22.

A bright white light shines down while the surrounding area is surrounded in darkness. A lady lays strapped to a surgical bed. Brown leather straps buckled located at each of her wrists and just above each of her ankles. Another restraint, thicker than any of the other four, holds her head steady by strapping around the bulk of her neck.

The contents of an intravenous drip are being dispensed into her arm via the inside of her left arm elbow joint. Two people approach, one on the left to check on that intravenous drip and another on the right side to do something else.

The person checking the intravenous drip is a middle-aged woman dressed in a long while jacket closed over and buttoned up, she places a clipboard on a nearby table before pushing up her gold circular rimmed glasses back up along her nose, she has dark hair tied up in a bun at the top and rear of her head. Once the drip is adjusted, she moves away then makes a note on her clip board before the second person arrives to the right side of the surgical table.

This second person is male. He has come to her like this before and when she gets an opportunity to reflect on this occurrence, she is sure she knows this man but for the life of her she will not be able to remember just who he is, not in her current condition even with what is returning to her. Thing is, she may not even remember exactly who he is at the moment this is occurring, or more so be aware of what is happening. He is about to inject the contents of a syringe into her right arm and the sight of the syringe instantly sends her into panic.

Again, when she gets a moment to reflect, she is sure she knows on some level what is occurring at the time it is occurring but in the moment of reflection it is a definite struggle to recall just exactly what it is. If she could remember within that actual moment then maybe there would be no need for restraint, but the restraints were there. The reason to fear the moment could have been a justifiable one.

What is occurring is cause for fear whether or not there is much recall at the time of the event or since. If it is being done to her against her will, then this is why there is panic. Her panic, however, does nothing, can do nothing to alter what is happening, what had happened. There probably was a willingness at some point.

In her moment of reflection, she tries to remember his face, but it is not coming, it may even come to the point that if she were to actually see his face in any moment from here on in, she might not even then be able to place the face with the moment she is remembering. This too, so it should be said, is an actual moment and not some kind of dream that feels real.

The full contents of the syringe are injected, and the panic grows for what has been injected is so much more than any kind of saline substance. What is injected in her begins to gather, begins to move, what is in her is ... alive. She feels it gather beneath her skin, she feels it move and she screams out loud, screams not so much out of pain but out of fear. Why is this happening? Why her?

Her scream wakens her, or at least wakes her from the dreaming memory of this incident and in turn causes a recurrence of her scream. Her body is rocking a little from side to side and an unfamiliar male voice speaks to her, 'are you alright Miss?'

What is this? Where is she? In the back of a vehicle ... a taxi perhaps, and she has no idea as to how she has come to be here, wherever here is. Before she can reply to the question asked of her or even think about replying to the question, she verbally lets out the pangs of pain as she is hit with the most almighty of headaches. She places both of her hands to either side of her head, this and the sight of a nosebleed prompts another question.

'Miss, do you need a doctor? I can always take you to the hospital.'

A panic returns and out of some sort of instinct she replies 'oh no, please. I am fine or at least I will be.'

Up to now, the driver had been checking on his passenger through his inner rear view mirror of his vehicle and now for the first time he briefly turns his head back around to her. 'Are you sure?'

'I am, thank you.'

How can she be sure of anything for she is lost in herself or lack of self for a moment or two that it takes her at least that long to realize that she doesn't know where it is she is going. She doesn't know much of anything to the point that it is likely that if she did know what her destination is then she might not know where exactly that destination or why it is she is going there, if she can really think of anything then she knows very little at all.

Perhaps the hospital is the place to go, there is something that makes her reluctant to go anywhere other than where she currently is going, despite not even knowing this very simple thing. She must be going somewhere. She is in a taxi after all, hell, is she even able to pay for it?

She cannot remember anything about herself other than that moment of injection, a moment with which she believes is real and not just something her mind dreamt up. A guess cannot even be attempted as to how much time has passed since then and now.

Her head pain soon begins to ease up a little, so she makes her inquiry. 'I'm sorry but where are you taking me?'

'To The Mulberry Hotel Miss.'

'I am unfortunately a little bit groggy; did I ask you to take me there?'

'No ma'am, are you sure you don't need a doctor?'

'I am sure, I'm fine thanks.'

