Sticky Pieces

Chapter 8: Groom's Doll

I had a good time at my first amusement park with Coriander. It was nice to get lost with him like it was our own kingdom. We were in another city and away from our group. So I got to appreciate him in another way, but I loved how he stayed the same. The good. I am talking about how he not only held my hand, but embraced me fully by my side. The only tease was him threatening to tickle me. Which had me going flat face. That was a normal thing, but he held back on that. So, yet again, I got to appreciate him in another way. It was like a vacation. Which made me smile. With him.

But anything good has to end somewhere. Days blurred into nightmares as I waited hopelessly for Coriander's return. From what ever trip. There were no welcoming dreams from who really mattered.

My suspicions grew.

* * *

Standing at my highest proved to be my lowest as I lowered myself from my tiptoes and stepped away from the edge of the skyscraper I was on. What was I really trying to prove?

Crystallized skyscrapers began falling silently like domino's before the rude awakening of the collapse against one another. I used my distance for a running head start and jumped over the empty fear below me to place my feet on the solid cold stone of another skyscraper. A medium size well with the same stone managed to stand out without a fancy roof. I grabbed a small silver bucket on the ground beside it. They were the only things here. Like me, the bucket was supposed to be holding on to importance, but strings weren't enough to keep some things attached. I extended my arm and regrettably dropped the bucket down the well as I stared at nothing standing in the sky.

Without another sound I threw my legs up over the well and sat on its ledge long enough to scoot off into it to follow after the dumped bucket. I hoped to find a way out. The craziest thing was feeling nothing. One casual blink later I was standing upright in my home. Somehow. My house was simple compared to those skyscrapers, but still standing despite being dusted over with its new age.

Shifting my weight was enough to know my house was in a decrepit state. Everything was fine before this. Silence was greeted and reunited as I walked across the rotten floor deadpanned. The unevenness beneath my feet caused me to take a shaky step up to my room and hold unto the door knob to steady myself. I wanted to crash comfortably on my lowered bed.

Wants were far from met when I opened my door and almost slammed it shut to a dressy looking doll lying on its back, arms sprawled out in the middle of the floor. This doll was like no other doll. It never would be considering it was the only thing in the way of my bed. I couldn't fathom its simplicity. It was so simple in a creepy way, not some remarkably fair way.

Fairy tale endings with a prince did not exist here, I thought.

I decided to open the door more slowly to not literally throw myself off guard. If I had to shut the door again. Once I did, a few chuckles escaped from inside my room. In my prepared horror, I shut the door like it was no big deal.

Not a living soul could be seen in the house. I knew that meant nothing as usual. The laughter had abruptly ceased. With the root of my induced fear growing my grip on the door knob stayed firmly planted, which meant I never let the latch bolt back in its place. I was afraid to make any noise.

Who was I to challenge? This was my house, but any home feelings had changed. I was now a stranger and tilted my head to the side. I decided I could risk one tiny peek at the least. I was more prepared with the shocks reminding my heart I was alive. I didn't want to go there.

Slower than imagined, I barely cracked the door open. The doll remained in its same spot and was actually wearing a white bridal gown. The only thing not covered was her arms where she had spaghetti straps and her face where the veil was pushed back. What had changed was the fact she was cracking a smile. It stayed like that for as long as I stayed frozen in place. My heart skipped a beat, reminding me I had to breathe or I would have to have my heart shocked again.