Kassie crept down the hallway, casting a nervous glance behind her.
She had endured her mother’s stony silence for a couple of hours, but eventually exhaustion had come to her aid. Natalia worked three jobs to pay the bills and often fell asleep in front of the TV. On a couple of occasions, Kassie thought she’d gone – her mother’s eyelids flickering, then drooping to a close – only for Natalia to rouse herself, casting around the room suspiciously, as if expecting foul play. Eventually, however, she’d given up the fight, the low sound of her snoring filling the spartan room.
Easing herself out of her armchair, Kassie had hurried towards the back of the house. A short walk down the gloomy hallway, avoiding the floorboards that creaked, then she was in the back room, a small utility area containing a sink, a washing machine and numerous boxes of cheap detergent. Hurrying over to the sink, Kassie yanked open the cupboard doors beneath it. Crouching down, she delved inside, pushing aside bottles of bleach and industrial cleaner, to reveal an ancient tin of silver polish. Turning the lid, she removed it, before retrieving a small package from inside. Sliding the package into her pocket, she sealed the tin once more, carefully returning all the bottles to their original positions. Then, checking that nothing was out of place, she closed the cupboard doors and moved away.
Darting a look at the ancient clock – it was already past eleven – Kassie unlocked the back door. Cold air rushed in to greet her and she pulled her hood up, concealing her features from the night. In the distance, a dog barked and Kassie turned to check if her mother had been disturbed. But there was no sign of movement and Kassie could still make out her gentle snores.
Relieved, Kassie hurried outside, disappearing into the darkness.