Forgotten: a truly gripping psychological thriller by Heleyne Hammersley

trying to smile but her face didn’t feel like it belonged to her. She’d expected to be able to find something to talk about, some common ground but all she knew was this room. The feeling of claustrophobia was crushing her.
    ‘Can you get me out of here, please?’ she asked, desperation making her willing to trust in the kindness and concern of a stranger.
    He looked uncertain.
    ‘I don’t mean kidnap me, just try to convince Ekachai that I need to get out for a day, soon. I’m suffocating in here and there’s a whole world outside that I can’t even remember properly. Just take me for a walk or something. I can’t talk to you while I’m in here, I feel like I’m in a zoo or a circus and the doctors are waiting to see what tricks they can train me to do.’
    She rubbed both hands across her face as though she were trying to wash away the depression that was settling on her like a well-worn overcoat, stifling but familiar.
    ‘Hey.’ Mark was standing in front of her trying to prize her hands from her face. Reluctantly she looked up at him surprised to see the concern in his eyes. ‘I’ll see what I can do. Okay? I’ll talk to Ekachai now and come back tomorrow. I’m sorry I haven’t been more help.’
    He was still holding her hands and she pulled away firmly, trying not to show her discomfort. Mark pulled back with a puzzled frown.
    ‘It’s not your fault,’ she said, tucking her hands into her pockets and side-stepping around him. ‘I just can’t jump through the hoops. Maybe I’m scared of landing flat on my arse.’
    Mark laughed in surprise at her graphic image.
    ‘Look, I think it’s best if I go now. I think we tried to go too far, too fast and I haven’t a clue what will help you. I’ll try to convince the doc to let you out. If he’ll let me I can show you around town. Just a bit at a time.’
    ‘But what about your travels?’ she asked. ‘You can’t have planned to stay here for too long.’
    He shrugged. ‘It’s all open ended. Let’s see how it goes. You look like you need some company and I’ve nowhere to be at the moment.’
    ‘See you tomorrow?’ she asked, deeply touched by his concern.
    He gave her a dazzling smile before turning to leave. ‘I’ll bring the rope and bolt cutters,’ he said over his shoulder.
    Kai was still smiling to herself when Ekachai appeared in the doorway ten minutes later.
    ‘It looks like you had a good time with your new friend,’ he said. ‘I bumped into him in the corridor and he told me how much you want to go outside. I will allow it, if you will agree to my request that you do not go too far away or for too long.’
    She couldn’t read his expression but he sounded reluctant to let her go. Perhaps he didn’t think she was ready. Maybe he was worried that she’d go back on her word and refuse to see this hypnoshrink friend of his.
    ‘Thank you,’ she said as steadily as she could, trying to control the excited trembling in her voice. ‘You’d better make me an appointment with your colleague.’
    As soon as he’d gone she threw herself face down on the bed beating her fists into the pillow in glee. Freedom.
    Feeling smug, she picked up the journal again hoping to communicate with her former self who she’d left heading for the mountains south west of Beijing.
     

 
    September 20th – Wutaishan, Shanxi
    Christ, I feel lucky to have arrived here in one piece! I was worried enough about travelling by bus on my own but if I’d known what the bus would be like I’d have probably flown.
    I headed for the bus station in Datong at 6.30am and soon found a young man in a dark suit trying to show me the way. Despite my reservations and the fact that he looked like an undertaker I followed him and, to my surprise, he put me on the right bus. The casual helpfulness of the Chinese has amazed me. It’s almost like they have some innate sense of duty towards anyone who seems to be lost or having difficulty. Most of the time they do it