Itโs at the tip of my tongue. Some memory that I can almost grasp but not quite. I can almost hear the words coming out of my mouth. Itโs something I said before. To somebody else. In the past.
I think Graham is secretly drugging me.
That white film at the bottom of my glass. Why is there a white film in my glass? It was just water. Wasnโt it?
Graham is drugging me, Harry. Every night. Youโve got to help me. Please.
โTess?โ
Graham is staring across the table at me. Thereโs concern in his blue eyes, but thereโs also something else. Something menacing.
I think of the digits scribbled on my arm. The person who contacted me this morning to warn me about him.ย Harry. It wasnโt just my imagination. Those messages were real. Now I understand why Graham took my phone away.
โIโm going to get more water,โ I blurt out.
Before he can protest, I jump out of my seat and stumble to the kitchen. I nearly trip over my right foot, but I make it there. Graham disappeared into the kitchen with my phone. Itโs got to be in here somewhere. And once I find it, I can call for help.
I open drawers haphazardly. Iโm not even attempting to close them again. Whatโs the difference? Heโs going to know what Iโve been doing. Heโs going to know it when he sees the phone. My only chance is to find it before he comes looking for me. And Iโve got to call the number on my arm. And hope Harry picks up.
Or maybe I should just call 911.
โFor Godโs sake, Tess, what the hell are you doing?โ
Graham is standing at the entrance to the kitchen, his eyes wide behind his glasses. I yank open the drawer in front of me and look down, hoping my phone is inside. But itโs mostly just rubber bands and pens.
โTess?โ
Ziggy is scraping at the back door. But he canโt get in, and I canโt get out, because the door is locked from the inside.
โI asked you a question, Tess.โ He arches an eyebrow. โWhat are you doing?โ
โNothing.โ My words are so slurred, it surprises me. Even if I found my phone and called for help, anyone would think I had a severe brain injury. And Graham has the paperwork to prove it. Nobody would believe my story. โI was justโฆโ
โTime for bed,โ he says firmly. โYou need to go to bed right now.โ
My eyes dart around the kitchen, trying to figure out my next move. My options are limited. I have no phone. No way to escape this house. What can I do?
โIโฆ I need the bathroom,โ I say. Graham grunts. โFine. Go.โ
I turn away from the kitchen counter. But before I do, I grab a pen from the drawer and stuff it into my pocket.
Once Iโm inside the bathroom, I consider locking myself in here. But Iโm not sure what that would accomplish, and anyway, it looks like Graham has had the foresight to remove the lock. He could come in here anytime he wants. Which means I donโt have much time.
I pull up the sleeve of my sweater. The number I scrawled on it has partially been rubbed off so that I can no longer make out the digits. Even though it kills me, I have to wash the rest of it off with soap and water. If I put on a T- shirt to sleep in, the numbers will be visible. I canโt let Graham see it.
If I leave myself a message, it has to be somewhere he wonโt see.
I remember the word I found on myself this morning, on my upper thigh above where my oversized T-shirt ended.ย Find. I hadnโt had a chance to see it before the shower washed it away. But clearly, Graham hadnโt seen itโleaving a message for myself there may be my best shot. Iโll have to keep it short. And Iโll have to hope that tomorrow morning I see the message before I wash it away.
My hands are shaking. Writing on my skin is difficult, especially since whatever Graham laced my water with is hitting me hard. I can hardly even keep my eyes open, much less write legibly. But Iโve got to try. Everything depends on this.
Thereโs a knock on the door. โTess? Are you okay?โ โJust a second!โ I call back.
I finish writing what I need to say. The words are small, but I can read them. I can only hope that Iโll see them before they wash away in the shower tomorrow. I toss the pen in the garbage and yank my pants up just before Graham bursts through the door.