The Doctor

by Lisa Stone

  ‘Shut up. Speak again and I’ll put you straight back in your room.’

  She did as he said and finished making the porridge in silence, then placed the bowl on a tray. She reached up to open the cupboard above.

  He grabbed her arm. ‘What the fuck are you doing?’

  ‘Getting our tablets.’

  He released her arm and she took the two dosette boxes from the cupboard, then removed the tablets she and Eva needed to take now. Amit replenished the boxes each week. She crumbled Eva’s onto her porridge and stirred them in – it made them easier for her to swallow. She set her own tablets on the tray bedside her glass of water to take upstairs. She didn’t want anything to eat. Her stomach was knotted. Amit’s eyes bored into her as she picked up the tray and began towards the kitchen door.

  ‘I’ll need to come down at 1 p.m. for our next tablets and make Eva lunch,’ she said as if accepting her fate.

  He didn’t reply. She continued upstairs with him following close behind.

  As soon as she was in the room, he bolted the door behind her. Eva was still watching television with her headphones on. Hiding her upset for Eva’s sake, Alisha set the bowl of porridge in front of her and Eva began eating it while watching the television. Alisha took her tablets and drank the water, then sat beside her daughter. The children’s programmes were full of Christmas images: Santa in his sleigh full of presents landing on a snow-covered rooftop; excited children hanging up their sacks on Christmas Eve; Christmas trees aglow with fairy lights. As far as Eva was concerned, these were just entertaining programmes, Alisha acknowledged bitterly. She didn’t know what she was missing, and with no expectation of Christmas she wouldn’t be disappointed.

  The morning gradually passed. Alisha struggled with her thoughts but tried to appear calm in front of Eva. There’d been no sign of Amit since he’d let her out earlier and she hadn’t heard him moving around the house. She’d looked out of the window from time to time, but there was nothing to be seen.

  At one o’clock, when it was time to take their tablets again – when they usually also had lunch – Alisha sat Eva in front of the television once more with her headphones on. She then crossed to the door and began knocking, rattling the handle and calling Amit’s name. Amit didn’t appear. She tried again ten minutes later, then every ten minutes or so for the next hour, but he still didn’t come. She checked the window and the light wasn’t on in his lab, but given it was still daylight it might not mean he wasn’t in there.

  ‘I’m hungry,’ Eva said eventually, taking off her headphones and looking to her mother.

  ‘I know, love. But the door is stuck and I can’t get out to make you lunch.’ Eva looked confused. Alisha went to the door and rattled the handle to show her, at the same time shrugging as if to say it didn’t matter. ‘We’ll have to wait for Daddy to open the door.’ Eva seemed to accept this and, replacing her headphones, she continued watching the programme.

  Alisha went to the window again – still no sign of Amit in his lab – then rattled and banged on the door. She kept doing so every few minutes. At three o’clock when she went to the window and the natural light was beginning to fade, she saw the light was on in the lab. He’d probably been in there all along and might be in there for hours yet. There was no way she could attract his attention and her anger flared, not for her but for Eva.

  ‘I’m hungry,’ Eva said again and began to cry.

  Alisha went to her. ‘I know, love. I’ll get you something as soon as Daddy opens the door.’ The word Daddy stuck in her throat. How she hated him. Abusing her was one thing, but abusing their disabled daughter by depriving her of food and medication was far, far worse. He’d reached a new level of depravity. Alisha comforted Eva as best she could and read her some stories to distract her.

  Later, when Eva was watching television again, Alisha stood by the window looking at the lab, hating Amit more with each passing minute.

  The last of the afternoon light faded, then shortly before seven o’clock she saw the door to the lab open and Amit come out. She banged on the window with all her might. He looked up, startled, surprised to see her, and quickened his pace towards the house. He’d forgotten they were there, she thought, so involved had he been in whatever he was doing in his lab. She heard him hurrying up the stairs, taking them two at a time. The bolt slid and the door was flung open. She glared at him and he had the decency to look abashed.

  ‘You’ve missed your medication,’ he said.

