29
KATARINA
The night felt never-ending. The only blip in my solitude was the doctor visiting me again and injecting me while I struggled to wake up from my half-slumber. After that shot, I fell into a deep, drugged sleep.
I woke up with the man who told me his name was Ivan leaning over me, shaking me hard enough to rattle my teeth. Where was I? Why was I here in this unfamiliar house?
“Move it. We’re late.”
He yanked me up by the arm so hard something tore in my shoulder, making me cry out. Ivan ignored my sound of pain. I struggled to my feet as he pulled a moth-eaten white lace dress from the huge, dark-wood wardrobe at one end of the room.
“Wear this.”
I looked distrustfully at the dress.
“Now!” he shouted roughly, sending my nerves on high alert. He pounded a fist against the door on his way out. “Put it on now. If not, I’ll put it on for you and I won’t be gentle.”
As soon as he left, I grabbed the dress. I didn’t know exactlywhy I was sure, but I believed his threat. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I took off my clothes and tugged the old dress over my head. It smelled like mothballs. The lace was scratchy and the sleeves restrictive. I saw myself in the mirror and glanced away. I resembled a sacrificial virgin in the old-fashioned dress, and having met the man who was waiting for me, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to think I could be.
The door banged open, and the same man appeared. Someone lurked behind him in the hallway in a white lab coat. A doctor? He had a syringe in his hand, and I instinctively backed up, but he advanced too quickly.
The needle burned like a wasp sting as it went into my thrashing arm.
“You’re ready? Let’s go.” Ivan turned away, expecting me to follow.
I did, slowly. “Where are we going?” I asked.
We left the small apartment and stepped out onto a dingy, cold landing.
“Church.”
I was shiveringby the time I got out of the car beside a small church, tucked away down a quiet street. Ivan manhandled me out of the back seat and crouched beside the driver-side window.
“Go and get it over with.” The doctor sat at the wheel.
“You don’t want to come and see? Three fucking years I’ve been waiting for this. It had better be worth it.”
The doctor nodded at me. “It’ll be worth it. Trust me. I’ll see you later.”
“Come on, lazybones, let’s go to a wedding,” Ivan said.
Now the odd, Gothic-looking lacy dress made sense. Though wearing a white lace dress to another woman’s wedding felt tacky.
Ivan smirked at me, and there was nothing tender or caring about the expression. He seemed full of sadistic energy. I wondered what it must feel like to be so energetic. I could barely keep my head up. I wobbled after him, stopping once to retch. I felt so sick. Ivan barely gave me a second to recover, tugging me along and muttering about how disgusting I was.
Inside the church was quiet and still. I swayed on the spot, and a priest approached. There was no one else there. Were we the first to arrive?
“This is her?” The priest eyed me doubtfully.
Ivan nodded.
“Okay, well, let’s get started.” The priest sounded resigned. He kept glancing around nervously like he was doing something he shouldn’t be.
He led us to a small dais and faced us.
“What’s happening?” I asked Ivan.
He smirked. “We’re finally getting married. I’ve waited fucking ages for this, so don’t ruin it.”