Chapter 28
SPOV
As I undressed that evening I scanned the room and noticed a camera pointing at the bed, who was watching me, how creepy was that? But maybe not, for some reason I could see myself finger waving to a camera, but nothing else, not who was watching or where I was. I focused my thoughts on the here and now, I was going to try and leave this place tonight and had already started to work out a plan collecting the things I would need, I just hoped no one had noticed. I'd been in the closet, and had already moved some clothes into the bathroom, jogging trousers, underwear, a thick sweater and black lace up boots. I planned a diversion for tonight and had already decided on the route I was going to take, where I went after that I really didn't know. I just needed to clear my head and get rid of the aching in my body, was that one of the effects of the drug, or did I need the drug because I was ill? I had a watch that Logan had given to me, but for some reason I didn't want to keep it on, I felt threatened by it, how stupid was that? It's just a watch or was it? Someone else had given me a watch, the man with the brown eyes and he'd told me to push the dial if I was frightened, I tried to push the dial but nothing happened, I didn't want to take this watch with me when I left but needed it to tell me when it was time to leave. When the time reached 2am I slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom, I never got up in the night so hopefully whoever was watching the screens would be asleep. Monitoring duty, that's what it was called and I could see a row of screens with those men in black watching them. I shook that image from my head and then dressed in the outdoor clothing. Staying out of sight from the camera I carried some toilet paper and lots of cotton T-shirts and piled them up just beyond the door that led out onto the corridor, then struck a match throwing it onto the paper. The flames were slow to build but eventually the T-shirts had flames coming from them, I had to stop myself from looking into the flames, for some reason the sight of these flames brought back visions of a building on fire and large banging noises, I slipped out of the door and into the hallway keeping to the wall and away from the view of another camera. I'd seen the woman come out of a door at the end of the hall carrying a tray of food and prayed it would lead to stairs that went downstairs. I followed the stone steps as they wound down and was so relieved to find myself in the kitchen. Once in the kitchen I heard the fire alarms and the running of feet up the stairs but turning to the door that led outside I came to an abrupt stop. Stood between the door and me was the woman and she was looking at me with such sad eyes. Oh no, she'd stop me and tell the men where I was and then what would they do to me? She didn't walk toward me, instead she turned and picked up a dark brown raincoat from the back of a chair and held it out to me.
"It's cold and wet out there, take this"
I walked toward her and reached out for the coat.
"I know you're not Aila and I can see that you are afraid. Run child get away from here. I'll distract them, here's some money to help you get back home"
"Where should I go?"
"I'll call my sister, she'll help you. She owns a café in the old part of the city. Here this is the address. Now go"
She slipped a card into the pocket along with some money so I took that as my cue to open the door and run. I ran so fast my breathing hurt and I had a pain in my side, why did I hate running? I should be able to run. Once in the woods I followed a trail until I came to a stream. I could hear shouting behind me, and was that dogs as well? I followed the stream as it ran down the hill, walking in the water, I'm sure that the dogs couldn't follow a trail in water, well that was something I thought I knew. I kept going and going until I was so tired and knew I had to find somewhere to hide. I felt so cold and wet, why had I ran away from someone who said he loved me, loved me, but did he love me for who I was or who he wanted me to be, that thought had me trying to think if that had happened before. The ground seemed to level out a bit and though the trees were still like a forest I felt that I had lost my pursuers and slowed down to a walking pace, I couldn't hear anyone or anything behind me and for some reason even though I was cold and wet, didn't know where I was or who I was I suddenly felt so relieved, so ecstatic with the idea that I was free. I was glad of the boots and the raincoat the woman had given to me and as I walked and my breath returned to normal I felt comfortable with the decision I'd made, now I just had to get to the old town in the city. I walked at a comfortable pace and found that all that walking round that house helped to keep up my stamina, I was still heading down hill when I suddenly came onto a tarmacked road, now what? There was no sign of any cars but I'm sure there would be soon, I could see that it was getting lighter, I just had to pray that no one from the house came down here and found me. If I heard the sound of an engine I'd have to hide down the embankment next to the road. I'd already done that twice when a really loud sound had me looking round and when I looked to the side of the road I realized there was no way to clamber down the embankment, it was far too steep, so I pulled my hood up and over my face hoping who ever it was would just pass me by. No such luck, the next thing I knew a large motorbike was slowly driving next to me, I didn't dare look at the driver.
"Tu veux un tour?"
I ignored the voice and speeded up which only made him match my pace.
"You want a ride, it's too cold to be walking at this time in the morning"
I turned and saw a man looking at me; he looked older than me and had a full beard and long hair, well as far as I could tell.
"Come on lass, I ain't gonna attack you. Hell if my daughter was walking around like you I hope someone would help her out"
That threw me; maybe he was just someone doing his good deed for the day?
"Where are you going?"
"Into the city, where do you need to be?"
I took the paper that the woman had given to me at the house and read out the address.
"9 Rue des Jardins"
"That's down by the waterfront in the old city. Hop on, I'll give you a ride down there"
I know I should have been more wary of just getting on the back of a bike with a complete stranger but to be honest I didn't know what else to do and he seemed genuine with his offer. After fifteen minutes on the bike I was glad I'd taken up his offer, I could never have found my way down here, let alone walked it. I studied each sign as we passed them trying to work out where we were but was struggling as they were written in a different language, where the hell was I? That's when I saw a sign indicating we were passing into the city's boundaries.
"Québec?"
"That's where you said isn't it?"
