Forgotten: a truly gripping psychological thriller by Heleyne Hammersley

moment. The Thais don’t really share the American enthusiasm for all things psychoanalytical. It must be the Buddhist thing: the root of all depression is desire and all that. I want to say it’s their loss but I’m not so sure.’
    Kai laughed. ‘You’re not exactly the best advertisement for your profession with an attitude like that.’
    Ellen started scratching at an almost invisible mark on the arm of the chair, scraping her nails against the wood in a regular rhythm. ‘To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I’m doing here.’
    ‘I thought you were visiting a bored patient.’
    Ellen briefly met Kai’s eyes then went back to the stain she’d been scraping.
    ‘Not here,’ she nodded to indicate the room. ‘Here, in the hospital, in this country.’
    Kai kept quiet, unsure where this was leading. It seemed an odd admission from someone she’d barely met, and only then in a doctor–patient context. Ellen obviously had something on her mind and for some reason she’d chosen Kai as a sounding board.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Ellen continued. ‘I’m supposed to be cheering you up not dumping my crap on you. How do you fancy a walk?’
    ‘Where to?’ Kai could hear the suspicion in her own voice.
    ‘I thought we could start by taking the elevator down to my secret torture chamber. If you survive that there’s a nice little garden area.’
    ‘Did I really sound so mistrustful?’
    ‘You sounded like I’d invited you to your own funeral. I honestly came here to see if you wanted to get out of this room and have a look around the hospital. Scouts’ honour, I won’t do the shrink thing. You don’t even have to talk to me if you don’t want to. I can talk enough for both of us and you can analyse me. How does that sound?’
    It sounded good. Actually, it sounded like the best idea that Kai had heard in a while. Sitting in her room all day was driving her crazy and she craved a change of scenery and a diversion from her own company however brief. Her intuition seemed to be telling her that Ellen could be trusted, even if she did seem a little odd for a therapist.
    ‘I need to get ready,’ she said, sliding off the bed. ‘I can’t face the world without making myself look presentable. And it’s a long job.’
    Kai went into her bathroom, had a quick wash and dragged a comb through her hair. When she came out Ellen was standing beside the window bleakly contemplating the view. She was obviously feeling troubled and Kai suspected that this trip was more than simply an act of charity to an isolated patient. ‘So, is it the pub first and on to a club or do you fancy the theatre?’
    Ellen smiled. ‘If only. I think we’ll have to content ourselves with a walk round the hospital and a long sit in the garden. I could take you down to the canteen, but it really is like that torture chamber that I mentioned earlier.’
    She led the way out into the corridor and Kai followed obediently. She wasn’t sure whether it was the time of day or the fact that she didn’t have the same sense of dread, but the light seemed different, brighter somehow. She expected it to highlight more grime than she’d noticed before, but everything felt fresher. Perhaps she was more optimistic, or maybe it was just the idea of getting out of her room for pleasure rather than for something which had alarmed her so much. She even felt more alive, her body seemed to be responding more readily to the demands she made when they began to ascend the stairs, but as they climbed Kai began to feel uncomfortable. The stairwell was much gloomier than the corridor and the chill Kai felt was physical as well as emotional.
    ‘Hey, I thought we were going out to the garden,’ her pace slowed automatically as she began to doubt Ellen’s lead. This was too much like the route she had taken with Ekachai – the route to Ellen’s office.
    Ellen paused a few steps above her and looked down.
    ‘There’s a really good view of the city from up here.