Helen wrenched her body up off the bed, kicking out viciously at her attacker. But Babs straightened quickly, avoiding the intended blows. Then she moved around the head of the bed, so that she was standing directly behind Helen.
‘Now then, the best thing is for you to remain calm,’ Babs said soothingly.
But Helen was already twisting round, determined not to be blindsided. The metal cuffs dug deep into her skin as she manoeuvred herself, but she ignored the pain, swinging her legs off the bed. They made contact with the floor and now she pushed off, trying to pivot round the head of the bed and unleash another kick at her enemy.
But before she’d got halfway round, she felt Babs’s foot connecting sharply with her left knee, stopping her dead. She roared in pain, and as she did so, she felt Babs grab her roughly by the hair. Now Babs was pinning her head down hard on the bed, exposing her neck. Helen knew what was coming and scrabbled to get some purchase on the floor, but her left leg wouldn’t move and her right foot slithered hopelessly over the smooth concrete floor.
‘Normally I go for the armpit, but a change is as good as a rest …’
Helen’s whole body jolted as the needle punctured her skin. She grunted in pain and tried once again to move, but her body wouldn’t obey her. And now she felt pressure as Babs pushed down on the stopper, pumping the adrenaline into her system.
‘Goodbye, Helen.’
Helen tried to scream at her, but she choked on the words, fear robbing her of the power to speak.
‘There is nothing to be scared of. It will be quick and I will be by your side the whole time. In spite of everything, I’ve actually grown rather fond of you.’
Helen grunted once more, a long string of saliva falling from her mouth. She tried again to get some purchase on the ground with her one good leg, but her body seemed to be fighting her. Already her heart was beating out a furious rhythm. Her head was aching, her vision becoming blurred and a terrible pain was building in the centre of her chest.
‘Hush now, Helen, don’t you cry. Mama’s going to sing you a lullaby …’
She could feel Babs stroking her hair as she sang and she shook her head angrily to dislodge her. Immediately she regretted it, a wave of nausea sweeping over her. For a moment, she thought she was going to faint, but the agonizing pain taking hold inside her brought her to her senses again.
‘And if that lullaby don’t work …’
Helen could feel moisture running off her cheeks and wondered if she was crying.
‘… Mama’s going to buy you a mocking bi—’
And now from nowhere, Helen felt her foot find a rut on the hard floor and acting on instinct she thrust upwards with all her force. The cuffs bit once more, dragging her backwards, but not before the top of her head had connected sharply with Babs’s chin. There was a nasty crunch, then Helen felt herself falling back on to the bed. She was barely conscious now and had no idea what had happened to her attacker, but at least her macabre singing had stopped.
The pressure on her chest was unrelenting, it felt like she had a ten-ton weight sitting on it, but she knew she had to turn. Had to find out what had happened to her adversary. But as she did so her heart finally gave out and she crumpled face downwards on to the bed.
A second later, everything went black.