Again and again, the sparks flew high and settled in the ashes. A barrage of wind flew across quickening the flames and choking him. His throat was clogged and he started to suffocate. Hope had been extinct at that moment. Daunting thoughts engulfed his mind.
“Jesse! The barge will be here soon, so we need to jump…” her voice seemed distant and he knew that the barge would only take one person.
The decision was made.
He summoned a final surge of his physical and mental energy.
“GO! Now!” he shouted above the roaring flames and without a moment’s hesitation, he pushed her off the parapet and into the cold water. Immediately, the fire reached the parapet, like an uncontrollable glutton, ravenously devouring everything in his way.
London 1666 had truly been a year of devastation.
YEAR 2006
Second chance
But I thought you live once right?
Well, that was until I met Jesse Hunter. He taught me not to give up. Even if you encounter failures and problems that maybe life changing, face them with your head held high. What was that heathen phrase he used?
Ah, I remember.
When life throws lemons, learn to make lemonade.
At that time, the phrase had evoked a bubble of laughter out of me.
But I was convicted.
Just mere hours ago, my feet were on the last railing of the Bahrain Causeway, with the expanse of the Persian Gulf like an infinite blanket waiting to suffocate me.
Just mere hours ago, I felt a fresh wave of wind envelope me warmly for a moment, and I had experienced freedom. A glimpse of what I had craved.
But it was short lived.
Just mere hours ago, my whole body crashed into the unforgiving waters of the Persian Gulf, its coldness shocking my nerves. I could feel my blood pounding through my head, desperately trying in some sort of way to stay alive.
To not give up
To survive
But why?...
Whilst I was drowning in the treacherous sea of despair, I had felt a huge current run through my veins, overcoming my senses, feelings and emotions. The powerful current pulled my body and I was jettisoned underwater at an ominous speed. My eyes were prized open and before me, I saw the water turn murkier and murkier. It was choking me. Large boulders careered past me, missing my limbs and face. Without warning, I was rocketed vertically, the water pressure and speed tore at my skin, my body was screaming in pain. But I had no control.
I shot out of the water and the ground met me with a ceremoniously, unwelcome thump. Jonah’s whale would have been proud. I stood up cautiously, taking in my surroundings.
Unexpectedly, an unknown large weight was thrown, knocking the air out of my lungs and I ended up on the ground once more. From where I had stood previously, a massive structure had fallen and flames consumed it.
“Phew, that was close. You could have breathed your last then”, my anonymous saviour glanced at me in the dark, “I don’t think we’ve met, you seem to be new…”
But I was stupefied at where I was:
Fire
Flames
Smoke
Ashes
Destruction.
My eyes hungrily raked through the scene.
“Am I in hell?” I inquired.
The boy threw back his head and laughed, “You could say that” he said, “You don’t look too well there. Well, let me be the Good Samaritan for you. You’re in London, today is the third of September, 1666 and right now, you and me have to escape”
“For what? What is there to live for?”
He gave me a startled look.
I’ll never forget that look.
Even now as I lie amidst these white sheets in the Central Hospital, those scenes were so vivid. I know they were real because I had happened to collect souvenirs – there were a series of scars and burns on my arm when they took me out of the water. No one knew where they were from.
Except me.
“Hunter, Jesse Hunter” he introduced himself.
I thought of the first English name that came into my head, “Charlotte” I replied, “I’m simply Charlotte”.
Somewhere near to us, there was an explosion and another construction had crumbled. The heat was intense and I could feel it. Both of us started running, keeping the river to our right. We dodged any debris that was thrown our way. Suddenly, a massive, burning piece of wooden slab came hurtling down.
‘I should probably end it here’ I thought, waiting for the judgement to come.
But he pulled me away with such fierceness that surprised me.
“Are you crazy!” he screamed, giving me a wild and angry look.
It was then that my floodgates broke. I crouched on the ashes.
“I don’t want to live! I let everyone down! I can’t go back now!” I said fiercely through my tears.
“Look here, I don’t know where you’re from or what your business is for that matter. But I believe that everyone deserves to live, everyone deserves love…” he crouched down beside me and with a gentle voice he said, “ and everyone deserves a second chance. Your sin lies in that fact that you don’t get back up again and face it. Fix your problems, no matter how hard it becomes – face life boldly…”
He had said such valuable things to me.
He became valuable to me, within that short time.
Even after he pushed me off the parapet, his last words to me were, “You have to live on Charlotte!” and saying so, he saved my life. He did that so I can live.
When I was in the hospital, I was attached to a thousand wires and tubes. The pulse monitor was beeping silently. I heard my room door slide open quietly and clipped heels walked into the room.
“Miss Faro, are you awake?” said the voice of Dr Ahmed.
I opened my eyes. I saw the sunlight stream in through the Venetian blinds, softly bathing the room, giving it a gentle hue.
“Ah, you are awake. I’m glad you have survived this terrible ordeal, Miss Faro. Anyway, I’ll hand you over to my assistant; he will give you a check-up. I’ll see you soon Miss Faro”
I smiled and nodded as a sign of thanks. I slowly closed my eyes and heard his assistant come into the room.
“I trust you will take care of the records of this patient” I heard him whisper to his assistant.
“Yes Dr Ahmed, I understand”
That voice…
“Hello there, I’ll be checking up on you now and again. So, please do relax Miss Faro… or should I say, Charlotte”
My eyes were suddenly open.
I looked at the assistant doctor. I looked at his name tag.
I gasped.
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