The Cursed Five

Well, what can I say about myself my name is Amelia Grace I am twenty-three years old, and I am serving in the British armed forces as a combat medic. Well, that is what everyone around me is saying, supposedly I love my job as everyone says but it’s the kiss asses who generally mean it. Honestly, I hardly remember my job at all or my life, it is my boyfriend and friends that have spoken about it. I only remember snippets of my past of rolling green hills which is nothing at all. Apparently, I had a family who sadly passed away a few days before coming to visit me, from a road traffic fatality. I couldn’t even leave the hospital to go to the funeral because of the severity of my injuries and memory loss. I have been in hospital for the last four months and they passed three months ago, and it has been a waiting game this whole time.

After being in hospital for so long requiring physical and mental therapy I am finally allowed to go home but waking up this morning just felt different, like some kind of darkness is waiting for me. A positive though some form of hazy memory of my past began to resurface about a week ago of my boyfriend, family and friends. I won’t get the chance to share more memories with my family, sending a confused feeling into the nothing ness of myself or my memories.

I am happy to be getting my memory back, but I also have fuzzy snippets of what put me in the hospital in the first place. I was on a mission, having no idea of where or what for but I was running to help an injury colleague, in a dark wooden area. I remember the feeling of droplets of rain on my face and neck, the sound from the rain hiding my ragged breathing, the straps of my backpack digging into my shoulders and waist. As I reached my colleague his face was hazy and unfocused, and I cannot make out the details completely infuriating my self with my lack of memory. No one knew that he was laying on a IED and when he moved well you can imagine what happened. I was in and out of consciousness, I remembered being sticky and the hallowing screaming which I don’t know if it was my own. I can’t remember the immediate after period maybe being due to supressing the trauma, but I have not wanted too either.

I look at myself in the mirror, my face just getting its plumpness back after being on a feeding tube. My oval face, green eyes, plum lips and my long brown hair tied up into a high ponytail looking more alive than when I first saw my reflection, a hallow version of myself, my blank stare observing hollow cheeks with my light-coloured skin looking a shade lighter than milk itself, my visible clavicle and flimsy limbs thin. I shiver at the though of how terrible I looked even though I am still not comfortable I am a hell of a lot better.

Wearing black leggings and oversize top with new balance trainers, trying to feel as comfortable as I can for the drive home. I looked around the room it’s the bog-standard hospital room, blue walls, uncomfortable bed, chair and table. My hoodie sitting on top of my hold all bag. My feeling being a mixture of butterflies in my stomach of nervousness to shaking with excitement.

There is a quiet knock on the door.

‘Come in’ I shout to whoever is knocking and turn towards the door with effort as my body is still stiff and adjusting.

‘I can see you are eager to leave Amelia, even though we have provided unfaultable care!’ Nurse Helen strolls in.

Being five foot five- and sixty-six-years old plus being in the profession for more than forty years and an absolute rock star she is. She and all the other staff have been fantastic, but Nurse Helen will always have a place in my heart, she would sit with me when I was upset or in pain telling me about her life stories from when she qualified as a nurse to meeting her husband and planning her retirement next month. I laugh, ‘Oh Helen you know I love you all for the care and support you have all given me, but I think I am happy not to be looking at this god awful blue anymore!’.

She walks up to me and places her tiny hand in mine.

‘I will miss you dearly it has been my privilege to help and look after you for these past couple of months’ Helen says with tears brimming her eyes.

‘Just remember don’t push yourself to hard, even with remarkable healing and your quick wit and fast learning’, she smiles.

‘I cannot promise anything Helen’ I wink at her.

They had already had the discharge chat with me this morning, I was just waiting for Jason my boyfriend to pick me up but unfortunately something came up, so Jake my friend is coming. I hear the ping on my phone and pull it out my pocket.

Jake had text “Just parking in the drop off/pick up zone, I will run up to meet you now”.

“No need, I will come down now” I reply. I put my phone back in my pocket and smile at Helen.

