the number one to arbury

falling

'Hi, Mara...'

'What is it?'

'Think I'd like to have my car back.'

'Where are you?'

'I don't know what road this flat's on, but there's a bus stop near the flats. From what I've seen the buses that stop there have always been the number one.'

'The number one to where?'

'I'm not sure. Sometimes it shows Arbury, sometimes Cherry Hinton.'

'Well, I think I can already figure out where that is. You can expect a good ten minutes.'

'Thanks. See you.'

'My pleasure.'

I end the call and get out of the flat, waiting in the hallway by the front door. I have seen longer hallways but the more I look at the door from the other end the more the distance grows. The longest hallway I've ever seen. I stumble down to the door, holding on to the walls, shifting to the other side every time I meet a door.

I can hear footsteps. Someone's coming. I step backwards, one slow step at a time, trying to see who's at the door.

Ash, Saviour, two other boys I don't know who also look around the same age as Eyüp.

I run to the other end of the hallway. No matter how fast I run I can't seem to get to the stairs. Every time I go a yard closer the stairs go further away by a mile. And the boys are already at the door. I don't have to look back to see who's leading them. Ashraf Tiller, the Ash who tricked me, I only remembered he was Eyüp's friend two days into my stay in Cambridge. And he's always been by his side. Saviour Kerry, Sol's brother, should be next to Ash. And the two would be behind them.

They're catching up. They're halfway down the hallway while I have a quarter to go before reaching the stairs.

'You're not getting away from us again.'

This time I give them the finger. The car chase all over again, but this time we're all on foot.

Two people clutch my ankles from behind. I trip down, left hand first. The right one comes a second after, but my weight during that second is enough to sprain my left wrist. One of the boys I don't know, the one with the eleven-bead bracelet on his right hand, walks back to see my sorry face dragged across the floor.

'You know, your brother's been looking for you. He almost called the cops last night.'

'I'd rather be killed by the cops than meet him.'

'Said he's gonna kill himself if he doesn't see you by next Saturday.'

'Wish he'd done that before Emine died.'

'You're never out of remarks, aren't you?'

'Just leave her, Ilyas,' Saviour says.

'Might as well hold her mouth or something.'

'Might as well hold yours, Charlie.'

'Stop arguing, will you,' Ash says. 'We have to focus on getting Miss Esra Harrow here to her dear brother.'

'You sure we're gonna drag her head across the pavement like this?'

'Haven't thought about that. Ilyas, could you help us a bit back there?'

---

I press the button on the railing. Nothing happens. Maybe someone's rung the bell, but I haven't heard it. The bus is approaching my stop. I try pressing the stop button again, but the bell doesn't seem to ring.

And there goes my stop.

I reach the one behind me and press the stop button on that one. It works.

I get off the bus with a couple other people at the stop. I know where I am...ten minutes' walk from my usual stop. I run back to that one, going against the not so many people walking the other way. I know I'm on the wrong lane, but that never seems to matter.

Five people are fighting at the bus stop. Four against one.

I slow down to a walk. I don't want to be involved in any fights after a long day, but something pulls me in.

One of the four moves to the other side of the girl in the middle who's fighting against all of them. It looks like they want to pull her somewhere.

The girl. Esra.

I run towards the stop and stand right in front of them. One of the boys are about to get his hands around her arm. I throw my shoe at him. It lands on his face, the heel. And now they're all looking at me.

'Hey! What's your problem?'

'Hands off that girl.'

'We're just taking her to her brother, what's wrong with that?'

'You don't know what she's been through.'

'Fuck off, lady.'

'Look who's talking.' I spit at the face of the guy who told me to fuck off.

'Shut it...' Another had his fists coming at my face. I duck down and let him punch his friend.

'Hey! What was that for?'

The one who got punched right on the nose in turn kicks me on the butt, bringing my face on the ground. He steps on my legs a couple of times. I grab one leg from each of the two boys in front of me, then scratch and pinch them. For the final touch, I try pulling them so they'd trip down.

But there are two people stepping and standing on me right now. I don't know if any of my bones have broken from all this and I hope none of them has.

Esra stands behind the boys, watching.

'Esra, run! I'll take care of this.'

She looks a bit doubtful for a while, then runs away to a car coming this way.

The boys seem to be distracted. I get up with all the strength I still have. My legs and body have suffered most from being a literal doormat, but I know I can do a good punch or two.

First, the ones who stepped on me. I punch the first one from under the chin. The second one seems to be aware and almost gets me, but I block his attack and use my other hand to get him on the face.

Then one of the other boys does the same to my face. And a kick to the body. I fall down on the ground, everything's fading. For a moment I can still feel the weight of three bodies exerted on me through things as small compared to their body as their feet.