The Escape

Chapter 7

‘Who are you?’ I ask, my throat dry and sore.

‘Have yourself some tea young man. It sounds as if you could do with a cuppa.’

I do as I’m told. Reaching for the cup I take it from the metal tray. The handle shakes as I raise it to my lips. The hot liquid tastes metallic, as if I’m drinking crude oil. I don’t care. I take one large gulp of the tea realising how dehydrated I am. I drain the remainder of the cup. When I’m finished, I set the bone china onto the tray almost breathless from the effort.

‘There, did that feel better?’ the woman asks. I nod my head wiping sweat with the back of my sleeve off my brow.

‘You’re probably wondering what it is that has you here, aren’t you?’

I nod my head again, resting my back against the sofa.

‘They tell me you were quite the slippery eel. They tried to keep you where you were. Didn’t seem to work though.’ she drains her cup and sets it on the lacquered table next to her chair. The china makes a slight tinkle as she places it on the wood.

‘They said you were hiding from them. You wouldn’t help them. You wouldn’t do a thing for them.’

‘Who? What are you talking about?’ I hear myself blurting out, the anger in my voice surprises me.

‘Settle down lad. There’s no need for anger. We can’t have you getting up in a heap over a couple of forgotten people now can we?’ She rearranges her grey woollen cardigan tilting her head to the side. ‘There’s so much that you don’t know.’ Her voice remains calm, as measured as when she first began talking.

‘You know what I think? I think you know who I am and just don’t want to tell me. I know something that you don’t. Something big. Something that could be a threat.’

‘What on earth are you talking about? Was the tea too hot?’ she asks, furrowing her brow.

‘I want you to tell me who I am. Where I’ve come from. How I arrived here. Who are you anyway?’ I comb my hair back with my hands noticing how greasy and unkempt it feels against my skin.

‘Deary, deary me. It seems you’ve forgotten everything, haven’t you lad? Would it be so hard just to leave the past in the past and move on with our little lives? Would it? I mean, it was only a couple of deaths. A few bodies here and there. Not as if a whole country or more was wiped out. We can’t stop watching the news just because someone has been a bit naughty now can we?’

Her calmness irritates me. ‘Look, I just want to find out what’s going on. This is all extremely weird and strange and just does not make any sense. I was in a log cabin with some guy I’ve never met before and he was giving me water, I spilled it.’ My voice runs short. I feel as if I’ve lost my speech. ‘Log Cabin? That doesn’t sound like anywhere I know my lad. I think it would be best if you take a rest my son. You don’t look too well. I think you should lie down for a bit, it will do you some good. Maybe putting the head down is the best thing for you.’

‘I don’t want to take a rest,’ I shout, scraping my vocal chords as I speak.

‘Calm down and finish your tea. There’s plenty more in the pot you know. It’s not like there’s a limited supply of tea around here let me tell you that.’

‘Tell me who I am. You must know.’

‘Why would you want to know that?’ she replies, smirking behind her glasses.

‘You’re insane!’ I shout, springing to my feet.

‘Looks to me that you’re the one who isn’t quite well right now. Maybe you should go upstairs, have a bit of a nap. A rest my do you the world of good.’