Chapter 2 - The Doll

When I first stepped into the room it seemed barren, it was as if no one had been there for at least a million years. The room was mostly empty, nothing more than a tomb for roaches, or maybe even rats, by the looks of it. The light that kept me company from the safety of the doorway fled when the door was quickly thrown shut behind me, leaving only a thin line tracing the bottoms of my feet. The room seemed even emptier now that the darkness had refused my little offering of light, or so it seemed to my eyes, who had not quite adjusted to what little light there was. A tiny window tried in vain to brighten the room, and only succeeded in casting a neon glow against the grim floors.

I was trying for the door and looking for the knob, when a voice that seemed all at once to be young and ancient, both innocent and darkly ageless spoke up from the deepest corner of this forsaken little room. “She says that she's sorry you're broken”, the voice whispered out. Turning from my desperate attempts to open the door, I saw a little girl step into the wonderful radiation-like glow from the lonely window. She was tiny and dressed in what, I can only guess, was once a white dress. Both the girl and the dress looked tattered and shredded, to old for this world. The hem drug on the ground, and she was standing barefoot with black dirt covering much of her pale skin, as well as her blonde hair.

She held a doll up to me that was in even worse condition than she herself was. It was a sad, filthy little thing, with one arm almost torn off. Its smile was unnerving, it seemed to want to say everything you hid so dearly. It seemed to know, and the light fell across its eyes. It could see into me. “She's broken too.” the girl said again, almost too quiet to hear. Her words where more of a sigh than anything else, and she barely seemed to be speaking to me at all. She held the disturbing little doll close to her and stroked its torn arm. “Broken, broken, bro-ken little ones, such pretty little things…” she sang, cooing and rocking it in her arms.

“I am not broken! I'm fine, why can't you see that?” I finally managed to say, far too loud for the small, shadow infested room. She pretended not to hear me, and continued to sing to her demon baby. “I'm not broken, I'm fine. I am not broken… I am not… broken.” I said, my voice flooding over with so much held back. I sank back against the wall, sinking to the floor when I felt I couldn't stand anymore. “I am…” I said, much quieter now. It was more of a sigh really, than anything else. The girl crept over to me until she was just at my feet. “She says you should rest.” She stopped to listen to the doll again, “She says the others are waiting for you, and that it won't be long yet.” She paused yet again. “Transitions should be revered, she wants me to tell you, and to keep waiting, keep watching. They'll be here.”

“She doesn't want to be here-“ voices from another room, though the wall by my head. “This has to be the last time-“, I can't keep listening to this. “She's your daughter too you know!” That's it. I pull my self off of my bed, and grab my bag, stuffing it full of clothes and what little money I have. I'm still putting my coat on as I walk into the kitchen. “Is that him?” I ask, too fiercely. She looked more upset than I've ever seen her before. “Yes it is, this is what you want, isn't it? I can't seem to keep you here without you getting yourself into-.” That's when I left, but not before yelling “Tell him I'm not waiting for him any more, I'm leaving him this time!” I slammed the door and let that gratifying sound announce my leaving. There was no way I was staying here, and there was no way I was staying with him, not now, not after-

I sat up, finding myself still in that dark place. My back hurt from leaning against this hard wall, and my bag was there as my only comfort, my only link back. “You've rejoined us”, the girl said. When she came closer and saw the drying tears on my cheeks she looked surprised. “Don't be sad,” she smiled shyly. “Look” she said, holding up her misfit toy. “I've fixed her”.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment