Buying The Virgin Part 1-3

MICHAEL

“Charlotte, you don’t have to do this.”

“I think I do.”

I hold her hand as we stand together at the demolished site of the old Blessingmoors institution. Now a wasteland of rubble awaiting redevelopment in the new City Project, the only pointers to the old buildings are the road layout and a few hard to identify pillars and gateposts. Nonetheless, we believe we are standing on what was once the threshold of the Blessingmoors building.

Charlotte is pale, even more so than usual, and her hand, as I hold it, is clammy. James is here, his face a mask, as he stands, hands in pockets, simply watching, but his eyes follow her everywhere as she steps over the rubble.

The others; Haswell, Stanton, and a variety of investigators in white paper coveralls, also stand by, watching.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “I just don’t recognise any of it. There’s nothing here to recognise.”

“Perhaps with your eyes closed?” I suggest. “Start at some known point and see if you can walk in the dark? Keep hold of my hand. I won’t let you stumble.”

She doesn’t speak, simply nodding as she licks her dry lips. She turns to Haswell. “This was the front entrance?”

“Yes.”

Then, closing her eyes, gripping my hand tightly, “I’ll try. I was smaller then, of course. And it was a long time ago.”

Stepping forward. “There were three steps, up into the hallway.” I steady her as she walks.

She continues. “There was a door here.” She indicates ahead. “Then a corridor and another door.” Eyes still closed, she opens invisible doors, walking through unseen halls.

She waves to one side. “That’s a staircase, up to the dorms.” Stanton is beside us now, examining some old document. I glance at him, not liking to ask. He holds up the sheet; a tattered floor plan. As Charlotte speaks, he is comparing her words with the plan, nodding agreement.

We walk a little further. She indicates the other way. That’s the corridor to the kitchens. Two of the cellars came off from there. I think one was an old coal cellar. The other was just general storage.”

Stanton nods. “Yes, we know about those.”

She hesitates, her face churning.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can smell it…. It’s got to be just in my head, but I can smell the place.”

“What does it smell of?”

cabbage…. I don’t know. It’s just how it smelled. I’d never thought about it before, but it feels like….” She

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

take a

want

now, walking quietly behind us as Charlotte continues her blind walk

there. I think they had bedrooms and a common room, but I

his plan. “Are you sure of that, Charlotte? It shows

door was sort of under the stairs. You would only see it if you knew it was there. But it led to another cellar, the one they used

to me. “Get her out of here.” Waving

away, nodding James to

“Charlotte, I’ll drag you off if

I’ll help him,” says

she comes with

“You can have a

looking

in a while,” says James. “I want a word with Haswell and

*****

might persuade Tracy to stop

use the gym

you want. Let’s get you

trainers, jogging pants and a top. I add in the kind of heavy-duty sports bra that a girl with her figure needs, and a swimming costume. “Female changing rooms are over there.” I point. “And the gym’s through there. I’ll see you there in a few

my attention, Charlotte is already in the gym, jogging on a treadmill, upping the speed as

“Everything alright?”

she warms up, so I join her on the next machine, jogging along to keep her company. She increases

James walking by and

I put a bottle of water on the

nods towards

“Running off nervous energy I’d say. I’ll give her another ten minutes on there, then I’ll get her into the swimming pool and give her a

up the speed yet again. Dripping sweat, she pounds the treadmill. Chest

that a good idea?” asks

off some stress, and then wind her down. Why don’t you go for a swim, and we’ll join you in

the direction of the

across the control panel, setting the machine onto a cool-down program.

minute. You’re over-doing it. Time for you to ease

then washes a more polite expression