Sammy Hoffman sleep curled on the bench in the enclose section in the back of the garden. Earlier in the morning she steps from the bus finding her way towards this house that drew her like a magnet. Everything she did is on pure instinct.
Her eyes open but her body stays motionless. The image so tangible was gone. Every time she closes her eyes she found them lurking in the shadows of her mind; one has the essence of a threat, the other is pulling onto her heartstrings.
The back door suddenly creak opened. The woman who appears seems startled into paleness when she sees her coiling from the bench.
“Sammy!” she whispers shocked.
“Good morning!” she smiles concealing the fact that she didn’t have a clue who the woman is or how they were connected.
“When did you arrive?” She stays rooted within the open door.
“During the early morning,” Sammy watches the various emotions playing so fast across her face. The woman certainly was flabbergasted.
“How,”
“The main liner,”
“You should have called your godfather. He could have gone to get you at the depot.” the woman seems unable to move away from the interior of the door.
Sammy deducted from her spoken words the woman must be her godmother then. Nevertheless she treaded carefully, concealing whatever is mingling within her. She just has an instinct she can’t explain to herself at the moment.
“Come in Sammy. I don’t know where my head are. You must be hungry and thirsty. I see you are still pickling that rucksack everywhere. The tour must have been successful. You must tell me all about it.”
“Everything was amazing. Once I am rested we should have a serious sit-down for an in-depth chat.”
Sammy picks up her rucksack following her inside.
“Go to your room and shower while I prepare breakfast.”
Sammy nodded curious as to what her name is. Again, instinct warns not to question her in that form. Leaving her in the kitchen she wanders slowly down the passage confused as to where her bedroom might be.
“Why are you didling about? Here let me help. It’s clear that you are very tired.”
Sammy follows without making it obvious she didn’t have a clue. The moment she steps into the bedroom though, she just knows it was hers. The woman leaves her alone closing the door behind her. She searches the room quickly to familiarize herself with it, finding it still innocent but with her also standing on the doorstep of adulthood.
Sammy reaches for her rucksack that was dumped in the middle of the bedroom floor. Moving towards the bed she opened it and retrieved a clean T-shirt, fresh underwear and a pair of faded jeans. She places the items onto the bed and made a curious point of strapping her rucksack closed again. Going towards the door she opened it. Intending on searching for the bathroom she was halted in her steps.
“Harold, she is back. What are we going to do now?”
The woman nodded while listening to her probable instructions. She replaces the receiver looking over her shoulder shifty before going into the kitchen. Sammy carefully slips back deeper into the passage. While the woman is out of sight, she did a quick survey about the design of the house.
Apart from her bedroom there was another, apparently a guest bedroom. The big spacious bedroom a couple of doors from hers seemed to be theirs. There seemed to be only one bathroom but she can be mistaken. One might be en-suite within the bedroom.
Going back into her bedroom she shut the door and goes to sit on the side of the bed. Within the confines of her mind she is building a puzzle box. Finding herself lost in Cape Town, instinct showed her the path to this house. Could she just be over-tired or was something amiss here? Is it safe to stay here?
Sammy sits there carefully thinking about what she just learnt in the last couple of minutes. She came home but was it home?
First, the woman in the kitchen was shocked seeing her.
Second, who was the woman? She suggested she was her godmother.
Third Uncle Harold and she have objections about her return. Whatever was going on here, she was raised in this house and she felt certain.
Sammy slips from the house, practically sneaking away from the woman who was over loading her with attention. The interrogation of her traveling through the country was too intense to her liking. It sometimes felt like the woman was on a fishing trip.
Finding herself in the middle of the street on impulse she simple runs the length reaching the middle of the town. Just like the house, a small building was pulling her closer. Moving towards it she just knew where to find the second key to unlock the place.
“Whoever you are show your face. This is private property.” The voice is annoyed with the apparent intrusion.
Sammy lifts her head from behind the worktable.
“Angel face, it’s a miracle. You are back.” says the man with a smile.
Sammy found her being hugged. The warmth coming from the man fills her with joy. A little laughter bursts from her lips. She instantly likes the man.
“Who are you?” she asks before she realizes the consequences.
He become as still as a motionless statue watching her with intensity that leaves her vulnerable but instinctively she feels safe with him too.
“Who are you, miss?” he queries carefully.
“Sammy Hoffman.”
“If you truly are her, you would know my name.” His intense eyes didn’t wavered once, nor did her direct look.
“Pieces of my memory is gone this last couple of days.” She confided knowing her truth is safe.
He lock the door, takes her by the hand leading her into the small kitchen. She sits down unaware to herself, in her favourite chair. He makes two cups of tea and handed her a muffin.
“My name is David. Once upon a time, I was the local bum. As a child you fell from your bicycle hurting your knee. I helped you back onto your feet and you helped me back into life. Since that day I have been working with you. Together we are the local designers. You own this curio shop.”
