EDGE OF DAY

CHAPTER SIX

"My girlfriend has told you everything she knows."

Day frowned. That didn't sound like Ed. She squinted up and saw a guy standing at the entrance to the hospital room. He dressed like Ed, he sort of looked like Ed, but it was like Ed's don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-eat-you-for-supper twin.

"Good afternoon, Mr Wang," Officer Rink said. "Goodbye, Miss White. Stay where we can get in touch."

Hard shoes slapped against the vinyl floor tiles. Day's neck ached from where she'd been awkwardly straining to turn her head. She rolled onto her front, facing dropping flat into the mattress.

"Oh no you don't," Ed said. He yanked the drip from her arm and rolled her over. "Get dressed."

"Ow!" she complained. What the hell was wrong with him?

He unzipped a small case and threw a pair of trousers and a t-shirt in her direction. "You've got sixty seconds and we're out of here. I've got a car waiting at the back of the hospital. We need to leave without being seen."

"I had nothing to do with the bomb, Ed. It's okay. They won't find anything at home because it had nothing to do with me."

"Listen, carefully." He loomed close, looking so different, so transformed by his behavior it was as if she didn't know him. "You are not who you think you are. You should never have gone to Janus. Now they know you're here in Boulder and they'll be tracking you down."

She cocked an eyebrow, ready for him to crack and tell her this was his warped idea of a joke. When his expression didn't change and his face didn't return to the Ed she knew, her heartbeat kicked up a notch.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"How long have we been together?"

"Nearly two years."

"They assigned me to keep an eye on you three weeks ago. Keep you out of harm's way for the time being."

"That's impossible. I met you in New York the night of my nineteenth birthday."

"It's an implant. If you want to know what really happened that night you need to get dressed and come with me."

"You want me to believe that the last two years in Paris and Denmark and the last couple of months here are all implants? It sounds a little far-fetched. This isn't one of your movie scripts."

"Remember four weeks ago, May twenty-fourth? Two days before your birthday."

"I sprained my ankle."

"You were injured, and the team brought you to Boulder to recover and keep out of harm's way."

"I fell off a ladder."

"Do you remember falling off the ladder, or just the idea of it? Do you remember anything specific about Paris, apart from a picture of our Montmartre apartment? Vague ideas. The only true part of it all has been the last three weeks."

Her throat grew dry and her hands began to tremble. Her life was a lie, was that it? For the last three weeks had she been living with a stranger in the middle of nowhere, sleeping with him, and thinking she was in love with him? Well, falling out of love with him, more like.

Get it together, Day.

This wasn't a romance. She needed to concentrate on what Ed was telling her. Deep down what he was saying made sense. Her life felt empty and strange, because it wasn't her life. Some group had brought her to this small Colorado town to recover and stay out of danger. But who could wish to harm her? Any why wipe her memories?

It made no sense, but her life with Ed made no sense, either. And now she had to choose. Believe Ed and go with him, or bury her head in the sand, stay put, hope this was a nightmare that would vanish on its own.

She pulled her arms out of the hospital gown and pulled on the cotton t-shirt and loose trousers he'd thrown at her. A long wrap of gauze twisted around her chest to keep the bandages on her back in place. It meant she could move, as long as she avoided any sudden big arm gestures that might tear the skin grafts over her cuts.

"Whenever you're ready," Ed said sarcastically.

A smile crept up her lips. She suddenly felt lighter and more alive than she had in weeks. The veil of emptiness and meaningless was slipping away. Her life with Ed wasn't her life. Thank God!

"Go to hell, Ed." 

Hi! I'm excited to be sharing this with you! Hope you're enjoying it. Please don't hesitate to comment or point out any inconsistencies. The next chapter will be posted on Tuesday. Have a great week-end! xox