Better Off Pt. 01

And if that chest was the only thing separating the husk that Victoria had become from her true self, then Katie would stop at nothing to break it open. No matter how beautiful the craftsmanship was, she'd bring any tool, a crowbar, a jackhammer, even explosives, anything to demolish that coffin of wood and steel.

But it wasn't up to her. Only Victoria could touch it. All Katie could do was wait, and pray that today would be different than the rest. But when the sound she despised finally stopped, Katie felt no joy, because she knew exactly what kind of day it was going to be.

"Are you done opening the chest, Victoria?" Dr. Navathe asked.

The answer was swift. "No."

"Why is that, Victoria?"

Victoria's hand tightened around Katie's. "I won't open it. I won't!"

To her credit, there was no frustration in Dr. Navathe's voice. Katie couldn't understand how she could be this composed all the time. "That's okay, Victoria. Forget about the box for now and-"

Katie pried her hand away and shoved herself off the couch in a huff. Without a word, she walked into the kitchen and placed her hands against the edge of the sink to stare down the drain, her back to Dr. Navathe.

"Katie?" Dr. Navathe said in that annoying voice. The kind a parent used right before scolding a child.

Katie filled a nearby glass with water, chugging it down in a few gulps. She didn't need yet another lecture about being patient. She took a deep breath before turning around with a phony smile. "Just thirsty."

Dr. Navathe didn't press the issue, much to Katie's relief. "Perhaps we should take a break."

Katie nodded, letting out a sigh as she leaned against the counter. She spun the empty glass in her hand, watching the few remaining drops of water circle the bottom as Dr. Navathe began talking Victoria back up.

"Okay, Victoria. It's time to come back. Listen to my voice. Feel yourself rising back up the stairs, your consciousness coming back to you. And as you do, you remember everything we discussed. You remember that you're not who Nabi made you to be. You are your own person, able to make your own choices. No longer forced to be someone else. Knowing this all to be true as you reach the top of the stairs, fully refreshed and awake."

Victoria let out a meek yawn as she stretched and blinked her eyes open. When she noticed everyone staring at her, she dropped her gaze to the floor.

"How do you feel, Victoria?" Dr. Navathe asked.

Victoria took a moment to respond. When she did, her voice was soft. "I'm okay."

"That's good, Victoria. We're going to take a break, if that's okay with you. Is there anything you would like to do?"

As if answering for her, Victoria's stomach let out a growl. She placed her hand over it. "Am I allowed to eat, please?"

Katie liked to think the timid way Victoria talked these last few days was a welcome improvement. It beat the way Victoria had tried to seduce her with growled words and smoldering eyes. Even the memory of the things Victoria had said still made Katie's skin crawl.

But lately, the words had been filled with uncertainty, and only the carpet could share tales of whatever look Victoria's eyes held. Everything was still alien about her, like one imposter had been traded for another.

Katie didn't understand any of it, despite Dr. Navathe's attempts at an explanation. Better for her to go with the flow and let the doctor tell her how best to help. But even when she followed the tasks she was entrusted with, she felt all but useless, just sitting there and holding Victoria's hand while Dr. Navathe did all the work.

So when it came time for them to eat, Katie jumped at the opportunity. It was something for her to do, a way for her to contribute in a meaningful way. Before Dr. Navathe could answer Victoria's question, Katie was bouncing around the kitchen. She filled the counter with containers of prepared ingredients, and removed the pots and pans from the locked cabinet for use on the induction stove.

As she was about to begin cooking, Katie paused. When she turned around, she found Victoria watching her, though her sister was quick to look away. "Would you like to help me, Victoria?" Katie asked.

"I . . ." Victoria looked to Dr. Navathe for guidance, who gave a confident smile and nod in return.

"It's easy, I promise," Katie said, catching Victoria off guard with how close she had gotten without Victoria realizing. Katie knelt down next to her and held her hand out. To her relief, Victoria offered her own in return.

Katie whisked her sister into the kitchen, careful not to pull too hard. She dumped some ingredients into the pan and turned on the heat, then stood Victoria in front of the stove and handed her a wooden spoon. "All you have to do is keep stirring. You didn't really know how to cook before, so shouldn't be an issue if you don't remember much right now. Just go like this." Katie held Victoria's hand and maneuvered it in various circles. "Simple as that. Just keep things moving."

