HE LEAPT FORWARDS. SOMEHOW she was able to turn her body to one side so he overbalanced, his forwards momentum propelling him onto the rug. He skidded, tripping over his ankle as she leaned back against the wall, watching as he fell forwards. His head hit the wall an inch from Fiona’s door, slamming into it with a thud that made her wince.

He slumped downwards, falling still, flat on his front.

For a long time, she couldn’t move. At first due to the still lingering panic racing through her and then because she became strangely certain it was a trick. If she got any closer, he’d leap up and grab her, drag her into her room. She shivered, aware of the cold on her naked skin for the first time. Her heart was still pounding, her throat dry, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she stared at him, not even daring to blink. But he still hadn’t moved. There was a dent in the wall where his head had struck it.

How many times had she tripped over that rug? How many times had she asked Fiona to get rid of it? Donate it to charity? But if it wasn’t for that, she dreaded to think what he might have done to her. What if Fiona didn’t come back at all? What if she stayed the night with her date? She could have been dead for hours by then. That was how these things happened. She’d have been one more news story. She’d never get to see her sister’s wedding, never get to see her niece. All of a sudden she was crying, deep wracking sobs that shook her entire body, starting from nowhere, her hands shaking as she slumped down to the floor, looking at the unmoving form of her date.

He might have killed her. He still might. That thought crept in through her tears and slowly brought them to a halt. Sniffing loudly, she looked across the landing. He might wake up. How long would it take the police to get there? There, look. His arm. Moving already.

He groaned deeply, a gurgling sound that faded away as he fell still once more. She ran to her room, grabbing her phone and punching in three nines.

“Emergency, which service do you require?”

“I…” she began, pausing as she realised she didn’t know. Police? Ambulance? Both? “There’s a man, he broke in. I think he’s hurt. Please, send someone.”

“Connecting, hold on.” There was a couple of clicks and then the line came back to live.

“Police,” a new voice said. “What is the nature of your emergency?”

“A man,” she said, feeling the tears start to build again. She had to keep them under control. She couldn’t lose it, not yet. “A man broke in. He…he tried to rape me.”

“Okay, keep calm. Where are you?”

“I’m at home.” She heard another groan coming from the landing, this one louder. Slowly, not wanting to, she walked over to the bedroom door and peered out. His arm had moved again. He wasn’t going to be out for much longer.

“Where is home?”

She didn’t hear the question, too busy trying to keep her bowels from opening as she watched him trying to turn over.

“Are you there, miss?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” she said, lowering her voice.

“Where do you live? Where are you?”

“Seventeen Milburn Street.”

“And where’s that?”

“In York. Please come quickly.”

“We’ve a car on the way now. You said a man broke in and assaulted you? Where is he now? Do you know?”

“He…he fell.”

She hung up as Joseph groaned again, his leg raising and lowering to the ground. Time was running out. She ran out onto the landing, hoping she was strong enough. With a deep breath, she leaned down and grabbed his ankle, dragging him along the landing, moving him on willpower alone. The muscles in her arms strained as she tugged him, the rug underneath him helping his body to slide across the polished wood.

“Wh…” he muttered, twisting his head slightly, blinking as he did so, not focussing on her yet.

Quickly, she told herself as his arm turned, his fingers stretching out towards her. As she crossed the landing he began to sit up, still blinking, rubbing his eyes and groaning again. “What are you doing?” he asked, getting slowly to his feet, his legs unsteady as Holly moved around him.

She took another deep breath. Do it now, she thought, before he realises. Biting her bottom lip so hard, it bled, she shoved him in the small of the back. He teetered at once, leaning alarmingly towards the stairs. It wasn’t enough, he was going to regain his balance. It wasn’t enough.

But then he passed his centre of gravity, his arms beginning to flail as he fell forwards through the air, realising too late what was happening. He vanished from sight as he thudded down the stairs, the bizarre sight of his feet the last thing Holly saw before she heard the thud of him slamming into the wall at the bottom of the steps, where the last three treads twisted into the hallway. She walked forwards, wincing as she saw his body bent awkwardly around the corner, his head still. This time he didn’t move.

Holly sat down on the top step, all her strength gone. She’d used every last ounce in dragging him across the landing and she felt incredibly tired. She looked down at him for a long time, her head in her hands until the sight of flickering lights made her look up. Through the living room window, red and blue lights were flashing and she began to cry again. She was safe. It was over. He’d never hurt anyone again.