The Fugue and the Fire

She awoke in a strange bed and in a strange room. She felt a sense of dread. The room was slightly lit from the first few rays of the morning light. The room smelt of cigarette smoke and had a stale musk. She looked around and tried to remember why she was there. No remembrance came to mind. Had it happened again?

What day was this? She looked around from the small bed and noticed the red tint coming from the clock. It read 7:00a.m. The date on the bottom read out 7-27-2026. "No. No. No." she whispered to herself out loud. This time it had lasted four days.

"This can't be happening now. Not at this time. The project was too important!" She spoke aloud again.

She rose from the bed and as soon as she tried to stand she felt the searing pain in her left thigh. She looked and noticed the wrapping going around it and she also noticed the blood that stained the dressing. She immediately lay back on the bed and started to cry. How? How could this be happening again? All the treatment and time spent in therapy. It seemed to have all been a waste of time.

More importantly though at this moment she needed to figure out what she had gotten herself into. The last time this had happened she found herself three states away awaking to find herself in the embrace of a dark haired, tattooed, goth woman about ten years her elder. What had she done this time?

No memory of the past seven days. Being in a strange, apparently cheap hotel room. The bed spread she lay on almost felt like straw with the way it made her itch. She looked down at the bandage on her leg. Then she exhaled a deep breath.

She thought back to her last memory. She was in her office after having a conversation with the owner of her company. What was it that they were talking about? He was talking about the finances and about? She could not remember any more at the moment. The pain on her leg started to throb more. She needed to go to the hospital. She needed attention for her leg.

She slowly sat up again. She started taking the bandage off. She needed to see what exactly she was dealing with. As she peeled the last of the wrap, she felt the dry blood pulling from her skin. The wound was round and the blood in the wound had almost a gel like appearance. It looked yellowish, like the wound was festering. She had to make her way out of wherever she was at and find a hospital.

She slowly stood again. When she got to her feet, her head started to feel like it was spinning and her vision became blurred. She reached out and put her hand on the bedside table to stabilize herself. She looked and realized her clothes were on the floor spread out like she had a wild passionate night with someone.

"Not again." She said to herself. She cautiously gathered her clothes and with will power she put them on. She looked over at the door and limped her way over to turn the handle. She reached out and grasped the handle, but she could not move it. It was locked from the outside. What kind of place was this? Locks on the outside of the door? Had she been kidnapped? Was she drugged? Did she have another spell or was this something much more sinister?

She knocked on the door and awaited a response. Nothing. She banged on it harder and yelled out, "Hey! Open the door!" No response still.

Her leg began to throb again and she felt dizzy. She looked and saw a small sized green faux leather chair in the corner of the room next to the door. She limped over and fell back more than sit in the chair. What was going on? What her her other side gotten her into? Most importantly, how was she going to get out of this mess?

She thought back to what her therapist talked with her about concerning her condition. The fugue state of mind. This could last for days of even months. When it happened she would leave work, home and anything else behind. She would forget her name and her past. Basically she would become a whole new person, while at the same time forgetting herself. Then when she returned to herself she would forget who she had become.

She shook her head to try and clear it.

"What happened to me? How did I get here? Who has locked me in this place?" She said speaking louder than she thought.

"Those are all very good questions." The voice was loud and sounded manufactured. Like the AI voices on telephone sales calls.

"You are not well. You are a danger to yourself and others Ellie." The voice cracked some through the speakers she just noticed in two of the corners of the room.

"Who are you? Why do you have me here!!" Ellie shouted out.

"I just told you. You are a threat." Ellie remained silent and the voice stopped. A few tears ran down her cheek. She could not help but feel like a trapped rat. Because that was exactly what she was. A few minutes went by in the silence.

"Are you still there?" Ellie asked with an anxious voice.

"Yes."

"What are your plans? Is this some kind of sick and twisted game for a pervert? You gonna kill me?!!" Ellie said as she felt the tears build in her eyes more and more as the words came out.

"That depends on you. You have something I need. You give it to me then all this is over." The voice screeched slightly as is the speakers were old and worn.

"What do you want?" She asked. She tried to stand but the pain in her leg was to great and she cried out, "Can I get something too help my leg?" She tried to rise but when she did the room began to spin and everything faded to black.

There was a faint smell of something familiar. The smell made her realize just how hungry she was. It was the wonderful smell of bacon. She opened her eyes and realized it was not a horrible dream. She was still in the dingy. little room as before. She looked and noticed a fresh bandage on her leg. The clock numbers read 530 pm. Then she noticed the sandwich on the table beside her. She reached over and picked it up and examined it. White bread, fried egg and bacon, then a smattering of mayonnaise. It was her favorite. Propping herself on the headboard she gobbled it down quickly being famished. Then she reached out and drank the bottled water that was left also.

She lay there thinking of how she was going to survive this situation. She remembered watching shows on television of how women in her situations survived. The biggest thing needed now was for him to trust her. How could she do that? She needed to talk to him. She yelled out. "Hello!"

"You are awake." The strange voice responded.

"Yes. Thank you for fixing the bandage and the food." Her voice was as sweet as sugar.

"You are welcome." The voice responded after a few seconds.

"What is it you think I know? What is it that you need from me?"

""Last October you were in Atlanta. You were with a woman in a club. I need you to remember her name."

Ellie's brow furrowed. That was when her last episode happened. She did not remember anything but running from the hotel half-naked and waving down a taxi. The whole situation had freaked her out.

"I do not remember her. I have a medical condition that will not allow it." She said trying to be truthful.

"Not acceptable. The fugue state is not an acceptable excuse." Ellie heard the reply and could not believe this person knew this much personal information about her.

"How do you know that about me?" She replied sternly.

"It is my job to know."

"What do you mean it is your job to know my personal history!" She yelled out. She waited but the voice never responded. So much for getting him to trust me she thought. What did the name of the woman whom she knew little about have anything to do with her being abducted? What had this mental disease she could not control have gotten her into?

The same process went on for days. Somehow she fell asleep , maybe drugged but when she woke her bandage was changed and even had gotten antibiotics from the person. At this point her leg was better and she was pacing around the room trying to get strength back in her leg. She needed to be ready when the opportunity presented itself. She was sitting in the chair trying to remember back about here last fugue experience. What did this woman have to do with her being here with this man holding her captive?

"Do your remember her yet?" The voice rang out from the speaker?" She almost jumped from the chair it scared her so much.

"No! No! No!" She yelled out. "I do not remember! I will never remember!" She shouted with more vigor. "Why won't you believe me? I just can't remember." Her frustration turned into tears and she sat crying. Then something strange happened, she heard a laugh from the man. She recognized his laugh.

"I know you!" She shouted. "I know that laugh!"

"You should." The voice replied dryly.

"You have done this to me for what? Revenge?" Ellie wiped her tears away knowing the purpose of this whole fiasco.

"You ruined my life, now you will pay for it with yours." Ellie stood as quick as her leg allowed and searched for anything she could use as a weapon. She heard a noise like he lock on a door starting to open. She turned and looked at him. It was him! She headed his way as fast as she could. She was going to inflict some kind of injury on him, whatever it took! She noticed him put on some sort of mask and she noticed his hand reach into a small satchel. He pulled a bottle of something out and sprayed! She suddenly became weak and her knees buckled. She had been drugged she thought as she feel t the floor unconscious.

Ellie woke and found herself tied with long zip ties. Her hands and feet were bound so tight they ached. She looked around. This was a new environment. It was a warehouse. She looked the other direction and saw him sitting in a chair smiling.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked him.

"Darling, al the years we were married I would have doe anything for you, I should have known better. Because this sorry excuse for going missing and all the affairs ruined me on the inside. Tonight I will quench the fire you started." He smiled at her again.

"Christopher, this is not right! You know I can't control this thing in my head!" Tears whelped up in her eyes again. She noticed the incinerator. What was he going to do?

"You will burn tonight and no one will ever know what happened. I will get back what you took from me through the fire." Ellie heard this and could not believe what was happening. He stood and walked towards her. She struggled trying to break the small plastic ties. But it was of no use. The more she struggled the tighter they became. He reached her and picked her up. He laid her on the conveyor belt leading to the fire. He walked over and pushed the red button. She slowly was pulled into the fire.