Katie took a step back to assess Victoria's technique before she set about preparing the rest of the meal. She made sure to keep an eye on her sister the entire time. As the sauce began to simmer, Katie approached Victoria once more.

"Not bad, not bad. But I think I forgot to mention a technique. It's very important in order to make sure the sauce is as good as it can be. Do you mind?" Katie held her hand out, gesturing for the spoon. Victoria handed it to her and stepped back, her eyes darting between her sister and the pan.

"Food always tastes better when you're having fun making it, so follow my lead." Katie placed the spoon in the sauce to stir. As she did, she began moving her hips from side to side. A drag of the spoon to the left, and her waist bumped to the right, alternating as she went. "Like this."

Victoria was transfixed, and Katie could swear she saw the slightest movement in Victoria's own hips as she watched.

"Now you try." Katie handed the spoon back.

Victoria drew in towards the stove and jumped a little when she felt Katie's hands placed on her sides.

"Don't be afraid to put some oomph into it," Katie said. She put pressure on one side, then the other. Victoria was stiff at first, but with enough encouragement, soon her rear was shaking like Katie's. "See? It's so easy, and I promise that-"

The smile faded from Katie's face. Standing right behind Victoria, all Katie could see at that moment was Victoria's ponytail as it bounced along with her hips. The one that Nabi forced Victoria to wear, that was never to be let down. One more reminder to add to the others of what that bitch had done.

She reached a hand up to comb her fingers through her own hair. She had cut it short in an act of juvenile defiance; a new look that said she was a badass for just $34.99. Or so she hoped. With any luck, it would at least intimidate Nabi, should they ever meet.

". . . That it'll taste all the better for it," Katie finished, shaking her head. She let go of Victoria, and was pleased to see her sister continue on by herself. And then, when she stepped to the side, Katie almost couldn't believe her eyes. There, right on Victoria's face, was the faintest hint of a smile. It warmed Katie's heart, and for a moment her breath caught in her throat.

She dared not call attention to it, lest she scare the smile away. Instead, Katie absorbed herself in the rest of the meal preparation, only disturbing Victoria when necessary. The image played in her mind all the way until the three were seated at the table, with steaming plates before each of them.

As usual, Victoria did little to join in on the conversation. That didn't stop Katie from trying to keep things lively. "I think it was for Dad's forty-third birthday. You wanted to bake him a cake, but you refused to let me help. And then . . ." Katie took a moment to stifle her laughter. "You mixed up the salt and sugar bins. Something like two cups of salt for one cake, but I feel like that amount keeps growing every time I tell the story."

Katie relaxed back into her chair, finally coming down from her fits. "I don't know how he did it, but he managed to finish his entire slice. I threw mine right into the trash, I'm not ashamed to admit. Probably drove you mad with how many times I reminded you of it."

Katie let out a sigh. "Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the meal."

"Fantastic as always, Katie," Dr. Navathe said as she dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you." She turned to Victoria. "Do you have something you'd like to say to Katie, Victoria?"

"Thank you," she said after a moment.

The smile had fled at some point, but Katie didn't mind. A glimpse of it was enough to embolden her. There was only one thing tainting the memory. "Couldn't have done it without your help! I'm glad you liked it. And hey, maybe to return the favor, you could let your hair down? For me?"

Victoria shrank into her chair. She reached a hand up and touched the hairband holding her hair in place, making sure it was where it should be.

"Only if you want to, Victoria," Dr. Navathe said. "There's no pressure."

Katie got up to stand next to her sister. "It's not a big deal, Victoria. Come on."

Victoria's body tensed, her elbows locked. She kept her eyes on the table, but made sure that Katie was still within her peripheral vision. "I . . ."

"Katie, don't press it," Dr. Navathe said. Her voice was stern, but Katie ignored her.

"Here, I'll help you." Katie reached her hand out towards the tie.

"No!"

Victoria was a blur. Before Katie knew what happened, she heard the chair clatter to the floor. She wasn't prepared for the strength of the shove as her torso slammed into the nearby counter. She bounced off, losing her balance as she fell to the floor. Her elbow took the brunt of the force. "God dammit!"

"Katie!"