  ‘Yes! And Eva hasn’t had anything to eat since breakfast!’ she replied.

  Emboldened by her concern for Eva, she pushed past him, then hurried downstairs and into the kitchen, where she began hastily putting together a meal, seething with hatred and loathing. His cruel disregard of Eva fuelled her courage.

  ‘If you are going to keep us locked up, then you need to remember to let me out so I can feed us and get our tablets,’ she said. ‘Every four hours we take our tablets: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 5 p.m., and 9 p.m. when I get us a bedtime drink as well. And Eva needs a bath.’

  ‘She can have a bath tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Take two lots of tablets now.’

  She counted out the double dose of tablets, crushed Eva’s into her food and carried the tray past him, upstairs and into their room. As soon as she was inside, the bolt slid into place and his footsteps receded quickly downstairs. She heard him in the kitchen, trying to make himself something to eat. He wouldn’t have a clue, and the small satisfaction added to her sense of power.

  At nine o’clock exactly, the bolt slid and Amit opened the door. ‘You can come down and get what you need,’ he said.

  Holding herself more upright – she had won this small battle – she carried the tray containing their empty dishes past him and downstairs. He hovered a little way off, waiting to escort her back to her room, as she made Eva a warm drink. On their return journey, as she passed the landing window, she saw a flurry of snowflakes. It was snowing on Christmas Eve, although she made no comment until she was safely in her room again.

  ‘It’s snowing,’ she told Eva as soon as the bolt slid across. She pushed her daughter’s wheelchair to the window so she could see out. Her face lit up in wonder, she’d never seen snow before. She tried to touch the snowflakes falling on the other side of the glass.

  ‘They’re outside,’ Alisha told her, her eyes filling with tears. ‘You can’t touch them.’ But, of course, ‘outside’ wasn’t a word Eva knew or understood. She’d been far too young to remember the last time she’d gone outside, and it was unlikely she’d ever get the chance again.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  ‘It all went very well,’ Ben said, as he undressed ready for bed on Christmas Day night. ‘It’s just a pity we couldn’t persuade our parents to stay over rather than drive home in the snow.’

  ‘They like their own beds at their age,’ Emily said. ‘I can understand that. When Dad phoned to say they were home safely, he said the main roads were clear. I’ll take a picture of our garden with the snow from up here. It’ll be a good view. We don’t often get a white Christmas.’

  Emily took her phone to their bedroom window and, parting the curtains, opened one window wide enough to take the photo.

  ‘It’s freezing,’ Ben said, pretending to shiver, and jumped into bed. ‘Be quick!’

  Emily laughed and looked at their garden, the pure-white snow glistening magically in the light of the moon. ‘It’s perfect,’ she said. ‘Just like a Christmas-card scene.’ She touched the camera icon on her phone to engage it and looked through the lens. It was only then she saw it. Without taking a photograph, she lowered her phone in amazement. ‘You’re not going to believe it, but Amit Burman is in that shed. And judging from all the footprints, he’s been in and out all day. Poor Alisha.’

  ‘Amit said they didn’t celebrate Christmas,’ Ben said. ‘But hurry up and take the photo, you’re letting in the cold air.’

  Emily quickly took a few photos of their snow-covered garden and c
losed the window, but stayed where she was looking out. ‘Even if they don’t celebrate Christmas, you’d have thought he would have wanted to spend it with Alisha and …’ She’d been about to say Eva and had stopped herself just in time.

  ‘Each to his own,’ Ben said easily. ‘And mine is to end a perfect Christmas Day by making love to you.’

  Emily smiled, closed the curtains and joined him in bed. ‘I’ll call on Alisha when you’re back at work and see if I can tempt her to come here again, but for now I’m all yours,’ she said, snuggling close.

  ‘Good.’ Raising himself on one elbow, Ben looked seductively into her eyes. ‘And what can I tempt you with?’

  Emily giggled and drew him closer still. ‘Let’s find out, shall we?’

