Free JUMP (The Senses) by Cindy Paterson Page A

was out of the question considering her problem with small, enclosed spaces of late. She recognized the woman the moment she saw her walking down the sterile hallway. She had a large nose that curved up at the tip, a splatter of freckles on her cheeks and wide, gentle hazel eyes. Her wide hips swayed back and forth, and a stethoscope that was looped around her neck swung with the motion.
    Danielle intercepted her before she walked into Room 510.
    “Oh, it’s you. My sweet dear, how are you?” She touched Danielle’s arm. “How you making out, sweetie?”
    Danielle smiled. She remembered the nurse clearly, her kind and compassionate words that offered support and warmth. When she had screamed and thrown tantrums of fury, Nurse Susan remained calm and sympathetic. Susan was the one who had informed her what they thought had happened. Abducted. Tortured.
    When the doctor had come in and tried to look at her wounds, she remembered completely freaking out. They had to sedate her , so he could examine her. But it was Nurse Susan who quietly explained their findings and even remained present when the police came to ask questions.
    “I’m , umm, well, fine thank you. I just wanted to ask you, did anyone come visit me? You know, before I gained consciousness or maybe when I was asleep? Anything strange?”
    “Oh , my poor girl, still no memory? It does happen when something traumatic occurs. It’s a way for the mind to protect itself.”
    “I need to know,” Danielle raised her voice a tad too much , and the two nurses at the nursing station raised their heads and frowned. “Sorry, I just have flashes of what happened. You know, certain sounds that make me cringe, smells that I can’t stand any longer. Well, and there’s this man.” Danielle took out a sketch of Balen and passed it to the nurse. “Do you recall seeing him around at all?”
    “No. No , definitely not, and I think I’d remember such a handsome young man. Oh God, do you think he’s the man who . . . well, who . . .”
    Danielle shook her head. “No, I know he didn’t hurt me, but he does know what happened. Can you recall anything strange? Unusual? Anything at all. Even if you think it doesn’t relate.”
    “Well . . .” She tapped her pencil to her temple. “The punctures on your neck were odd. I mean the doc didn’t seem to think so, said probably the marks were from a ring your assaulter wore. You did have bruising around your wrists and ankles and your neck especially. I found the marks . . . odd, and the fact that you had lost such a large amount of blood with no significant cuts to say where you’d lost it from.”
    Danielle rubbed her wrists, thinking of the lacerations that the doc believed where from manacles.
    “My dear, I’m sorry I can’t be of much help.”
    Danielle gave a half-smile. “Well, I appreciate your time.” She passed the nurse a card from her gallery. “If you think of anything, can you call me?”
    “Of course. Keep your chin up, Danielle. And give my regards to your friend Violet for me. What a doll. So concerned and caring. A friend like her is hard to find.”
    Danielle was a blank slate. Violet? She didn’t have any friends by the name of Violet. Had the nurse confused her with someone else? “Violet?”
    “Why, yes, I believe that was her name. Yes, she said Violet when she brought you back. I recall the morning quiet clearly. I was just getting off my shift when she came into the emergency calling for help. She had you in her car. I say, child, don’t you remember her? She said she was a friend of yours, and you were conscious. You were talking to her. It was like you knew her.”
    “No, I don’t know anyone named Violet,” Danielle said. “And what do you mean back? ” God, how could she remember being in the hospital, but anything else she came up blank?
    “Well , you left in the middle of the night. I’m uncertain how you managed to slip past those on duty, but one minute you were lying in