The Thunderstormby Oksanatranslated by Olga |
4The next morning, when Mason woke up, he remembered only what had happened on the day before. Nothing else, not even his own name. He raised his hand and felt himself… the breast was tightly dressed, the chin and the cheeks were stubbly. The forehead was all scratched. And it was impossible to touch the back of the head for the pain it inflicted.The man entered. "Morning! How are you today? Well, I can see… an idiotic question. You'll have to endure it. Is there anything you want?" "A mirror," Mason asked in a hoarse voice. He was looking at the swollen unknown face in the mirror, then he sighed, "I don't remember… anything! Who am I?" "I do not know," the man answered sitting down on a chair next to the bed. "I found you out in the forest. You had no documents on, nothing but for this watch and this ring." He showed the objects to Mason and went on, "There was a mighty thunderstorm then, all the roads got eroded, and the phone did not work, so I brought you home. I used to be a medical officer so I could examine you and apply the dressings myself. You have three ribs broken, this is why it hurts so much to move. You also had a displacement of the shoulder joint, so don't try to move your right arm. I had to put in thirty stitches on the back of your head. You were out for five days, I thought you'd never come to your senses again. The rain does not stop, as ill luck would have it. Of course it can't compare to that night, but the roads are just washed away. To take you anywhere now would be lunacy, so just lie here, relax and get better. Fortunately, I have all the necessary drugs here." "So you don't know who I am?" "No… but as soon as the communication is back I will phone the police, maybe we can find something out. I will help you," the man promised. "Where am I?" Mason asked. "On my farm. It's an eight hours' ride from Bakersfield." The man paused but Mason did not react to the name. "I am Jake Forrest, the woman's my wife Emily. There's also our son Brian living with us. He will come tomorrow, and you will get acquainted. Is there anything else you want?" "No… just to know who I am," Mason said softly. "On your ring there's this engraving, "To M. with love". So your name must start with M.," Jake supposed. Mason moved as if to shrug his shoulders, but the body protested with a sharp pain. He groaned involuntarily. "You mustn't… these are the ribs," Jake explained and gave him a painkiller. Having recovered his breath, Mason asked for the mirror again and again stared at the strange face. He noticed a grey lock at the temple. "What if I never remember?" he asked Jake. "What do I do then?" "Whatever you wish… if you want to, you may stay with us," Jake said quietly. "What shall we call you? M… Michael? Mitch? Mick? Matthew? Marlon? Mark?" At the last name a spasm went over Mason's face. "What?" Jake asked. "I don't know," Mason said perplexedly. "Not Mark, anything but Mark. Let's make it Matthew." "Ok, so Matthew," Jake nodded. "And now, Matt, you have to eat and go to sleep." |