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  At least Amit was letting her out every four hours to collect their tablets, and food for Eva, Alisha thought, trying to console herself. And she’d been able to give Eva a bath, have a shower herself and change their clothes. Amit must have set an alarm clock for 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., for at exactly those times he left whatever he was doing and came up to the room to let her out. He rarely spoke, unless it was to tell her to hurry up, and had spent most of the last two days in his lab. She’d watched him from the window as he’d gone in and out, head down and muttering distractedly to himself. She wondered if Emily had seen him too but had decided she’d probably be far too involved in enjoying Christmas to notice what was going on next door.

  Alisha suspected it was in Amit’s interest to make sure she and Eva took their medication regularly, presumably because he didn’t want them falling ill yet – not until he was ready. She had little doubt now the cylinder was for her and she assumed he’d had another one delivered for Eva. It was madness to believe he could cure her, for although diseased organs could be replaced, reversing congenital abnormalities was clearly impossible. Another indication of just how deluded he’d become.

  By early afternoon on 27 December, Alisha realized something had dramatically changed. It was four days since Amit had fitted the bolt and they’d become prisoners, but today his routine had altered. Instead of being in his lab all morning, he’d spent most of it going backwards and forwards between the house and the lab and appeared to be becoming increasingly nervous and agitated. Sometimes he was carrying printed papers and sometimes small objects, although Alisha couldn’t see what they were. All the snow had melted now and a cold grey drizzle hung in the air and dripped from the bare branches of the trees.

  Amit wasn’t in his lab at all in the afternoon, and then at three o’clock, Alisha heard the low rumble of the garage doors as they were opened electronically, followed by the sound of his car being driven in. He hardly ever used the garage, preferring to leave his car on the drive. When he came to let her out at five o’clock, he was red in the face and very nervous. He kept pushing her to hurry up with the food she was making for Eva. Although she was existing on bread and cheese, Eva needed something more substantial. He was so agitated that Alisha was relieved when she could return to the safety of their room and the bolt slid into place. She wasn’t expecting to see him again for another four hours, when their next tablets were due.

  She sat by the window as Eva ate her meal and then watched a cartoon film. Usually she played with Eva and organized little activities but now she was too preoccupied with whatever Amit was planning. There was no light on in the lab, so she assumed he was in the house, although she couldn’t hear him moving around.

  Just after eight o’clock, while she was reading to Eva before getting her ready for bed, she was startled by the sound of the bolt being drawn. She looked over at the door, so did Eva. It slowly opened and Amit stood framed in the doorway.

  ‘Daddy?’ Eva asked.

  He moved out of her line of vision. ‘Come here,’ he said to Alisha. ‘It’s time.’

  ‘Time? It’s not nine o’clock yet.’

  ‘Come here now or I’ll drag you out if you want the child upset.’

  ‘I’ll be back soon,’ she told Eva and, trembling, hurried out.

  For a few moments, Alisha thought he was simply taking her down to the kitchen to fetch their tablets early, but at the foot of the stairs he pushed her into the living room and down onto a chair.

  ‘You are going to telephone the bitch next door and tell her to come here now.’

  ‘Why?’ she asked, frightened. ‘She won’t come. It’s late.’

  ‘She will come if you make it convincing. And you will make it very convincing if you want to see Eva again. Tell her I’m at work and you’ve run out of milk and could you borrow some. That’s what neighbours do.’

  ‘That’s ridiculous. She’ll see your car on the driveway.’ But as Alisha said it, she realized that Amit’s car wasn’t on the drive; he’d driven it into the garage earlier – so he’d been planning this all day. Her stomach churned. ‘Why do you want Emily?’ she asked, her voice quivering.

  His lip curled into a humourless smile. ‘She will be my last test subject before I set to work on you. If you’d agreed to sign up for ELECT, I wouldn’t have had to go to all this trouble, so blame yourself. But I’m rather glad you didn’t agree, as I shall go down in medical history for what I’m about to achieve.’

  ‘You’re mad,’ Alisha said, without care for her safety. ‘Emily will report you. She’s not like me. She won’t put up with your abuse.’

  ‘She won’t have the chance.’ He grinned malevolently. ‘I won’t be bringing her back to continue her life. Just bringing her back to make sure I can, and have, perfected my technique before I freeze you.’

