Benji Waterhouse

My eyes were like transfixed on this wall of white. And like trying to sound calm and normal, I just asked again where Billy's mum was. I just told you, she's out. I took one of the bottles out and shut the door. And when I turned, I saw Billy was now smiling and holding a kitchen knife. Then he cut us two slices from the lemon drizzle cake.

My eyes were like transfixed on this wall of white. And like trying to sound calm and normal, I just asked again where Billy's mum was. I just told you, she's out. I took one of the bottles out and shut the door. And when I turned, I saw Billy was now smiling and holding a kitchen knife. Then he cut us two slices from the lemon drizzle cake.

And he thanked me for the milk, and he put some in our teas, and we went to sit down in the living room in front of Cash in the attic. And... It was this incongruous scene where I was just thinking, Benji, if you behave normally, everything will be normal. But I could barely swallow this cake in my dry mouth, trying to wash it down with sips from this scalding hot tea.

And he thanked me for the milk, and he put some in our teas, and we went to sit down in the living room in front of Cash in the attic. And... It was this incongruous scene where I was just thinking, Benji, if you behave normally, everything will be normal. But I could barely swallow this cake in my dry mouth, trying to wash it down with sips from this scalding hot tea.

And he thanked me for the milk, and he put some in our teas, and we went to sit down in the living room in front of Cash in the attic. And... It was this incongruous scene where I was just thinking, Benji, if you behave normally, everything will be normal. But I could barely swallow this cake in my dry mouth, trying to wash it down with sips from this scalding hot tea.

But my mind was racing through all the worst-case scenarios, like I was just replaying that warning that our self-defense judo instructor had told us, like, far more likely they'd kill someone they knew, like their mental health worker or a family member. And I asked specifically where Billy's mum was. Shopping, apparently. And as we sat there, I said, like, but will she be coming back soon?

But my mind was racing through all the worst-case scenarios, like I was just replaying that warning that our self-defense judo instructor had told us, like, far more likely they'd kill someone they knew, like their mental health worker or a family member. And I asked specifically where Billy's mum was. Shopping, apparently. And as we sat there, I said, like, but will she be coming back soon?

But my mind was racing through all the worst-case scenarios, like I was just replaying that warning that our self-defense judo instructor had told us, like, far more likely they'd kill someone they knew, like their mental health worker or a family member. And I asked specifically where Billy's mum was. Shopping, apparently. And as we sat there, I said, like, but will she be coming back soon?

And Billy went, shh, just nodded me to the telly. And my eyes kept being drawn to this, like, staircase, like at the back of the room that led up to the other floor. And I asked Billy if I could use the toilet. And he said, well, I mean, yeah, if you must. I didn't actually need to, like the adrenaline surging through my body had seen to that.

And Billy went, shh, just nodded me to the telly. And my eyes kept being drawn to this, like, staircase, like at the back of the room that led up to the other floor. And I asked Billy if I could use the toilet. And he said, well, I mean, yeah, if you must. I didn't actually need to, like the adrenaline surging through my body had seen to that.

And Billy went, shh, just nodded me to the telly. And my eyes kept being drawn to this, like, staircase, like at the back of the room that led up to the other floor. And I asked Billy if I could use the toilet. And he said, well, I mean, yeah, if you must. I didn't actually need to, like the adrenaline surging through my body had seen to that.

But he said, yeah, it's upstairs, first door on the left. So I got to the foot of the stairs and I kind of looked up at this dark landing. And I hesitated. I was like, am I really going to do this? This isn't what I fucking signed up for. And so I went up the stairs and At the top of the landing, there were two doors, both slightly ajar. And I gently pressed open the one on the left.

But he said, yeah, it's upstairs, first door on the left. So I got to the foot of the stairs and I kind of looked up at this dark landing. And I hesitated. I was like, am I really going to do this? This isn't what I fucking signed up for. And so I went up the stairs and At the top of the landing, there were two doors, both slightly ajar. And I gently pressed open the one on the left.

But he said, yeah, it's upstairs, first door on the left. So I got to the foot of the stairs and I kind of looked up at this dark landing. And I hesitated. I was like, am I really going to do this? This isn't what I fucking signed up for. And so I went up the stairs and At the top of the landing, there were two doors, both slightly ajar. And I gently pressed open the one on the left.

Yeah, it was just a bathroom, empty. And I let out this breath that I felt like I'd been holding in for the last few minutes. But I knew there was another door. And I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. My shirt just felt way too tight, sticking to my back with sweat.

Yeah, it was just a bathroom, empty. And I let out this breath that I felt like I'd been holding in for the last few minutes. But I knew there was another door. And I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. My shirt just felt way too tight, sticking to my back with sweat.

Yeah, it was just a bathroom, empty. And I let out this breath that I felt like I'd been holding in for the last few minutes. But I knew there was another door. And I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. My shirt just felt way too tight, sticking to my back with sweat.

And the thing was, I already knew what nightmare awaited me on the other side of that door from tabloid front pages and horror films and true crime documentaries. I went to open the second door. Bang! The sound of the front door closing. And from downstairs, I heard a woman's voice say, hello, love, I'm back. Crazy busy in Tesco today.

And the thing was, I already knew what nightmare awaited me on the other side of that door from tabloid front pages and horror films and true crime documentaries. I went to open the second door. Bang! The sound of the front door closing. And from downstairs, I heard a woman's voice say, hello, love, I'm back. Crazy busy in Tesco today.

And the thing was, I already knew what nightmare awaited me on the other side of that door from tabloid front pages and horror films and true crime documentaries. I went to open the second door. Bang! The sound of the front door closing. And from downstairs, I heard a woman's voice say, hello, love, I'm back. Crazy busy in Tesco today.