“Jesus Christ! Ruth, you’re on fire!” shouts John who quickly takes off his jacket runs towards Ruth.

John quickly covers Ruth with his jacket and runs through the glass door, diving with her into the swimming pool in the back yard.

“Oh no, John!” shouts Thando, quickly fetching the fire extinguisher to prevent the remaining flames from spreading all over the house. The deadly fire dies inside the pool sparing Ruth’s life. Thando helps John to pull Ruth out of the water.

“She’s alive!” shouts Thando checking for a pulse.

“Call an ambulance!” shouts John switching the fire alarm off.

A crowd gathers outside the house as Thando climbs into the back of an ambulance transporting Ruth to the hospital. While John remains behind worryingly staring at the flashing warning lights equipped on top of it. The siren sounds and the ambulance slowly leaves the scene.

“Is she going to be okay?” Thando asks, squeezing Ruth’s hand.

Her body is partially burnt; it is not that bad” says the paramedic.”

“I am terribly sorry Ruth,” Thando says with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“We’ll take good care of her ma’am,” says the paramedic.

Before she can be admitted to a specialised burn centre, Ruth is taken into the Intensive Care unit in order to examine the depth of her injuries.

“I’m very sorry,” whispers Thando, staring at Ruth’s burnt legs.

“Please give us some room,” says one of the nurses in the ambulance crew.

Thando moves aside.

About an hour later, Thando is in the hospital ward with Ruth. She is feeling guilty and hopes for Ruth’s speedy recovery. Her legs are wrapped up in bandages and she is lying still on the bed.

“Any updates doctor?” Thando asks standing up from a chair.”

“The patient suffers severe tissue damage.” says the doctor.

Thando covers her face with her hands and begins to cry.

“The patient has also lost the baby.”

“This is all my fault,”Thando cries.

John finally arrives at the hospital.

“Ruth and the baby – are they ok?”

Thando and John are interrupted as Ruth starts to stir awake.

“Ruth, Ruth my darling, how are you feeling?” John asks.

Ruth stares at Thando and John for a while, saying nothing.

“Please says something, Ruth, how are you?” Thando says wiping her face.

Ruth clears her throat and finally says, “Who is Ruth?”

John looks perplexed, “What do you mean my love?”

“I don’t know who you are,” Ruth replies, “Who am I?”

Thando and John look at each other in disbelief.

***

Tell us: What do you think has happened to Ruth’s memory?