In the Lone and Level Sands Read Online Free

the
wrinkled door. Ben had a large cut on his chest and a smaller one
on his head. Blood was running down his face. As far as she could
tell, he hadn’t broken any bones.
    “Ben,” Charlotte said. She wasn’t sure she should
try to wake him, but she didn’t know what else to do. “Ben!”
    Ben opened his eyes. He sniffed a few times, his
nose began to bleed, and then he noticed Charlotte.
    “Wh-what’s going on here? Where am I?”
    “Ben, I’m so glad you’re all right!” Charlotte
hugged him gently. He cringed and pushed her away.
    “What is—who are you?”
    Charlotte’s lower lip trembled. She sat back,
looking at him, eyes as big as dinner platters.
    “Ben, you’ve got to be joking. It’s me, Charlotte!
Your wife! Married for—”
    “Whoa, wait, we’re married?” Ben looked around. “How
did this happen?”
    “What do you mean, ‘how did this happen?’ We got
married in a church—”
    “I know how marriages happen, I’m talking about
this,” Ben said. He gestured to the twisted metal cage around them.
“How did this happen?”
    “You were driving. And texting. We started to go off
the road, and you tried to put us back on it, but we went off the
other side. You… don’t remember any of this?”
    “No. And I don’t remember you, or any marriage. But
I faintly remember having lunch with some very irritating
people.”
    “Oh my God! Those were my parents! We saw them
today! Maybe that will spark your mind. Do you remember anything
else?”
    “No, nothing else.” Ben sighed and looked at
Charlotte. It was as if he was trying so hard to remember, but his
mind was just too cloudy.
    “I can’t believe this,” Charlotte said.
    “I’m sorry…” Ben sat there trying to recover a name
to call her by, but it was no good.
    “Charlotte!” she said, and then began to cry.
    “Right.” Ben looked away. “Well, we should probably
try to get to a hospital. It’ll be dark soon, and I really don’t
want to have to walk in the dark. Maybe we’ll find a place to stay
until morning.” Ben started to climb out through the busted window,
and Charlotte followed. It was a painful process, but they made it
out. After a short and unsuccessful attempt to find either of their
cell phones, the two walked up the hill and then set out along the
shoulder of the road.
    They walked in silence for almost an hour. Charlotte
thought about what they would do if Ben never remembered her or
their marriage, or any of the important things in their lives.
Would she leave him? Would he leave her? She hoped not.
Charlotte felt like she was dreaming, and she wanted to wake
up.
    The two finally came across a sign, slightly faded,
but still legible. It read:
     
    Blackwater Falls
    One mile
     
    “Wow, kind of a creepy name for a town. Don’t you
think, Charlotte?”
    “Yeah, no kidding.”
    “Well, I’m sure they have a motel or something. In
the morning we can get the hell out of Dodge.”
    “We need to make sure you don’t need stitches.”
Charlotte pointed to the blood soaking Ben’s shirt.
    “I don’t,” he said. “It’s just a scratch.” He
smirked.
    “You don’t need stitches, my left boob! You’re just
the same as before the accident!”
    “I must have banged my head pretty damn hard to
forget a pretty face like yours,” Ben said. Charlotte smiled, then
looked at the ground.
    Soon Ben and Charlotte arrived at the small town of
Blackwater Falls. The road they had been on crossed another, and
just as the light changed, a man in a worn pickup truck stopped to
let them cross. His expression was at first a happy and friendly
one, but quickly changed when he saw the injured couple.
    “My word! What happened to you both?” The old man in
the pickup pulled his pipe away from his lips and held it tightly
in wrinkled fingers, blowing a cloud of smoke into the passenger
seat.
    “We flipped our car,” Charlotte said.
    “Well, come with me. I’ll take you to the doctor.
He’s great, you know. Will