Memories of Midnight

"Don’t worry, I’m on my way. Lock yourself in. Everything will be all right."

The line went dead.

Catherine slowly replaced the receiver. "Oh, my God!"

Atanas appeared in the doorway. He took one look at Catherine’s pale face and hurried to her side. "Is something wrong, Miss Alexander?"

She turned to him. "Someone…someone is trying to kill me."

He was gaping at her. "Why? Who…who would want to do that?"

"I’m not sure."

They heard a knock at the front door.

Atanas looked at Catherine. "Should I…?"

"No," she said quickly. "Don’t let anyone in. Dr. Hamilton’s on his way here."

The knock at the front door was repeated, louder.

"You could hide in the basement," Atanas whispered. "You’ll be safe there."

She nodded nervously. "Right."

They moved toward the back of the corridor, to the door that led to the basement. "When Dr. Hamilton comes, tell him where I am."

"You won’t be afraid down there?"

"No," Catherine said.

Atanas turned on a light and led the way down the basement stairs.

"No one will ever find you here," Atanas assured her. "Don’t you have any idea who would want to kill you?"

She thought of Constantin Demiris and her dreams. He’s going to kill you. But that was only a dream. "I’m not sure."

Atanas looked at her and whispered, "I think I know."

Catherine stared at him. "Who?"

"Me." There was suddenly a switchblade in his hand and he was holding it to her throat.

"Atanas, this is no time to play…"

She felt the knife pressing deeper into her throat.

"Did you ever read Appointment in Samarra, Catherine? No? Well, it’s too late now, isn’t it? It’s about someone who tried to escape death. He went to Samarra and death was waiting for him there. This is your Samarra, Catherine."

It was obscene, listening to these terrifying words coming from the mouth of this innocent-looking boy.

"Atanas, please. You can’t…"

He slapped her hard across the face. "I can’t do it because I’m a young boy? Did I surprise you? That’s because I’m a brilliant actor. I’m thirty years old, Catherine. Do you know why I look like a young boy? Because when I was growing up I never had enough to eat. I lived on garbage that I stole from trash cans at night." He was holding the knife at her throat, backing her toward a wall. "When I was a young boy I watched the soldiers rape my mother and father and then slash them both to death, and then they raped me and left me for dead."

He was forcing her back, deeper into the basement.

"Atanas, I – I’ve never done anything to hurt you. I…"

He smiled his boyish smile. "This is nothing personal. This is business. You’re worth fifty thousand dollars to me, dead."

It was as though a curtain had come down in front of her eyes and she was seeing everything through a red haze. A part of her was outside, looking down at what was happening.

"I had a wonderful plan worked out for you. But the boss is in a hurry now, so we’ll have to improvise, won’t we?"

Catherine could feel the point of the knife digging hard into her neck. He moved the knife and slit open the front of her dress.

"Pretty," he said. "Very pretty. I was planning a party for us first, but since your doctor friend is coming, we won’t have time, will we? Too bad for you. I’m a great lover."

Catherine stood there suffocated, barely able to breathe.

Atanas reached into his jacket and took a pint bottle from his pocket. In it was a pale, pink-colored liquid. "Have you ever had slivovic? We’ll drink to your accident, huh?" He moved the knife away to open the bottle and, for an instant, Catherine was tempted to flee.

"Go ahead," Atanas said softly. "Try it. Please."

Catherine licked her lips. "Look, I…I’ll pay you. I’ll…"

"Save your breath." Atanas took a deep swallow from the bottle and handed it to her. "Drink," he said.

"No. I don’t…"

"Drink!"

Catherine took the bottle and took a small sip. The fierce bite of the brandy burned her throat. Atanas took the bottle back and took another deep swallow.

"Who tipped off your doctor friend that someone was going to kill you?"

"I – I don’t know."

"It doesn’t matter anyway." Atanas pointed to one of the thick wooden posts that supported the ceiling. "Get over there."

Catherine’s eyes glanced toward the door. She felt the steel blade press into her neck. "Don’t make me tell you again."

Catherine moved over to the wooden post.

"That’s a good girl," Atanas said. "Sit down." He turned away for an instant. And in that moment, Catherine made a break for it.

She started to race toward the stairs, her heart pounding. She was running for her life. She reached the first step and then the second, and, as she was about to move up, she felt a hand grab her leg and pull her back. He was incredibly strong.

"Bitch!"

He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her face close to his. "You try that again and I’ll break both your legs."

She could feel the knife between her shoulder blades.

"Move!"

Atanas marched her back to the wooden post and shoved her to the ground.

"Stay there."

Catherine watched as Atanas walked over to a pile of cardboard boxes bound with heavy cord. He cut two lengths of cord and carried them back to her.

"Put both hands in back of the post."

"No, Atanas. I…"