“So I guess I’ll get going.” Carl declared, stretching his arms. “What about the Vespa?”
“The garage is open. Key is on the second table from the left, blue keychain.”
Carl appeared far away, making Alice think there was something more he wanted to tell. “Do you want to say something?”
“What?” Carl pretended that he didn’t know what she was talking about- at least she thought he was pretending.
“What did you want to tell her?” Derek’s voice turned grave.
“Nothing man,” he turned around. I’m just glad you are okay Alice. So I’ll get the Vespa and...” he turned back to face Derek. “Hey return my songs. I can’t put up with your Hindi ones any longer.”
Derek laughed before throwing a flash drive at him. Carl did a salute and headed to the garage. Alice stared at him as he loaded the Vespa effortlessly on his gangster pickup truck- only taking a break once to pull up his jeans. He then once waved at Derek before taking off, not even looking at her.
“What’s going on?” Derek asked a question to ponder upon. “Why were you slumped here, unconscious?”
Alice tried to recall.
“Last night,” he reminded. “What happened?”
“It was extremely cold last night, not enough wood for the fire. I sat on the couch, pulled up my socks.” Alice stared at the striped socks which were still on her feet. “I don’t remember stepping out. But then again I was running away from something. I hid in the shadows of the garage.” She pointed to the massive structure.
“What?” Derek interrupted in alarm. “Who what?”
“It was a dream,” Alice shook her head. “Some crazy one. I don’t remember it too well. I might’ve stepped out for wood and slipped. That’s all.”
“If you say so,” Derek held her hand and stared in concern until she met his eyes. “There was an accident last night and… And I don’t want you to go outside at night again.”
“Okay,” Alice looked at the hand which Derek then sheepishly pulled away.
“And there is one more question.” Derek stood up and went inside the house. “If you follow me.”
Alice held the wood rail and slowly pulled herself up. Her back and feet were cramped up, and she was still cold all over. Leaning against the wood she got her jacket on and zipped it to her chin. After stretching her legs for a minute or two, she decided she could walk without toppling over.
Derek stood in the living room examining a mark on the wall. He tried to look at it from different angles. As Alice closed in, the mark was clearly visible- An X, a red one. Not a mark to be exact- it was two slender hands leaving behind a trail on the wall.
“Is this blood?” he touched it.
He wasn’t wrong at that. Alice looked at her cold hands which had no trace of blood or injury. She felt through her body for any sign of pain but there was pretty much nothing more to feel for her except cold.
“No, it is not.” Alice blurted like a small kid being accused of something. “Actually I don’t know, it wasn’t there last evening.”
“Then?” He raised his eyebrows. “What is it?”
Nothing is making sense to me either and I don’t want to talk about it. Alice wanted to scream. The last thing she wanted Derek to think is that she was a psycho. I must’ve done some crazy things last night- including settling on the porch.
“I don’t know. But whatever it is, the upside to it is that red looks good in here.” Alice looked around for a change in conversation. “You know... the curtains could blend in. A mix of yellow and red would get me that.” As if that wasn’t a stupid excuse already, Alice’s tongue decided to say some more. “This place looks mismatched. I could maybe match the wall to the curtains.”
Derek started laughing hard. “All is fine the way it is,” he managed to say, and when he finally stopped he continued. “I don’t know about you but I can use some coffee.”
*****
Alice rinsed two cups covered in dust. They were unused like most of the crockery she owned. With a guest over, there was a reason to use them- and these ones in particular were perfect for a rich guest. At the side she chose one from her four different set of bowls, to go with the cut fruit. She was sure Derek would have no complaints with the hospitality.
Derek she thought. Why do I feel like impressing him? Why does it matter when he is with me? Why did I feel so good when he hugged me? He is a good man but how can I even think of him that way?
“Damn!” Alice cursed dropping a spoonful of sugar in both the cups. “Out of milk now. This has to do… Hope he is not a health freak.”
Alice’s mind went back to how he’d hugged her on the street- something she had thought long and hard about yesterday- and the moment they shared earlier. His body felt so strong and assuring- and Alice debated whether she wanted moments like that again.
Surprisingly there was no complaint of excess sugar from Derek’s side. There was no comment whatsoever, leaving them to savor their coffee on the porch in silence. The sun provided some rays if not for heat. Then the empty cups filled the space between them but still the uncomfortable silence gave no hint of leaving.
“Let’s sit on the swings,” Alice suggested something off-off-the-wall, hoping for some kind of reaction and maybe a few words from Derek’s side. “You don’t think it can handle your weight, do you?” Alice teased as Derek studied the swing at a distance, without a word.
But that was all to her efforts. Suddenly he raced to the swings and sat on the middle one. Alice guessed he knew every woman would want to pick a seat beside him and she hated that he was right.
“What are you waiting for? Don’t you think it can handle your weight? These were supposed to have been made for children right? They are remarkably strong.”
Alice couldn’t push away the emerging smile. Derek was great at being friendly and being friendly made her comfortable, and being comfortable made her...made her what? She searched for a word, but none came to mind. A temptation stirred up within her. She wanted her secret to come out before him. There was something to him that gained her trust, made her trust him more than she should- considering it had only been a few days since she’d known him.
