Plagued Read Free Page B

too much.”

Sarah opened her mouth to protest.

“I will explain more later on, I promise. You can go see Mark, he’ll be happy
to hear you’re awake and doing fine. Please for now, just rest. When you wake,
I will be in the other room cooking something to eat. I will answer everything
I can then.”

Sarah nodded, defeated. Truth be told, she was exhausted. The old man smiled
kindly at her, his fading blue eyes filled with warmth. He left the jug of
water at her bedside and walked away, his slippers shuffling rhythmically.
     
    She lay back in bed as Albert closed the door
gently, trying to make sense of all she had heard from a man who was a stranger
until ten minutes before. Something told her that he was telling the truth,
even if she didn’t want it to be. As she thought about all he'd told her and
imagined the world he’d described, she covered herself in the sheet and fell to
sleep.
     

Chapter 2
     
     
     
    It was warm in his arms, safe . She had
never felt as protected or loved in her whole life as she had when she met him.
His lips pressed gently against her forehead. She looked up into his deep brown
eyes. She'd always loved those eyes. His face was clean-shaven and his hair was
black — short at the sides and slightly messy on top. She had always thought he
was the most handsome man on the planet.

He started to speak, his mouth moving slowly but not a single sound escaped his
lips. Thinking that the sound of her own breathing was drowning out his words,
she held her breath but it was as though his volume had been turned to zero.
     
    “I can’t hear you,” she said. She watched his
mouth open and close and tried desperately to read his lips.

Suddenly, his face changed — the once bare skin on his jaw sprouted dark hairs before
her eyes. Small patches of dust and dirt covered his face and body, darkening
his complexion. His forehead creased with lines as he frowned and his eyes grew
wide in fear. He looked around the room, speaking more silent words. He stood
up, his head turning frantically around the room.

“What's wrong?” she asked, standing in front of him.
     
    His face was directly in front of hers now, inches
apart, but he showed no recognition in his eyes, it was like he was looking
straight through her.

Before Sarah could react, Jack’s mouth opened again but this time she heard
every word.

“Where are you, Sarah?” he shouted. “I can't find you.”
     
    ~
     
     
    “Jack!”

Sarah jumped up and realized it was a dream. She was back in Alfred's basement,
sitting up in bed, and sweating profusely. It was cold and damp against her
skin and the salt made the cuts and sores on her body sting. She could still
hear Jack's voice echoing around her head. Where is he? Is he alive?

An overwhelming sense of urgency washed over her and she climbed out of bed,
ignoring the pain that shot through her aching body. She bent down slowly and rummaged
in the end table at the side of her bed, looking for something to wear. The
cold hit her naked body hard but she ignored it and the goose bumps that had
appeared on her arms and legs. She opened the drawer and found some neatly
folded stonewashed jeans, a white vest and some socks. She couldn’t remember
what she had been wearing in town that day and neither did she care, with more
effort than usual, she pulled on the clothes.

Under the bed, she found a size-five pair of tan hiking boots and slipped them
on. All of the clothes smelled fresh and had a slight floral fragrance, Albert
had clearly washed them.

As she tied her shoelaces slowly and painfully, Albert entered the room with another
jug of water but before he could speak, Sarah asked, “Where is Jack?”

Albert sighed heavily. “You were alone when we found you, dear. You spoke that
name many times in your sleep,” he said. “Who is he?”

“My boyfriend,” Sarah said, her disappointment showing in her face. “I can’t
remember whether he was with me in town before I blacked