The Girl with Cat's Eyes

C H A P T E R 2

line shade

a person's face

in your haste

you forget

to pack away

you forget

why you left

C H A P T E R      2

I lay there that night, in that soft bed, with my bandaged hand curled up in a fist. I lay there and thought of my life, my future, my past. How was I ever going to get anywhere, do anything if I couldn't talk. I wanted to. So much. To speak to sing, to make a sound. But I just had this feeling in my stomach. He would punish me if I did.

Who would? I asked myself. Who would punish me? Why can't I remember? What have I done to deserve this? Yet no answer came, and as I lay there, I decided I would not ask again, try to unravel the tangled mess of thread that was my mind. I would remember in due time, or not at all, but I knew if I tried to get my memories back now, I would either lose them forever, or lose my mind- what had happened to me must have been bad, to cause my mind to create a shell around my memories, and I didn't think that I was ready, that I could bare it, because who was I kidding? I wasn't exactly the most mentally stable person in the world... And on that note I went to sleep.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of humming in the hall way. I recognized the voice immediately as Jesse's. He was a good singer, in a 'singing in the shower' sort of way. I looked at him as he stepped inside my room.

'I'm off to school now, I won't be back till four this afternoon, so I thought I'd say goodbye.'

I just looked at him, and he looked back fiddling with his back pack. I knew he wanted to say something else, ask me something, so I smirked and gestured with my hand for him to continue. He looked at me in surprise, not used to any response except staring emptily, or the occasional glare. I raised an eyebrow and mimicked his expression. He looked around sheepishly, and a little awkwardly.

'Sorry,' He said. 'I just... I mean I’m not used to you responding...' I waved him away. 'Anyways, well, I just want to say, that my mum and, I guess me, well, we care, a lot, about you. I know we've barley known you a week, but we really do want to help you. And I see now, that you can be happy as well, given due cause... I mean... Just think, if ever you need help, we are here, even if we don't quite understand what your upset about we can still comfort you, you know, you and mum could watch some soppy chick flick or something...' I slapped his arm playfully, and mock frowned. He grinned at me, and stood with a slight chuckle. I smiled a little too. He was about to give me a hug, I think, until he seemed to remember something, and saw my expression of shock and fear. I still wasn't over the touch thing yet. His face returned to its normal indifference and he walked out the room.

I looked around, confused but shrugged.

I got up a few hours later, for the first time in days, because I was amazingly bored and really wanted to turn on the TV, but Sarah was making breakfast and I couldn't call her in, well I could, they'd installed a baby monitor so I just had to tap twice to get her to come, but I knew she was doing breakfast and felt like such a child not doing it myself.

I drew back the covers and carefully, tentatively, put one foot on the ground testing my strength. I lent on the bed post as I swung the other one over the edge as well. I gathered all my strength and gently stood, still leaning on the bedpost. When I was finally standing I walked slowly over to the small TV in the corner. I switched it on, and then leant on the table it was sitting on catching my breath. I stumbled back to bed breathing hard, just as Sarah came in.