"Err, yeah"
"Not far now"
At last we were travelling down a main road past low-rise buildings and lots of places where new ones were being built. It wasn't that different to home, home, why would I say that, where was this place like? We passed buildings that were obviously apartments with small industrial units in between. I looked in amazement as we drove over a bridge and had the strangest fear of falling into the water, but then we were driving into an area that had more buildings that seemed to be a business area, offices and banks. The final part of the journey was intriguing, narrow streets through old stone buildings, shops and restaurants with people walking the streets. At last we came to a stop and there next to me was a small café, Café La Maison, the name that was written on the paper. I got down from the bike looking around me and jumped when the driver spoke to me.
"You gonna be okay?"
"Yes, I'm maybe a bit early but thanks for the ride"
"Bonne chance, au revoir"
I watched as he drove away and then turned to look at the café, was I safe here? Could I trust what the woman had said to me? Well I had nowhere else to go so I could always just order a coffee and take a look around, while I tried to work out what to do. It was a three-story building with a black awning at the front announcing the name of the place. A woman was putting black tables and white chairs outside so I went to the large glass door, pushing it open and going inside, there were more tables and chairs and another woman placing cakes into a large display cabinet. I sat at the back of the room, being able to watch the entire place, I felt safer sat here and for some reason knew I was used to sitting at the back of a room. The woman from outside came in and placed a menu in front of me, at last, a language I could understand was written next to the foreign language. French, they spoke French in Quebec and Quebec was in Canada. Canada! How was I in Canada, is this where I was from? No it didn't feel right and I had absolutely no understanding of the language. But then I thought maybe I did, I could see myself using a computer to translate something in French to English. My head was aching again and as I held the menu my hands were shaking, I was tired and hungry, that would sort out how I felt. I looked at the menu again so when the waitress came I ordered cinnamon buns and a maple latte, shit how much money did I have? Did I have enough to pay for these? I pulled the wad of notes from my pocket and saw I had 100 Canadian dollars, enough to pay the bill anyway. The cinnamon bun was delicious and the maple latte was to die for, both seemed to awaken my taste buds and I'm sure I moaned as I licked the sugar from my fingers. Sugar, I hadn't put any in my drink, I couldn't, the idea that I'd been drugged through sugar sent a shiver down my spine. But I did feel a bit better which was a good thing, I was out of that house and now needed to find out who I was so that I could get back to where my home really was. Did I have family who would worry about me? Parents a brother or sister? Did I have a boyfriend; I really hoped that was what the man with the brown eyes was. The woman who had been behind the counter came and sat next to me; she gave me a long look staring at my face and hair.
"You're her aren't you?"
"I'm sorry?"
"My sister called and asked me to help a young woman with your eyes and hair"
"Yes"
"Are you in trouble?"
"I don't know"
A tear fell down my cheek so I used my hands to wipe it away.
"Come, we'll go somewhere private and you can tell me your story"
She took my hand and started to walk me past the counter into a back room and toward some stairs"
"Wait I haven't paid"
"Peu importe"
Once up the stairs she opened the door into a lounge area and led me to the couch. The room was bright and sunny with a breeze coming in from the open windows the sound of cars and talking wafting up from the street below. It was comfortable and homely, colored cushions and pictures on the wall with a TV and music center by a fireplace. She led me to a couch and then sat down next to me, she reminded me of the woman at the house, maybe younger, and she wore her hair short. Her clothes seemed more modern but her eyes held the same compassion I'd seen in her sister.
"Anna told me they were keeping you there, why?"
"He said I was his wife, but I know I'm not"
"Then who are you?"
"I don't know"
The tears were falling again and she sat next to me, placing her arms around me, that only made me feel worse and soon the tears turned into sobs as I tried to come to terms with what I'd said to her. I felt a tissue pressed into my hands and blowing my nose I calmed the crying.
"They drugged me and said I was called Aila and that I'd been so ill I'd lost all memory of my life"
"Are you still ill?"
"No, I was never ill at least I don't think so, the drugs, I think they're affecting me because I keep getting headaches and my muscles ache but I can't remember who I am, I don't know my name or where I'm from, or my family. I keep getting flashes and pictures but nothing that helps"
"Anna said the masters wife had died and then you turned up, but she knew you weren't her, she said you were so sad and, well, a bit dazed and confused"
"I worked out they were giving me a drug so I avoided it, that's when I knew I had to get out of there"
"You will stay here, we'll work out who you are, maybe with good food and rest you'll start to remember"
"I don't want to put you out"
"Nonsense, Anna said you needed someone, so here I am"
"What's your name?"
"Ines, but what do we call you?"
"I don't know"
"I'll call you Ange, it's French for angel, because my child you have the presence of one"
Angel, that sounded familiar, I think there was someone who called me that. I yawned and wiped my eyes suddenly feeling very tired.
"Come, you need to sleep, you've been up half the night and you've come a long way"
I followed Ines up another flight of stairs into a small bedroom where there was a single bed with a bedside table, it was all that could fit in here. Again the window was open and Ines closed the drapes and pulled down the cover on the bed.
"Here, there's a nightshirt for you, the bathroom is across the hall with everything you'll need. I live alone here so no one will find you"
"Thank you Ines"
"De rein"
When she'd closed the door I undressed and pulled on the nightshirt, it was big and long but it was comfortable. After using the bathroom I slipped beneath the sheets, emotionally I felt a bit better but when I started shivering I got up and closed the window then snuggled back under the covers and was soon fast asleep. I met the man with the brown eyes in my dreams, he was smiling down at me and saying things that I couldn't understand, a foreign language but it didn't have the same cadence as French. With that dream in my mind I sighed and for the first time in what seemed forever fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.
