LOGINCHARLOTTE“Are you ready, Charlotte?” Nurse Amelia caught my eye, winking.Heat rushed to my cheeks at the mention of my name.We shared an inside joke, but it was at my expense.The nurses assigned to me had noticed my reaction whenever they addressed me as Mrs. Hale. So, unknown to me, they recorded my reaction every time I made a face. At the end of the shift, they had gathered in my room, showing me hilarious, meme-worthy pictures of myself.Since then, they have opted to call me by my name. Which I was grateful for.“In a minute,” I replied, circling today’s date on a miniature calendar she had given me. I scribbled in the tiny circle and stepped back to admire my art.“Oh, I can’t believe it,” Nurse Amelia muttered, peeping over my shoulder. “I’m going to miss you terribly. You’ve been my patient ever.”I turned to face her, my eyes misting at the sight of her teary eyes. I reached for her hand. “I’m going to miss you too. But I’m so glad to be out of here.”It’s been ten days s
CHRISTIAN“You’ve got blood on my shirt, Jesus,” Ethan rolled up his sleeves hiding the bloodstain. “Maybe now we can get a little messier.”I stood behind them, taking it all in. The warehouse was soundproof, so I wasn’t worried about the screams coming from his mouth. Soundproofing the warehouse was just an additional precaution I wanted to take, even though it was miles from town.It was one of our warehouses scattered across the country. They were mostly leased but this one was special. I had specifically kept it aside for situations like this. The proximity to town was just the perfect distance.“Or you could just tell us what we need to know and put an end to this torture.” Ethan offered before landing a blow on Jesus’ face.His head rolled backwards and when it came back up, a large smile showed off his bloodied teeth. “Vete a al mierda.” Go to hell.I flexed my knuckles just as Ethan punched him again, this time, in his stomach. This was getting nowhere. Ethan had been on h
CHRISTIAN“She might be experiencing temporary amnesia.” I caught the doctor's words just as I closed the door. “These sorts of things happen more frequently than you think to people who have gone through traumatic situations. It’s the brain's way of protecting itself from extreme events. It might also be as a result of the blunt force to her head.”“But three years?” Charles Whitmore cried. “Does this mean she has no recollection of anything that has happened in her life these years?”“It could. Maybe there are some memories from those years that she is trying to repress.” he smiled warmly. “But that’s just my observation. We couldn’t know the full extent till we’ve carried out a couple of tests.”“How long would it be before she regains her memory?” Mrs. Whitmore sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. “She doesn’t even remember her husband!”I tried not to flinch at the word husband. That was the last name I wanted to be addressed with. Especially after I failed her. Failed
CHARLOTTEI pulled away, staring at her like she had just sprouted a set of horns. “That’s not true, mum. I don’t have a husband.”“You do. He’s right there,” she replied, laughing awkwardly and pointing at the young man with curls.“No, I don’t,” I insisted, my voice sharper than I intended.An uncomfortable silence settled in the room. Even the sounds from the machines became nonexistent. Mum’s gaze darted across the room, glancing at everybody before resting on me. “Why would you say that, love?” she asked quietly, stroking my chin.I leaned closer. “I don’t know him,” I whispered, cupping my hand over my mouth. “I’ve never seen him before. I would know if I’m married.”Her eyes flitted over my face, searching. “You’re serious?” The panic in her voice fuelled my own.“Mum? What’s going on? Is this some sort of joke?” I nudged my head towards the men standing at the edge of my bed. “Did they put you up to this? Is that why they’re here?”She shook her head, tears streaming down he
CHARLOTTEThe haze around my head seemed to lift every time I focused on the tiny dirt high on the ceiling. And I have been at it for a while.I shut my eyes and exhaled, feeling an instant relief from the tightness in my head. The sound of a door opening broke my reverie. Groaning, I opened my eyes and blinked through the haze until the room came into focus.My heart skipped a beat as two men walked towards me. One was taller than the other. Younger too. The younger one hurried towards me. He cradled the back of my head with shaky hands and gently lifted it. “It’s so good to see those eyes again,” he whispered breathlessly before dipping his head down and placing his lips on mine.I stiffened at the contact. He seemed to notice because he released my head and stepped back without another word.What was that?My eyes followed him as he moved to the corner of the room. Unabashedly, I stared at him, feeling a tingle start at the back of my head.Dark brown curls graced his head. His
CHRISTIAN“How much longer?” I asked, staring at the screens.Ethan had cleared out a room in the house and set up shop there. Three monitors sat on the table and the feeds from different angles of the park were showing on the screens. Ethan glanced at his wristwatch. “We should receive the next instruction in five minutes.”I nodded, resuming my pacing around the room. I was too agitated to sit still. I pulled out my phone and replayed the video they had sent to me. Charlotte was on the floor, her hands and legs tied with a rope. The blood on her head had matted against her face.My heart constricted with pain as her eyes darted fearfully around the room. Unaware of the camera.After they had sent the video, I knew I had to get her out. Ethan hadn’t been able to successfully pin down her location. And the police were too busy chasing the wrong tail. It felt almost as if someone was purposefully throwing the distractions our way.“He’s gotten the text.” Ethan’s voice snapped me out







