Forgotten

Chapter One:



“She’s awake?” A deep husky voice asked a few feet away. He had been shuffling back and forth almost impatiently. I twitched when a big warm hand rested on my forehead. The touch was so hot, I’m sure when he removed it my forehead was red.
         “Kris honey, wake up. Please.” His words were begging. It didn’t make sense to me. Was he calling me Kris? The name didn’t sound familiar to me, yet something seemed to click as this voice called this name.
         A woman’s voice spoke up next. She was also beside me. “Danny, come on. Just give her some space. Let her open her eyes on her own time.” She was soothing the man next to me… Danny.
“What if…” Danny’s voice sounded ruined, guilty when he said this, which made me confused.
“No. Her wounds are healing son. See?” The woman again said calmly. Wounds? What wounds? This anxiety is enough to make me want to open my eyes and ask what’s wrong with me. But I didn’t.
“Kris, everything’s fine now. You won’t be hurt. I’ve made sure of it.” His voice was very reassuring. For some odd reason I feel a burning sensation in my heart at his words. There was a longing in my chest for him. What an irrational response. Yet I felt the need to touch him, reassure him that everything was okay. I was about to open my eyes when the man a little further back said something that stopped me from this action.
         “He tried to find a way in.” He spoke low, a viscous note in his tone. Danny…. Growled….. “He ran when he heard us coming.”
         “He won’t get away with this!” Danny snarled. The woman sighed.
         “Don’t worry. He’ll get sloppy somewhere and we’ll catch him. Her mother’s starting to ask questions.”
         “What did you say?” Danny asked.
         “More or less the same.”
         “Good. The less she knows the better.” He said begrudgingly.
         “I’ll go see if Phil has anymore news.” The man in the back left. The room seemed to lose some tension in his absence.
         “Don’t fret. She’ll come to when she’s ready.” The next sound I hear is a chair scooting closer, as I believe Danny sat down. A pair of big warm hands lifted up gently my hand and held it.
         “I’m so sorry.” He murmured. I wondered. What would cause him to feel such anguish? None of this is making any sense to me. It was driving me crazy that my own body, my own mind, and I couldn’t even be in control of that. My finger twitched in his hand. He froze.
         “Kristina? Honey, do you hear me?” I squeezed my eyes tight, then slowly opened them, blinking trying to adjust to bright light. How long had they been closed? They hurt, sending an effect -- a painful pressure to the center of my forehead. It throbbed, causing a wave of lightheadedness. He dropped my hand and ran… to the door? And rushed back to my side.
         “Kris honey.” I slowly opened my eyes again. This time his face was the first thing my eyes registered. It was warm loving. His skin had a natural sun kissed glow to it. His emerald eyes stared wildly at me. I just lay there looking, my forehead creasing in frustration. The only light emanating in the room now was a pole lamp in the corner of the room.
         “Where am I?” I spoke slowly… my throat sore and dry. My voice was low and hoarse- crackly.
         “You’re home. Safe.” He was stroking the creases out of my forehead. What did that mean? Home. What was home for me? Who is my family—if I even have a family. The thought ran through my mind. If no family… who did I have then? This Danny guy? I guess he read the confusion on my face.
         “Are you…. Do you…. Are you in pain?” His indecisive question only confused me even more.
         “Should I be?” That’s when I realized the cold numbing sensation in my body. My eyes looked downward, but I was covered up in a soft big white comforter. His eyes didn’t miss this analysis. When I looked back at him, his face was torn.
         “Do you remember what happened?” My eyes stared blankly at him.
         “What do you remember?” he spoke each word carefully.
         “Umm…” I didn’t want to make him sad by the truth, but I couldn’t play like I only forgot what happened? The truth is I’d forgotten everything. Even who I am. I took a deep breath, but winced. This intake made a stabbing pain in my midsection. His face paled at my second of weakness.
