Forgetting the Murder

3: Zeke Riley

I check the clock, only six hours to go. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave my happy memories and face the cruel reality that is ahead. Why is life so hard? Why is love so impossible? Or is it just me that faces these harsh punishments for sins I didn't commit? I suppose it's my fault, I never should've fallen in love.

***

I reached my sister's car, half lifting, half dragging Zeke along the way.

"He is hot!" Emily commented.

I shot her a glare before saying, "Not now,"

Emily held up her arms as if giving in for surrender, "Woah, OK. I'm sorry."

I lifted Zeke into the back of the car, before getting in myself. I buckled up my seat-belt and took hold of the drivers wheel. There was no way I was letting Emily drive. How she even made it here without klling herself was beyond me.

"So, where are we heading?"

Her words brought countless thoughts to my mind. Where were we going? I turned round to look at Zeke, his eyes were still closed, gently sleeping.

"We'll bring him back home." I announced.

"Back home? But what about Mum? And Dad? What will they think?"

"Oh my God Emily, you have more questions than a maths textbook. It'll be sweet, they're away for the weekend. They'll never know."

"Really and what will you do when they come back? Hide him in the attic?"

Possibilities flooded my mind. Could I hide him in the attic? I mean I could give him food and water and a mattress to sleep on. Emily saw me thinking.

"There's no way. Don't be ridiculous!" She said as if she could read my mind.

She was right. There was no way. I was just fantasising. Still, we would have to bring him home, we had no idea where he lived and until he regained some of his memory we would never know. I started up the car and headed on home. I had a feeling this was just the beginning.

When I got Zeke home I laid him gently down on my bed. I noticed he had cut his leg, the blood was trickling down. I started to clean up the wound, but the anaesthetic stung him and woke him up.

"What? Where am I?" He said as he looked around. I realised his eyes are an emerald green. The most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.

"You're in my house. I'm taking care of you now." I replied, talking to him gently.

He tried to take in all the information, but it was too much for him and he hurt his head.

"What happened?"

That was exactly what I wanted to know. I ignored his question, leaving the room to go and get him some soup and water. I didn't mean to be rude, I just didn't want to confuse him any more.

I brought the soup up to him and set the tray on his lap. I looked into his eyes and saw tenderness and gratitude. Then he whispered to me, "Thank you,"

I sat on the edge of the bed and talked to him. It was nice, it felt right. As if we were meant to be together, as cheesy as that sounds. I liked that feeling.

If only I knew then what I know now.

***

I remember that conversation. I remember every word. Sometimes I like to repeat it in my head. I remember our first kiss, the way his lips brushed against mine. It felt so right. This morning all I want to think about is our happy times together, as I watch them all slip away.

***

The more time I spent with him, the fonder of him I got. I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't help myself. Every time I thought about him or went near him I smiled. I kept telling myself that he was a boy with amnesia and I couldn't get too close to him. Once again, I ignored all sensible thoughts. I knew what was happening, but I just tried to ignore it; I couldn't fall in love with him.

I had conversations with Zeke, each one more amazing than the last. He listened to me, he was the first person I've ever met to do that. I was getting used to being ignored. He changed everything, and to think this all happened with a dead car battery.

Sometimes when I visited him, he seemed to be thinking. I was always curious of what he was thinking of, because he was constantly in deep thought. One day I decided to confront him.

“What are you thinking about?” I asked him, as I watched him stare into thin air.

“Not thinking, remembering.” He informed me, keeping his eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.

“Do you remember what you were doing alone in a forest?”

Zeke turned around to look at me, his eyes full of regret. “I wasn’t alone.”

I stared at him, he wasn’t alone? Why did the person he was with not help him? Then he spoke again, interrupting my thoughts.

“I was…” He paused, clenching his fists, “Completing a task.”

“OK.” I murmured, I decided maybe I had pushed him too much to regain his memory, causing his violent mood swing. I pushed myself off my bed and walked towards the door, as I was leaving I heard Zeke breathe a deep sigh.

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Emily Winston to the side >>