She searches her pockets, finds no identification, no bank cards but there is money, not much but possibly enough to get through five or six days or possibly a couple more depending on what it is she chooses to do and there is also a piece of paper crumpled up. Un-crumpled the piece of paper which is possibly no bigger than one inch long and two inches wide and handwritten upon it simply is ROOM 211.

Is this where she is meant to go? Room 211 of The Mulberry Hotel? If so, then what may be waiting for her there? What the hell is going on? Whatever this is, it is related to that injection, she is almost sure of this. Is this a test, an experiment of sorts? If so, then who is behind it? And why does it involve her? Since the current situation does not appear to be happening against her will then she doesn't want any part of it. This, however, may change.

It does pique her interest though more to the point of getting answers about herself first of all and then to why this is happening to her. Oddly, she is really calm about what is happening, there are flurries of panic, but this is normal, if anything there should be more panic, but she is on a path, and she feels she has been put on this path so it is not as if she is completely helpless. So, to the hotel it is but not before she asks at least one more question of her taxicab driver.

'Can I ask you as to how it is I came to be in your cab?'

'Another lady aided you in. She told me where to take you and she paid your fare.'

'Really?'

'Yes, a little older than you I'd say, her hair tied up in a bun, gold rimmed glasses. Do you know who I am talking about?'

'Kinda, I couldn't tell you her name, hell I can't even tell you my name ...'

'Miss, if you would like I could take you to a doctor or to the hospital ... I'd even stay with you if you want me to.'

'You are very kind but really, I am fine.'

She may be saying that a lot but how fine can she really be given the circumstances?

An arrival is soon made. Not that she can be fully aware but her own physical appearance is pleasant and clean so there would be no apparent reason to be stopped or denied entry into the hotel based on how she looks, and as it is she figures that there should be no reason as to why she shouldn't go straight to room 211 and investigate somewhat rather than attempt to make inquiries within the lobby.

If nothing catches her eye right away or if there is no direct entry into the room, then she could go probably to make an enquiry at reception, exactly what she might ask is as of yet unclear but to the room first and see whatever she might see. She thanks her driver and takes a moment to steady herself as she kinda needed to get her bearings physically just as much as mentally and on in she goes.

She takes the stairs to the second floor and follows the directions that will lead her to her room of interest and a nervous energy keeps her moving forwards, she might get to see this through whatever this is though as she moves down the hallway, she keeps to herself and takes in what she sees too and what she soon sees alters her decision making.

There are two men in the corridor, and one is apparently attempting to get the other to come to back to room 211. This is worrying though perhaps not, are they discussing memory loss? It would appear as if they were. She moves on by, acting as if she has no interest in this room or those with whom she passes. Once she is out view of these two men she stops and begins to eavesdrop. The two men return to this particular room and there seems to be an issue with them getting inside.

Someone else is in this room and this someone is taking their time with opening the door, someone called Bonnie, a woman? Who are these people and what is the connection between her and the three of them? This is unsettling and something that cannot be walked into blind. No, this at the very least requires further investigation. That piece of paper, ROOM 221, what the hell is going on?

Her next move is to the lobby where she gets herself a hot drink and a sandwich. It is as good a place as any to be. How much she can gather from observing is more a matter of wait and see, she can always spend a couple of hours like this before deciding what next to do. Someone wants her here, the why and to do what are for now the great unknowns.

'Hi' she hears a male voice speak before she sees who it belongs to, neither voice nor face is in anyway familiar to her. 'Do you mind if I join you?'

She doesn't immediately answer, maybe an element of paranoia has settled in. Who is this fellow? What does he know? Is she meant to meet him here? Or is he someone completely random? She has figured out her answer and will see what reaction comes. He is young, younger than her, if he doesn't know her then he has some cheek coming to her like this.

'I'd rather you didn't' she says in reply to his question.

'Well, if that is an invitation then I will take it', he sits in the chair next to her which is six or seven feet away, so he is not overly close. 'I'm William by the way.'

Ah, to hell with it she thinks to herself. She might just have herself some friendly conversation unless things decide to become a little more serious. 'Maggie ...' she says without giving it much thought. It came so naturally that this might actually be her name though it probably isn't.