Overnight In A Bad Spot
Alma toples off the shelf and onto an old, squeaky, lime green couch. Two dolls bounced as Alma landed. She let out a gasp as she falls onto the hard, grimy tiles of the doll emporium. She rolls over to her side catching a quick glance of a boy speeding towards her with his squealing trycicle. “Eek” she yelped. The boy only stops at her right, plastic thumb. He tries to get her attention by letting his tricycle bump into her. Alma is annoyed, anxious and now terrified. She can’t help it. The doll looks so well made and its appearance is her own self! Alma always longed for a sister and the doll is perfect. Now she feels terrible and worried. She quivers and is really nervous. Suddenly the boy and his tricycle manage to turn over a troubled Alma and her doll-like eyes continue to click as she observes her surroundings whilst also puffing out loudly.
In the distance innocent girly giggles echoed nearer and nearer to the so-called shop. Alma hears them and is urging her mini self to stand up. It seems like a real struggle. All the dolls around her are staring. She is the only one who moves and tries unlike all of the other dolls who just sit there accepting their life. Alma feels like giving up too. It is noticeable how her eyes move slowly and not as active as her human self. Alas, Alma still layed there, hopelessly, unable to move.
Two girls walked by the shop but quickly came to a halt. It was a young but tall girl who had a face of cheer. Shining, silver eyes with a tiny, smudged nose and small, pale chapped lips. Her long flowing braid sat at her shoulder whilst a little redheaded girl with big dreamy eyes stared into the misty barrier between the shop and where they were. “Rosa you know we can’t get that” The girl said shyly. The little girl walked with her but her eyes never left what she saw. A replica of herself. “Meireia, can’t we just take a look” Rosa softly mumbled. Meireia sighed, it was nearly Christmas time and the least she could do was let her do what she asked for. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt anybody...” Meireia mumbled. She grasped her sister’s hand and walked towards the wooden door. Her hand opened the door so effortlessly that it seemed the door opened by itself! The sisters banged their boots on the small oval rug. Rosa giggled as she rushed over to the doll until a sound was ringing in her ears. It was like a ringtone that would become faint but would quickly come to full volume. Meireia's face expression seemed as if she was feeling uncomfortable. Eyes were stapled around her. Dolls eyes. Rosa was trying to find that sound she was hearing came from. Meireia was walking around and saw a doll. A doll with big blue eyes, faint blonde hair, a purple beanie with a full on winter outfit. She picked it up and a tag was poking out. It was named ‘Alma’. “Pretty name, but a bit weird” Meireia exclaimed loudly. Rosa on the other hand gave up on her mini treasure hunt but instead focused on the red themed doll. Rosa was about to touch it when her sister yelled “time to go now!” Rosa sighed. She waved bye to the doll and held her sister’s mittened hands ready to leave. Even though she didn’t get to touch the doll she was fine and appreciated the time she had spent in the shop. Her sister. Meireia was still feeling, maybe that's why she wanted to leave so quickly. She put Alma back on the empty shelf which she supposed was where she was displayed. The sisters hurried over to the door as Meireia began jiggling the door handle. It seemed to not want to let them out. She tried again and again and again. It simply just wouldn’t budge. Meireia began sweating. She was afraid of the door. It welcomed them into the store but now it seemed it was trapping them in. Rosa was getting worried. It was visible in her sister’s face too.
The sisters soothed each other together, both letting go of each other’s hands. Meireia paced around the room staring at the grimy tiles. It was nearly dark. The sun was creeping down the horizon. Rosa took her time to look at the doll and was again about to touch it. Fortunately her sister stopped her again. “Don’t touch that Rosa, you never know what it could do. Here, use this one” she handed Alma to her in the middle of her sentence. Alma was staring blankly at the emerald eyes of Rosa. It had been hours and it seemed Meireia gave up on everything. They were stuck for some unknown reason. It seemed impossible. By now it had been dinner time and everyone went home to eat and sleep. Rosa was tired, Meireia was sitting against a plain wall which was unusual as every area around her was covered with dolls on shelves, in boxes and any flat surface. But it was empty. Empty enough to think it would be filled with something later on.
Meireia gestured to her sister to come sit with her. “You know ma and pa will come look for us. It’s fine” Meireia softly said. They cuddled together awaiting the daylight.
