The Numbers on Her Wrist

5

I take a seat at my favorite cafe, the smell of pastries and coffee warm in my nose. My apartment building was quiet when I left this morning, the sky bright and the people of my city loud and bustling with their early rituals.

I tug at the coat that is loose around me, my dark jeans clinging tightly to my legs and my boots laced and zipped. I don't dress to impress or stick out; I barely allow my face to show to the public; I never know who is watching.

A waiter walks past and smile, my presence familiar and a routine to him, he doesn't need to offer a menu- he has memorized what I want for each day of the week. I sit up slightly, grunting softly as I relieve the pressure from off my injured back, sucking in air sharply as I bump the bruise on my ribs. I run an arm across my eyes to ignore the soreness of my abdomen, combing blood red hair from my eyes with a swipe of my fingers.

I allow my eyes to rove around the people who sit and chat at the other tables, everyone enjoying another person's company, but my gaze stops when I see a man who sits alone. He is watching me. I look down for a second and clear my throat, keeping him in my peripheral vision as he stands and approaches my table.

"May I join you?"

I turn my eyes up to the tall man with white hair and soft brown eyes, a pang of familiarity coursing through me. My surprise finally registers and I cross my arms over my chest, gesturing lightly to the chair across from me. He sits down and I keep the small trickle of fear from seeping into my voice as I question him. "Who are you?"

The stranger looks up and into my eyes, his clothing a tailored suit and a long black trench coat, sunglasses folded into his top front pocket. "You could say I am a ghost from your past... But I doubt you'd remember me. You were so frightened at the time, I don't think you even knew I was asking you questions."

I clench my fists lightly, knowing that I will not be able to recognize him, even if he truly is from my past. I tug my hair to lay over my shoulder and in front of my chest. "That doesn't really answer my question." His smile is warm and despite the initial uneasy feeling of him, I feel a thin layer of trust wrap around me.

"I'm sorry, Amelia... But I'm afraid I can't be more specific at the moment. If you wish for a name to call me, then Mr. Ellis will have to do." I note the strong British accent in his voice and the deepness to it, but it only makes me feel more comfortable. I can't place his face though, I cannot remember him.

"What are you doing here?" I shake my head, rephrasing it because I already know the answer to that. "Why are you here to talk to me?"

He shakes his head back at me and frowns slightly, tapping his fingers on his leg gently before meeting my eyes again. "I am here to help you, Amy, but I'm afraid right now there isn't much I can tell you- it would compromise years of work." I raise an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'help me'? I don't need help, I'm fine."

"But you weren't three years ago."

My heart pounds and sweat collects on my palms, Mr. Ellis seemingly noticing the change on my face, because he smiles a little. "Despite what you must think what now, I am not a stalker, Miss Reyes." I let out a short laugh, trying to not to let the trust for the man fade; I need a friend. "It kinda seems that way at the moment. You know my name and you know my past. That's more then what I've told anyone."

Mr. Ellis' eyes twinkle kindly, his voice slow and steady as he speaks to me, "I am nothing but a person who wishes to protect you... What you know and what you have been through is threatening to the men who used to own you an-"

"No one owned me!" My voice is quiet and deadly, but I cannot seem to meet the stranger's eyes. Mr. Ellis sighs and tries another smile to comfort me. "Yes, they did, Amelia. You know they did and you hate them for it."

I swallow hard as I smirk and shake my head. "You seem to know me better than I know me."

We sit in silence for a minute, Mr. Ellis pondering what to say next. He is gentle and he is patient with his words, "I can only help you as much as you help me, Amy. I came here today to give you this," he reaches across the small table between us and holds out a small white card for me to take, black ink words printed onto it. I turn it over and run a finger across the words and numbers.

"What is this for?"

"I will be needing to stay in contact with you once our plan is set into action, but I am afraid I need you to use only payphones to reach me. Using a personal phone would cause great risk to both you and myself."

I sit back in my chair and gesture to nothing in particular, my head spinning from the information and the early morning. "What plan? What is going on? You still haven't told me who you are, what you do, or why you know so much about me."

Mr. Ellis stands and pushes in his chair as my waiter begins to walk towards me with my food and drink, "I am with the men and women who wish to end the people who made children like you into monsters." He turns and walks away as I jump to my feet, attempting to follow him as a rush of a crowd blocks my path.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" I try to press through, but as I reach the opposite side, Mr. Ellis has disappeared. I rock on my feet for a moment, searching the people for Mr. Ellis, but it is in vain. I walk back to my seat and turn the card over in my hand, his simple name and a phone number scribbled down in pen.

"Morning, Miss Amelia."

I smile at the waiter as he sets the food in front of me, a plate of two crepes and a glass of milk making me hungrier. I nod across the table. "Do you know the man who was sitting here a moment ago? Is he a regular?"

He shakes his head slowly, "I only saw his white hair and black clothes... If he is a regular, it's not when I'm working." I nod once and thank him for the food as he attends to the rest of the guests.

As I eat slowly, the conversation with Mr. Ellis only becomes stranger as I think more about it. Who is he? How could he possibly know my past? How could he have found me? Why does he want to help me?

But there is one question that lingers above the rest.

What is he planning?

A/N Wow! Up to #500 in Action! Thank you all! Comments/votes/shares are also loved and appreciated! <3 Also, sorry for that mysterious chapter! Trust me, it will make sense later on!