Katie pulled away from Dr. Navathe when she tried to help her up. Even Mr. Godunov had left his roost to investigate the ruckus, but she paid him no mind. She found Victoria curled up on the couch, one hand holding her hair, her other hidden between her legs. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! How can you possibly want to defend that piece of shit?! Just giving up . . . You're better than this, dammit! You're supposed to be better than me, because I . . . I . . ." Her lip quivered, and she struggled to compose herself.

Dr. Navathe grabbed Katie by the shoulder, and Katie let herself be dragged into the hallway. "Listen to me," the doctor said. Katie tried to look towards where Victoria was, but Dr. Navathe grabbed her by the chin. "I said listen! It's for Victoria's benefit that you are here. I believe the progress we have seen would not have been possible without your support. But-"

"Progress? What fucking progress?! I'm sick of this hypno bullshit therapy that isn't getting anywhere. My sister wouldn't give up without a fight like this!" She turned to where Victoria was, where that sickening noise began its encore. "You were never such a weak-willed coward! Maybe you should have stayed missing. At least then I could go on with my life thinking you were dead!"

Dr. Navathe stepped between Katie and her sister. "But don't think for a second that I will let you jeopardize that progress!" Dr. Navathe took a breath to calm down, but the anger in her eyes remained. She kept them fixed on Katie as she said, "I can handle this, Mr. Godunov. Thank you."

Katie could only glare back in response. Weeks of frustration bubbling towards the surface with Dr. Navathe as the unfortunate recipient.

And then Dr. Navathe's expression softened into a strange visage, as if she had finally settled on a troubling decision. Katie didn't understand what to make of it, but was too worked up, too stubborn to admit to overreacting now.

"I'm sorry for yelling like that, Katie. I understand how you feel, and it's okay. You've been through so much lately. I can tell these last few weeks have been so hard on you. You care so much about your sister, but you never give yourself a moment to relax."

"How could I possibly rela-"

"Shh, it's okay. Just listen."

Katie was about to object. How dare Dr. Navathe speak to her like that, like a child! If it was her sister, she'd be just as upset.

But at the same time, Dr. Navathe had been nothing but kind to her. The more time that passed, the more Katie realized how stubborn she was being. So instead of talking back, Katie let out a huff.

"That's it. I want to help you, Katie, but you have to listen to me. It must be so tiring to go through each day with so much worry. Don't you wish, for one moment, that you could let go of that worry? Don't you wish you could let yourself relax?"

"It is tiring . . . but, I . . . I can't just . . ."

"You don't have to talk, Katie. Just keep listening. I promise you everything will be okay if you let yourself relax for now. I will be here the entire time to make sure nothing happens. You can trust me, because you know I only want to help the both of you. I've been helping your sister, but now it's time for me to help you as well. So take a deep breath in, and then let it out. Feel yourself relax as the air leaves your body."

Katie tried to follow Dr. Navathe's suggestions. She let her lungs fill all the way up, and then let her shoulders drop as she exhaled, her mouth remaining open when she did. Only there was something still keeping her on edge. "The noise . . . I can't . . ."

Even from across the room, Katie could hear Victoria's fingers as she played with herself, her soft voice whispering her slavish words of devotion to Nabi. Even at night, when Katie tried to sleep, alone in her quiet room, the sounds echoed in her mind. Only at the bottom of a bottle could she ever find momentary reprieve.

Dr. Navathe placed her hands over Katie's ears, just enough to mask the sound. When she spoke, her words were muffled, but Katie could still comprehend. "Focus on my voice, Katie. Don't worry about the noise. All that matters right now is listening to me. Keep up with your steady breathing as you focus on what I'm telling you."

A rumbling reverberated in Katie's ears, accompanied by a rhythmic pulsing. Katie wasn't sure if it was from the beating of her own heart, or if it emanated from Dr. Navathe's hands. Either way, she had to push past that backdrop to focus on what the doctor was saying.

"You must be so tired right now, Katie. And now that I mention it, you're so aware of how exhausted you are. With every breath you take, you find it harder to resist letting go and sinking into a wonderful sleep where there is nothing to be worried over."

Katie found it increasingly hard to keep her eyes open. Whenever the air left her lungs, her shoulders drooped a little bit more. Her neck was slack, and if not for Dr. Navathe's hands, her head would have lulled towards the ground.

"All the way down now, letting go of everything. Good, Katie. So relaxed for me."

And then Katie was floating. She was a drop of soap in a bowl of water, pushing all the clutter of her mind out towards the edge, far enough away that they couldn't be of any concern to her.

