The Second Life

• Lauren Beddoes-bell, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2009

It was a stormy night. The rain was bucketing down outside, the wind was howling. Inside the manor, James sat, awaiting the news. “So, did you find her?” James asked anxiously. “I’m sorry sir, we couldn’t catch her, she was too far in front of us.” Replied Darren, nervous of what was to happen next.
James’ howl of rage echoed through the large manor.
?One month earlier?
Lucy woke earlier than usual, the stress she guessed was the cause. With her final university exams just days away, Lucy was really feeling the pressure. Deciding to go for a walk, Lucy left her apartment as quiet as she could without waking up her housemate, Caitlin.
The cool morning breeze woke Lucy up. With her senses now sharper than they were, she noticed that it was too quiet for an early morning in the city. Deciding to ignore this, she kept walking. When she thought she had walked far enough, she decided to head back to her apartment. She didn’t want to go back, it was nice to be away from the stress and worry, even just for a small amount of time. Knowing that she had to go back, she turned slowly to walk back. Lucy only caught a glimpse of the man behind her, then everything went black…

Lucy woke up with a fright. She had a bad headache. Slowly opening her eyes, Lucy started to panic. She didn’t know where she was! She tried to search for a memory of the large blue room she was in, but nothing came to her! Lucy was getting more worried by the minute. She tried to think of what she was doing the night before, but she couldn’t remember a thing! Really panicking now, she got out of the oversized bed and started to run out of the room, not taking a backward glance. As she reached the corridor outside the room, a tall, tanned man opened his arms widely as if to hug her. “Maria, darling, what are you doing?” the man asked. Maria? Who was Maria? Lucy turned to see if this Maria girl was behind her, but no one else was in the long corridor. Surely he can’t be talking to me, thought Lucy. My name is-, Lucy couldn’t remember her own name!
“Were you talking to me?” She asked, her pale hands shaking with fear.
“What are you talking abo- Oh, I’m so sorry darling I completely forgot. Maria, two days ago when you were out gardening you stumbled and hit your head on a rock.” The man paused, as if he was upset, “You were unconscious when we found you, and then we raced you to the hospital. They told us you had suffered temporary memory loss.” James told her.
“Sso, who are yyou?” Lucy stammered.
“Maria, I am James Brian O’Sullivan, and you are Maria Jannette O’Sullivan. We got married in-“
“Please, don’t say anymore, er, James. I’ve heard enough for one day thank you.” As Lucy said this she slowly turned and headed back to the blue room.
As she laid down Lucy had time to herself, to think. At the thought of this, Lucy thought it felt strangely unfamiliar, being able to relax. But she couldn’t find out the reason why she thought this, which was annoying her. The way James spoke to her made her feel uneasy. She couldn’t even remember him! But yet again they must of known each other for a long time. But to Lucy it just didn’t feel right. On this thought, she slowly drifted back to sleep.

? ? ?

Lucy woke suddenly. It was like she just had a flash back. It all came flooding back to her in one hit. After a long month of not having any memories, it all came back, just like that.
She glanced around the room, checking to see if anyone was there. Her instinct was right, Darren, their butler was in the wardrobe folding clothes. “Madam Lucy, is something wrong?” he asked, trying to read the expression on Lucy’s face.
“No, no. Just a bad dream that’s all.” She replied. “Darren, is James home?”
“No madam, he left for work about an hour ago.” He replied slightly suspicious of Lucy.
“I need to go get some new, er, pajamas from the shops, and I know how James doesn’t like shopping.” Lucy lied, slightly impressed on the quality of it.
“Of course, madam.”
This was Lucy’s one and only chance to escape. As she was trying to make her way to the garage, she had to steady her pace.
Why would anyone do such a thing? It was like he stole some of Lucy’s life. Was he making sure that she was the exact person that he wanted? Or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time?
As Lucy reached the car, she fumbled for the garage key, then hit it with such force that it nearly broke. When the door was fully opened, she slammed the accelerator and drove away from the manor. Never wanting to see it again.