         “Nothing. I remember nothing.” He seemed to relax a little. This was an adverse reaction that I was expecting. “I…. I don’t remember… anything at all.” His lovely eyes grew wide with fear as realization hit him. He stood up, turning his head towards the door. I followed his eyes and watched as a similar looking woman with silky black hair, in a red dress and loud stomping heels walked in. Her smile spread up to her eyes when she took in my woken state.
         “Kris!” she exclaimed. “How good it is to see those gorgeous blue eyes again.” She slowed when she saw the expression on Danny’s face. The veins in his muscular arms were bulging, and he was shaking ferociously. The woman glided to him and took his face in her hands.
         “Son, focus. Look at me.” She held his gaze for a moment. “Calm.” She said. His shaking slowed, until it ceased altogether. “What’s happened?” she whispered.
         “See for yourself.” He said hatefully, glancing back at me. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed me.
         “Do you remember my name? Do you know who I am?” She remained composed as I answered.
         “No.” Her small hand touched his thick intimidating arm.
         “You know who he is?” I shook my head left and right.
         “Okay dear.” She said trying to appease. She approached me. “Baby steps. Let’s try to sit you up. I flinched from her hand when she reached out to me. She hesitated. “I won’t hurt you. I’m trying to help you. We are all going to help you. Your safe here.” I looked to Danny. The way he acted towards me, I doubted he would let her harm me. I nodded. Though the movement was small she understood, and reached out again to help me. She carefully took my shoulders and lifted me forward. It hurt. Like you’d been laying stiff for days and then try to sit up, your muscles are listless—useless. This time I made sure not to make any kind of face. I didn’t want to upset anyone. Which was weird considering I should be worrying about myself—the state of my mind rather than what others think or feel.
         She propped the pillows up behind me and gently leaned me back against them.
         “May I get you something? Maybe you’d like some food or water?”
         “Water.” I spoke quickly. Then added, “Please.” She nodded and gave a warm smile and left the room.
         For the first time I got a really good look around the room. Maybe there was something familiar in here that would help me remember….. and maybe there wasn’t anything but a room filled with things I’d never seen before, or held no interest for me now.
         The room was fairly wide and dimly lit. It must be dark outside. Directly in front, yet across on the opposite wall from the bed was a mahogany wooded set of drawers. The walls were a sort of deep maroon color, very soothing to the eyes. The floors were also a deep shiny wood, smooth as molasses. There were two wide windows on each side of the bed with blending curtains and matching end tables. I was lying on the left side of the bed and looked beside me—seeing a wedding picture. My hand shakily reached out and picked it up.
         As I looked closer I gasped. It was Danny in the picture. He was dressed very handsome looking in a black tuxedo. The woman next to him was so beautiful. Her skin was the opposite of his—fair, yet they blended well as a couple. His tanned tone seemed to bring out a rosy look in her. Her cheeks were slightly scarlet (I’d take from the blush) while her long flowing black hair, shiny as can be, fell in loose ringlets over her shoulders. Her smile- a perfect flash of happiness. Her wedding dress laid around her upper arms, fitting tightly in her waist showing off her petite waist. The bottom veered out loosely from her thigh down, the train lying to the side of her.
         The last thing I noticed was her blue eyes, slightly moist yet filled with joy and bright as the sun.
         “This is me?” I choked out. He approached the bed slowly. His face was careful, as he replied.
         “This is us. Our wedding day.”
         “How long?” I whispered, looking back at the photograph.
         “Almost a year.” He said grimly.
         “This woman,” my fingers touched the lovely face. “is me? How beautiful she looks.”
         “Yes. You are beautiful.” His mouth was open as if he were about to say something else, but the woman walked back in with a glass of water. I set the picture back down and she handed me the glass.
         “Drink.” She insisted. She held out her index finger to Danny and gestured for him to follow. They went back towards the door but didn’t leave the room. She leaned in and began whispering something. This made me curious. I listened closely, trying to hear what she was saying as I took a sip of the wet delicious water that soothed my dry cracky throat.
         She glanced my way and back again. I looked around the room, pretending to be distracted.
         “—but he is asking for her.”
