by Dakota Lake
There was a knock at the door and Senka answered it still holding the poster.
It was Alex, he playfully slapped Senka on the cheek twice and walked in.
“What's this?” Senka asked holding the poster up tilting his head to look at it again. It was a picture of a woman with long red hair wearing absolutely nothing except a pair of bunny ears posing seductively.
“What! I thought you said you liked bunnies?”
“Yes the fluffy kind that hops along the floor.”
“I'm sure she'd hop along the floor if you asked nicely.”
“Get rid of it,” Senka said pushing it against Alex's chest. “Is there a reason for this social call Alex?”
Alex produced two passports from his back pocket and chucked one to Senka. Senka flipped it open there was a photo of himself inside.
“I had to shave a few years off, I don't think twenty nine suits you.”
“You made me twenty four.” Senka said annoyed.
“Well I know you don't like pretending to be too young. But you don't look twenty nine, you barely look twenty one.”
“I like being twenty nine.”
“All right grandpa.”
“Alex what is this for?”
“You apparently need them for travelling nowadays.”
“I know what a passport is for why do you have them?”
“Our trip.”
“Alex about that.....I've decided I'm not doing it.”
“Senk we've been over this. Even if you decide not to go through with it, Cam will make things really difficult. He'll find a way to make you do it anyway.”
“Don't you think I don't know that.”
“So how did this mornings visit with her go? I know that's where you've been. You didn't accidentally erase her memory while you were there did you?”
“No I didn't. I only took the memory of our conversation together. She's different.” “Why? Does she have webbed feet?” Alex asked.
“No. She doesn't like Cam.”
“Who does?”
“She doesn't like it here.”
“It must be tough on her. She has such a hard life down here.” Alex said sarcastically. “Alex,” Senka said warning him to stop.
“Okay, okay. Go on.”
“She liked my T-shirt.”
“Well that's great she likes your T-shirt. Is that what you're making your decision on? The fact that she likes your T-shirt?”
“Well I like my T-shirt and she likes my T-shirt. I think we're going to get along just fine.” “Fine, fine, fine, everything is fine. Cam is going to be savage, but it's your funeral. But then again I should probably dig a grave for both of us, cause it's not just you he'll take it out on. He'll probably make my life hell as well if you tell him you don't want to do this.”
“I know and I've already got it covered. You don't have to be so dramatic he's not going to kill us. According to Cam, Ruby is highly gifted and she's strong, mentally strong. I'll just tell him I had a little go at it this morning and it didn't work, that she was somehow guarding her memories inside her mind or something along those lines. He'll never know and he won't be mad so stop over reacting.”
“Well I hope she's worth it? I'm putting our travels on hold because of her,” Alex pointed at the passport in Senka's hand. “Keep it. Just encase you change you mind.” Alex said opening the door. “Right well I'm off to Copeland.”
“Why you headed there? No wait, let me guess it has something to do with a girl.” Senka said leaning on the door.
“Yes and no. Scuba diving course at the college, starts today. I've signed up and the diving instructor is banging.”
“Did you really just use the word banging? No one uses that word anymore and you call me old.” “Whatever. I have to go or I'm going to be late. See you later. Good luck with sleeping beauty.” Senka slowly closed the door and the walls around me started to move, whooshing past my face. It was like sitting inside a moving car looking out the window. I closed my eyes and waited, slowly counting to ten before I reopened them.
When I opened my eyes I was back in Senka's bedroom. He had his arm around me and we were slumped against the headboard as if we'd fallen asleep watching TV. I smiled to myself and stroked the side of his face. He hadn't taken my memories. He'd lied to Cam which bumped Senka up the list of people I trusted.
I caught sight of the flashing red digits on Senka's clock. It was 8.35am. I didn't know how these mind trips worked but the time seemed to pass too quickly when they happened. I slid off the bed trying not to wake Senka and crept out.
I took a quick shower and chose my pastel blue dress with the pink ribbon that had been washed and returned to the hanger. I still had time to spare before my lesson and made a quick trip down to the kitchens to grab a lemon muffin.
Today we were studying history. I focused on the topic and appeared interested for Grayson's sake, but history wasn't something I considered as that important. I wondered how much history Senka had seen or been through? Then I wondered about how old Grayson was? He appeared to look like the oldest person I had seen in the manor. Now I wasn't so sure though, appearances meant nothing around here anymore. I was living with fallen angels that didn't physically age. I thought about Cam, he was something else and was I pretty sure Kenzie was the same as him. I still had many unanswered questions. But the one that had been clouding my every thought about Senka stealing my memories was now gone, thankfully.
There was a knock on the door.
“Enter.” Grayson said.
Wilson the head of staff opened the door. Wilson looked maybe a few years younger than Grayson but not by much. He was tall and had a larger frame with short dirty blonde hair and a face full of stubble, half the time he looked drunk. I don't know how he'd ever got the job or managed to keep it? He was always friendly to me so I had no problem with him.
“Morning Miss Ruby.” he said to me.
“Hi Wilson.”
