Embrace my night: Chapter 2

Cast within the reflection of the mirror she sees the distorted face of a man she can’t place. Behind his looming figure she sees a ball of fire and she can swear she hears screaming and crying. Closing her eyes she finds a cold finger caressing her spine making her look slowly towards the door hoping against all logic that Peter would return and not leave her alone.

The mirror pulls her back to face her own image. For a spell bound moment she simply looks at herself. Married to Peter makes her think she is beautiful but instinctively though she has the remembered sense she is in her mind basically just an ordinary person who became extraordinary. The reason for this transformation is the man who put his rings onto her finger. Her heart fills with continuous joy knowing someone loves her as much as she loves him.

Tomorrow would be the revealing of family and them as every day persons with individual personalities. Still looking at herself the sombreness just won’t stay hidden behind her eyelids. She furthermore has the insistent feeling she was forgetting something important. What however is the question that is starting to eat inside her mind?

Looking intensely at her reflection she tries searching for the question that will hopefully reveal the answer. Her own eyes studies her profile seeing a slender woman with shoulder length auburn hair, surprisingly sexy eyelashes, a petite nose and full sensual lips.

A knock on the door makes her turn away from the mirror and her reflection. Uncertain she goes to open the door. The smiling obviously curious courier handed her the beloved and well-travelled rucksack along with a beautiful evening gown. With a wink and suggestive look the man turns and walks down the corridor.

Alone in the suite she opened the accompany letter, the first from her husband.

“My love against all logic or reason I had just liked you known your beautiful face long before I knew what name to write onto my heart. My whole life I was searching until the day I found you. First you were my fantasy but now achingly beautiful you are my reality. Love you, choose how you want to dress this day, the evening is all mine. The gown is a glimpse of what is to come. Remember though always your wishes come first. Hurry…”

Sammy removes her rings and carefully along with the letter places them beside the telephone. She steps from the bathrobe her body moving gracefully with a clear sensuality towards the bathroom.

Sammy opens the bathroom with a smile full of anticipation for what was to come and in eagerness to see her husband. She heard a buzzing sound and the immediate instinct of danger.

Thinking it a bee she swipe around the air but the small missile hit its mark just below her ear. She sees him stepping from behind the curtains come towards her purposefully.

Trying to open her mouth to scream but no sound escape her lips but darkness settles around her, she slips and hit her head against the wall. Unconsciousness settles immediately over her. Completely unaware the person with her steps past her to retrieve the small needle from her neck leaving the suite.

Sammy opens her eyes the warm sun caressing her nakedness. Her eyes blinks several times hurting and feeling bleary. It takes a couple of minutes to adjust her eyes to the brightness of the bedroom.

The moment it dawn on her that she is actually naked, she scramble into a sitting position her back flatten against the wall her legs pull up beneath her chin. Wide-eye she look around her. The dull headache is mean and insistent making its presence known.

Sitting motionless while confusion is eating a hole in her; she can’t for the life of her comprehend how she ended up there. A vague memory slips past making her recall faintly the last time her action were her climbing from the airplane walking towards the exit. Everything else is a blank her uncertainty growing not knowing how she ended up in this expensive hotel suite. Her hurtful eyes studies everything around her but nothing seems familiar.

The longer she looks at the suite it is clear someone occupies it. She notices a tie that clearly belongs to a man. This notion frightens her into bolting up right. Her trusted rucksack catches her attention. Moving closer she picks it up and dump the contents on the bed.

Fearful of being caught where she didn’t belonged she survey the suite still nothing seems familiar. The only thing she knows is her rucksack but now looking at the contents even that seems unfamiliar. Confusion mingles with fear building rapidly inside her.

Sammy dress quickly in clothes she didn’t recognise but fit her like a glove. The rest of the contents she stuff back into the rucksack.

Sammy has no plan in mind just reacting on instinct, she walks towards the door in the corridor she searches for an exit but somehow find her in the reception area. A friendly man approach her with a smile, instead of waiting to hear what he might say she simply bolted from the hotel. She simply runs wandering the streets of Cape Town aimlessly.

The people around her were just a blur of many faces. She keeps walking searching for something but she doesn’t know precisely what is missing. She is driven with the urge to continued searching. The realization starts to dawn in her dazed mind she is on a quest in search of herself. Who she is however she doesn’t know her mind continues searching for the answer but the question eludes her?

Her feet continue pounding the streets. The hustle and bustle of the day turns into nightlife and bright lights. It never dawn on her that she is on a dangerous path. The angels took it upon themselves to guard over her.

