Cast within the reflection of the mirror she sees the distorted face of a man she can’t place. Behind his looming figure she sees a ball of fire and she can swear she hears screaming and crying. Closing her eyes she finds a cold finger caressing her spine making her look slowly towards the door hoping against all logic that Peter would return and not leave her alone.
The mirror pulls her back to face her own image. For a spell bound moment she simply looks at herself. Married to Peter makes her think she is beautiful but instinctively though she has the remembered sense she is in her mind basically just an ordinary person who became extraordinary. The reason for this transformation is the man who put his rings onto her finger. Her heart fills with continuous joy knowing someone loves her as much as she loves him.
Tomorrow would be the revealing of family and them as every day persons with individual personalities. Still looking at herself the sombreness just won’t stay hidden behind her eyelids. She furthermore has the insistent feeling she was forgetting something important. What however is the question that is starting to eat inside her mind?
Looking intensely at her reflection she tries searching for the question that will hopefully reveal the answer. Her own eyes studies her profile seeing a slender woman with shoulder length auburn hair, surprisingly sexy eyelashes, a petite nose and full sensual lips.
A knock on the door makes her turn away from the mirror and her reflection. Uncertain she goes to open the door. The smiling obviously curious courier handed her the beloved and well-travelled rucksack along with a beautiful evening gown. With a wink and suggestive look the man turns and walks down the corridor.
Alone in the suite she opened the accompany letter, the first from her husband.
“My love against all logic or reason I had just liked you known your beautiful face long before I knew what name to write onto my heart. My whole life I was searching until the day I found you. First you were my fantasy but now achingly beautiful you are my reality. Love you, choose how you want to dress this day, the evening is all mine. The gown is a glimpse of what is to come. Remember though always your wishes come first. Hurry…”
Sammy removes her rings and carefully along with the letter places them beside the telephone. She steps from the bathrobe her body moving gracefully with a clear sensuality towards the bathroom.
Sammy opens the bathroom with a smile full of anticipation for what was to come and in eagerness to see her husband. She heard a buzzing sound and the immediate instinct of danger.
Thinking it a bee she swipe around the air but the small missile hit its mark just below her ear. She sees him stepping from behind the curtains come towards her purposefully.
Trying to open her mouth to scream but no sound escape her lips but darkness settles around her, she slips and hit her head against the wall. Unconsciousness settles immediately over her. Completely unaware the person with her steps past her to retrieve the small needle from her neck leaving the suite.
Sammy opens her eyes the warm sun caressing her nakedness. Her eyes blinks several times hurting and feeling bleary. It takes a couple of minutes to adjust her eyes to the brightness of the bedroom.
The moment it dawn on her that she is actually naked, she scramble into a sitting position her back flatten against the wall her legs pull up beneath her chin. Wide-eye she look around her. The dull headache is mean and insistent making its presence known.
Sitting motionless while confusion is eating a hole in her; she can’t for the life of her comprehend how she ended up there. A vague memory slips past making her recall faintly the last time her action were her climbing from the airplane walking towards the exit. Everything else is a blank her uncertainty growing not knowing how she ended up in this expensive hotel suite. Her hurtful eyes studies everything around her but nothing seems familiar.
The longer she looks at the suite it is clear someone occupies it. She notices a tie that clearly belongs to a man. This notion frightens her into bolting up right. Her trusted rucksack catches her attention. Moving closer she picks it up and dump the contents on the bed.
Fearful of being caught where she didn’t belonged she survey the suite still nothing seems familiar. The only thing she knows is her rucksack but now looking at the contents even that seems unfamiliar. Confusion mingles with fear building rapidly inside her.
Sammy dress quickly in clothes she didn’t recognise but fit her like a glove. The rest of the contents she stuff back into the rucksack.
Sammy has no plan in mind just reacting on instinct, she walks towards the door in the corridor she searches for an exit but somehow find her in the reception area. A friendly man approach her with a smile, instead of waiting to hear what he might say she simply bolted from the hotel. She simply runs wandering the streets of Cape Town aimlessly.
The people around her were just a blur of many faces. She keeps walking searching for something but she doesn’t know precisely what is missing. She is driven with the urge to continued searching. The realization starts to dawn in her dazed mind she is on a quest in search of herself. Who she is however she doesn’t know her mind continues searching for the answer but the question eludes her?
Her feet continue pounding the streets. The hustle and bustle of the day turns into nightlife and bright lights. It never dawn on her that she is on a dangerous path. The angels took it upon themselves to guard over her.
A light in a darken street pull her closer. The gates were open and the bench is the most inviting place at that moment for her tired feet. With no hesitance she move forward and sit down. The beautiful garden is quiet, it never dawn on her that she is trespassing.
Sammy sits down and closes her eyes. She is fast asleep by the time the dogs take a guarding position beside her sitting motionless she in a soundless sleep.