“Are you scared?” Derek teased.
“I have every right to.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
“No seriously, tell me. I know you want to. I can see it in your eyes." Derek said, particularly aware that Alice was debating about whether or not things should come out. "What is it that’s bothering you? Why have you abandoned your family and come to live in this lone house?”
“I didn’t abandon them!”
“Then did they?” he sounded concerned.
“I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Okay. How about you tell me from the beginning.” He signaled her to occupy the swing to his left. “Everything you know.”
“I don’t have any memory of my past. I got amnesia.” Alice paused and moved over to the swing to give him time to take it in. “I don’t know who I am.”
Derek remained silent as Alice recalled everything exactly how she remembered it. “I woke up one day on the bed here, alone. I was confused, I didn’t know anything. But I thought it had to be my house. I mean it had to be right? But there was no one.” Alice left out the part where she was shouting, her feet were trembling as she had no idea what had happened to her and that she had a headache and her tears were worsening it. “Then I found luggage, a letter from my mom. Suspicious that I was perhaps being fooled I walked around town. People were glaring at me, referring me to the girl who moved into Mary’s house. I tried thinking but it’s like my mind is an empty vault.”
He kept his hand on her thigh. "I wasn't wrong in saying you are brave the other night. I can't imagine any such thing happening to me. I would've been in some corner."
"I was... at the beginning," Alice stared at the tree at the distance. "I was stuck to the house. Drinking off old b
ottles of wine in the kitchen like medicine. Of course that didn't help. For a week I only thought about what had happened to me. I don't even remember if I ate at the time. But later I was sick and tired, I could hardly stand up. Then I decided to quit the miserable life I'd made for myself. One day Lance will come for me and I want to be alive and presentable on that day."
"You are alive... but presentable?" Derek mused. "Presentable means healthy looking at the very least. And look at you. I still don't believe you eat anything."
"You don't realize how miserable my life still is. It isn't easy."
"You are making it miserable yourself! I know it isn't easy but take a new course in life Alice. Enjoy it. You will get your memory when you have to, torturing yourself will not help."
"I need my life back. It is all that lets me move on with this life. The probability that my life will come back one day."
“Why don’t you get it yourself? Get help from the police for God’s sake.” Derek stood before her. “There will be people who recognize you. And why do you tell that fake story instead of the truth?”
“Mom wrote to me that I’ll face a threat if I do,” Alice repeated the exact wordings from the letter.
“What the...” He rubbed his temple in frustration before continuing “Mom? Right. Mom. How can you be sure it was her? Someone could be playing tricks on you. And who is this Lance? Your imaginary boyfriend?”
“They are as real as ever,” Alice blurted. “Wait.” She said and fetched the letter from the house as a proof for her words. “I don’t want to come in the limelight, if there is a problem…”
“What problem could you possibly get into?” Derek shot a look of disbelief, unfolding the letter.
“I can be anyone for all I know. A prisoner, an illegal resident… or I don’t know… a thief or a terrorist...”
“You can’t be any of those,” his voice oddly confident.
“It’s possible. Believe me I want to surrender but I want to know myself before I get killed or arrested. Do you still think it’s a good idea to go to the police?”
“No,” he said returning the letter. “It looks serious- the letter. Though I can’t be totally sure you are doing the right thing by not getting help, and blindly jumping to conclusions about your mom and so called boyfriend,” Alice opened her mouth to protest again but Derek was quick to continue. “I believe you."
"So until I get back to my past, it is just me and my hope. Believe me that’s all I got.”
"Who says?" he smirked. "You got me.” He closed his eyes and kept his right hand on his heart like he was being sincere.
Alice felt relieved for the first time in months. Finally, there was a person who she could turn to if she needed help. “This should stay between us. Please.”
“I promise.” He held Alice’s gaze. She was lost in the moment of warmth until he went on, “Only if you promise me one thing.”
“What?” Alice's heart began to race.
“If you find yourself to be bad ass, please don’t kill me.”
“Oww…” he yowled when Alice stamped his foot. “At least your mom has made sure you have a lot of space. Thank God you didn’t wake up in a cramped up apartment building.”
An hour or so passed as Alice showed him around. The pool inside the research area was no exception. The fence at the side gave easy access with some improvements she had made. The first time she discovered the pool, she was skeptical whether she could swim. The next time she returned with her swimwear, the watchman spotted her but with the major population in GNRCA being guys she was right in assuming that he wouldn’t mind a girl in a bikini. And even better- if she drowned, he could save her. But there had been no reason to worry after all- she knew to swim like a dolphin. After that the other times she went there before ten in the morning- before the employees arrived and before the watchman shifted his position from the front gate to near the pool. And now with GNRCA closed, the pool was open to her round the clock.
Then there was the garage which had lots of tools- half arranged and half just scattered about. Derek explained about all the stuff, though Alice didn’t appear to be the least bit interested.
