Despite the chill of night, Millie was sweating under the covers. It didn't help that she had blankets pulled up to her neck to hide the fact that she was bundled in half the clothes she'd brought to Wickford.

Just as Matthew asked, she had piled on jumpers and tights and socks to guard against the cold on their upcoming journey. Everything else was prepared as well. Her rucksack was packed, the photos safe inside. Her most comfortable shoes were tucked under the edge of her bed. It all sat within quick reach, ready for Millie to grab as soon as Matthew showed up to collect her.

Now all she had to do was wait.

She lay in bed, eyes wide open, her gaze circling the dark, empty room. Matthew had never mentioned what time he'd be coming for her. It was already several hours past midnight, and she had assumed he would've been here by now. And yet...

"Where is he?" Millie whispered to herself. She rolled over, trying to settle.

Footsteps echoed in the hall outside her room.

Millie perked up. Was that him now?

The footsteps got closer and closer, then stopped, right in front of her door. The knob rattled and groaned as it was twisted, and the door creaked open. A beam of light flashed across the room.

Millie lay back and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

The light settled on her face, lingering there as though someone was waiting for her eyes to pop open and admit her act. Millie kept still; she knew better. Her eyes were shut, but not squeezed tight, and she was careful not to wince or flinch though the light burned red behind her eyelids.

After a few long moments, the light pulled back and flickered off. The door was pulled shut, and the footsteps retreated back down the hall.

Millie held her breath for a moment more before she opened her eyes again.

She was alone again, the intruder was gone.

It had been yet another check.

There had been a lot of checks this night.

Did they always check on us this often? Millie wondered. Perhaps she had never noticed, as she had usually been asleep, but something in her gut told her that this wasn't their usual schedule. This was something more.

They were keeping a close eye on her tonight.

Did they know that something was afoot?

Millie hoped not. If the nuns were hovering outside her room, then it would be impossible for Matthew to get through. And if Matthew wasn't able to get through, then...

Would he have to leave without her?

Millie rose up on her elbows and punched at her pillow, forcing it into a new shape before flopping back on it. She wished she could get some rest, even just a little before she headed off with Matthew. It was bound to be a long journey, and she'd need all the energy she could get. But as the minutes ticked on, rest seemed less and less likely. She was too on edge.

Again, her eyes roamed the room... then stopped.

There was a figure in the shadows.

For half a second, Millie hopped it was Matthew. She sat up, her hand on the edge of the covers, ready to pull them back, until she made sense of the familiar face. It was her double, just as bloodied and bruised as always. She stood in the shadowed corner by the door, watching her. Her eyes were as hateful as always. Millie wanted to shout at her to go away—

Outside, in the hall, a loud thump echoed through the night.

Millie went still, glancing between her double and the door. For the first time, the double didn't sink back into the darkness as soon as she looked away. It just continued to watch her, as though it was daring her to move.

Another thump followed by muttering. It sounded like someone was struggling just outside her door.

Was it Matthew?

Had they caught him?

Millie was about to fling off her covers and go see for herself when the door was thrown open. Her double was blocked from view.

Millie lay down as quickly as she could, but she was sure it was not fast enough. Whoever was there had to have seen it. She stayed under the covers, trembling, waiting for the light to come again, for it to focus on her as someone came to haul her from her bed, the ruse revealed.

But no light moved through the room. There was a shuffle of footsteps, the door closed, and then...

"Millie?"

That voice.

Millie lurched up to make sure she wasn't imagining it.

The double was gone, and in its place was Matthew. He had his own bag hanging over his shoulder, and he was wearing his familiar work coat and leather gloves.

Relief washed over her.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come!" she hissed into the darkness.

"I was getting worried myself," Matthew said, his voice a low rumble. "The nuns have been circling the halls for the past three hours. I've been waiting forever."

"And they're gone now?"

"So it seems," he said, a small trace of humour in his voice. "But who knows when the next one will come by. We have no time to waste. Come on."

He turned back to the door. Millie leapt from her bed and gathered her things. She slung her own bag onto her back and raced after Matthew. As she neared the door, she half expected the double to pop out again, but she stayed gone.

Matthew poked his head out of the room to check if the coast was still clear. It appeared to be, so he beckoned Millie to follow as he stepped into the hall. The hall was dark, almost as dark as it was the night Petra died. Millie couldn't stop the feeling that she was reliving that fateful night all over again. Her nerves came alive, signing with electricity, as though they were tuned into some impending doom. She did her best to shove it down, suppress it, hoping it was all in her head.

Matthew didn't seem to have the same worries. His stride was confident as he led them down the hall, towards the stairs. For a moment, Millie felt a pang of regret that he hadn't been allowed to serve his country; he would've been an asset to the service. The man had nerves of steel.

Thankfully, unlike the fateful night she'd stumbled upon Petra's body, there was no bloody mess waiting for them at the top of the stairs. It calmed Millie's nerves somewhat as they crept downwards. They clung to the wall as they moved, careful to avoid the steps that creaked louder than the others. Matthew kept his eyes moving as they went, scanning the hall and listening for footsteps that were not their own.

He came to a sudden stop. Millie was about to ask why when he swung his arm out, stopping Millie in her tracks and pressing her closer to the wall.

Someone was there, walking through the hall.

Millie had half a mind to turn back, but Matthew's arm kept her in place.

It was a nun. She was moving quickly, like a frightened animal moving through a predator's territory. She didn't seem to notice them on the stairs, as her head was down as she hurried through the hall. She appeared to be headed for the basement.

Matthew and Millie stopped breathing as they watched her move across the main hall. The nun disappeared around the corner, and only when they heard the basement door open and then close did they release their breath. A sliver of moon peeked out from the clouds as Matthew turned to look back at Millie. Bathed in the silver light, he looked unearthly. He pressed his fingers to his lips, then said something Millie could just barely make out.

We're almost there, he mouthed. Just a little further.

He took her wrist and pulled her forward. They kept moving.

Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairs. The front door was right in front of them, mere feet away, its polished face a beacon in the night. Only a few steps more, and they'd be free. Their pace picked up as they made their way across the hall and into the foyer. As they made it to the door, Millie reached for the handle, but Matthew stopped her.

Locked, he mouthed, pulling out his ring of keys. He nudged her aside and slotted a key into the door's lock. Before he turned it, he gave one last glance over his shoulder. The coast was clear. He turned the key.

In the deep quiet of the night, the lock's click was akin to a gunshot. Matthew and Millie winced, waiting for someone to come running, but no one did. Miraculously, the sound had gone unnoticed.

Matthew opened the door just wide enough for them to slip through and pushed Millie forward. Once she was out, he followed after, and they disappeared into the night.