Sammy carefully closes the bedroom door behind her breathing deeply. Since returning from her curio shop, the warmth of family drive her into herself, she found her closing off, covering her emotions, her feelings. She figured out both their names in the meantime, Harold and Margie Jones. They were her godparents. When she tries to question them about hers, they simply changed the subject leaving her with the impression they raised her. This notion didn’t sit well on her shoulders.
She is hesitant undressing within the confines of the bedroom she knows to be hers. Knowing the night would be uncomfortable she prefers to stay fully clothed while lying down on the bed. Her eyes close and tiredness from her long haul from Cape Town as allow sleep to settle over her.
Sammy is sound asleep when the past slip into her unconscious mind showing a tableau of that which she is forgetting. Deeply within herself she recalls the hurt she was fleeing from but her consciousness wasn’t ready to acknowledge that which she has forgotten.
The memory is gentle in its sadness.
Sammy opens her eyes. First thing she notice was the white wall. Puzzled, she looks around. She is alone. Closing her eyes but the words and pictures is suddenly around her. Ignoring it didn’t help. The memory is soft in its clarity.
Her words came from afar but still she tries shutting it out. However she couldn’t resist the memory to play out.
“Mama, when it the new baby coming home?”
Her long hair was in a ponytail; her eyes watched her mother with open curiosity.
“Patience sweetheart,” her mother smiled.
“I am waiting hours and hours now, mama. When can I see the baby?”
“He will be here soon.” Her mother seemed so happy.
“Are you sure?” her expression was still doubtful.
“Yes sweetheart. Just wait.”
The door opened and in come her daddy, carrying a bundle of blankets that was moving and making sounds coming from there. She watched her parents with silly smiles curious to see who they are looking at. The blanket was kicking again. She goes and stands in the corner suddenly wanting to cry. Her mama however was holding her hand waiting for her to take it. When she did, she was pulled onto the bed allowing her to look within the folds of the blanket. The baby was pink face and big eyes watching her.
“Sammy; meet your brother, Danny.”
“He looks like a doll,”
Looking at her parents again, she sees they still have that goofy looks. Her brother was holding their fingers tightly.
Sammy wake with a smile, before she quickly climbed from her bed and run to the door.
On tiptoes she stands before she manages to open the door. She hears her brother crying, than she heard her mama singing her favourite song. Pouting she sits down listening to her. She fell asleep only to wake when her mama was taking her to bed singing also to her. She snuggled deeply underneath her covers.
She coughed in her sleep, feeling the remembered smoke from so long ago. She sees her climbing from the bed; everywhere she was looking she just sees smoke. Her mama and daddy were lying on the bed not moving. She looked at her fingers like mama taught her, and then she picked up the phone and called the police.
The fire is crying very hard around her and she was frightened. She hears the sirens coming but she was afraid no one would remember Danny. He was so small. Running to him she picked him up but he was heavy. She carries him down the passage but fell down a hole. Both of them cried but no one hears them above the crying of the fire. Suddenly it rains on them.
Sammy opens her eyes looking at the image that was so clear in her mind. Their pictures disappeared leaving her alone in the bed. Her face is wet with tears.
Sammy slips from the house, strangely cautious that her godparents not be aware.
Unlocking the door to her curio shop, she didn’t switch on the lights. Secure in her step she found her way to the back. Sitting down in her favourite chair she just sits there. It was the only place where she feels safe.
The moon peeks through the window shining onto her. Something shone on the worktable. Curious she move closer and pick up the necklace. It was a delicate made piece of jewellery. Her fingers brushed across the name.
“Charlie!” she whispers, happiness filled her heart when she remembered she was her cousin. Holding onto the piece she goes and sit in her chair again, frowning now. For the strangest reason she looked at her hand having the notion that there is suppose to be a ring on her finger.
Jumping onto her feet, she slips from and locked the shop running back home.
