Kenai

Chapter One - What the Fuck Happened?!

My name is Kayla Dagwood. I'm twenty years old, I live in a little town called Warboys in the Fens, and this is the story of how my life changed forever.

I had no idea where I was. I only knew that I was in more pain than I'd ever felt before. Even breathing hurt, which was a bugger because I kinda need to breathe. I opened my eyes and sat up. I was back in my room, wearing my pyjamas and wrapped in my favourite blanket. How the hell did I get home?

I got out of bed and nearly fell over. My whole right side was on fire, and all I wanted to do was puke. I got to the bathroom just in time, and once I was sure my stomach was empty I felt at least ten stone lighter. I looked in the mirror at myself, and I looked awful. My hair was no longer brown but black with dirt, and I had bruises and cuts all over my face. There were two particularly nasty looking cuts around my left eye that were already growing a bruise around them. I looked down at my body, shaking like a leaf, and saw that my arms were no better. My right wrist was in a brace, like it had been broken. Gingerly I lifted up my shirt and saw that my chest was almost completely purple. What the fuck happened?! I sat on the toilet shaking. That was when I heard the front door slam and I knew Mum was home.

I didn't know how to face her. I had no memory of last night, and I looked like I'd been part of some illegal fight club. I couldn't get out of the bathroom fast enough as I heard her coming upstairs. She threw the door open and almost screamed.

"What in fuck's name happened to you?!" She demanded.

"Your guess is as good as mine." I replied.

She threw herself down in front of me and started prodding and poking me all over. I lost count of the number of pokes she violently dished out before she spoke again.

"Who were you with last night?" She asked.

"Um," I hesitate; why can't I remember? "I don't know."

"Well, I'm calling the Police."

Mum stormed out of the bathroom, leaving me sat on the throne in serious pain. I try to think back to last night, but all I see is darkness. How could I lose an entire night of memories? I struggle to my feet and limp back to my room. I fall painfully onto the bed, baffled, and Mum reappears brandishing her phone.

"The Police are on their way." She said.

"Cool." I reply, too tired to say much more.

Mum stayed with me until there was a knock on the door. She went to answer it, and reappeared a few minutes later followed by two Police officers. One was a man, and I couldn't take my eyes off of the mole on his cheek. Something about him seemed familiar, but my head hurt too much to think about it. The other was a young woman. She looked terrified of me, and for a split second her face changed from a woman into a fox. I blinked twice and she was normal again, but she looked freaked out.

"Kayla," the male officer said, "I'm Detective Rick Deacon, and this is my partner Detective Lauren Ferne. We're here to find out what happened to you."

I nod painfully, and Detective Ferne looks more panicked as Detective Deacon speaks again.

"I'm going to speak with your mother while Detective Ferne asks you some questions. Is that all right?"

Again I nod, still in pain, and Mum leads the Detective out of the room. The door closed behind them, and the young Detective sits on the edge of my bed. Up close she's beautiful; her long blonde hair was tied back in a tight bun, and her emerald green eyes were focused on me. Her skin was pale, almost as pale as mine, and she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Are you all right?" I ask her.

This seemed to wake her up, and suddenly she's back in the room with me. She smiled and blushed.

"Sorry," She said, "just a little distracted. What can you tell me about last night?"

I think hard, trying to remember as much as possible, but still there's a void in my memory.

"I remember leaving the house." I say, somewhat relieved.

"What time was that?"

"Around 10 I think."

Detective Ferne took out a tiny notebook and wrote the time down, and I smiled while I watched her. She was left handed, like my dad.

"What else do you remember?" She prompted.

"That's it." I was devastated.

"Who were you with?" She pushed.

"I don't know."

"Were they friends of yours?"

"I was in a car with them, so I guess so."

"Would you recognise them if you saw them again?"

"I don't-"

"Don't lie to me Kenai!"

As she said that last word, Kenai, the door opened and Detective Deacon walked back in, with Mum close behind. She looked rattled, and seemed uncomfortable being so close to the Detective. She pushed past him and came straight to me.

"Did you get everything we need Detective Ferne?" Detective Deacon asked.

"Yep, and then some." She replied, smiling at me.

She reached into her blazer pocked and pulled out a business card. She handed it to me, still smiling.

"If you remember anything else, then please don't hesitate to call me." She said.

---

I was curled up on the sofa when there was another knock on the door. Mum answered it and was almost thrown aside as my best friend barrelled into the house straight for me. Katie and I have been friends for years; we've always had each other's backs, and this was no different.

"Who did this to you?" She growled.

"I have no idea." I say, frustrated.

"Did it happen last night?"

"I don't remember last night."

At this, Katie sank onto the sofa beside me and held her head in her hands. Mum disappeared into the kitchen, and Katie slowly lifted her head up to look at me again.

"You look like shit." She said.

"Feel like it to." I replied, smiling a little.

She laughed, and soon enough I was laughing with her, despite the pain in my ribs.

"I saw the Police car when I pulled up," Katie said, "are they investigating?"

"I think so," I say, unsure, "but there was something weird about one of the Detectives."

"What?"

"She called me something, a word I've not heard before."

"What was it? Maybe I can google it."

"She called me 'Kenai'."

Smash. Katie sprang up off of the sofa into the kitchen to help Mum, who had dropped a dinner plate and smashed it. After a few minutes they came back into the living room together and sat down on either side of me, like they were guarding me.

"Kayla," Mum said, "why don't you stay with Katie tonight?"

"Seriously?" I replied, "why?"

"That way I can keep an eye on you," Katie joked, "I can keep you out of trouble."

I agreed to spend the night with Katie, and Mum helped me pack some clothes into my black rucksack. Mum handed my bag to Katie, gave me a gentle hug, and sent me out the front door on Katie's heels. Something about Mum's attitude felt off, like some big secret had suddenly been discovered. She was definitely hiding something, Katie too, and I was determined to find out what it was.