30
After a restless night, during which she slept fitfully, Alice struggled to keep herself calm – it wasn’t an easy task, for she couldn’t dispel the fear that her kidnappers had plans for her beyond collecting a ransom from her father. That fear was made worse by a combination of tiredness, hunger, thirst, and a need to go to the toilet.
It had occurred to her some time before – she wished she knew what the time was, and how long had passed since she was snatched; it was not helping her mental state to be in a timeless bubble – that the bucket was intended for use as a toilet. The idea was an unpleasant one, more than unpleasant, and she had quickly pushed it aside, refusing to give it space in her troubled mind.
She could see no way out of the room – she was sure her father’s resourc
