Forlot: Welcome to the Dummy House - Book Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Four

The gentleness and respectfulness in Jetzid's eyes were replaced by anger. Anger that no one should mess with even if you want to help him. When people grow upset, leave them be for a little bit. Never be in their presence without their permission. Give them time to release all their anger and sadness and to process. Such a relief to release your frustration - as long as you do not destroy. Punch something soft if you must. I offered him one of my pillows.

"Here," I said just above a whisper. I tossed said pillow on the table. I prayed that Jetzid would relax before he teared the room apart.

Jetzid grabbed the sides of the rolling table and leaned forward. He was breathing hard. It felt like that he was breathing in my ear. He faced me and my new buddies. No. Just me.

I flashed him a gentle smile and rested my hand on my belly. I stretched out my other hand, waiting for him to take it. I was still disappointed that he fibbed about the true Jack. Lied to me and my parents about Alexis. But after my dream of me and Jetzid in front of the sunset, I was not holding a grudge against him. Yes, he fibbed. Kidnapped Alexis and shrunk her down to a doll. Even when she was a doll, she was still ugly. Her big bottom. She does not actually have a big bottom. I like pointing to her butt and comment how huge it is. Her long nails and botox lips. The excessive makeup.

I would not have kept Alexis on the shelf. I would have shoved her in a box or hid her in a corner of the attic. I should ask her if she could breathe as a helpless doll.

Maybe she will quit being her jerky self. Maybe she has learned how it feels to be helpless. Maybe changing her into a doll was the best thing for her. I hope.

Jetzid punched my pillow with every word that he said. "I. Am. Not. Going. To. The. Station. I. Will. Never. Go. To. Prison." The pillow was now as flat as pancakes.

Mmm. Pancakes.

Owen and Anita had leaped out from their seats. Owen stormed to Jetzid. Anita stood close to me and held my other hand. I was pulling back my open hand.

"Oh!"

Jetzid firmly grasped it and massaged his warm thumb on the back of my hand. His expression showed worry. His fury was gone. "I apologize for my outburst. Please understand. I cannot turn myself in. I cannot go to jail. My friends and I cannot be in jail."

Owen pushed his finger into Jetzid's chest. "You all are going sooner or later. Even if we need to drag you guys there."

Jetzid's eyelids drooped. He was annoyed now. "I have a feeling that Janice..." He winked at me. "...is not keen on the idea. Seeing me and my only friends head to jail would break her poor, little heart."

I blushed and immediately looked away. Should I be in love with him? Do I have a serious problem? Do I have Stockholm syndrome or something? He never held me hostage or forced me to love him. He truly loved me.

Would he do anything for me?

"If you love Janice - truly love her - you will head down to the police station and admit what you and your little cronies have been doing," Anita said. "Save us the time and effort and go."

He released my hand and crossed his arms. "And what if I refuse? What if I do not go?"

Owen gripped his arm. "Like I stated, we will drag you. You and your friends."

Jetzid jerked away. "You sure about that?"

Owen squinted. "Is that a threat?"

"Just a mere question. You absolutely positive that you guys - one recovering from a gunshot wound - can take me and my friends to station?"

"Yep. I may be a bit chubby, but I have the courage and strength of a lion."

"You were crying and worrying the entire time that you and Anita were stuck in my basement."

Owen hesitated. "...that is irrelevant."

"I am pointing out that lions do not cry and scream for their mommy. But you are courageous in other areas - like standing up to a magical dummy. It would be easy to get what I desire." He turned to me and Anita. "I can injure both Owen and Anita - or end them and hide the corpses so my secret stays just that. A secret. I can turn Janice into a living doll - not your regular doll. She will stay in the Dummy House forever. I will hypnotize her. Then she will fully devote herself to me. We will marry. Maybe we will have kids. As many kids as her body can handle."

I was staring at him with wide eyes. "I am too young to get married or have kids."

Anita moved her hand to my arm and began patting it. "Even if you hypnotize Janice to love you, it will not be the love that you seek. True love. She will be a hostage. A puppet. Your puppet. Your slave."

Jetzid pointed to her. "I would never treat Janice like a slave!"

Before Anita could reply, we heard knocks on my door. A bald-headed man was leaning into my room. He was smiling and had a clipboard. He must be my doctor.

"Janice? May I come in?" he asked.

"Sure."

Anita and Owen sat back down, but Jetzid disappeared without me noticing. I quickly scanned the small room. He was nowhere to be found. Why did he leave? Where did he go?

The doctor stood by my bed. "What are your pronouns, Janice?"

I was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"What pronouns do you use?"

"Now what do you think?"

He laughed. "Kidding. We know that you can only be a boy or a girl."