Dara, Page, and the Secrets of the Multiverse

▷ 16.5

Dara was glad she was alone when all the memories came back in a wild torrent. As if there was a latch somewhere that was freed, everything went back to the way it was, towing Dara's sentiments with it. No wonder Page felt the need to purge them from Dara's mind. All these years, Dara had been living with a woman who had knives for a tongue and clubs for arms.

Dara had thought of escaping for as long as she stayed, but Page was always there, doing her best to leash Dara to her. How did she know? With every gap in the stretch of her recollection, she assumed that was when Page "reset" Dara's head. It was always after a major argument or when Page's actions turned downright violent. The next memory after that would always be a sweet one. And one Dara remembered without intervention.

Just the thought of seeing a sliver of the person who did all those things to her sent her limbs quivering. Page did a number of Dara, and no amount of memory-wiping could change that. How she survived after so many trials, she had no idea. The notion of being largely uncaught after all these years was another baffling matter.

Which brought about another thought—wasn't Page feeling guilt and shame for what she did? Dara had never spent much time with that version of Page, so she had no answer. And by the looks of it, Dara didn't want to try and spend time with that Page either. Dara was better off alone, and if Page decided to show up and ruin that, the year apart told her she had to have several safety measures in place. Page's crimes would be brought to light, even if it was the last thing Dara ever did.

Purchasing an apartment cities away was easier than walking out of the one she spent more than a decade in. Without Page's interception, Dara remembered that day clearly. How she stormed through the apartment, packing in haste, how Page cried and begged for Dara to stay, how both of them raced towards the door, both eager to beat the other to it—everything was there in Dara's head. Perhaps, they remained in Page's too.

A knock resounded from the ante. That should be the pizza she ordered. "Coming!" She yelled as she stuck her foot into her outdoor slippers. Her hands cranked the door open which swung easily to reveal a hooded figure dressed in sweatpants and a cropped jacket. A hat hid the face underneath the brim. There was no pizza box in her hands.

Dara knew who it was. Well enough to swing the door shut as fast as she opened it. Her gut sank to her ankles, bringing another panic attack. She thought she was doing fine, but after just one whiff, she was back to where she started. No. Not this time.

A foot slotted straight into the diminishing space between the door and the frame. Dara didn't hesitate. She rammed the door straight through it. Surprisingly, after a scant gasp, the foot held. Page weaseled her way towards the apartment, gripping the door with whitening knuckles. "Dara, please! I just want to talk—"

"Stay out, or I will call the police!" Dara said, backing away and feeling her pockets for her phone. Shit. She left it on the couch.

As an answer, Page lunged forward, hands outstretched. Strong grips wrapped around Dara's wrists as Page pinned her against the wall. She had always admired Page for her strength, but she had never imagined it would be used against her like this.

"I'd like to see you try," Page breathed against Dara's ears, sending painful shivers down her spine. The fear returned, locking her limbs in place and turning her throat into a desert. No...

Pain exploded against Dara's shins as Page swept her leg past it. She stumbled, head slamming against the protruding edge where the floorboards ended. Through her blurring vision, she felt Page turning her over and straddling her stomach like how she did during their steamy nights. The sound of fingers flicking the side of a syringe rang in Dara's ears. What was Page planning—

Prickling pain ripped in Dara's neck. Page clicked her tongue as Dara's head turned heavy and her limbs damn immovable. "You're a tough nut to crack, you," Page muttered under her breath. Through her fading vision, she saw Page grin and lick her lips as if hungry. "But...no matter. By the time you wake up, you'll be my Dara again. And you won't escape me again. I'll be careful. Very, very careful."

Dara could have fought, but her senses failed one by one. Before everything went away, she heard the familiar rustle of wires and the device powering on. A push of a button, and Dara's life started anew.