  ‘You’re mad,’ she said again, her heart racing.

  ‘Many great scientists were considered mad in their time,’ he said haughtily. ‘I shall be remembered as the first doctor to successfully bring a person back from the dead, and you will be remembered as my wife.’

  ‘And Eva?’ she asked humouring him.

  His eyes narrowed and the green iris glowed. ‘She isn’t worth preserving, nothing can be done to save her. I’ll put her down painlessly, as one would a dog.’

  Blind fury seized Alisha, eclipsing any fear for her own safety. She leapt at him and clawed his face. But her slight and emaciated frame was no match for Amit and he easily overpowered her and threw her to the floor.

  ‘Do that again and I’ll despatch Eva now,’ he snarled.

  Alisha knew he meant it. She watched, petrified, as he picked up the phone, pressed to engage the speaker and then keyed in Emily’s mobile number. Surely his plan wouldn’t work? If Emily was putting Robbie to bed she wouldn’t answer her phone? And even if she did and agreed to bring some milk, she wouldn’t leave the house without telling Ben where she was going. It was ridiculous. If she didn’t return within a reasonable time, Ben would come looking for her. Amit’s plan to entice her here was destined to fail.

  ‘Hi Alisha, how are you?’ Emily answered cheerfully.

  ‘I’m all right,’ she said, her voice flat. Amit pointed up to Eva’s room as a warning for her to do better. ‘I’ve run out of milk,’ she said. ‘Could you pop some round just to tide me over until tomorrow?’

  ‘Oh, Alisha, I’m so sorry, I can’t,’ Emily said. ‘Ben’s working late tonight and Robbie’s asleep in his cot.’ But as Alisha breathed a sigh of relief, she saw the look of satisfaction on Amit’s face and knew this was part of his plan. He had known Ben wouldn’t be there! She was too stunned to say anything.

  Amit looked pointedly up at Eva’s room again for her to continue.

  ‘It would only take a minute,’ Alisha said. ‘I’m sorry to be a pest, but Eva wants some warm milk. I feel awful running out.’ She heard Emily’s pause and willed her to say no.

  ‘All right. It won’t hurt to leave Robbie in his cot for a minute. Let me check he’s still asleep and then I’ll come round. How much milk do you want?’

  Alisha hesitated and Amit snarled.

  ‘Whatever you can spare,’ she said, her
voice slight and far-off. She wanted to shout, No! Don’t come!

  ‘OK. See you soon,’ Emily said and cut the call.

  ‘You see, it wasn’t difficult,’ Amit said, with satisfaction. ‘Now for the next part of my plan. Come with me and I’ll show you what you’re going to do.’

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  It was sod’s law, Emily thought as she dropped her phone on the sofa beside her, that on one of the few nights Ben had to work late Alisha asked for help. Taking a quick gulp from the mug of tea she’d just made, she stood, and leaving the television on low – she wouldn’t be long – went into the kitchen. Of course she didn’t mind helping out Alisha. It wasn’t as if she was always on the borrow. This was only the second time she’d asked for her help; the first had been when the hoist in the bathroom had broken and Eva had fallen. Alisha wasn’t someone who took advantage of others, far from it. Indeed, Emily was a little surprised that she’d phoned at this time simply to borrow some milk. But then it was for Eva, and Alisha doted on her and would do anything to get her what she needed.

  Opening the fridge, Emily took out an unopened carton of milk. She had plenty, so Alisha could have the whole carton. She left it ready in the hall by the front door while she went upstairs to check on Robbie. He was fast asleep, flat on his back with his arms flung out either side of him like a little angel. She kissed his cheek and returned downstairs.

  Slipping on her shoes and jacket, she tucked her house keys into her pocket and picked up the carton of milk. There was no need to take her phone; she’d only be gone for a minute. She let herself out of the front door and quietly closed it behind her so as not to disturb Robbie. The drizzle had stopped now, but the night air was cold and damp. Given the choice, she would have preferred the crisp snow of Christmas Day anytime. A man walking his dog hurried by the end of the drive.