A light in a darken street pull her closer. The gates were open and the bench is the most inviting place at that moment for her tired feet. With no hesitance she move forward and sit down. The beautiful garden is quiet, it never dawn on her that she is trespassing.

Sammy sits down and closes her eyes. She is fast asleep by the time the dogs take a guarding position beside her sitting motionless she in a soundless sleep.

The moon tries to sneak past the clouds wanting to take a sneak peek at her. The clouds stay master of the sky that night. As the hours past it is replace by the early cool dawn of morning.

A kaleidoscope of images play in her mind fighting for supremacy, just before she open her eyes she has a brief image of a man smiling captivatingly with her. Her eyes open and the image are gone.

She suddenly is aware of the dogs sitting on either side of her. They were looking at her with kindness in their eyes. The dogs look past her. She instantly jumps onto her feet turning to face him. At first glance he is a stern, serious man, judging him in his early fifties. She notice his eyes twinkling at her apparently amuse by her candid look.

“Good morning, did you sleep well?” he queries.

She didn’t answer him but continue looking intently at him. She senses no danger from him or his immediate presence. Something about him comforts her.

“Last night I found myself in the most curious dilemma. I keep calling my dogs but they simply didn’t obey my command. I was first concern when I went searching for them. I found them along with you. They took it upon themselves to guard you. My dear you choose the most peculiar position for sleeping. The women I had known in my life prefer to sleep on the softest bed they could find. You can imagine my surprise when I found you sitting motionless up right clearly tired, very beautiful and sound asleep. For the life of me I didn’t have the heart to wake you. During the night I check on you regularly and behold me still, you didn’t move an inch. Thus my dilemma, should I wake you and or carry you inside to sleep on a bed. Instead it dawn on me that this action on my part would frighten you so I allow my dogs to guard you as I did. Now tell me beautiful who are you?”

“I am Sammy, I think,” she says puzzled, uncertain.

Sammy watches him with a serious of reflections washing over her.

“Well beautiful, if I look trustworthy enough you may enter my home and shower then I will feed you. When you feel comfortable with me and you prefer you can tell me why and how you ended up here. I am Leonardo “Leo” William.”

Sammy found her host in his garden a morning feast waiting for her. The picture seems vaguely familiar for a moment. Then the notion vanishes. She goes to him finding his presence alluringly comfortable in kindness. His eyes were twinkling with her again she like that about him. She goes and sits across from him.

“Well Sammy dear, how is it you find yourself in this predicament?”

Leo handed her a glass of juice leaning back in his chair waiting for an answer if she prefer. It is clear to him she is thinking about her answer but confusion mingles uncertainty leaving her vulnerable again. He instantly reaches out to sooth her fears with the touch of a hand.

“You are safe here beautiful. No harm will befall you in my presence. My bossy daughter will have my head I guarantee you.”

“Leo I don’t remember how I ended up here in Cape Town,”

Sammy stood fast circling the confines of the enclosed garden. The blankness overflowing with jumbled thoughts is driving her crazy.

“What was the first thing that jumps into your thoughts?”

“Waking up in the most expensive suite in the Waterfront Hotel I am completely clueless how I ended up there.”

“What else do you remember before yesterday?”

Sammy stands still looking into space her eyebrows furrowed with thought.

“I am Sammy Hoffman, living in Steinkopf in the Namaqualand region. I was touring through the country to get away from the pain and the dark looming shadow just at the edge of my memory. I step from the plane then nothing. I only remember this now when I step from the shower.”

“Would you allow me to call a doctor?” he queries gently.

“I don’t like them. They always stick me with needles making me forget,” she says sharply. “I don’t like forgetting,” she frown realizing what she just said. She looks at Leo for an explanation.

“What is the reason you don’t like doctors?” he stand coming towards her.

“I…” confusion is clearly in her eyes.

“Sammy doesn’t force the issue. Things will settle the way it should in due time. Just stay calm. If I may wager an opinion as an amateur but using a bit common sense, you must have hurt yourself somewhere now you suffer from some kind of amnesia. Spend the day with me maybe something will come back to you.”

“Leo…my head does feel tender in the back and I have a mark on my neck,”

The dogs bark suddenly furiously. Leo goes to see what the commotion is all about.

Sammy turn wanting to go inside when she realises someone is just standing within the shadow of the interior of the house.

“Leo,” she called but her voice is barely a whisper.

“One way or another I will get you. Your time is running out,” he warns.