Page 66 of Little Twisted Things

“Eleven.”

“You’re very talented for an eleven-year-old. What made you paint the cottage?”

“So Katherine wouldn’t forget where home is,” she said.

“Does Katherine forget?”

“Sometimes she does.”

“Do you live in the cottage also?” I asked.

“Sometimes.” She smiled. “Please, Dr. Bondi. Don’t tell the other woman I came out. I’ve been hiding since she sent the others away.”

“She? Who’s ‘she,’ Sydney?”

“The bad lady who put the others to sleep. I ran and hid when I saw her talking to The Librarian.”

“Who is she?”

“I don’t know.” She lowered her head.

“Can you describe her to me?”

She shook her head and then closed her eyes. Katherine’s eyes opened.

“Did I fall asleep?” she asked.

“For a while.” I smiled. “I spoke to Sydney.”

“I see,” Katherine said. “What did she say?”

I didn’t want to frighten Katherine by telling her what Sydney had told me about the other female alter.”

“She told me she painted the cottage so you’d never forget where home is.”

“That was nice of her.” She fiddled with her hands.

“I think that wraps up our session for today.” I smiled. “You may go back to your room.”

The orderly walked in and escorted Katherine out of my office. I walked over to my desk and sat down, grabbing the stack of files I had on Katherine Tate. Sydney seemed very frightened when she mentioned the other alter. She said she sent the others away. This was an alter Katherine had no idea existed.

39

Katherine

I opened my eyes the following morning. The first thing I noticed as my eyes tried to get into focus was the smell of paint. I slowly sat up and looked around. That was when I saw it. A different painting sat on the easel. One I didn’t paint. I climbed out of bed and slowly walked over to it. It wasn’t the beautiful cottage that gave me peace. This painting made my stomach tighten and my heart race.

A dark forest with towering pines surrounded a shadowy figure of a woman wearing a long, black trench coat, her back turned. Her hands were buried inside her coat pockets. The longer I stared, the more an eerie feeling crept inside me. It looked like she was waiting for someone. Or, watching someone. I scanned the bottom right corner for a signature. There wasn’t one this time.

I reached out and let my fingertips lightly touch the woman. Something about her felt familiar. As if I’d felt her before. Like someone standing in the doorway. The key being inserted into the lock startled me. The door opened, and George, the orderly, stepped inside, holding a tray with my breakfast.

“Good morning, Katherine. Here’s your breakfast.” He set the tray on the desk.

“Thanks, George. Can you do me a favor?”

“What do you need?”

“Can you please tell Dr. Bondi that I need to see her immediately? It’s very important.”