The darken car come out of nowhere. Instinctive she jumped out of the way rolling down the side of the road. Scrambling back onto her feet, she moves back up the road. The car stands a short distance away. She can see the silhouette of a man behind the wheel. The picture of him sitting there disturbed her somehow. She has the distinctive idea his intent was menacing.The night became sinister all of a sudden. The moon vanish behind the clouds that came out of nowhere leaving the impression with her it was concealing his intended misdeeds.A storm brews on the horizon. To confirm her suspicion, the breeze quickly picked up speed. Turning she moved away from the dark waiting car. The instant he realized her intent, he turn giving chase.Sammy runs full speed, the car behind her with lights on her back.She found herself in a street that wasn’t familiar. Ducking underneath the low hanging branches of the trees she found a hiding place. She sees the lig
Sammy opens her eyes slowly warm tears still streaming down her face her aching heart long for the missing part of her that she had forgotten. She searches deeply within herself but she can’t seem to find the image of him. Instinctively, deeply she just realize that morning she has suffered a great loss.Uncoiling from her rickety bed she stand bath in the early morning sun. Now she knows for certain she must first search for the question then the answer to her barren lonely heart will appear. She decides to believe that with her whole heart.She step into the small kitchen finding David there still all smiles.“Good morning, angel face.”Good morning David. Tell me about my life that which you know.”“Take a seat and do you want coffee?”“Yes, please.”Sammy eagerly awaits him response. She watch the seriousness take hold off him.“I came to this town a broken man. My wife
Sammy walks down the street with no clear direction in mind. She is so thoughtful that she wasn’t paying any attention to where she really is going. Suddenly it dawn on her that something wasn’t right. She feels the intensity of someone watching her. The moment her attention focus she see the ominous black car that followed her last night.Out of nowhere she barely sees the body barrelling down on her. She is drag by the arm and pulled along so fast she found herself complying.The car gives chase like the previous night. The two women run with a dead speed down the road.Peter who has followed her once he was safe to step from the tree stand at the crossroad sees the two women fleeing in front of the car. The long flying brown hair has that familiarity that draws his attention like a magnet. He instantly followed the car and tries to keep an eye on both women. A fury built for the person chasing them.Sammy spotted the alley but she just has
Peter watches her like a hawk. The conversation earlier with his wife is still fresh in his mind. She is worried about all kinds of lies around her. This woman had taken her on a dead run away from the car that followed them. Now she is gone. This woman in front of him is apparently also not what his eyes are telling him.“As a family we moved constantly around. Within my lifestyle snakes found their way towards me. At first I was mostly quiet and obedient; qualities I learnt from the one person I trust in this world. Our lives are sometimes so entwined and it’s mostly my fault.”“What does this have to do with Sammy?”“My choices mostly make me moody, resentful and downright irresponsible but once I am on this path I messed up creating that which was already within my cousin, fear.”“What does Sammy fear?”Peter is impatient. He feels like wringing the truth from her. However, forcing patience
Sammy wake in the middle of the night. She slips from her bed and stand in front of the window. The moon is full and bright. For the strangest reason she just keep looking at it. There cast in it brightness she sees the silhouette of the man she is searching for.Peter sit in his chair outside in the open air. His sadden eyes found the moon tonight very intriguing. He has the instinctive sense his beloved wife is looking there tonight searching for a way to him.“My love, where ever to you found yourself, I hope an angel is guarding over you. I miss you every day I count the minutes of every hour waiting for the moment in time I found you again. I miss you my Sammy.”“Peter!” the name burnt through her mind, her heart echoing empty silent tears streaming down her cheeks.Sammy lay coiled beneath her bedcovers finding herself in a simmering kind of slumber. The thoughts of desire flow through her body awakening the dream deeply seat
Sammy become aware that someone is looking at her. Sitting upright in the middle of her bed her eyes searched the bedroom carefully. The space is darkened except for the moon that peeked through the half drawn curtains.Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary but she still feels the intensity of the eyes. She definitely wasn’t alone. Throwing the blankets from her body she reaches out to switch her night light on. Pulling on her gown she stands in the middle of the room frightened but strangely stubborn. She tries sensing from where the ominous looks are coming from. Her door is shut so there must be something else out of character in here.The watchful eyes continued looking at her. The very arrogance of it all made her angry.Looking around in her bedroom, everything is basic in its necessity. Moving towards her wardrobe she opens the door wide clothes that apparently were hers was hanging there. Reaching deeper inside she feels the back looking for a f
Peter come running down the stairs but only the echo of the slammed door greeted him downstairs. He opened the door but the street is empty.“Sammy! Where on earth are you?”Sammy has taken TheoFista to the highest hilltop in Steinkopf. Down below them is the tableau of tourist chalets. The springtime is rolling past it was nearly summer.“I grew up surrounded by buildings.” says TheoFistaSammy looks up into the clearness of the sky. A longing so deep suddenly takes hold of her leaving her breathless with an unexplained ache that threatens to swallow her.“At first glance, this really is a harsh, vast but rather uniquely region. What nature offers here you rarely found it somewhere else, The Northern Cape is yours to discovery in many ways that would delight and fascinate you,”Sammy speaks with a pride that isn’t lost on her friend.“Don’t get me wrong but I wish my brother is he
Sammy opens her eyes completely unaware she is in a sleep-form of trance. Her feet lead the way towards the graveyard. With a subconscious secure step she found three graves. She stands there looking without comprehending.The storm that seems to subside earlier found strength to gather the clouds fiercely together again. It is almost like nature feels the intensity of her turbulent emotions, feelings she as yet seemed unable to understand.Sometime pass while she just stand there looking. When the first of the raindrops landed on her head somewhere deeply within her she know she must move. There is a kind of aggression in nature finding a link within her. Her feet doing the walking on its own towards the place she knew as home.Sammy opens the front door standing within the open frame. Lightening is playing behind her, while rain is pouring down on top of her. She just stands there waiting. The images within her mind were a kaleidoscope of distorted frames.