Page 12 of The Dollmaker

“Thatta girl. Are you ready to go into your box?” I ask as I tie a bracelet around her tiny wrist.

“Yes, please.” She answers, hopping into my arm. I place her inside her box and seal it with a note. Moving her aside.

Picking up the next one, my phone begins to play by itself and my brows furrow. Never having heard of the song, I get to work, but the doll keeps wiggling like it wants to dance. So I pick her up and dance to the rhythm of the beat swaying around the room, giving her a dip here and there. “I see you have a little mind of your own. This will be perfect for when you are set free, little Pin,” I tell her as the song “Pin Pon.” ends and we sit back down at my desk. I thread in her long black wavy hair, then take my small scissors and cut bangs straight across her forehead, wiping the excess hair from her porcelain skin.

Grabbing the paintbrush, I lightly dip it into the black then swoosh it into the brown painting in her eyes. “Hmm. What color dress shall you wear? A pink one?” I ask, but she shakes her little head. “Okay, Gray?” and she shakes her head again. Rifling through the box of clothes, I find the perfect one. A Carmine red long-sleeved velvet dress with white stockings and black Mary Jane shoes. “You look gorgeous, Pin, but something is missing.” I say and then I spot it, a pearl necklace with a clear bead. Taking the needle, I stab my finger and squeeze, watching the blood pool, then open the little bead and place droplets of my blood inside it until it's full. Closing it shut, I wrap it around her tiny neck, clasping it shut and maneuvering the blood bead so it lays against the bottom of her throat. “Perfect,” I breathe, kissing her cheek. Finishing her up and adding her bracelet, I place her down into another box, sealing it with a note and putting her aside. Taking a deep breath, I stretch my arms out and take another sip of my sweet tea before starting the next doll.

Suddenly, my little spider friend comes crawling across my desk and my eyes widen. “My oh my. This whole time I thought you were a boy, but look at you with your sac of eggs, little lady.” I laugh as she rests next to my small basket of threads. Lookingdown at the box, I see I have six more to make. Funny how they were all able to conceive kids, but me—and Tatum thinks it’s even funnier to send me a fucking invitation.

Well, once my little creations begin their taunts, they will have no one to blame but her and themselves. They are lucky to still be breathing. I huff and take a deep breath, trying to not get myself worked up, so I pick up the next doll and smile. This one is a little special to me. Taking out the long strands of blonde hair, I do the same as I did to the others. Her eyes differ from the rest. One orb is a deep blue, while the other is a mahogany brown. Lifting the scissor, I cut bangs to frame her face then reach for my phone and press play, humming “Row, row, row your boat" while dressing her in a nautical blue and white dress that has a bow on its collar. I slip on white stockings and Mary Jane shoes, along with a sailor's hat on her head. “Edith, my sad girl. Your life won’t be easy, but your mama is one of the good ones. Unfortunately for your daddy, he needs to pay. Make it hurt not only for me but for your mama.” I sing, placing her in another box and this time I don’t leave a note. She doesn’t need one. Tears stream down my face as the visions of the future hit like a ton of bricks. I swallow back the lump caught in my throat for yet another loss coming our way.

The clock strikes twelve dinging across the room, causing me to jump.Christ. That damn clock always scares the shit out of me.I get up and take a small break, walking towards the bay window, knowing I need to finish these dolls before nightfall. This is my life. Nothing but silence and boredom. Sighing, I sit back down and look into the box for the next one and notice one doll lost her head.What the hell?Moving them around, I finally find it and pick it up, popping it back into place, but it keeps coming off, then my phone blares “Pop goes the weasel,” repeatedly.Jesus christ.

“You’re going to be a wild one, aren’t you? Will you just stay put or you are going to force me to sew you and I don’t want to do that,” I say and once again, it pops off. “One more chance, Bessy, or I’m sinking this needle right into your neck.” I threaten as I place her head back on her shoulders and wait a few seconds. “See, you’re such a good girl.” I say, grabbing the red ringlets and sewing them into her skin, then painting her eyes an amber color. Looking down at the desk, my little spider mama keeps flicking her leg at the brush sitting in the paint.

“Oh, so you think this is Bess’s color?” I ask as she continues to tap at the paint. “Alright Spider Mama, you got it.”

Lifting the brush, I draw lips on Bess’s face, coloring them a blood red. Reaching into the box, I take out a white dress with mother-of-pearl buttons and slip it onto the doll, then finish her with red booties. As I tie the bracelet around her tiny wrist, I notice her holding an animal mask. “I can’t wait to see what you are capable of. You might just be my favorite yet.” I whisper, hoping the other dolls don’t hear. I put her in a box and seal it with a note, setting it with the others.

“Why do I smell smoke?” Looking around the room, I see nothing lit. That incense is long gone. I glance down and see a doll with a burn mark on her hand. Gently, I take her out and look her over.How the fuck? And why is she wearing cat ears? These dolls truly are running the show with this. Sheesh.My phone begins to play yet again with a sinister song that has chills running up my spine. “Ring around the Rosey,” “That makes a lot of sense. When you burn them, you must be careful Lily. Don’t hurt yourself in the process, but I want to smell their charred skin. I want to feel their pain when you set them alight.” I laugh maniacally as I sew in her black hair and color in her dark blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Placing a white dress on her, I add the cat ears back onto her head and smile. “Ashes, ashes, they all fall down,” I whisper, placing a kiss on the top of her head as I tie thebracelet around her wrist and put her in the box, sealing it with a note. “All of you are going to make me so proud.” I coo as I look up at the clock, making sure I’m not running out of time.Only three more left.

Rubbing my eyes, darkness consumes me as a violin melody plays in the distance and a doll comes to life before me, her skin paler than the others, with long black curls, cold blue eyes and plump red painted lips, wearing a white nightdress. My eyes widen as she smirks, sitting down at the edge of my desk.

“Hello Dollmaker I’m Seraphina. It’s nice to finally meet you,” she states and I stick my hand out for her to shake.

“It's my pleasure. I see you made my job very easy this afternoon. I appreciate it.” I say and she laughs.

“Well, with all things considered,” she says, looking me up and down. “I try my best. I know what my job is and I’m here to let you know they will suffer for what they did to you. Don’t worry. They will be dealt with in the most brutal way possible,” she grins, her face transforming into something horrific.

“Thank you Seraphina. Are you ready for your box?” I ask, tying the bracelet around her wrist and she nods, jumping into it and laying down. Shutting her lid after placing the card inside, I place her box with the others as Spider mama comes towards me.

“I wish you could speak so I knew what you needed,” I say to her as she weaves down her web and into the box, tapping everything I need for the next doll.

Sewing in shoulder length black hair and painting in hazel eyes and dressing her in a deep red dress with white stocking and black boots, spider mama comes to sit on her shoulder. The doll blinks and a spider comes out of her mouth.Interesting.A soft melody plays on my phone and I laugh.

“Itsy, bitsy, spider? Really?” I say and then I hear a whisper.

“Is this what you want? To go with Sadie? That's what I named her. She whispered it to me because she's nervous around you and this other spider.” I say to spider mama, but then I hear another whisper. “Oh, his name is Kai, and apparently you are both going home with her. So hop in, Spider mama.” I laugh as she weaves her web onto Sadie’s body, hiding in her hair with Kai at her side. “Sadie, make her choke. You know who I am talking about. But save him for me. I command and she smiles sinisterly before I close her box, not sending a note because fuck him and fuck her.

Taking a deep breath, I look down and see the last doll in the box. This one I’ve been dreading to make and I’m going to put it off for a while. At least until I make a decision. It’s not time and I’m not ready to send her off with the others.

A yawn escapes my lips as the doorbell rings. I gather all the boxes and place them on the cart and bring them to the dumbwaiter and lift all the dolls inside, pressing the button to send them down. Leaving the room, I walk down the stairs and answer the door. Swinging it open, I see Stella, and she looks at me with mischief in her eyes causing me to grin from ear to ear.

“Are you sure you can get this done for me?” I ask, and she nods.

“I’m positive. They deserve the pain coming to them,” she says as she rubs her large belly.

“It will be okay. She will be okay. Don’t worry,” I tell her as tears spring in her eyes.

“I know, I’m just scared,” she says and I reach for her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

“You will tell her when it's time, right? Tell her the truth before it’s too late,” I ask, and she nods again.

“I promise. I will not let you down,” she assures me, and I walk over to the dumbwaiter and retrieve the boxes, handing them to her.

“Thank you. Don’t be a stranger. I’ll be here if you need me,” I tell her, and she nods.

“See you soonSavannah.” she says, turning and walking down the steps.

“Eenie! Meanie! Miney! Moe!” My voice, tight with fury, spits out each word like a venomous curse. “Off you go, my little dolls…”