Chapter 10

A week into her recovery, Alex still hadn't regained any memory of her past. It felt as if there were a lock on her memories, and no amount of trying could unlock the door. David had been a tremendous help. He introduced her back into her life a little at a time, even taking time off of work to settle her in. Just before he was due back at work, the strange happenings began.

The first incident was on a bright and sunny afternoon, Alex was sitting on the couch in her living room sipping on a cup of tea as she looked through a photo album that David had given her, full of pictures of the two of them.

Alex heard a tapping on the window and she looked to see an owl on her balcony. Without even thinking about it, she stood up and opened the window went to her purse and pulled out a few coins. She proceeded to give them to the owl and took the letter from its leg binding. She only realized what she had done so methodically after the creature had flown back out of the window.

"David." She said calmly.

He had been standing near the kitchen and watched the whole thing with wide eyes.

"David, did I just…pay an owl?" She asked, clutching the letter to her chest.

He nodded.

"Do I do this often?" She asked him, still in shock.

Slowly he nodded. "It's not the first time."

Alex licked her lips and looked at the letter. "It's addressed to me." She opened the curious parchment and sat down at her small kitchen table.

Alex,

I hate the way things were left after our last meeting. I shouldn't have pressed you so hard to come home. I must see you again, but please don't bring that fool of a muggle David with you. I know he's a part of your life now but I need to see you, just you. Send me a reply with Pig, I've loaned him from Ron and you know how he gets about things.

Fred

Pig? How do you reply with a pig? She looked out the window and noticed the owl hadn't flown off completely; it was waiting on the balcony. Alex peered through the window and noticed a small wire around its neck with a small pendant reading: Pig.

"Oh, it's his name." Alex said out loud curiously.

"Dear, are you alright? What did the letter say?" David asked from the kitchen.

Alex looked at the letter and then to David. Don't bring that fool of a muggle David… What was this about? Who was Fred? Her mind was swimming with questions. She suddenly felt that David wouldn't be the one to ask about them either. She folded the letter and shoved it in her pocket.

"It's just a letter from someone named Fred." She stated carefully, testing the waters.

David's face went grey and his shoulders squared. "He's no friend of ours." He said curtly. David turned away and walked rapidly to the back of the apartment, stewing in silent anger.

Alex bit her lip and tried to take in the situation. Someone was writing to her about going home, what home was it? She was home. This someone, Fred, was obviously not on David's kind list. She was so frustrated Alex hadn't noticed the owl had hopped back into her apartment and sat on her kitchen table staring at her.

She looked up and stared at it. It stuck out its leg expectantly.

She searched the kitchen and found a pad of paper and a pencil and scribbled a short reply, checking to make sure David wasn't within ear shot.

Alex decided she was going to get to the bottom of this uneasy feeling she had in her stomach, and talking to this Fred person was the first step.

David came back into the room well after the owl had left for good. Alex was sitting at the table still, staring out the window.

"I'm sorry I was short with you." He said softly. "I was just reminded of a terrible time."

Alex stared at him. "It's not like I can recall a certain memory that would remind me of such an incident." She said hotly.

David frowned. "I'm so sorry, I'm an idiot! Of course you wouldn't know what I'm talking about." He hit his forehead repeatedly with the palm of his hand.

"Fred is just some bum who frequents the bar you used to sing at love." David lied expertly. "He became obsessed with you, fancying he knew you and began upsetting things between us. I'm not normally the jealous sort, but I was really beginning to worry for you so I put a stop to his nonsense and banned him from the bar. That's all. I hope you didn't reply?" He looked uneasily at her.

She took in his account and tried to make sense of it. She met his eyes and shook her head. "Of course not."

"Bloody lunatic if you ask me." David said, regaining his pep. "I mean really, who sends owls in broad daylight to deliver a message."

"'Suppose the postman is too slow." Alex mumbled, chuckling to herself.

"Really Alex I don't think now is the time for jokes. I really don't want you to be in contact with this bloke." David crossed his arms. "It's for your own safety."

She nodded again, and worried on her bottom lip. "I just don't understand why he would write me then."

David shrugged his shoulders. "I made it very clear that you and I were to be together. It's what you wanted."

Is it? The thought raced across Alex's mind. The more David talked to her about this mystery man, the more uneasy she felt. There was a pit of uncertainty in the bottom of her gut and the feeling only grew.

"David, if you don't mind I think I'll go out for a walk." She said slowly.

"But you wouldn't know how to get back, let me go with you." He insisted.

Alex shook her head. "I'll only stay by the building; really I just need some air."

David looked at her crossly. "I don't think it's a good idea Alex, you're still so fragile."

"I'll be fine David." Alex walked to the front door and didn't look back as she shut the door. She just needed to be alone with her thoughts.

Walking to the front of the apartment building, Alex blinked into the bright sunlight pouring through the density of buildings surrounding her. There was a small park across the road with a large tree shading a few benches and she slowly made her way over to have some peace. There was no one about, for such a sunny day, and Alex was grateful for the privacy. Sitting on the bench, she closed her eyes for a moment to clear her thoughts.

An image popped into her mind of an old ram-shackled house. It was secluded amongst a few bended trees, the shudders were falling off and the lot looked bleak and dismal. She couldn't understand why the image felt so pressing; she concentrated on it, trying to find any inclination as to where it could be. Alex felt pressure on her body as the air around her ceased to move. She was so intent on her focus she hardly realized she was no longer in the park.

Alex opened her eyes in an instant and blinked rapidly as her eyes focused. She was standing outside of the house, the one from her vision, and she had no idea how she had gotten there.