Lingering Shadows

wo years later

"Sis you really have to stay strong for us. Look how messed up you are, the stray jacket and all. It really hurts to see you like this and I swear I'd give anything to be in your position right now. I really need you", Audrey whispered while looking at Lana from the glass window in the asylum. "Is she fit to go now?", she faced Mariana, her sisters therapist for the past year with her question.

"Psychologically your sister is fit, she just needs one more therapeutic session according to my schedule then she's free to go today", Mariana replied with her eyes fixed on Dallas.

"Has she hurt herself ever since then?", Audrey asked, pulling her hazelnut brown eyes away from Mariana and back to her sister.

"She hasn't", was the short reply of Mariana as she jotted somethings down on her notepad.

"Then can they please take off the stray jacket? It looks horrible and out of fashion place ", Audrey replied with a short but sad laugh.

"That will be done now I suppose ", Mariana said to Audrey. "Help her take off the stray jacket and bring her to my office for her final session ", she ordered one of the female guards. "Audrey you have been very strong for your sister and that's what she needs the most, I think you really helped her recover fast", Mariana said to Audrey as the started the walk back to her office.

"Yeah, my mom always said I'm the stronger one of the two of us. Though I wish our mom were here to encourage us", she replied the therapist with a sigh.

"You'll have to wait outside for us to go over this therapy session Audrey", said Mariana with a flip to the side of her wavy ginger coloured back length hair.

"Of course, I know the process doc. I'll be here if you need anything", she replied as she watched the therapist slide into her office followed by her sister who she gave a wink to.

"Well you don't have to live your life ", her therapist said with her head tilted to the side and a very small but noticeable smile on her model sized lips. "What do you mean?", Dallas asked, with an arc of her left brow. "You can live as others in a-." Mariana started but was cut off by Dallas.

"Impersonation? Isn't that supposed to be a crime?", she asked with an apologetic smile before turning her gaze to the brown painted wall behind Mariana.

"Not that. There are many ways to chanel your thoughts to something... useful in order not to think of harming yourself or others. Like reading books, being lost in that magical world has helped many of my patients and it could help you live a thousand lives. It's that simple ", Mariana adviced before leaning into her seat and waiting for a reply.

"Is-is there a way for me to get my memory back? Pills, needles? Anything?", was all Dallas asked.

Mariana tapped her pen on the table for a few seconds before leaning closer and replying to Lana's expected question, "Well for now you'll just have to be close to your family and the things that you used to love, but I'll call in doctor Michaels to prescribe you something ", Mariana picked up the office phone and dialed a number, after the second ring the doctor picked up and agreed to come over immediately.

"Congratulations on your last session Dallas, I was supposed to say that earlier on. Please don't mind my manners", Mariana said to her before there was a knock on the door, followed by a double knock, it sounded like Doctor Michaels was using his both hands to go "rap rap rap" on the door.

"Come on in Michaels", Mariana called out to him so the awful sound would stop.

"Thank you Mariana, Dallas. Congratulations, it's the last one. I really am happy for you dear", he said as he shut the door behind him.

Dallas gave the slightest nod of her head with a smile, Doctor Michaels was one of the weird doctors to her. He always acted so nice and it felt so fake.

"So what am I here for?" he asked, referring to Mariana.

"Actually she just asked if there's a fast way to get her memory back and I thought you'd be the best person to ask since you've been attending to her", Mariana replied.

"A way. Of course there's a quick way", he hummed out his answer. "But I'll have to go get the drugs from my office, I'll be back in a jiffy ladies", he added, then he was off like the wind.