         “No.” he said sternly. “She doesn’t remember him or her life before this incident…” they spoke in hushed whispers so I couldn’t hear much else. I gave up trying to hear or understand. Instead I wondered how this body belongs to Danny. How even if I couldn’t remember loving him or marrying him or having a life with him… this body—my body was bound to him. I guess I could see how I had loved him. How I could maybe try to love for his sake. But how could I love someone when I don’t even remember truly what love is? Maybe some unbroken part of my brain could remember what it is and how it feels.
         This is all so irrational. I don’t even know him. I’m only jumping on what I have seen in a brief ten minute period or so. He was careful, protective and defensive. And we were married… are married I guess. What is to come for me?
         My wondering took flight. Is she his mother? After all she had called him son several times. She wasn’t young, but she wasn’t old looking either. Just a little frail around the eyes and in her movements. Do I have my own family somewhere? My own mother and father perhaps. My mind jumped back on something spoken, not that long ago. They had said… her mother is beginning to ask questions. Did that mean my mother? Or were they speaking of someone else. What did that guy mean he was checking to see if there was any new news or something, and biggest of all is why had Danny gotten so upset. He was shaking from head to foot like he was having some kind of spasm. I may not remember things about my life, but I did know that that was not normal behavior. She had told him to stay calm. What would have happened if he hadn’t stayed calm? The woman hastily left the bedroom.
Danny trudged back, his face sullen.
“What’s wrong?” He looked at me, a little life flickering back.
“Nothing. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes. Thank you. The dizziness has… faded somewhat now that I’m sitting up and my eyes don’t hurt as much. Everything’s not so bright and new now.” He nodded.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. A few breaths passed before any words were spoken.
“We were in love.” It was a statement, not an assumption. His reaction was a little unexpected.
“No.” he said, his voice was hard. “We are in love.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what? You have nothing to be sorry for. I have every reason to be sorry.” The pain and regret on his face sent a sick twisted ache through my chest. It was hurting me to see him so sad and hurt. My hand involuntarily reached out to comfort— a small touch, but I realized it would be a mistake and laid it back down on the bed.
“So tell me please… I’m dying to know… what happened.” He shook his head.
“I can’t tell you that—just yet. I don’t think you’re ready to hear it, but I can answer any questions you have about yourself or your life.
“She is your mother?”
“Yes. Ann McCall.”
“I call her…”
“Ann.” I nodded trying to remember this.
“Ann.” I whispered to myself. “and you’re Danny.” He froze, his eyebrows furrowed.
“You remember my name?” His voice was high and hopeful. I hated to bring it back down with my next words.
“No. A little while ago when I was “asleep” someone called you… and you answered. You were beside me so…”
“Oh.” Like was predicted, his voice dropped tremendously. The silence left a ringing in my ears. It was too quiet so I spoke again. 
“What about me? Do I have any parents?”
“Yes. Merrill Davis and Mark Davis.” I giggled.
“M&M.” He smiled.
“Yeah.” He grunted. “That’s actually what you call them. That’s how we refer to them when their names are brought up.”
“So you said that we were… that I was home. Is this our house?” He nodded. I sighed. I rubbed my eyes. Frustration was bubbling in me. It’s like when you’re about to do something and you’re walking that way to whatever it is but then stop short. You completely forget about whatever it is you were about to do and no matter how hard you try you can’t remember. Except this time it’s a thousand times worse.
“What is it?” He asked. My hands fell useless from my face.
“You have no idea how frustrating this is.” I gritted each word through my teeth.
“I’m sure this is for you.” He stood back up again.
“I know that you just told me… but this is driving me insane! I…” I stopped maybe I really didn’t want to know the truth of how I ended up in this state. Maybe what I should do now instead of sitting here guessing.. I should get up. Walk around and maybe possibly remember something, anything.
“I think I’m ready to get up now.” I threw the covers back and gasped at what I saw beneath them.


         My legs were bruised… badly. Black and purple patches. There were three distinct gashes starting at my ankle crawling upward to just above my knee on the outer right side of my leg. I was wearing dark blue shorts and a gray tank top. I pulled my top up enough to expose the bare flesh of my torso. There were more bruising and smaller scratches. It would explain the pain I felt when I moved a certain way or even breathed. I carefully laid my shirt back down.
