Humane

Chapter 16

The servants had pulled my hair into a tight pony and clothed me carefully in a black, silk dress. It was my coronation day - a fancy term only a Queen would use, a substitute word for my upcoming murderous phase. I did not dare to look at the mirror, however, because not only would I see Marlon's bleeding reflection upon the fine glass... I would also see myself, a Doll.

I did not want my violent self to unlock just yet.

"Is that your chosen rose?" The Queen breathed down on my neck. Her actions were clear as day; she was intoxicating me, snuffing out the last of my rationality before I found myself facing my own kind.

It failed to bother me, however, since I managed to prick myself with the sharp thorns littering the rose's stem to stay conscious. "Yes."

"Very good. Now, then, shall we go to the Theater?"

"Okay." I gently ran my fingers through the patterns of the fully-bloomed flower that would be preserved in the name of Marlon Lowe. I had plucked it when I found myself being drawn toward it through the windows of my chamber. The flower was the most wondrous blueish-white rose from the Queen's garden and I hoped it could convey just how much he had been treasured in his short life.

Its symbolism hurt me deeply, making me despise every speck of my existence another time, but I couldn't help it physically or mentally.

The Queen took my hand and guided me to the heart of the Magical Empire. I followed her deeper and deeper into a series of staircases and hidden doors. The twisted maze was made within the castle for the utmost protection of the Theater, the source of all entertainment, guarded by a set of huge doors which were almost four times Ava's height.

I was again greeted by the terrible blue light... However, this time around, it was not discomforting at all. I briefly pondered, My eyes have adjusted quite well somehow? before coming to a realization I had not considered. I urgently inspected the body I inhabited, out of fear, and–

I witnessed Ava's worst nightmares come to life.

Her skin had hardened and her pupils only expanded. She was, in fact, not even in a human form. She was me, a mobile porcelain Doll, in all essence. I was no longer the one possessing, but simply the owner of this body. Even if I were to suppress myself, Ava would never return the same.

I broke her.

The red seats were all the same; a reminder of the countless lives lost to this game of ours, a reminder of all the lives that were ruined for no fault of theirs except surviving, a reminder of the lives forgotten in their world and never mourned for.

Behind me was a humongous screen where the Miracle Ball projected the happenings of the human world; I had watched Astria Lowe and Maree take their final breaths on this very screen.

How I did not mourn the slightest for the victims prior to Maree, I had no idea. Cruelty was a norm that raised no doubts... And morals were only the foolish ideas humans brought about.

The Queen motioned at me with her beautiful eyes. Her message carried over to me perfectly, as if she were speaking in my ear. Go on, place the rose. We have your hometown to visit hereafter.

I swallowed and passed the Miracle Ball, certain that it was being connected to home and would soon air me putting an end to those I had once wished to protect. The Queen enjoyed this instant of my despair. She took relentless advantage of my weakness, because we both had a fair idea of how weak I was within the body of a human without bloodlust. And for that alone, I could not risk turning my back on her.

She had drilled her agenda into me.

Created with strengths and weaknesses defined, I was a sacrifice the moment I was sent over to the human world and forced to replicate into a thousand dolls. If there was ever an existing means to break through, some hybrid through the centuries would have found it, and the same would have been patched up by now.

I was on the Queen's leash, with absolutely no escape.

I trembled slightly as I walked up the stairs, passing the harsh reminders packed in the form of several rows, wondering how many had died bitterly - until I reached Astria and Maree's seats.

Maree had been like a sister to me, my knife was her gift, but she was gone... And I, too, would be soon.

I was somewhat glad that she didn't have to face this monstrosity - she was not given the chance to mature and have her Magick manifested, due to Marlon Lowe taking the matter into his own hands. But, perhaps, somewhere deep within, I wanted to reverse time and escape alongside her. We thought we could have the world when we were young, so unaware that the very same world was against us.

It was all wistful thinking...

Even that one time I believed that I could kill my tormentors. And that other time when I felt Ava and I, together, would be an undefeatable duo if I could split the body between us.

They were all dreams that were never meant to be.

Nothing was ever... real.

I tilted the rose to a perfect forty-five degree angle and allowed it to fall upon a seat that popped up right between the two's seats. Dazed, I stood over the seat for a few minutes with no thoughts running through my mind.

"You done, sweetie?" The Queen's voice echoed as she approached me.

It hurt so, so, so much, even though I had perfectly accepted that Marlon was dead. That only meant–

I tipped over and fell, all of a sudden. My legs gave away and so did my arms, and the next thing I knew, a sickening knot in my stomach formed as I threw up. It was extremely confusing and painful, but when I glanced at the Queen rushing over to help me on my feet...

I really, really, really wanted to separate her head from her body.

~~

A/N: The return of Ava!

My apologies if the chapter is weird. It's not exactly lazy writing, but it's not my best either.

3 more chapters to go, and I'm terrified I will not be able to make it. This chapter alone took me over a week because I just couldn't write. I will do my best, as always, but if worst comes to worst, please understand I will upload the drafts for the remaining! My drafts are particularly bad, unfortunately, but after submitting the story for Round 3, I will have them all edited as soon as possible.

Thank you for reading!