Nemesis’s Story
She dodged the patrols, climbed the perimeter wall and dropped down to the roadside. No cars. Perfect. She threw the duffel bag over her shoulder and started jogging. Less than ten minutes later, she reached her vehicle, parked off-road, a few yards into a sprawling wood.
As she neared the driver’s door, her phone vibrated. She checked caller ID and pressed reply.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘Is everything all right? Are they OK?’
The man on the other end of the line replied, ‘They’re both fine! But they say they’re missing you and can’t sleep. They wanted to speak to you.’
‘Did they ask politely?’
‘Of course!’
‘Did they say please?’
‘Yes. Very persuasively.’
‘Good. Put them on, then, please.’
A pause. ‘You’re on loudspeaker.’
The woman heard a two-tone cascade of, ‘Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!’
She removed her wig and slipped out of her navy blue jumpsuit to reveal Harris tweed slacks and a mint-green fluffy jumper.
‘Hush now, darlings!’ She ran her fingers through her blonde hair, opened the side door of her VW Camper and tossed the duffel bag, jumpsuit and wig into the back passenger well.
A young boy’s voice asked, ‘Have you finished work?’
She closed the side door. ‘Yes. All put to bed.’
A young girl’s voice: ‘Will you be home soon, Mummy?’
She opened the driver’s door and climbed in.
‘It’s awfully late!’ the girl added.
‘I know, darlings, and yes. I’ll be home very soon. And if you’re extremely good’ – Sophie Grace started the engine – ‘I’ll read you both a bedtime story.’