A TANGLE OF LIGHT 

By Tessa Harvey


    At that moment Adrienne was talking to Damien in a warm recess of the hospital corridor, explaining about her new friend. "She's homeless, Gramps - you have a big house. Gran always looked after homeless people. Can't she help?" Suddenly she let out a loud wail. 
    Someone had gripped her painfully from behind, twisting her arm. Trying to turn awkwardly, Adrienne glimpsed angry eyes, glinting at her over his mask. For a moment Adrienne felt afraid and then annoyed. "Jono! Let go! What's with you?" 
"You were meant to have coffee with me, A.D. I had to chase around trying to find you."
"You don't own me, Jono. I didn't agree. Now get lost!"
She turned and walked away, feeling angry eyes boring into her back.
Her grandfather chuckled. "That's my girl. Do not ever get into an abusive relationship, sweetheart. He will apologise and promise the moon - until the next time something upsets and annoys him.
    Astonished at her gramps' perceptiveness, the young girl moved back to their original topic and so was asked to bring Elsie Hopper around for tea tomorrow after her day at college.
    When the young woman walked through the front door of her home, she knew instinctively there was something wrong. The very atmosphere seemed to hum with tension. Listening she could hear faint sobs from the back bedroom, but the connecting door was closed.
    Then Adrienne turned as the flyscreen banged....

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