Taken - part 1

"Hello?"
I peer down into the dark cavern, but nobody answers. I guess I must have been imagining it. I turn to walk away.
"Hello? Is anyone up there?"
The voice is faint, but I am sure I am not imagining it. Slowly, I turn back to the deep hole in the ground. I lie down on my stomach and call down.
"Yes, I'm here!"
"Halie? Oh Halie, you have no idea how glad I am to hear your voice! I thought you were lost..."
I frown. I don't recognise the voice from inside the cavern. "Who are you?" I ask.
"It's me - Max. Halie? Feel free to get me out of here anytime."
Max? I don't know any Max. Still, whoever he is, he's stuck in a hole, and I can't very well just leave him here.
"Ok, hold on," I say. I look around, wondering how to get him out. It is a deep hole, and I don't see any easy way to climb down. As I turn around, something brushes my back. With a start, I realise I have a long coil of rope over my shoulder. Why do I have rope over my shoulder?
I close my eyes, trying to think. The harder I try to think, the more alarmed I get. I can't remember how I got here. I was with my sister... then something happened. I don't remember what. I look around. How did I get into this large forest, all alone except for the man stuck in the hole?
Deciding my panic can wait until I have rescued Max, I go to tie the rope around the nearest tree.
"If I lower the rope down, can you climb up?"
There is a pause. "Halie, my leg is broken. That's why you went to get help in the first place, remember? You could climb out, but I couldn't."
Ok, now I am definitely unnerved. I don't know this man. It would make things a lot easier if I had a solid memory to cling to, but everything seems to be shifting. I don't know where I have been or what I have been doing for... well, I'm not sure how long.
"I'm going to lower the rope, and you tie it to your waist," I say, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice. We can deal with everything else once Max is out of the hole. I don't think now is a good time to tell him I actually don't know him. "I'll pull you up."
"Great," he calls back. I toss the rope into the hole and hear it splash as it reaches the bottom. Evidently, the hole is wet. I wonder Max had been in a dark, wet hole before I happened to find him.
"I'm ready," Max says. Without further ado, I grab the rope and start pulling. Max is heavy, but I manage. Finally, he appears over the ledge and flops onto the ground, holding his left leg at an awkward angle. I go over to him, concerned.
"Come on, we should get you to a healer," I say, making to help him up.
"Why didn't you bring Erele?" he asks. "She could have easily healed me."
"Who's Erele?" I ask, but Max is not listening.
He leans up and pulls me towards him. I am so shocked that I don't move, and before I can form a single coherent thought, he is kissing me.
"HEY!" I shout, jerking back. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you."
Max looks perplexed, as though expecting me to suddenly announce that I am joking.
"I'm really sorry, but I've never seen you before in my life," I say, slowly and clearly.
Now Max looks worried. "Halie, this is no time for jokes. We're in a hurry, remember? We need to get moving. Where are our horses? Where is Erele?"
I subtly move a few paces back from Max. Did he hit his head when he fell? I know that a knock to the head can sometimes confuse people. Could he be dangerous? I could probably outrun him, with his broken leg, but if he lunges forward to catche me, I'll be in trouble if I'm standing too close
Max has gone from looking worried to looking scared. Really scared. "Don't you know me?" he whispers.
I shake my head. "Who are you?"
He stares at me for a moment. His brown eyes seem to bore into mine, not allowing me to look away.
"Halie, I'm your husband."

To be continued