“Vivienne has asked to see you after your lesson.”
“Oh okay.” I replied not too thrilled by this. I hated going downstairs it smelled of sterilising fluid and made me want to gag. I spent seven days down there after I woke up from my coma, just thinking about it was making me nauseous.
“She probably just wants to give me a check over and an update on my memory, to see if there has been any progress.”
“Yes. Probably.” Grayson said tapping the book in front of me.
Grayson left me with a mountain of homework. I carried my books downstairs and strolled along the corridor. If I was having a race against a snail it would probably win at the rate I was going. There was a servant stood outside the door. The door blended in with the wood panelling wall, if it wasn't for the servant I'd probably never find it. I smiled and he stepped aside opening a latch that was hidden under the wooden border, even the hinges were hidden under a wooden panel. The door opened outwards and I went down the wooden steps, down into the dark entrance way below. The walls had sconce lighting that gave of an eerie glow. At the bottom of the step was a small entrance hallway, it was dimly lit and always gave me the creeps. There were two doors. The one on the right was a mystery, like many things in the manor. I didn't know what was on the other side as it was always locked, I always tried the handle each time I came down here being the curious little thing I was. I stepped up to the door and checked the servant at the top of the stairs had definitely closed the door. I twisted the knob and pushed against the door but to no avail, the door was locked like always. I stepped back and noticed a few scratches at the bottom of the door and a few scuffs on the wooden panelling next to it, piquing my curiosity even more.
Behind me was the other door which was completely different to the dark wooden one that was always locked. The other door was painted white and someone had taken the time to paint a scene of the sea with four dolphins, one jumping high out of the water and three swimming around. There were other dolphins stencilled along the top and bottom of the door. There
was even a welcome sign hanging at the top. It was a striking contrast to any other door in the manor. It appeared friendly and welcoming but once you knew what was behind it you couldn't wait to get back out. I hated hospitals, it was something I knew I hated without having to remember. I turned the door knob and pushed the door open, this door was never locked.
The smell hit like a wave as the air con filtered cool air onto me from above. Inside consisted of a single long corridor with rooms on both sides. The floor was an off white linoleum with sparkly bits in it, most of the walls were white or sky blue. The room I'd stayed in had been sky blue. The walls had large stickers of windows stuck on them. From a distant some of them looked very realistic, when I'd first being able to get out of bed I went straight for the window wanting some fresh air. Imagine my surprise scratching at the sticker wondering why there were no window. Well it was basically a basement it just looked modernised compared to upstairs and it was so light down here. The light came from the fluorescent ceiling lights, you'd never know there was no windows down here.
I walked passed doors with signs. Supply Room, Pharmacy, Toilet, until I came to a sign that read Vivienne's office. She was at at her desk writing. Her office was blue with plants occupying most of the space. Pictures of dolphins hung on the walls. I knocked on the glass door.
“Ruby, you're here.” she said removing her thick black frames from her face, which she always kept attached to a chain around her neck.
Vivienne was tall and stick thin. She had dark brown hair which had shades of lighter browns running through it, it hung just past her shoulders in soft waves and looked perfect. She had a long face with high thin eyebrows and large brown eyes, she was absolutely stunning. I couldn't believe she kept herself all cooped up down here. You could tell she was older but at the same time she still looked youthful. She stood up wearing a plain buttoned up red shirt, with a black pencil skirt that hung just below her knees and she always wore her long white doctors coat with an attached watch on the front pocket. Finished off with a pair of black pointed stilettos, I never knew how she managed to walk in them and look so graceful at the same time.
She picked up her stethoscope. “Shall we,” she said leading the way.
We went into a room I had been in many times. Plain white cabinets along one side with a small sink and a few trolleys with drawers full of supplies. On the other side was an examination bench with a lilac curtain at the side and a stool. I put my books down on the stool and hopped up onto the bench while Vivienne washed her hands at the sink.
“So how have you been feeling?” she asked popping the stethoscope in her ears. “Good.” I replied as she checked my heartbeat and lungs.
“You look good.” she said picking up the blood pressure monitor.
“I feel good.” I replied as she strapped the cuff onto my arm. I hated having my blood pressure checked it always felt like my arm was going to pop.
“I want to take some blood just to make sure everything looks normal.”
I hesitated, I didn't think it was a good idea. Thinking back to the other night when I'd cut my hand on the vase and healed overnight. A blood test would probably show all sorts of abnormal things. Vivienne would have me down here, running tests on me and taking samples. I would become a human guinea pig.
“Ruby, it's okay. I've taken your blood before.”
“You have. When?”
“When you were in your coma. You'll be fine. Then I can discharge you from my care.” she smiled softly.
If she'd taken blood before, she'd never said there was anything different about it. “I don't think there's anything wrong with you physically.”
“I still can't remember anything though. I mean I had a small glimpse of something the other day but there's been nothing else.”
“It's going to take some time, your brain needs time to heal.”
“Doubt that if Cam has his way.” I blurted out.
“What do you mean?” she asked wiping the inside of my arm preparing the spot where she was going to stab me with a needle.
