dollface | melanie martinez

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

the next few days passed in an emotional blur that confused clara.

the first thing she and crybaby did was attempt to find robin's file in papa's office; it appeared to have been moved. what's more, clara couldn't press papa at all, seeing that he hadn't been home since before she had visited her grandmother's house, which was the best part of a week ago.

mama had been locked in the third floor bathroom for almost four days straight, which was nearing her personal record; the only person she allowed in was maisie, her favourite maid.

clara was less worried and more annoyed about the fact that she wouldn't be able to quiz mama either. she had spent the last day or two in her bedroom, gazing down at the robin doll and wondering who killed robin.

"where do you think his grave is?" clara asked crybaby, as she climbed out of bed one morning.

crybaby was a little taken aback. "w- what?"

"robin's grave. where do you think it is?" clara repeated as she threw back her curtains to greet the sunrise. "and what do you think it says on the tombstone?"

crybaby heaved a sigh.
"clara, these past few days have been especially tough on you. i'm worried about you, and it's my job to protect you, so today you're gonna take a break from thinking about... all this, okay?"

"it's not that easy, silly," giggled clara.

"i know. which is why i'm going to provide a distraction," replied crybaby a little proudly. "today, dollface, we are going to the fair."

clara's dark eyes lit up. "there's a fair in town?"

"yes there is, and as soon as you're ready we're going to it," crybaby smiled. "come on, let's get you changed."

the two set off, hand in hand, down the street outside of clara's home's gates. clara skipped excitedly, tugging on crybaby's hand and begging her to hurry up so that they could get to the fair already.

by the time they arrived, it was around midday, and fairly busy; crybaby produced clara's coin purse from the folds of her dress and purchased two tickets for them both at the entrance booth. then, finally, they were in.

"it's so pretty," clara breathed as she took in the many elements there was to the fair;

the humming of people and squeals of young children, the whirr of the rides, the flash of the booths, the scent of candyfloss drifting along the air...

"it's perfect," crybaby agreed dreamily. "what will we do first?"

"there's teacups!" clara yelled, rocketing off towards the ride at an alarming speed. laughing, crybaby followed.

the two spent their whole day together at the fair, until dusk, when most people had left.

"it feels like we have the whole fair to ourselves," clara said happily, swinging the arm clutching crybaby's hand. tucked under the other was a teddy bear larger than her that crybaby had won for her, and in her spare hand was a shiny toffee apple.

"it feels so free," nodded crybaby, her face illuminated by the glow of the lights on the stalls they passed. "where to next?"

"i don't kno- there's a carousel?" clara asked in surprise, nearly dropping her toffee apple in an attempt to point. "i swear that wasn't there before."

"never question the magic of the funfair, dollface," crybaby winked as they approached the carousel. "you go on, i'll watch."

clara nodded and smiled happily as she made her way onto the circular platform, scrabbling gracelessly up onto the back of one of the horses.

a music-box chime began to play as her horse bobbed up and down. clara's small hands gripped the pole tightly and her mind began to wander.

what had happened to robin? she knew she hadn't imagined what happened with the robin doll. after all, crybaby had seen it too. who had murdered him? and why? he was a young child; surely no one would have any reason to kill him.

clara was jolted from her thoughts as the carousel juddered to a halt. she hopped off the horse and returned to crybaby's side, notably more dejected than prior to the ride.

"is the day catching up with you?" crybaby asked sympathetically, as clara stifled a yawn. "come on, let's get you home."

clara nodded quietly, taking her giant bear back from crybaby, their hands interlocking again as they made their way out of the fair and down the moonlit lane.

"thank you for making today happy," said clara, in a tone that suggested she was struggling to find the right words to convey her feelings. after a moment, she settled on "i love you."

"i love you too, dollface," smiled crybaby, slowing their pace for a moment to kiss clara's forehead. "now come on, look, we're nearly home."

they slipped through the black manor gates, making their way down the gravel driveway and being sure to stick to the shadows.

"look, we can get in round the back," crybaby whispered to clara, pointing at a door to the side of the house which led to the kitchens, but clara was distracted.

"that's papa's car!" she said excitedly, pointing at the dark automobile rolling down the drive.

the two watched as it stopped where it usually did, although crybaby froze when she saw papa getting out of the with someone in his arms.

"clara- dollface- let's go, now," she said hastily, grabbing her friend's hand again. but clara shook her away, wanting to see her papa.

crybaby rolled her eyes, sensing what the adults were doing, and scooped clara up in her arms, beginning to hurry over to the kitchens door. when a maid exited and began heading towards them, she quickly changed their course towards the main entrance.

"clara!"came a roar from behind them. clara peeped over crybaby's shoulder to see an angry papa waving his fist as he recognised his daughter. "what are you doing?"

"crybaby, he's with... that lady is my governess lucy," clara whispered. "was he kissing miss lucy?"

"i think so," crybaby muttered grimly. they entered the main hall; crybaby's eyes widened as she realised there were people inside, quite contrary to usual. without warning she dropped to the floor in her doll form again, leaving clara to drop onto the floor on top of the giant teddy bear crybaby had been carrying.

"dollface!"
someone, no other than angel, came hurrying towards her little sister, bending over her. "what are you doing? where were you?"

clara scrambled to her feet, picking up her crybaby doll and cradling it to her chest carefully. "crybaby said i've been worrying too much, so she took me to the fair. why are you here, angel?"

"i'm here for grandmother lizzy's funeral tomorrow," angel replied quietly. "clara, a lot is going on in this house right now. take crybaby- and your teddy bear- and go upstairs. someone will bring you food later. until then, talk to no one."

"but- angel, i need to know," said clara desperately. "who killed robin?"

angel's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.
"not now," she hissed. "not so loud. later, okay?"

she stood back up straight and nudged clara towards the stairs.

clara tore up the spiralling staircases as fast as she could, tripping over her teddy bear's long limbs, and collapsed on the floor of her bedroom, her head whirling as she tried to process everything that had just happened.