The moon tries to sneak past the clouds wanting to take a sneak peek at her. The clouds stay master of the sky that night. As the hours past it is replace by the early cool dawn of morning.
A kaleidoscope of images play in her mind fighting for supremacy, just before she open her eyes she has a brief image of a man smiling captivatingly with her. Her eyes open and the image are gone.
She suddenly is aware of the dogs sitting on either side of her. They were looking at her with kindness in their eyes. The dogs look past her. She instantly jumps onto her feet turning to face him. At first glance he is a stern, serious man, judging him in his early fifties. She notice his eyes twinkling at her apparently amuse by her candid look.
“Good morning, did you sleep well?” he queries.
She didn’t answer him but continue looking intently at him. She senses no danger from him or his immediate presence. Something about him comforts her.
“Last night I found myself in the most curious dilemma. I keep calling my dogs but they simply didn’t obey my command. I was first concern when I went searching for them. I found them along with you. They took it upon themselves to guard you. My dear you choose the most peculiar position for sleeping. The women I had known in my life prefer to sleep on the softest bed they could find. You can imagine my surprise when I found you sitting motionless up right clearly tired, very beautiful and sound asleep. For the life of me I didn’t have the heart to wake you. During the night I check on you regularly and behold me still, you didn’t move an inch. Thus my dilemma, should I wake you and or carry you inside to sleep on a bed. Instead it dawn on me that this action on my part would frighten you so I allow my dogs to guard you as I did. Now tell me beautiful who are you?”
“I am Sammy, I think,” she says puzzled, uncertain.
Sammy watches him with a serious of reflections washing over her.
“Well beautiful, if I look trustworthy enough you may enter my home and shower then I will feed you. When you feel comfortable with me and you prefer you can tell me why and how you ended up here. I am Leonardo “Leo” William.”
Sammy found her host in his garden a morning feast waiting for her. The picture seems vaguely familiar for a moment. Then the notion vanishes. She goes to him finding his presence alluringly comfortable in kindness. His eyes were twinkling with her again she like that about him. She goes and sits across from him.
“Well Sammy dear, how is it you find yourself in this predicament?”
Leo handed her a glass of juice leaning back in his chair waiting for an answer if she prefer. It is clear to him she is thinking about her answer but confusion mingles uncertainty leaving her vulnerable again. He instantly reaches out to sooth her fears with the touch of a hand.
“You are safe here beautiful. No harm will befall you in my presence. My bossy daughter will have my head I guarantee you.”
“Leo I don’t remember how I ended up here in Cape Town,”
Sammy stood fast circling the confines of the enclosed garden. The blankness overflowing with jumbled thoughts is driving her crazy.
“What was the first thing that jumps into your thoughts?”
“Waking up in the most expensive suite in the Waterfront Hotel I am completely clueless how I ended up there.”
“What else do you remember before yesterday?”
Sammy stands still looking into space her eyebrows furrowed with thought.
“I am Sammy Hoffman, living in Steinkopf in the Namaqualand region. I was touring through the country to get away from the pain and the dark looming shadow just at the edge of my memory. I step from the plane then nothing. I only remember this now when I step from the shower.”
“Would you allow me to call a doctor?” he queries gently.
“I don’t like them. They always stick me with needles making me forget,” she says sharply. “I don’t like forgetting,” she frown realizing what she just said. She looks at Leo for an explanation.
“What is the reason you don’t like doctors?” he stand coming towards her.
“I…” confusion is clearly in her eyes.
“Sammy doesn’t force the issue. Things will settle the way it should in due time. Just stay calm. If I may wager an opinion as an amateur but using a bit common sense, you must have hurt yourself somewhere now you suffer from some kind of amnesia. Spend the day with me maybe something will come back to you.”
“Leo…my head does feel tender in the back and I have a mark on my neck,”
The dogs bark suddenly furiously. Leo goes to see what the commotion is all about.
Sammy turn wanting to go inside when she realises someone is just standing within the shadow of the interior of the house.
“Leo,” she called but her voice is barely a whisper.
“One way or another I will get you. Your time is running out,” he warns.