“I don't think Cam wants me to remember anything.”
“Why would you say that?”
I wasn't sure how close Vivienne and Cam were but I didn't want to say anymore. I'd already said enough.
“Ruby, you know you can tell me anything. I am your doctor and you're my patient, so anything you say to me inside this room stays between us. It's confidential.”
I braced the edge of the bench as she stuck the needle in.
“Ugh! I hate needles.”
“It will only take a minute.” she said attaching a vial and filling it with my blood. “Do you mean that? Everything I say to you will be confidential?”
“Ruby of course I mean it. I don't say things I don't mean.”
I really hope she means that, otherwise I'm screwed when she tells Cam.
“I think Cam's been purposely doing things to me to stop me from getting my memories back.” “Why would you think that?” she asked switching vials for an empty one.
“Well not Cam personally but I think he's been getting Emmett to come to my bedroom every night to do something to me, to make me forget. I heard him creep in the other night.”
“What is it you think he's been doing to you?”
“I don't know he was chanting then he lit a candle next to my bed. It all seemed a little freaky. I didn't know who to tell.”
“Well that explains a lot. You're not going to get your memory back if someone keeps suppressing it every night.”
“So I'm not crazy, that was what Emmett was doing?”
“So it seems.”
“Is Emmett a witch, no wait he's a boy so does that make him a wizard?”
“No Em has certainly not got a witchy bone in his body. There are witches then there are people that know a few spells, but it's not the same they have flaws. It might be why you're getting glimpses. Your mind wants to remember. Let me take care of Em.”
“So you believe me?”
“Of course.” she said removing the needle.
“Why would Cam have Emmett doing this to me?”
“Cam works on his own agenda. There's obliviously something he doesn't want you remembering.” she said sticking a plaster over the bloody spot where she had removed the needle. “What if Emmett doesn't listen? He'll just tell Cam that you know and that I told you.” “Em will listen to me, don't you worry about that. I can usually get Em to tell me anything I want to know, there are many things Em has told me that I doubt Cam would be pleased about.” “Are you and Em close?” I asked.
I had only seen them speaking briefly to one another a few times when I had been staying down here.
“Something like that.” she smiled.
She took out her pen from her front pocket and labelled the three vials she had taken. “Vivienne have I really been here since I was a baby? Is that what Cam doesn't want me to remember?”
She slipped the pen back in her pocket, pinching her lips together. It was as if she wanted to tell me but knew she couldn't.
“Well when you get your memory back you can figure that out for yourself.” she opened the door and beckoned for me to follow her.
I picked up my books and followed her back into her office. She shut the door behind me and sat down at her desk, I pulled out the chair opposite.
“There's one more thing I wanted to talk to you about.” she said producing a leaflet from her desk drawer.
The word 'Contraception' was written across the front.
“Err...” I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't even lift my hand
to take it from her, so she put it down on the desk in front of me.
“So girl to girl, are you.....erm....” she tapped the leaflet.
“What no,” I replied.
“Ruby you're not a little girl anymore. You're a grown woman and as a grown woman....” I quickly cut her off. “I don't need a sex talk. Okay, I'm not having sex.”
“Not at the mo
ment,” she replied trying not to laugh. “Ruby I don't want you to feel awkward about talking to me about this sort of thing. I want you to feel as though you can come and talk to me about anything. Just take the leaflet and look through it and if that's something you want to talk about then I'm always here.”
It was true I'd never seen her outside of this place. There was a door at the end of the corridor with a welcome mat and a buzzer, behind it was her living quarters. She never left but she never ate upstairs with us either, so I assumed she had food bought down to her.
“I always wanted a girl. Someone to share things with. Boys aren't the same, but I mustn't complain I enjoyed being a mother nonetheless.” she said walking to the door, holding it open for me. “You have a son?” I asked putting the leaflet inside my homework book.
“Yes. Just the one. He's all grown up now though.”
“Do you see him much?”
“Only when he has a reason to come down here and visit.” she replied.
My tummy rumbled loudly.
“You should feed that.” she smiled.
“Um, thanks for the leaflet. I will take a look at it. Bye.”
“Goodbye Ruby.”
The second I was out the door I ripped the plaster off my arm. The pin prick where she had put the needle in had vanished. It's official, I'm a freaking Nephilim with a healing ability.
Chapter Nine
I rummaged around in the basket for anything that wasn't classical or opera. It was now a choice between the natural sounds of rain falling in the rainforest or the pan flute. I decided on the rainforest, something about the thought of rain falling was soothing. I popped the CD into the player and adjusted the volume, not too loud as I needed to focus. I laid down on one of the couches in the swimming pool room. The couches were all the same hideous green with floral print over them. They were grouped together in an alcove room with a glass roof which was joined to the pool room, it was cosy and the couch I had chosen was hidden round the corner from the main door so hopefully no one would find me.
I laid down and closed my eyes picturing his face. It always amazed me how I could remember his face down to the last detail, but was having trouble remembering whether I liked brussel sprouts or not. Probably not!
