked. I saw you both last night. That’s a great place to hide.’

Tricia burst into tears, clutching her daughter harder than she ever had before.

Once back at the house, Tricia asked Meagan to pack a small case with the clothes she wore the most.

‘Are we going away, Mummy?’

‘Quickly, Meagan. Just do as I say.’

‘Is Daddy coming too? Can I pack Arthur the bunny?’

‘Meagan. We don’t have much time. We need to leave. Now.’

‘Are we hiding from Daddy?’

‘Yes, you could say that. It’s why you need to go and pack, so stop with the questions. Hurry now.’ Tricia hoped that where they were going, she and Meagan could hide from Sean for the rest of their lives.

She raced frantically, pulling clothes from the washing line outside, emptying her belongings from the bedside drawer upstairs, grabbing a few items from the bathroom, placing them in a case, struggling with the zip. ‘Come on, close for crying out loud. Meagan, are you done?’

‘Nearly. I’m leaving a note for Daddy telling him we’re hiding.’

‘No. Don’t do that. It will ruin the game. Give me the piece of paper, quickly.’

Tricia glanced at the huge writing in felt tip.

Daddy. It is yor tern. You hav to find us. I hop you don find it hard.

Tricia folded the note, struggling to stem the lump in her throat, fighting back the tears. ‘Okay. Let’s go. You ready?’

Meagan nodded, holding Arthur the toy bunny under her arm and the small holdall in the other. Tricia closed the back door and led Meagan across the vast green behind the house.

Oliver was standing by the lift, watching over the dead body in the trunk. He’d placed the phone on silent, pushing the side switch to mute the calls. The phone had been ringing continuously.

Meagan had been gone ten minutes and Oliver was panicking. Any minute now the guy on the other end of the phone could turn up, find the body, and they’d be another two stiffs joining gloved-man in the lift.

Sweat trickled along the side of his face. His arms were numb from dragging the body from the second floor.