Monday, October 1, 2012

GUTGAA SPP #4 - The Memory Cell

The Memory Cell
Adult Psychological Thriller
75,000

Query:

Helen Crossdale is a businesswoman focused on her career to the point of obsession: she’s unprepared to let anything get in the way of what she wants. So when that obsession transfers to a stranger with no ID she accidentally runs over, the same rules apply.

She passes herself off as his wife to gain admittance to his hospital bedside, and when he wakes up with no memory, she hatches a plan to take him to a flat where she tells him they have a blissful life together.

Everything goes perfectly until the man she calls Michael starts to recover his real memory. Those on the outside start to close in on her. How far will Helen go to protect what she feels is hers, and can she hang on to what she calls her sanity in the process?


First 150 Words:

As Helen climbed the stairs, her stomach tingled at the thought of seeing Michael’s face again. In her memory it seemed childlike, so serene and untroubled despite being strafed with tiny cuts, and she wanted to see if it lived up to that image.

She found the ward, which was still in semi-darkness. All the beds had the curtains pulled round, with the patients evidently asleep or otherwise unconscious.

“Michael Crossdale?” she asked the desk nurse.

“It’s the second bed on the right, dear,” said the woman, a heavyset image of matronliness with severely cut light brown hair. “Are you his wife, love?”

She nodded, looking the woman in the eyes without smiling.

“I’ll tell Dr Paravishnu you’re here when he comes on duty. He’s got things to tell you. He did wonders with the operation, but we still don’t know when Michael’s going to wake up.”

“Well, I’m going to be here when he does.”

2 comments:

Slave to the Muse said...

Interesting premise. Reminiscent of MISERY. I'd be curious to know Helen's motivation for lying to Michael. The only thing missing from your query is the why. Great work! I'll be voting later so check back! :)

Manchee said...

I usually like stories where people pretend to be someone they're not. But I don't understand why Helen accompanied Michael to the hospital, and why she stayed with him. What would she have done if he'd woken up with his memory? Hmm...

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