Shadows of Fate

Chapter 3

I couldn't help but gawk at him in disbelief. He didn't know his own name? What kind of soap-opera bull was that? Yeah, I get that amnesia is a real thing and all, but seriously there was enough weirdness in one night without missing memories.

"Why were you in the forest?" I asked.

He stared blankly back.

"Alone," I continued.

His mouth tightened.

"Naked!"

"I don't know," he repeated, as if his own answer surprised him.

I searched his face for any sign that he was lying. His lips turned into a slight frown. His brow creased with confusion. The strong hands that protected me only minutes before tensed with frustration. He looked as if he was still lost in the woods. I was drawn to his eyes. They shimmered like silver crystals, tiny shards of sparkling light reflecting the moonbeams. Mesmerizing.

My phone buzzed on the counter, making me jump.

I answered. "Hello?"

"This is nine-one-one. We received a call from your number; are you having an emergency?" A familiar woman's voice asked.

"What? No," I said, a little too stressed. The stranger's gaze still lingered on me, making my mind fuzzy. I turned away and breathed calm into my veins before continuing. "No, I'm fine. It—um—was an accident."

"You accidentally dialed the emergency number?" She sounded so annoyed I could practically see her eyes rolling. "Are you sure, dear?"

I glanced over my shoulder at the stranger. He winced as he pulled the towel from his back then went to rinse the blood out in the sink.

"If you can't tell me," the operator's voice lowered, "You could signal to me."

I worried the hem of my shirt with my free hand. My mysterious hero ducked his head down to the faucet and gulped water from the tap, as if he was dying of dehydration. Water dripped down the side of his mouth and trailed down his neck. My own mouth went dry.

"Say 'everything is fine' if you want me to send a squad car."

One simple phrase and the police would kick down my door in minutes. They would bring me a rational explanation for everything. They would take him away.

"Charlotte, is that you?" The operator asked. My back straightened and suddenly I recognized the voice on the line.

"Mrs. Mallory?" Mrs. Mallory had been my—and every person in town for the last forty years—fifth grade teacher. She moonlighted twice a week at the police station where her son worked. Yet another pitfall to living in a tiny town, even the local dispatcher could recognize most residents by their voices. So much for anonymity.

"I thought that was you," she sighed. "Is everything okay?"

The stranger glanced up, seeing me still ogling him. A hint of a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth before he wiped the sparkling water from his full lips, and my stomach found new ways to tie itself into knots.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It really was a mistake. Sorry." I hung up.

I must be completely insane.

~~~

Dad couldn't be home. He would've heard me slam the door when we ran inside, but I still checked upstairs. I found a note taped to my bedroom door: Got called in. All-nighter, Dad.

I changed into clean clothes, grabbed the first aid kit from under the kitchen sink, and headed to the basement.

Yellow-tinted light from a small table lamp threw shadows on the walls. Across the wide room, I could see my reflection on the mirrored closet. It was still covered with dry-erase marker notes and doodles. Tobias used to draw mustaches on his reflection. If I took one step to the side I would have a rather distinguished green handlebar 'stash.