Chapter 42
Dahlia
My eyes flew open. I looked around the small sterile room.
“Oh, come on. Not this place again.”
I sat up, trying to calm my racing heart.
I closed my eyes and dug deep inside my mind.
Katherine was back at the cottage with Elias, safe and sound.
I smiled when I saw her smiling. She came to me.
She woke me up from whatever or whoever put me to sleep.
I felt it coming, and I tried to stop it.
The last thing I remembered was killing Alex and setting the house on fire. Then everything went black.
I glanced at the painting that hung above the desk.
I climbed off the bed and walked over to it.
The cottage. It was beautiful. My eyes diverted to the bottom right corner where I noticed the name Sydney.
I smiled. Then I turned and looked at the canvas sitting on the easel in the corner of the room.
The shadowy figure of a woman standing amongst the darkened forest.
“Who the hell are you?” I asked in a whisper.
I’ve felt her for a long time. She tried to push through since I moved to Key West, but I wouldn’t let her. I never saw her, though. I only felt her. I searched my mind for The Librarian. I couldn’t find her or Sunny.
The room door opened, and a tall man stood there.
“Katherine, it’s time for your session with Dr. Bondi.”
“Sure.” I grinned. “Let’s go.”
He looked at me strangely and then led me to Dr. Bondi’s office.
“Hello, Katherine. How are you today?”
I took a seat on the couch while she sat in the chair across from me.
“Dr. Bondi, the name is Dahlia.”
“Dahlia?” A surprised look overtook her face.
“Where’s Katherine?”
“She’s at the cottage, safe, with her husband Elias.”
“I’ve been trying to reach you. So far, I’ve only been able to talk to Sydney.”
“Someone knocked me out, and I suspect it’s that woman from Sydney’s painting.”
“Do you know who she is?” she asked.
“No. But I will find out and let you know. She must be dealt with. The others seem to be gone.”
“I don’t understand. Both Katherine and Sydney told me that you would never be able to wake up. How are you here?”
“Katherine visited me. She woke me up. Kind of wish she didn’t. This is the last place I want to be in again.”
“You’ve been in a psychiatric hospital before?” she asked.
“Once. After Katherine swallowed a bunch of pills. That’s when I sent her to her happy place. When I woke up, I was here.”
She walked over to her desk and grabbed a file. She sat back in the chair and opened it.
“It doesn’t say anything in Dr. Seagram’s notes about you.”
“Because I pretended I was still Katherine. If I hadn’t, we’d all still be locked up here. Now, when can I get out?”
“Uh, I’m afraid that won’t be any time soon. Dahlia, you’re a serial killer. Do you understand that?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“You’ve killed countless men.”
“Because they needed to be punished for their sins.”
“It still doesn’t make it right. I think you know that.”
“Blah. Blah. Blah.” I looked up at the ceiling. “Anyway, Dr. Bondi, I need to figure out who that shadowy woman is. I know nothing about her except the fact that she’s dangerous. I feel it every time she tries to push through.”
“How long do you intend to stay here?” she asked.
“Until I find her and kill her.” I smiled. “None of us are safe, including Katherine, while she’s around. I’m the strongest of the system. I always have been. I’m the only one who can stop her.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. I saw the paintings Sydney painted. What did she tell you?”
“She begged me not to tell her she spoke to me. I asked who she was and she told me a bad lady who put everyone to sleep.”
“Was she frightened?” I asked.
“Yes. Very.”
“She has no one to protect her now since the others can’t wake up. I hope she goes to Katherine in the cottage. She and Elias will protect her. I need to find this other alter.”
“Dahlia, if I’m going to help Katherine, I need her here,” Dr. Bondi said.
“That isn’t happening as long as that thing is lurking around. Are we finished here?” I stood up. “I need to go back to my room and think.”
“I suppose for today we are.”
“Great.” I left her office.
One of the orderlies gripped my arm.
“Excuse me?” I stared at him. “Do not put your hands on me.” I jerked out of his grip.
He looked at Dr. Bondi.
“It’s okay, George.”
“What is wrong, Katherine? Talk to me.”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway and stared at him, my brows furrowing.
“Is something going on between you and Katherine?” My brow arched.
“No. Absolutely not. And why are you referring to yourself in the third person?”
“Because, George.” I popped my lips. “I’m not Katherine. The name is Dahlia.” I continued down the hallway.
“What?”
I reached my room. “Whatever arrangement you and Katherine have. It doesn’t apply to me. Go away.” I shooed him and shut the door.
I sat on the bed and brought my knees up to my chest. There was someone else.
Someone none of us had known existed. I always prided myself on control.
I knew every corner of my mind. The memories.
Every voice. Now I’d realized I’d been living my entire life inside a house with a locked room that I didn’t know was there.
I was the only one she tried to force out.
But I was strong and never let her. But she was strong enough to put us all to sleep.
“Think, Dahlia.” I jumped up from the bed and paced around the room.
I needed to find her. To get to her. I needed to find out who she was and why she was torturing us. She’d never hurt Katherine as far as I knew. What was her purpose? What did she want with us?
I continued pacing around the room and stopped when I heard a small voice.