Recollection (Re-write)

CHAPTER THREE: UMA

Following Agatha through the hospital and out into the carpark, Hadleigh was quite surprised to find herself getting into a powder blue Nissan Tiida. It's not that it didn't fit with her having the usual appearance of someone's lovely grandmother, more rather it was the fact that Agatha seemed to be such a distinguished lady in the way she kept herself that Hadleigh was taken back that the woman wasn't driving something more, well, posh.

Closing the door behind her, her eyes scanned the carpark beyond. The fact that they had completely avoided anyone pulling either of them up for breaking out a patient that hadn't been discharged was a concern, let alone the fact that they hadn't even been looked at as they walked out. Noone had questioned the big hole in her jersey or the clear band that poked out from under its sleeve. She was glad though. It was no doubt the staff would be in a mad rush to find her once they discovered her missing. For a moment she even felt sorry for Lucielle, who would likely take the blame for being the last person to see her, and for giving her the hospital map.

Agatha pushed the sleeves of her cardigan up her arm before starting the vehicle. A gust of air hit Hadleigh straight in the face, her unbound hair hitting her in the eyes.

"Sorry about that," Agatha apologised, backing the car out of its park, making a move to turn down the fan. "It gets a bit chilly sitting in the car for so long. Won't be long until the air warms up though."

"Yeah," Hadleigh breathed. The smell of perfume was beginning to overwhelm her senses, and she began to wonder what else might go wrong over the next few hours.

They drove on and out of the carpark, and into the streets beyond. Trees dusted with snow lined the road, and despite it being the middle of the day the street lamps were all on, leaving an orange glow in the grey sky. Snow lay thick on the footpaths, but it had long been cleared from the road. Not a single person lingered outside, and the chimneys they drove past all puffed smoke.

Hadleigh continued watching the scenery pass, soon finding the end of the small town marked by a sign that read 'Thank's for visiting White-Valley. Please come again.' She fiddled with the band that remained around her wrist, blank of her name. I'd rather not, she thought, not giving the town a second glance, instead, staring out into the distance they drove toward.

Trees, snow, hills and valleys came and went as Agatha drove them north, toward Agatha's home as she had described during the hour that they had been on the road. She had described many things to Hadleigh in that time, most of which she had quickly lost interest in.

"...And young Gilbert," Agatha continued, her enthusiastic tone once again grabbing at Hadleigh's attention, most likely to drift again. "Oh, he just has the most gorgeous eyes, looks just like his father. The way the green in them just glistens in the light and begs you like a puppy. He's always asking for stories about his great grandfather."

Hadleigh wasn't entirely sure if Agatha had even realised that she had stopped nodding along to her monologues as the woman continued to talk, soon enough the landscape became flatter, and the snow began to thin, though Agatha continued to enthuse about how wonderful her grandchildren were.

"And wee Lily - she's just turned four, you know - she's just like Gilbert, always asking for stories about the beasts that live in the forests," Hadleigh found her attention sparking at the mention of beasts, "They believe its all true, unlike their unbelieving parents who think I'm a big fat liar when I tell them I found one of them in my father's basement when I was just a young lady."

Whipping her head around to look at Agatha, Hadleigh straightened in her seat, "You found one of us in your father's basement?"

She hadn't meant to sound so shocked, but the look on Agatha's face told that the experience was still one that shocked even her, so Hadleigh listened intently as the woman continued to speak.