She pulls me in for a hug ‘Take care of yourself love, you are stronger than you know…’ she is cut of by the sound of the emergency alarm, I heard it enough being in here.

‘Go do what you do best Helen and thank you for everything’ I smile, she nods and hurries out.

I throw my jacket on and grab by bag walking to the door I look back at the room one last time. I don’t see anyone as I leave the ward, being busy with the emergency. Finding my way out of this place was a maze, why are hospitals so confusing.I finally walk out of the doors hopefully forever, the sun blinds me for a second and as my eyes adjust, I see the familiar figure of Jake.

‘I am your best friend, and no one compares to me!’ Jake declared when he first visited me in hospital.

Being six foot, slim muscular with dazzling shot curls and smile that you know causes mischief wherever it goes. He jogs up to me and grabs my bag, he is also my partner in the army.

‘You know I am signed off to say I am fit and well to carry my own bag’ I smile at him as he begins to walk ahead.

I follow ‘I know but it gives you the opportunity to admire my chocolatey muscles’ he winks and curls my bag to show of his toned arms.

I roll my eyes ‘You know I have a loving and caring boyfriend’

As he chucks my bag in the boot of his dark grey jeep wrangler ‘you mean the asshole who couldn’t be bothered to pick his girlfriend up when she has just come out of hospital’.

He opens the door for me on the passenger side, and I stand glaring at him.

‘He is busy’ I say obviously annoyed. Sitting in the car and putting my seat belt on.

Jake shuts the door behind me and jogs around to his side. He starts his engine and begins to reverse.

‘I’m sorry that was a nasty remark but its true. Can you please accept my half apology slash truth so we can have a fun ride back’ he stares at me.

‘Fine but only because that was so meaningful’ I sarcastically snort, wickedly smiling at him.

I adored Jake and I can see why he is my best friend, he’s completely honest with me even when its annoying and you don’t want to hear the truth but that is what best friends are for.

He smiles back at me ‘lets start the tunes with ABBA marathon!’ He shouts more to himself and starts blasting voulez-vous.

I was in the Royal London hospital, but I live up in the north of England. So, my trip up was a couple of hours at least, whilst me and Jake laughed and sung ABBA.

My breathing was ragged and my cries becoming screams of anguish, my heart feeling like it is shattering piece by tiny piece. I am on my knees in the pouring down rain with this gorgeous man who is slowly dying in my arms, you can see it in his face, the dullness taking over. His chest heaving painfully as if he is trying to stay alive, his black onyx eyes holding my gaze as I sob.

‘Leigh, I love you!’ he chokes out ‘promise me you will carry on’

‘I don’t want to if you aren’t with me!’ I say between sobs sounding like a five-year-old.

He slowly raises his hand to my cheek; I notice the blood stain in his palm. Not being phased by the blood just wanting him to stay and hold me, to love me to wake up next to me every day.

He gentle stroke my face with his thumb brushing away the tears. ‘Leigh, I don’t want to leave either I want to spend every waking moment with you and even when we aren’t awake, I want you to haunt my dreams with…’ sending himself into a coughing fit, blood spluttering out his mouth and down his chin.

I place my hand over his ‘I love you Chojiro!’ I smile feeling his hand going colder by the second.

‘I wanted to spend the rest of our lives together as husband and wife even before I knew you where my mate!’ he smiles.

I see a red flash in his eye of sorrow and love like there is another being in him. I keep smiling even though I am breaking on every level. Knowing that my soul will never recover, knowing there will be a hole in my heart.

He breaths shakily ‘even when we first met, showing no fear of what I was in you proper English way’ cough…cough…cough ‘being sarcastically English, with that attitude problem’ he smiles more to himself.

‘I will love you forever in this world and the afterlife Leigh!’ his chest rattling against my knees and he smiles so brightly at me. Before his chest finally stops and I feel the snap of something deep within me, the hollowness in my soul consuming me into blackness.

‘Amelia wakes up we are nearly hear’ I hear Jake say whilst he is poking my leg.

I wake up groaning and stretching my arms out, what a vivid dream. That must be something from a movie or a book maybe but that feeling still lingers.

