The Sandman

156

Under cover of darkness Saga hides the pill in her shoe, then lies down on the bed. She doesn’t know if the young doctor is still standing outside the glass in the door, but she’s sure he’s planning to come into her room as soon as he thinks she’s asleep. She could see quite clearly in his eyes that he wasn’t finished with her.

Yesterday she was so taken aback by his abuse of power that she let it go way too far. Today she doesn’t even know if she cares what happens.

She’s here to save Felicia, and maybe she’ll have to put up with this place for a few more days.

She tells herself that tomorrow or the day after Jurek will reveal everything to her, and then this will be over, then she can go home and forget what she’s been through.

Saga rolls onto her other side, glances at the door and immediately catches sight of the silhouette behind the glass. Her heart begins to beat harder in her chest. The young doctor is waiting outside the door until she’s knocked out by the medication.

Is she prepared to let herself be raped in order to conceal her mission? It doesn’t really matter. Her thoughts are far too chaotic for her to be able to prepare herself for what seems to be happening.

Just let it be over quickly.

There’s a metallic scraping sound as the key is slipped into the lock.

The door opens and cooler air sweeps in.

She doesn’t bother pretending to be asleep yet, and keeps her eyes open, watching the doctor close the door behind him and walk over to the bed.

She shuts her eyes and listens.

Nothing happens.

Maybe he just wants to look at her.

She tries to breathe out soundlessly, then waits for ten seconds before breathing in again, waits, imagining a mental square in her mind, where each side is a moment.

The doctor puts his hand on her stomach, following the movement of her breathing, then it slides to her hip and takes hold of her underwear. She lies quite still and lets him pull her pants off, easing them over her feet.

She can feel the warmth of his body clearly now.

Carefully he strokes her right hand and raises it gently above her head. At first she thinks he’s going to measure her pulse, then she realises that she can’t move. When she tries to pull her hand away, he puts a broad strap over her thighs and tightens it with terrible strength before she has a chance to wriggle off the bed.

‘What the hell are you doing?’

She can’t kick out, and realises that he must have tied her ankles while she was trying to free her right hand with her left. He switches on the bedside lamp and looks at her, wide-eyed. Her fingers are trembling, slipping on the thick strap round her wrist, and she has to try again.

The doctor stops her, quickly pulling her free hand away.

She jerks to get loose, tries to twist round, but it’s impossible.

When she slumps back he starts to attach another strap across her shoulders. The angle is almost impossible, but when he leans over her she punches him in the mouth with her clenched fist. As the blow connects, he stumbles back and sinks down onto one knee. Shaking, she starts to untie the strap round her right wrist.

He’s back at the bed now, shoving her hand away.

There’s blood running down his chin as he roars at her to lie still. He tightens the strap round her right wrist again, then moves behind her.

‘I’ll kill you,’ she shouts, trying to follow him with her eyes.

He’s quick, and grabs her left arm with both hands, but she pulls free, gets hold of his hair and yanks him towards her. As hard as she can, she rams his forehead against the frame of the bed. She pulls him forward again and tries to bite his face, but he hits her so hard across the neck and one breast that she lets go.

Gasping, she struggles to grab hold of him again, fumbling with her hand behind her. Using all her strength she tries to twist her body, but she’s completely stuck.

The doctor takes hold of her head and bends it hard to one side, almost dislocating her shoulder. The cartilage in the joint makes a creaking sound and she howls with pain. She’s struggling to pull one foot free, but the strap is cutting into her skin and her ankle is clicking. She hits him on the cheek with her free hand, but without any real force. He pushes her hand down to the top of the bed, fixes the strap round her wrist and tightens it.

The young doctor wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, panting, then takes a couple of steps away and just looks at her.