McCrery

"Sorry if I'm being intrusive, but how do you know my name Mr Mc-McCrery?" I asked stuttering. The cold airs making me shiver underneath his jacket (which he had given to me moments earlier).

"Everyone knows who you are Archer! The girl who forgot, they call you..." He looked away as if he didn't want to explain any further. I respected this, even though it was about me. He crouched down in front of me and looked into my eyes. It would have been hard to keep eye contact if his eyes were not so intriguing. These deep blue seas were twinkling in the moonlight. They were by far, the most gorgeous eyes I had ever seen, at night anyway. I don't usually see this deep into a person I barely know.

“Have I been unconscious or something? It seems as if I've missed out on something…” I pulled away from his stare and stood up, leaning against the wall for support. He mirrored my every action.  “I must get on my way, thank you very much for your kindness Mr McCrery-” He interrupted my thanks:

“No Archer, don’t you get it?” He spoke softly although the words were harsh.

“You can’t go back to normal now; you can never go back.” He reached out again to hold my hand. I took it.

“Who are you?” I asked him curiously. “And what did I forget? I’m a perfectly sane woman, you know. Tell me.” I protested

“I’m sorry Archer, not now.” His voice quietened, “Go to sleep, you look like you need it.” He teased.

“You’re one to talk” I glared at him, hoping or an apology. He just chuckled.

He dropped my hand and turned to walk away; his head leading his body back into the darkness. I wanted to follow him, to not be alone. Yet I could not. There was something about him though, something that intrigued me to find out more about him, and not just his eyes. I collapsed back onto to alleyway floor and nestled into his jacket. 

__

I woke up with a rather nasty ache in my back. Obviously a cobbled floor in the middle of London was not the most conventional place to sleep but I had no other alternative. Waking up in daylight did also make the darkened alleyway appear more like a luminous corridor, and not as much of a hideaway.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to remind them of daylight. It was much warmer than in the night-time. I heard people’s footsteps nearby deep in a hushed conversation. I had forgotten that I was in the sight of the public, let alone wearing only my underclothes and a man’s jacket. Speaking of which, the mystery man was nowhere to be seen.  I hoisted myself up, and brushed my hair behind my shoulders. I then began to walk through the alleyway to the other side. I hadn’t realised during the night that I wasn’t alone. However I can blatantly see it now. 

I walked past at least 30 dispossessed men and women down that street. I never knew that poverty had become this bad, and only down this one lane. As I came to the end a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked down and saw Jed gazing up at me in a drunken clutter.

“Archer, beautiful lady, come and dance with me…” he said trailing off. I had to wake him out of this state. I gave him one hard slap left-handed onto his cheek. It burned red my handprint and knocked him out cold. I regretted it straight away.

“Jed, Jed! Please wake up! I’m sorry I didn’t mean it, I-” I bent down over his body and started grovelling into his ear. 

“On first name basis now are we, eh Archer?” his dead expression creeping up into a cheeky smirk. I slapped him again; only not as hard.

“All right, all right I was only joking.” He sat upright, more naturally than I did. I perched next to him and returned his jacket. “So how was your first night out in the open then?”

“More uncomfortable than I had ever thought it could have been” I answered, sitting down beside him. I flinched as he put his arm around my shoulders. I wouldn’t have minded as much if he had not been so irritating ever since I first saw him, as I felt I needed an embrace. But still he insisted.

“Well you’ve got to get used to it now, you’re one of us!” he ignored my awkwardness but saw my expression.

“Wh-what? No, what are you talking about? I cannot possibly stay here. I have a family! They will be wondering where I am. I don’t belong here!” I grew more panicked as I spoke. His eyes dropped down to the newspaper by his ‘bed’ and sighed as he picked it up. The front page read- ‘Prosperous child of the manor, charged with murder.’ It showed a photo of me, from the party. 

“Yep, you’re London’s most wanted, just like the rest of us here” he said too freely. “And, I quote- ‘her parents publicly disowned her’ sorry Archer, it happens to the best of us.” I snatched the newspaper from his hands. I could not believe a word he was saying, but he was telling the truth. But how could I be charged with something, and not remember a thing about it?

“But I don’t remember anything…” I began. 

“Yeah, yeah we all know that, so what’s the real story?” He didn’t believe me. He thought that it was just a story. That I was lying.

“No I honestly cannot remember anything! I can just about recall the party...being taken to the police station, running away to this alley and meeting you here.” I looked at his face- dumbfounded. I think it convinced him.

“Oh Archer, I thought that, y’know it was a cover story.” He still stared in disbelief. “Listen, whatever happened or didn’t happen it doesn’t matter to me okay? We’re equal.”