"I'm going to remove my hands now, Katie. When I do, the only thing you hear will be my voice. Nothing else, Katie. Focus on my voice, and listen to what I say." Dr. Navathe let go, and Katie's head bounced down to her chest. "I . . . For what it's worth, I'm sorry, Katie. But I will not let you be the reason this fails."

Dr. Navathe took a moment to compose herself before she began again, her voice low but firm. "You trust me, Katie. Entirely. Implicitly. You know that I only have the best intentions when it comes to you and your sister. Don't you?"

"Trust you . . . Yes . . ."

"During our sessions, I have supreme authority. You won't disobey me, and you won't have any outbursts. You know this to be true, because I am telling you. Because you trust me. Do you understand, Katie?

"Yes . . ."

"Very good, Katie. I'm so glad to hear that."

A soft smile broke through on Katie's face. It was nice to do what Dr. Navathe told her. She had done so much for them, and Katie was so grateful. She trusted that Dr. Navathe knew what was best.

"One more thing. Whenever I say 'listen to my words, Katie,' you will find yourself sinking down into this relaxed state. All your worries will drift away, and you will be ready to trust what I say, as you do now, as you always will. Do you understand?"

"Yes . . ."

"Good. It's time to come back, Katie. You don't have to worry about what we discussed, but you will still believe everything that I told you. Because you trust me. Now, feel your mind coming back, feeling relaxed and content. All the way up now, Katie. Back with me."

With a deep breath, Katie opened her eyes. They focused on the concerned face of Dr. Navathe. "I . . . I'm sorry, doctor. I didn't mean to react like that, I . . ."

"That's alright, Katie. You've been through so much yourself. Know that you can talk to me at any time, okay?"

"I know." Katie nodded to help assure Dr. Navathe.

The doctor placed a hand on Katie's shoulder. "I have to go see to your sister now, make sure everything is okay with her. I think it would be best if you took the rest of the day off, though. Get out of the house for once. Socialize. If not for yourself . . . Do it for your sister. Okay?"

Katie fought the urge to apologize again. It was her fault that things had gotten so messed up today. She hoped Dr. Navathe could fix any damage she may have caused. If anyone could do it, it was her. "I understand. I can do that."

Dr. Navathe smiled and left Katie as she walked over to the couch. She knelt down next to Victoria, whispering words to her that Katie couldn't hear. Her sister went slack, and then a moment later she was sitting up straight.

With a sigh, Katie made her departure. The last words she heard were Dr. Navathe suggesting they work on Victoria's resistance to her triggers. Mr. Godunov eyed her as she walked out.

* * *

August 2nd

Three days out of the week, her home was a prison

By all logic, she could do anything she wanted, go anywhere she pleased. Except the one place she wanted to go. And so the outside world was tiny for her. Every time Katie left her house, all she felt was guilt that her sister couldn't do the same, or that Katie couldn't be trapped in that other cell with her.

Even her usual pastimes no longer brought her joy, poisoned by the very nature of what they had become, nothing but distractions. Unread books crowded the headboard. Her cello gathered dust in the corner.

The only items in her house that saw regular use were her TV and the newspapers that covered her kitchen table and the surrounding floor like a cloth and a rug. Though she hated the news, knowing it focused on breaking the story of her with little regard to the shattered lives she left in her wake, it was the only information she could find.

But it was all useless. The same information that she heard ad nauseam, wasting space in her brain. None of it gave any hint on who Nabi was, nor where she came from. She was a ghost that appeared out of thin air to kidnap women. To turn them into something grotesque.

To destroy her sister.

But she had to believe that Dr. Navathe could do something. She trusted her, after all. But that didn't mean she had to be happy with how long everything was taking.

Lost in her spiraling thoughts, Katie leapt out of the chair when the doorbell rang. She gazed at the door, as if she were surprised it could even make such a noise. She considered ignoring it, spending the day reading some article for the fourth time in the hopes that she missed some clue.

But then she remembered how Dr. Navathe would advise against ruminating. Something about not letting her own thoughts poison her mind. Apparently, being social was the remedy for that, but Katie often felt that even drinking orange juice after brushing her teeth was more palatable. And since it was way too early to go to the bar, perhaps telling the interloper off would meet her social quota for the week. Dr. Navathe said she should socialize, and Katie trusted her.