‘I just had the weirdest dream’ I say dazed ‘Chojiro?’ I question.

Jake mood suddenly changes; he slightly stiffens in his seat whilst moving the conversation along without another word or question about Chojiro.

‘Whoa that must have been some sleep although given how much you have slept the past couple of months. Who knew you still had it in you’ Jake says.

‘I’m a growing woman; it takes energy to do everything’ I smile.

As we drive turning of into a wooded area, the trees hanging over the drive make it kind of magical. Getting further and further down the drive the house comes into view, a modernized cottages with a full-length bay window and wrap around porch. The cobble stones are a light with sage green door and windows, I look at the house, how long have I been away from it.

Distracted ‘well you are home!’ Jake smiles.

‘I guess I am’ I pounder on this uneasy feeling rising in me like the darkness looming I felt earlier. As we begin to walk to the house Jake pulls out a key ‘Do you remember your way around? If not, I will show you’ as we reach the door, wrapping my arms around myself for reassurance. The door opens and we step in to a rustic modern cottage interior with wooden beams on show, cobble stone feature walls, with a big stone fireplace in the living room which can been seen from the hallway. Leading up a wider staircase with different doors leading to different rooms. I step forward to the table with pictures hanging over it in the hallway.

Seeing myself in those pictures is surreal, I look so fit and healthy with a slight toned muscles an hourglass figure wearing red midi dress and strappy heals. I don’t believe that is me thinking of how I looked earlier at my reflection. With Jake on my arm in a formal dark green suit, not matching in the least. Smiling to myself I notice a picture standing on the table picking it up to look at it, I see myself in black tactical gear smiling proudly with five men, one being Jake but the other four I don’t know. Before I can think further ‘Amelia, you have no food in. We need to run the shops to pick some up’ I’m assuming he shouts from the kitchen. I didn’t even hear him sneak off. I blink and place the picture back where it stands.

He walks out from the furthest door on the right, ‘I was under the impression Jason was doing it’ he rolls his eyes as he says it.

‘It’s fine, lets just go get food and then chill’ I say walking back out to the car. I still feel that unease leaving.

‘Hmm’ I say stopping before I get in the car and looking back at the house.

After about ten minutes of driving, we are driving through a town close by. Going under a bridge, I notice wires hanging down from side to side, weird. As we carry on a field on the right of use comes into view showing army tents, rows of them with army equipment, it looks like a whole base camp surrounded by barbed wire like it has been assembled in a hurry.

‘What the hell’ I say out loud ‘Jake stop!’.

‘What, why?’ he questions, and he glances at what I am staring at. ‘Oh yeah, okay I’ll pull over’ he says sheepishly.

As we approach, Jake slows down and nods at the solider on gate duty and they let us straight through without any identification check.

What the hell is going on, now starting to feel nauseous. Coming to a stop, I notice a familiar symbol of lion with wings behind. I jump out of the car with a hiss from stiffness and storm off over a little hill towards the tents.

‘Amelia slows down!’ he shouts jogging up behind me. ‘You can’t go in storming norman, okay!’ he shouts.

‘Whatever’ I say heading forward.

When some of my memories come back, I remember that Major General Michael had sent the order to me for that mission, but I don’t remember why. He didn’t bother to come and see how I was and had sent an email stating it was my own fault I was in the hospital.

I see him instantly, being a typical short, cropped silver hair with a scowl on his face and a long scar going from his right ear lobe down to his left clavicle.

‘Grace, good you are back, we need you’ he says sharply.

‘Wait, what, why?’ I stare blankly at him ‘Why is there a military base set up here?’ I demand.

Jake comes jogging over the hill, like he hadn’t kept up.

‘Major, I brought her like you said’ Jake answered.

‘Thank you, lieutenant Jackson. Now go get ready and be prepared’ the major nods at Jake.

‘I’ll see you later Amelia’ refusing to look in my direction.

I stood in shock, what the actual fuck is going on. Suddenly Major Michael grabs me by the jacket and drags me along.