Last, but not the least- the house- the place where there was nothing to admire. It looked plainer than she had ever acknowledged it to be. The tower- which could serve as an attraction- was shut. He didn’t comment any more than saying that the house was very nicely kept- not a word on even the excess crockery. Then at last he inspected Alice’s room, even opening her closet without permission.
“Stop,” Alice spoke up, closing the closet herself before his hands could reach for her jet black bikini. “What are you…even..?”
“Derry!” A shout came echoing in the room. “Derry, you in there?”
Anna stood outside the front door, trying to scrutinize the wall. “Oh there you guys are. Hi. What is that?”
“Oh that’s just paint.” Derek answered in a flash. “Come in.”
Anna strode right in. “The belt on these Gucci babies are hard to fasten.” She pointed to her lavender high heel sandals.
Derek smiled and shook his head.
“Hi baby,” she said and pecked Derek on the cheek, leaving a faint mark of expensive lipstick.
“Alice, we uh… got to go. See you.” Derek stepped out looking just slightly embarrassed.
Anna smiled at Alice before locking her fingers with Derek’s. They slowly walked towards Anna’s car, with sounds of only Anna whispering coarsely. Alice felt sort of stiff observing the closeness they shared.
CHAPTER 13
Steph looked out the window of her boring, rented home. It was past one o’ clock and Derek was supposed to come over half an hour ago as decided. Steph called him in the morning and he said he was on the way to Alice’s home and would come at twelve-thirty.
Steph was happy to have resolved the tiff going on between them- even though it was a fake attempt. She could do with every bit of information about Alice. Not in a curious way but in a more casual approach and get more out of him as days passed by if needed. Alice could not escape from her again like last night-
The business man had frozen in place as expected, allowing the car to crash into him. The body had to fall a long way with that ghostly speed, but Steph knew that the invisible- sort of glue force- took time to release the person from where he was standing- giving the impact lesser distance. With that the body was more heavily damaged. Steph looked at it, feeling an urge to touch the blood. She didn’t feel a bit nauseous as she thought she would. Slowly, hesitatingly, she bent to touch it. It felt amazing- not disgusting as she thought at all. John had been right; she could still feel the presence of a demonic force sucking every bit of life from the soul taken. Steph didn’t know herself why she rubbed the thick blood on her palms and smiled. And then she felt something more than the force in the blood. She looked up and saw Alice. Alice looked like she didn’t totally realize what was going on, she looked half asleep but still she ran, making Steph chase her until her house.
Steph had looked around for her at that hell of a dark place. She’d scanned the house inside out; Alice was there, she could feel it but there was more than Alice present- that Steph was certain of that- not letting her succeed. She had searched the place in frustration for hours, but the dawning sun forced her to abandon the hunt. Still, it wasn’t as if Alice knew who she was. The blood of the clueless businessman, dry and sticky on her hands, had helped leave a mark before she finally retreated.
Derek arrived just in time before Steph pinched off the purplish spot on her arm. Nothing could hide the fact that she had failed last night.
“Hi Steph,” Derek hugged her as soon as she opened the door, and she was forced to hug him back. “Sorry I’m late. Actually…,” he rubbed the back of his head in obvious unease.
“Alice.” Steph finished his excuse, flat bitterness and acceptance in one word. “It’s okay. Come on in.”
Derek glanced over the place. She felt conscious all
of a sudden, she had been so bothered about last night and the lack of sleep had simply scrambled her mind more, she hadn’t even had a good look around and just realized how messy everything was. She was suddenly starkly aware of how much of a contrast to his obsessive neatness she must seem right now. Rosalie used to clean her room and then Jane used to, but being messy didn’t bother her when she was alone. Other people cleaned up after Steph simply because it bothered them, not her. But as Derek picked up her jeans and skirt from the floor, she knew there were no talks coming before this place looked okay.
“Let me get that.” Steph was suddenly self-conscious and she picked up the clothes on the sofa and the empty food containers from the table. Derek moved to help her by hanging the jacket and coats on the rack. Steph didn’t need to worry about him spotting the cloak and knife though. After Alice looked at her last night and got away with it, Steph couldn’t take any chances though she’d made sure there was no proof left lying around. Still, Alice had gotten away and that bothered her greatly.
The house looked cleaner than it had since she inhabited it. If Derek observed the peeled color on the walls and the age of the sofa, he didn’t show it. If he had bothered checking the table he would have noticed a short leg too, even though it perfectly fit in with the rest of the used, mismatched furniture in the house. Steph had never cared much about appearances, if it worked the way it was supposed to, it was good enough for her.
“Why’d you choose this place, Steph?” he said, his smile gone. “The flat below mine is yours. I have the key too. I must say its top notch.” The hint in his voice has rather obvious and slightly annoying to Steph. As if she needed Derek to take care of her.
Instead of lashing back in anger, she simply shrugged noncommittally. “I want to live here, and besides I’m not going to be here for long.” She would’ve considered the deal, and ask Jacob to allow her use his flat because Rosalie had stayed there a few times. She had looked at the flats from outside, isolated and beautiful, but the only problem was Derek. It would be hard to carry out her mission with him staying in the same place. “I need some space to figure things out. That’s it.”
The Grasp of Nighttide Page 10