The Phoenix. Тилли Бэгшоу

      ‘Why should I?’ said Ella furiously. ‘Why should I trust you when you won’t tell me who you are, or where you are, or anything at all? And if you really have the answers, why won’t you just tell me them now? What are you waiting for? For me to be brainwashed too? Because I’m telling you now, it’s not going to happen.’

      There was a moment’s silence. Total silence. Ella wondered whether the man had gone, ‘hung up’ on whatever line it was he seemed to have into her head, her psyche. But then he spoke again, more kindly than before.

      ‘Stay here tonight.’ It was less of a command, more of a suggestion. ‘The woods aren’t safe and you need to sleep.’

      That much at least was true, much as she wished it weren’t.

      ‘Someone will brief you by the end of the day tomorrow. If you still want to leave after that meeting, then I’ll help you get safely back home.’

      Mute and exhausted, Ella nodded. Wordlessly, she trudged back down the hill towards her bungalow, watched by the two bewildered guards.

      She didn’t trust the man. Not as far as she could throw him. But she didn’t trust the bears either.

      Tomorrow.

      She would leave tomorrow.

      One day at Camp Hope wouldn’t kill her.