Free The Many by Nathan Field Page A

dark turn.              
    “Let’s fast forward to the end of your dinner,” Dr. Ramirez suggested.
    “Oh, does it have to end?” Stacey asked after a long delay. “It’s so cozy in here.”
    “Don’t you want to go home with Adam?”
    “Yeah but it’s freezing outside. I can feel it through the window.”
    “That’s okay. You’ve got a leather coat with you, you’ll be fine. Now tell me what happens after you leave the restaurant.”
    “We walk to his car.”
    “I see. And is he parked nearby?”
    “Yeah. Just up the road.”
    “Can you describe Adam's car?”
    “It’s a Jaguar. Dark and sleek. I’m not sure of the model.”
    “Does he open the door for you?”
    “Yeah. I think he does.”
    “And what’s it like inside?” Dr. Ramirez asked. Stacey’s answers had become vague; taciturn. Either the alcohol had affected her memory after a certain point or she wasn’t keen on remembering the latter part of the evening.
    “Very comfortable. Soft leather seats. It smells like expensive aftershave.”
    “Mm, sounds like a flash car. Stacey, are you still happy to be going home with Adam?”
    “…Yes.”
    “You seem unsure.”
    “No. I’m feeling a bit drowsy, that’s all.”
                  “Is it the alcohol?”
    “I suppose so. And these seats are really comfortable. I just want to go to sleep.”
    “Don’t do that Stacey, not yet. Stay with me a while longer, keep concentrating on my voice. Where does Adam live?”
    “The West Hills.”
    “And you’re heading there now?”
    “Yeah but….” Her voice cut off, her eyelids bunching anxiously.
    “Talk to me, Stacey,” Dr. Ramirez said. “What’s happened?”
    “He’s just asked about my cat,” Stacey said quickly. “It’s freaking me out because I haven’t mentioned Jasper at all. Now he’s saying it was only a wild guess…but I don’t like the way he’s looking at me. His face is cold, all of a sudden. I’ve asked him to take me home.”
    Karl held his breath while Dr. Ramirez asked: “And does he object?”
    “No. He’s turned the car around.”
    “So he’s driving you home.”
    “Yeah.”
    Karl and Dr. Ramirez exchanged a worried look. They both knew Stacey hadn’t made it home that night, meaning something unpleasant was about to take place. Dr. Ramirez waited for Karl to give a nod of approval before proceeding. 
    “Okay Stacey, you’re doing extremely well. Just remember, whatever happens, you’re completely safe. You’re reliving a memory that seems very real but it’s in the past. Nothing can hurt you now, you understand? Just keep listening to my voice and you’ll be fine.”
    “I know,” Stacey said calmly.
    “Good. Now I want you to tell me what happens after Adam promises to take you home. Do you remember getting out of the car?”
    Stacey’s eyelids bunched again. “No…that’s weird. I can see us heading back towards downtown, but I can’t remember crossing the river.”
    “Perhaps you fell asleep,” Dr. Ramirez suggested. “You were feeling tired after dinner.”
    “Mm. Yeah, that must be…” Stacey didn’t finish her sentence. Her entire body had stiffened.
    “What’s wrong?” Dr. Ramirez asked.
    Stacey’s eyebrows rose high in her forehead, her closed lids strained. The muscles in her jaw locked, preventing her from speaking.
    Karl instinctively rose in his seat, preparing to comfort her, but he was halted by a sharp look from Dr. Ramirez. He understood the doctor’s meaning. If he intervened now, he’d never learn what happened to his sister.
    “It’s okay, Stacey,” Dr. Ramirez continued. “I know this is difficult, but it’s important we see this through to the end. And remember, I’m right here beside you. This is only a memory, and I’m going to help you through it every step of the way.”
    The doctor waited for Stacey’s muscles to relax slightly. Then she said: “Tell me where you are.”
    “In a plain white room,” she said in