         My body felt a few degrees colder than it was a while ago. I looked back over to Danny. He was at a stand still. He was beginning to shake all over again. His hands were balled up into fist.
         “Oh! Umm.” I thought fast. I needed to calm him. This time I reached out intending to touch him. He was just within arms reach. I grabbed his burning hot skin and squeezed his arm where I held him at.
         “Calm?” I said it questioningly. I heard… Ann speak it before. Was that the magic word? He gave one hard laugh. He seemed to loosen up some under my touch and his shivers were subsiding.
         “What?” I asked trying to find reason for his dark humor when he was… upset or whatever it was causing these heavy shakes.
         “You.”  A smile was pulling at the corner of his lips.
         “Did I say or do something funny to make you laugh at me?” I just stared at him curiously.
         He sighed. “Just you… trying to … distract me.” He said trying to find the right words to say. He glanced down at my hand still resting on his arm. I moved it back from him feeling a little awkward. I leaned forward on my own, feeling the, however long it was, effects of a lax muscle. Or in my case muscles. I tried to move my legs, first bending my left knee. I ignored the pain and slung it over the edge of the bed. Danny jumped forward startling me.
         “Hold on now where do you think you’re going?”
         “I can’t… I need to go. I need to walk maybe look around this room for myself. I need maybe to walk around this house. I want to remember something. He held his arms out unsure what to do. Either he was going to restrain me—which would just end up physically hurting me, or he was going to let me stand up in which I would probably hurt myself, but I wouldn’t let him know it.
         “Okay, you can help me then.” My left arm grabbed onto his arm as I tried to slide my right leg over the edge. This wasn’t as easy as my left leg. It was more painful because of the three long gashes in the outer side of it. I still managed to slide it over and I twisted around to where I was simply now sitting on the edge of the bed.
         “I don’t think this is such a good idea.” I ignored his “ideas” and put both hands on either side of me attempting to give myself a little boost up. Easier said than done. After I was boosted up, I stood my ground… for a second. Next thing I know I find myself plummeting face forward. Danny’s arms were there to break my fall. He was literally holding me up in his big, hot, strong arms. And then I was on the bed again.
         “Like I said, I don’t think it’s such a good idea you get up just yet.”
         “I’m fine.” I insisted. A hard smile rose on his face.
         “Is that why you fell forward?”
         “Hmph. I was just finding my balance” I muttered.
         “Stubborn as ever.” He sighed. My eyes narrowed.
         “Just lay back and relax. Let that leg heal a little.” I wasn’t going to argue with him. To tell you the truth I was a little intimidated by him. I was so small compared to him. He helped pull the covers back over me when the guy in here earlier came back. He seemed a little more relaxed this time coming.
         “Aaron.” Danny acknowledged him. Aaron nodded back and actually approached the bed. He just stared at me with his brown eyes. He wasn’t nearly as built as Danny, but that wasn’t to say he didn’t have some muscle on him. He was also a little shorter. He had curly short dark brown hair and his skin was also tan.
         After staring at me (which was a little uncomfortable) he spoke directly to me. “Hi Kristina. I’m Aaron. I’ve been a friend to Danny—and you for years now.” Apparently Ann told him of my… condition.
         “Hello.” I didn’t feel as trusting towards him as I did with Danny, but I figured he was safe enough. Friendly enough.
         “How are you feeling?” I opened my mouth to speak, but Danny beat me to it.
         “She’s as stubborn as ever. Tried to get up just now, but didn’t make it.”
         “I was doing just fine thank you.” My face was pouted. Aaron just looked from Danny and back to me then started laughing. “Glad I’m funny today. Everyone’s having their laugh.”
         “Same old Kris.” My head looked down and I did a very small head shake and looked down with a little roll of my eyes. Small, but they didn’t miss this. They both started laughing. I folded my arms across my stomach. I don’t know who this Kris is everyone keeps speaking of, but she’s not me. I don’t know her.


