Second Chance (a North and South tale)

Chapter 20: Flashbacks

Margaret

On the next morning I wanted to go out. I have been inside of the house for so long. So I went towards the little park not far away from our home. I walked around, not knowing where I was headed.

There was a cold wind howling around me but I was oblivious to it. I felt a headache rising inside and racking my brains. It was so painfull. Surely that couldnt have come from that short walk I took? It was really strange.

Suddenly everything started turning fast. I had to sit down, I felt so dizzy for a moment. I slowly went over to the pavillion and sat down in it.

"MISS HALE!" I heard someone shout behind me and within seconds he was there beside me.

"Miss Hale, are you alright?" He asked with concern. I could here and see in his eyes that he was sincere.

"Now it is a little better. Thank you." I told him but he didnt seemed convinced with that answer.

"No truly, everythings alright again. Thank you, you dont have to concern yourself to much about me, I was just feeling a little dizzy thats all." I wanted to convince him but to no avail.

"Please tell me. What happened?" He looked me right into my soul with his piercing blue eyes. How come that I never noticed how blue they were? They held so much emotions in them.

Than suddenly the headache got worse again. I quickly lowered my head and kept massaging my temples with my hand to make the pain bareable. But it wasnt really helping.

Suddenly images were flashing in front of me. A crowd of workers who were screaming something that I couldnt understand. Mr. Thornton beside me. Those were alike the images I saw when I collapsed here the last time when I was together with my father.

Than the scene changed. I was at home.... a dark figure standing across from me in my fathers study. We argueed... and than the scene vanished.

I was brought out of my train of thoughts when I heard Mr. Thornton talking again. "Are you in pain? What is it, please tell me Mar....Miss Hale."

Did he just nearly say my name???? No I must have heard something wrong.

"It's nothing bad, it is only a headache. I dont know what is happening." I paused and thought if I could talk to him openly or not...well I'll just do it and see.

"You can talk to me you know? I wont gossip." He said with a grin on his face. I couldnt help myself I had to chuckle at his words. Yes, that was something he was good at, he wasnt talking to people.

"I dont know what happens in the last time. I always have those headaches which come from nothing from one second to the other. And that isnt even the strangest thing about that. I always see the same pictures and scenes I cant place. I dont know, maybe they are memories that I cant place because I have forgotten them when I fell. It's just agitating not to know what has happened and seeing all those unexplainable pictures.... I just... I just dont know what to do. What if I will never gain my memory? Nobody seems to know what happened. Will these pictures in my mind be mocking me the rest of my life? I do wish I could recall what happened. But it doesnt matter as nobody is in position to tell me what had taken place."

I looked over to Mr. Thornton who seated himself across from me with a decent distance. He really was a gentleman and although now nobody would be witnessing his behaviour his manners were impaccable. He was deep in thought and I wasnt sure if he listened to my rambling minutes ago.

"I am sorry I ..."

"No, no dont be. I was just thinking about what you said. I have to ask you a question. Do you really want to know what happened that badly?"

His question took me of guard. What was he trying to say with that statement? I was really confused right now I even forgot my headache.

"Miss Hale, please. Answer me."

"Yes... well yes I would like to know. Isnt it only natural that I want to know the events which caused me two head injuries in a row? Wouldnt you want to know it, too, if you were in my situation?"

"Yes, you are quite right. You should know."

"Mr. Thornton what are you...." And he cut me of again. That was starting to get his habit. Cuting me of midsentence. But I didnt complain.

"There is somebody who could tell you everything that happened those two days. Well, at least the most of it." He sounded a little frustrated and that made me even more confused at that moment. What did he imply? And if there really was that person who knew everything that happened how did he know of that person? I was just more confused the more I listened to him.

"Who?" I asked simply.

"Me." he finally said looking me straight into the eyes. HIM? But why him? Did he have to do with any of the accidents that happened to me?

"But I dont understand. How do you know what happened?"

"Because you were with me most of the time."