Thomas' Adventures in Hiddlesgard

Tom rubbed his head and moaned loudly.Oh god why did his head feel like it had just exploded?

"Oh dear god" he said out loud. He rubbed his temples with his fingers. He blinked several times and tried to focus his eyes. It was morning, yes it was definitely morning the sun was beginning to break over in the eastern sky. He squinted, even this early it was too bright! He sat at the top of the river bank in exactly the sat spot he was in the previous night. The grass slightly damp with morning dew.

What on earth had he been drinking? That was the only explanation he could think of. The river. It was something in the river. Tom thought hard trying to remember where he had recognised what he had drunk from the river. 

He had a vague memory, or was just nothing. He was dressed smartly in a room with other people. They were chatting a laughing about something. He had a tall glass in his hand. He drank slowly from that glass. Taking a delicate sip and then laughing at a comment someone had made. Tom frowned, confused. He needed the image to become clearer, but that was all he could remember. It was like he was viewing the scene through a veil. He was in the room but disconnected somehow. The liquid in the glass was exactly the same as what had drunk last night from the river. He still could not place its name though, but it had triggered a memory.

He rubbed his head again and gazed around looking for Wendy. She lay there in the long grass next to him, snoring loudly. She lay face upwards, her whiskers twitching now and again. Tom nudged her gently and whispered "Wendy, time to wake up" She mumbled and flopped over on to her side, scratching one side of her whiskers with the other. Tom nudged her again. This time she slapped Tom's hand away and mumbled at him again, then carried on snoring.

Tom smiled and tried to get to his feet as gently as he could.

 "Whoops" he said as he tumbled back down.

"More slowly this time Thomas."

He tried again and this time managed to get to his feet. He thought he'd let Wendy sleep for a bit and would do a bit of exploring across the other side of the river. Just half an hour or so, wouldn't do any harm. 

He made his way carefully and slowly down the river bank, he had spotted a very shallow part of the river. Shallow enough to cross with getting his feet too wet.

He lightly skipped across using some of the larger rocks as stepping stones. He wobbled a couple of times but managed to keep his balance. He reached the other side without incident. He looked back across the water towards Wendy, no sign of her so he turned and walked into the small wooded area ahead of him. He wouldn't be long. 

Ahead a small path followed a short line of trees. It was a lot more open and green than the forest in Hazeldine Land thought Tom. Mostly ferns and tall grasses. The path was gentle and easily defined. Tom could clearly make out buildings in the distance. He frowned, this isn't Hiddlesville, it did not look the same. Where on earth was he now? He was curious. He wanted to carry on walking, but Wendy was still on the other side of the river. He should turn back.

He sighed and turned round, ready to head back and walked straight into a man. He was tall and thin with curly blonde hair. Tom immediately though it was Bill, a smile broke out across his face, but then he knew he was mistaken. It wasn't Bill. He looked very similar to Bill but was a lot older. He scowled at Tom, unamused.

"Umm... Oh, sorry" Tom stammered not sure what to say.

"Sorry didn't see you there."

"Hmmm," said the man unimpressed. 

"Can you tell me why you are walking alone in these woods at this hour?" The man looked sternly at Tom.

"Well...umm." Tom was confused and being asked such a direct question.

"Come on answer the question" the man said impatiently.

Tom, flustered didn't make much sense, mumbling

"Ok if you can't explain yourself you'll have to come down to the station for further questioning." 

Tom started to protest, thing's were happening way too fast for his liking. He had to get back to Wendy. The stranger grabbed Tom's arm and started to escort him towards a group of people who just appeared to the left of the trees.

"Wait, no, please I can't go with you! I have to get back, no please, I have someone waiting for me. Please!" He protested tugging his arm out of the other man's grasp.

"Oh no you don't" he said wrestling Tom to the ground. He knelt on top of him holding him down.

"Don't move!" The man hissed in Tom's ear. He hauled out a pair of handcuffs and bound Tom's hands together behind his back.

"Now get up!" the man barked, hauling Tom to his feet.

"Hey Magnus!" shouted one of the group of people to the man holding Tom. "Everything ok, you need a hand?"

"No. Everything's fine" shouted Magnus waving his hand at them.

He turned Tom around and pushed him to towards the group.

"Keep moving!"

"But I...I..." Tom tried to say something. He managed to glance back towards the direction of the river bank and Wendy but it was hopeless. There would be no way he could get back to her now.

"I said keep moving." Magnus shoved Tom forwards.

God there were times he hated this job. How many years had he demonstrated his skills in crime solving and was still treated just like an errand boy. Now Kurt had sent him off to the woods after a tip-off concerning a criminal they had been after for months. Kurt couldn't be bothered to come out himself so sent Magnus. Magnus was not happy. He wasn't sure that the guy he just handcuffed was the perpetrator but he was doing as he was told. There was something about this guy that Magnus couldn't put his finger on. They had seen no one else so this must be the wanted man. He'd try and reason with Kurt once they got to the station.

Magnus and Tom were silent as they walked, dirt track turned to tarmac, and small buildings appeared either side of the road. Tom noticed that it looked very modern in design. High rise buildings lay ahead. To Tom it reminded him of a city... like London. LONDON!...London! Tom's eyes opened wide. London... What was London? It meant something to him. It was a city. He could remember that much! More he needed more. He frowned and thought hard. The party memory, now London. He needed more.

Magnus shoved him once more. Tom's thoughts momentarily dissolved away from him. Nothing. No more memories. He sagged slightly, feeling deflated. At the next road junction they turned left and there before them stood the police station. They climbed the steps outside the building and walked through to the main reception area.

"Is Kurt back?" asked Magnus to the officer in charge. 

"He's in his office want me to put a call through?"

"Yeah" replied Magnus.

"Tell him we'll be in the interrogation room."

With that Magnus tugged at Tom's arm and led him down a corridor to a room with three chairs and a table. He sat down Tom one side of the table, he sat the other side and they waited in silence.

Tom stared at Magnus. He too looked familiar like Bill. He hated the frustration he felt with no memory of his life and who he was.

Magnus stared at Tom. There was something familiar about the man sitting opposite him. The longer they sat facing each other the more he felt he knew him. His instincts normally proved right so he was at odds with Kurt already as to whether the man sitting opposite him was involved in the crime.

"What is your name?" Magnus broke the silence. He knew it was against police protocol but he had to ask.

"My name is Tom."

Tom? Why did that name sound so familiar?

Before he could ask more questions, the door opened and in walked a slight dishevelled older man. He looked like he had been awake most of the night. He sat down and looked at Tom without saying anything. Tom did notice one thing though, his eyes burnt bright and they were green...