“Where’s Angela?” Danny asked Aaron. He looked to me and then to Danny. He turned away from me and spoke.
         “She’s watching him. Trying to keep his mind occupied. It’s working some. Not much.”
         “That’s what I was afraid of.” Danny looked sadly to me. I grabbed my glass and took a few more swallows. It was so good and cool I kept drinking until it was empty. I sighed, looking into the now empty glass and set it back down.
         “I need to go check on….”
         “I’ll sit with her a few minutes.” He nodded.
         Danny turned to me and said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” As he turned his back on me and headed for the door, panic rose in me as if he was taking any peace and serenity with him.
         The room was in silence. I couldn’t think of anything to say to this man. I didn’t know him. I don’t know anyone for that matter. I schooched down and laid my head back, resting my eyes for a few moments. I felt tired. Didn’t matter that I’d been asleep for however long. I let out a yawn. A few seconds later, I was under. I was in a large bathroom just off this bedroom—my bedroom. I felt warm, and light. As I turned the beautiful little blue eyed boy in the wide oval tub reached to me. I smiled and got down on my knees beside the tub.
         My hand opened a small bottle. The shampoo smelled of cucumber almost. I pressed the lid shut against my thigh and set the bottle beside me on the floor. Then I lathered the shampoo well in my hands, and ran it through the little boy’s black hair. He giggled light and high. This made me laugh. After washing him, I let the water drain and grabbed a soft white towel. I wrapped the small child in it and picked him up. His feet were dripping water so I took the end of the towel and dried them. He snuggled into my chest closing his eyes.
         I carried him to the bedroom and sat down on an armchair in the corner, rocking him. Danny walked in smiling…..


I jumped. I wiped away a tear that sat in the corner of my eye. The room was completely dark, and I was alone. Who is this little boy? I felt such a profound almost motherly love for him. My heart ached to actually hold and feel his little warm body in my arms. His hands were so small in mine. I reached over and turned the lamp on my end table on. I sat up, breathing in deeply.
         I sat a moment thinking about the beautiful face. The tan of his skin, and the blue of his eyes. The way he had reached for me. His dark smooth hair, and the warmth of his skin….. I threw the covers back and ignoring the throbbing in my legs as I forced them over the edge of the bed. Instead of boosting myself off the bed, I simply slid down. Still holding the bed, I stood a minute making sure I wouldn’t fall over as soon as I let it loose.
         My legs actually felt strong, firm under me. I put my left foot forward, testing myself. I didn’t wobble or fall. I slid my right foot forward. This movement tugged at the torn skin causing a pain to shoot up it. I ignored it and continued forward with motivation. I wasn’t sure where I was going or exactly what I was looking for, but a deep gut wrenching feeling seemed to be leading and pushing me straight ahead. After several feet, there was another hall to my right and the stairs to my left. I decided to take my chances down the hallway. I walked about two feet and realized by squinting that the hall seemed to curve and widen. Curiously I continued forward, my eyes beginning to adjust to the dark now. It jutted out feet ahead on the right side. There was a railing there. I walked over to it and rested my hands on the wood rail. It was a landing looking down onto the first floor. I took it to be the living room. There was a small lamp light on below. I couldn’t make out much else.
         I turned around and noticed a doorway. My feet suddenly felt cold on the hardwood floors. A chill ran through me and my teeth chattered. There appeared to be what looked like something hanging on the door. My hand reached out as I came to it and rested on the knob. I slowly turned it and pushed open the door. I hesitated but then peeked in.
         The room was a baby blue. There was a cute little lamp on the bedside table illuminating the room. There was also a small bed. Low to the ground and short. Toys were all around. I looked back to the bed when out of the corner of my eye something stirred.
         Curled up on the bed asleep was a little boy, though this boy seemed longer and skinnier than the one in my dream. I was frozen there in the doorway, as I realized he was waking up! Crap! His eyes blinked. He rubbed them with his little fists then looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes.