A life not forgotten

A life not forgotten by SBOLLAND

"STOP CALLING ME BY THAT NAME. That isn't me. You've got the wrong
fucking person" I screamed at James in a desperate attempt to make him
understand.
"Oh for crying out loud Charlotte. I know you, I fuckin' know you. Snap
out of it. Say it. Say your fuckin' name" He snapped back at me with
vicious rage as he rapidly paced up and down.
"Fuck you" I said abruptly
"What?" He replied sneering at me.
"I said fuck you James you've got the wrong person. Now fuck off and
leave me alone" I shouted at him.
"You stupid bitch you will fucking listen to me" He shouted with his
voice wavering.
A gun shot resonated through warehouse car park. I fell on my knees to
the ground. Nothing.

?????????????????????????????????.

The first touch I felt was a man's warm hand lifting me from the
ground. My head was beating out a continuous rhythmic thud. My eyes
were glazed and my body felt loose and awkward.
"Are you alright?" a voice said
I didn't answer. There were no words in my head. There was nothing, a
complete blank.
"Hey miss are you alright, you took quite a knock" the voice spoke
again.
"um?ok" I spluttered as I nearly fell back to the ground.
"You're obviously not ok. We better get you to a hospital" The voice
said
"No" I murmured
"Listen miss you were hit by a car and it was going at some speed.
You've got to let me take you. What's your name?" the voice asked
"My name? It's?it's?I don't know" I replied bursting into tears
"Ok ok come on I will get you to the hospital and they will help you.
I'm Richard by the way. Let's go?easy now" The voice said gently
guiding me to a large blue car.
I was finding it so hard to walk, my legs gave way. Richard held me up
with one arm and opened the car door.

When we arrived at the reception Richard dropped me in the nearest seat
and went over to the duty nurse. The nurse was staring at me strangely
she didn't look too happy. He pointed over to me and she nodded
reluctantly.
I looked at Richard for the first time, he was an older man no more
than fifty with short grey hair and a smart tailored suit. He seemed
kind and good natured.

Richard came back over and kneeled in front of me.
"The nurse will see you in half an hour, ok. But I have to go I was on
my way to a conference and I will miss my plane otherwise. I am sorry.
You'll be alright?" he said kindly.
"Thanks I'm ok" I said trying to smile through the pain which was now
catching up with me rapidly.
He smiled back in return and with that he got up and left.

I waited half an hour. I waited an hour. The nurse didn't see me until
three and a half hours later. By this time the blood was clotting on my
leg and I felt so dizzy I threw up several times.
I was taken on a stretcher to an examination room. Two young doctors
began looking over me and discussing me as though I wasn't there.

"Stitches?" The first doctor said
"Yes several I reckon, but we can just bandage that arm. Nurse get her
cleaned up." Said the other doctor.

I woke up feeling really stiff and faint. I was in some kind of a ward
full of sick people. Was I sick?
"Oh good morning. You decided to wake up did you. You passed out when
Doctor Frenzen mentioned stitches. A big girl like you afraid of a few
stitches. Maybe now you'll think twice about your chosen career?"
A doctor walked up to the bed and interrupted the nurse.

"Nurse leave her she has only just come round and is probably still in
shock." He said as he ushered her away.
"Morning Miss??" He said kindly
I laid in silence for a moment.
"I can't remember my name. I don't know my name" I said with tears
rolling down each cheek.

The doctor pulled the curtains round my bed.
"That's ok. You're in shock and your concussed it will all come back to
you, just takes a little time that's all. You're going to be fine,
there was only a few ribs broken you escaped quite a nasty ordeal it
seems." He paused for a moment as he sat closer on the bed "We had to
call the police they will be here later. Can you remember anything at
all?" he whispered softly
"No. Nothing. Just that man who helped me." I said still crying
"You were hit by a car. A hit and run."
I stared blankly at him as he spoke.
"Look just rest for now and if you remember anything just ask the nurse
to find me. We need to keep you in for a couple of days for observation
but after that you should start remembering and be fine to go home." He
added
"Home?" I said with tears streaming from my eyes.
"I don't even know where I live"
The doctor stroked my face. He then got up and walked behind the
curtain muttering to himself 'what a waste'.

The nurse shortly arrived back and roughly propped me up in bed. My
chest felt so bruised and I was sore pretty much everywhere else.
"Doctor Frenzen said to tell you that you had a visitor early this
morning. He said he will come back at lunchtime. One of your men
probably" she said rudely
"A visitor?" I said panicking at the thought of someone knowing me and
me not knowing them.
She leaned in close to my face and whispered coldly.
"Doctor Frenzen asked him for proof that he knows you and he tried to
find out who you are, but I don't care who you are and I certainly
don't care if this visitor knows you or not. If this man has taken a
fancy to you and takes you home with him at least it's what your used
to?going home with strangers. If I had my way in here we wouldn't waste
our beds on your sort."
She sneered at me again and walked off.

I had cried so much my eyes were as sore as my body. I felt so alone
and scared. The only thoughts in my head were questions, unanswered
questions. I didn't know who I was, I could just about remember a few
things now but nothing made real sense. Just names and faces but no
connections.

A young man appeared from behind the curtain pushing an old wheelchair,
he was quite good looking with dark untidy hair. He wore faded black
jeans and hooded jumper with 'addict' printed across the front. He was
looking at me with an uncertain smile.
I didn't know who he was. Nothing about him jerked any memories what so
ever.

"alright babe. I am so glad you're alright. I have been so worried." He
spoke me in such a familiar way. But still nothing clicked.
"Look we gotta get you out of here. The pigs are coming anytime now and
you sure as hell don't wanna be talking to them. Not after last week.
Come on get in" He said motioning to the wheelchair.

The only thing I knew instinctively right now was that I didn't want to
talk to the police. I couldn't stay here with that nurse much longer
either. I grabbed what were supposedly my possessions and then I eased
myself into the chair still not quite knowing what I was doing.
"That's it charlotte. Now let's get you outta here before that
miserable bitch comes back."

The nurse passed us as he wheeled me towards the lift. She stared
coldly at me then looked away without saying a word.
The young man pushed me to an old rust covered car and helped me in the
front seat. I suddenly felt extremely frightened and wanted to go but I
was too weak to move. I came over dizzy again and threw up between my
feet.

I woke up on an old bumpy mattress I was completely naked under a
stagnant smelling single duvet. I still felt sore but far stronger than
when I left the hospital. The dirty damp room I was in was empty except
a bag of clothes by my feet. I looked through the clothes trying to
find something to wear. The clothes were cheap and some smelt of cigar
smoke. I put on some old black trousers and a vest top which were
hidden under piles of skirts, thin silky tops and tacky dresses. The
clothes were a good fit which was lucky. I slowly stood up still
stumbling a bit. The young man walked in holding a mug of tea.

"God for a minute there charlotte I thought you was never gonna wake
up" He said holding out the tea.
I took it cautiously and said nothing.

"How are ya feelin?" He asked getting closer to me.
I backed away.
"Who are you?" I asked him
He looked hurt and shocked.
"Babe it's me James. They said you woz concussed but this is
ridiculous." He said moving towards me again.
"Look I don't who you are I don't even know who I am so just back off"
I said sternly
"You are Charlotte Sleigh and I am your boyfriend James Maysley" he
said slowly
"That might not be my name, I think I would know somehow and you
certainly aren't my boyfriend" I said
"What are you talking about? Charlotte it's me. Oh God what's happened
to you? You sound so different you even talk different." He said
raising his voice
I began to move further away I didn't feel right with James or whoever
he was.
"Charlotte you gotta believe me you really have" he begged
"Prove it then, show me photos or something" I insisted
"Photos? Do you think we'd be living in a squat if we had money for
cameras and stuff like that? I've got your clothes look, I picked them
up from that wanker you worked for. He nearly killed me over it and
nearly killed you don't you remember nothing?" James said holding the
clothes.
"I wouldn't wear those horrid things. I am sure I wouldn't. You've got
the wrong person you don't know me." I said feeling overwhelmed.
"No charlotte I do know you and you know me. You love me. You have to
remember" James said with tears forming in his eyes.
"Just leave me alone I don't trust you." I said as I quickly ran for
the door.

I ran fast down the steps and out of the run down estate. Past burnt
out cars and red tinted broken glass, this wasn't my home. I couldn't
live here. I could hear James shouting after me. I was tired and it was
hurting so much every step I took, I had to rest. James caught
up.

"Don't be so fuckin stupid if he finds you you're fucked, we're both
fucked." He shouted at me angrily.
"Who? If who finds me?" I asked
"Your ex boss Pete who else? You know what he'll do to ya" James said
out of breath
"So what job did Charlotte supposedly do then?" I questioned
"What?" James looked up in disbelief
"You were a call girl, one of his residents, one of his favourites" he
added with a dejected expression.
"A what? Oh fuck off. I was not, I wouldn't. I couldn't" I shouted at
him
"Come with me then let's go down memory lane. But we ain't staying long
or someone will grass us up to that wanker" James said pulling me back
to his car.

James drove me out to an old industrial estate, he parked up in a
warehouse car park and got out. As I moved my leg a kicked open the
glove compartment, a small hand gun fell out wrapped in a filthy piece
of rag. I slid it quickly in the back of trousers before James opened
the door, he helped me out of the car and pointed at all the young
girls standing around talking to passing cars. Some got in some got out
but it was obvious what these girls were doing.

"This was what you were trapped doing until he would decide to throw
you away with all the rest of household trash. I saved you from this.
What I gave you wasn't a rich house or nuthin but it was safer and you
wouldn't have to do this anymore." James said sadly

My eyes flooded again. I stood staring at these poor girls desperate
for money. That wasn't me, I was better than this. James was lying.
This life didn't belong to me.

"Charlotte you believe me now, right?" he pleaded

"STOP CALLING ME BY THAT NAME. That isn't me. You've got the wrong
fucking person" I screamed at James in a desperate attempt to make him
understand.
"Oh for crying out loud Charlotte. I know you, I fuckin' know you. Snap
out of it. Say it. Say your fuckin' name" He snapped back at me with
vicious rage as he rapidly paced up and down.
"Fuck you" I said abruptly
"What?" He replied sneering at me.
"I said fuck you James you've got the wrong person. Now fuck off and
leave me alone" I shouted at him.
"You stupid bitch you will fucking listen to me" He shouted with his
voice wavering.
A gun shot resonated through warehouse car park. I fell on my knees to
the ground. Nothing. He said Nothing. The gun dropped to the
floor.
"James, you don't get it do you. I don't want to remember. Not like
this" I wept loudly.
He didn't answer he just laid there motionless.

As I lifted my head I heard a gun click in my ear.
"Well well where have you been Charlotte" a deep cruel voice whispered.
The gun clicked again.

Some people won't let you forget.