Panic rooted her in one spot. Leo reaches her and sees the terror on her face. When he reaches for her hands they were ice cold.“Sammy?” he shakes her body hard. Life springs back into her eyes. “What happened?”“I don’t know.” Her voice quivered. He helps her back into a chair to sit down kneeling in front of her brushing warmth into her hands.“Who did you see?”“A shadow,” she whispers. “I should leave,”“Where will you go?”“Home,”“I will take you,”Leo stands and reaches for the phone. When he looks back to her she is gone.“Sammy,” her name echoes throughout the house.Sammy stands in front of the office of a traveling agency mesmerise with the brochure on display about the Namaqualand. The pictures are intriguing calling her back home.“Home,” the thought fill he
Peter enters the suite with a ringing phone calling him. Ignoring it for the moment he quickly searches the space finding it empty. Frowning he wonders where on earth Sammy might have gone. The phone keeps ringing insistently.“Sammy, my love where are you?” only his voice echo in the suite.Reaching for the phone suddenly annoyed.“William,” he snaps.“You took your time answering, William. Here me good since I want to do you a favour. Maybe I should reconsider,” replies the stranger.“Who are you and what do you want?” something about his voice grates the nerves. Furthermore he found the intrusion irritating to say the least. No one as far as he knows should have had this number.“You can call me friend but I can easily be your enemy too,” says the stranger with smugness that now seriously grates his nerves.Peter says nothing but keeps his ears open while his eyes search t
Peter is furious that he slams the door behind him. The sound echoes through the house alerting the owner. He made his appearance just as the door burst opened again only to shut with another bang.Leo studies the two faces of his children wondering what on earth happened now. Shrugging his shoulders he leaves them alone but they have no intention of giving him peace.“You are the rudest man I had encountered this week.” snap TheoFista.Peter allows all his emotions to spread across his face alerting his sister about how close he is to bursting. “It was your own fault falling. Why in heaven’s name didn’t you look where you were going?” He removes his jacket.“It was your fault and you know it. Just admit it and apologized.”“I won’t.” he goes and sits across from his father.TheoFista grab hold of the container with water dumping it onto him. He is like an arrow from a b
Peter and the man who stayed mask enter the house. The gun concealed within the folds of his clothes. Going towards the study, both were halted.“What are you doing here?” Leo eyes them curiously where he stands just in the door both dogs at his side.“I need some money from the safe. This isn’t your business though. Step aside.” Peter look at him with a sharpness they shared when doing delicate business. It was a warning.Peter step into the study, his captor for the moment shortly on his heels. Going directly to the safe behind the painting of his mother, he unlocked it.“Don’t move,” come the command from behind him.He turns facing the man and the pointed gun.“Step aside. I know you rich men. You always have firepower within the safe. Whatever is in there I’ll take. Move away but stay within my sight.”Peter move to the corner standing beside a cabinet watching the
Sammy Hoffman sleep curled on the bench in the enclose section in the back of the garden. Earlier in the morning she steps from the bus finding her way towards this house that drew her like a magnet. Everything she did is on pure instinct.Her eyes open but her body stays motionless. The image so tangible was gone. Every time she closes her eyes she found them lurking in the shadows of her mind; one has the essence of a threat, the other is pulling onto her heartstrings.The back door suddenly creak opened. The woman who appears seems startled into paleness when she sees her coiling from the bench.“Sammy!” she whispers shocked.“Good morning!” she smiles concealing the fact that she didn’t have a clue who the woman is or how they were connected.“When did you arrive?” She stays rooted within the open door.“During the early morning,” Sammy watches the various emotions playing so fast acr
The darken car come out of nowhere. Instinctive she jumped out of the way rolling down the side of the road. Scrambling back onto her feet, she moves back up the road. The car stands a short distance away. She can see the silhouette of a man behind the wheel. The picture of him sitting there disturbed her somehow. She has the distinctive idea his intent was menacing.The night became sinister all of a sudden. The moon vanish behind the clouds that came out of nowhere leaving the impression with her it was concealing his intended misdeeds.A storm brews on the horizon. To confirm her suspicion, the breeze quickly picked up speed. Turning she moved away from the dark waiting car. The instant he realized her intent, he turn giving chase.Sammy runs full speed, the car behind her with lights on her back.She found herself in a street that wasn’t familiar. Ducking underneath the low hanging branches of the trees she found a hiding place. She sees the lig
Sammy opens her eyes slowly warm tears still streaming down her face her aching heart long for the missing part of her that she had forgotten. She searches deeply within herself but she can’t seem to find the image of him. Instinctively, deeply she just realize that morning she has suffered a great loss.Uncoiling from her rickety bed she stand bath in the early morning sun. Now she knows for certain she must first search for the question then the answer to her barren lonely heart will appear. She decides to believe that with her whole heart.She step into the small kitchen finding David there still all smiles.“Good morning, angel face.”Good morning David. Tell me about my life that which you know.”“Take a seat and do you want coffee?”“Yes, please.”Sammy eagerly awaits him response. She watch the seriousness take hold off him.“I came to this town a broken man. My wife
Sammy walks down the street with no clear direction in mind. She is so thoughtful that she wasn’t paying any attention to where she really is going. Suddenly it dawn on her that something wasn’t right. She feels the intensity of someone watching her. The moment her attention focus she see the ominous black car that followed her last night.Out of nowhere she barely sees the body barrelling down on her. She is drag by the arm and pulled along so fast she found herself complying.The car gives chase like the previous night. The two women run with a dead speed down the road.Peter who has followed her once he was safe to step from the tree stand at the crossroad sees the two women fleeing in front of the car. The long flying brown hair has that familiarity that draws his attention like a magnet. He instantly followed the car and tries to keep an eye on both women. A fury built for the person chasing them.Sammy spotted the alley but she just has