The Devil's Daughter

Broken Dolls

I lie in my bed and stare up at the plain ceiling. The top of my room was white and had little swirls dancing around each other as if fighting for my attention. The red comforter was fluffed around me and the black satin sheets whisper quietly as they slide across my skin. I brought this bedspread set from home, they remind me of my family and friends I left. I turn over and lay on my side, curling into the fetal position as I pulled down one of my red pillows and hugged it to my chest. My hair spread over the covers and curled around my head softly. I stare at the wall, not seeing the flower patterns or comfortably soft colors, but instead I see Lola's silky, silver hair that hangs over her waist, almost touching her butt and I see her sparkling silver-blue eyes as deep as the sea and just as lonely. Her eyes were hauntingly sad, as if she had to grow up too fast and been lied to a lot in the process. She is hauntingly sad, like a glass doll about to be shattered. My eyes closed tightly as that thought triggered my memory and I saw my mother with her tired hazel eyes looking at me in disgust, her black hair streaked with white and puled up sharply from her face in a practical bun. She was screaming at me and I was a little girl again, staring up at my mother bending above me, towering above me and all I could do was cry as she picked up my favorite china doll and threw it on the floor. The doll's face looked up at me, seeming as if she was crying even though her ruby red lips never shifted from their smiling position and her big blue eyes never blinked. Her hair was in shiny blonde ringlets and they shimmered through the air, her black and white checkered dress fluttering around her gracefully as my mother threw her. The serene face of my beautiful doll shattered, her head exploding and the doll's sharp china shot through the air, piercing my skin and slicing me as if attacking me for allowing the doll to be broken along with my heart. Tears welled in my eyes and fell down my round cheeks silently as my mother slapped me and stormed out of the room, slamming the door. I fell to my knees, the pieces of my friend's body piercing my skin again, blood sliding down my skin where I had been cut. I touched the pieces softly as I cried silently and I picked up the tattered dress and held it to my chest, pieces of my friend falling out.

        My eyes snapped open as I sat up in my bed, my hands clutching my ears as the shattering sound of my doll echoed in my ears. I could not let that happen to Lola. I jump out of bed and quickly ran out of the room before I could change my mind. I searched everywhere for Lola but she seemed to be avoiding me. I couldn't let this stay on my mind so I was just as determined to find her as she was to hide. It was after work hours so she could be anywhere. I finally found her walking quickly away from me in a barely used hallway on the opposite end of the ship from her room.

        "Lola!" I yelled and I saw her shoulders jump. I knew she couldn't pretend like she didn't hear so she turned hesitantly with a smile on her face. Her eyes were not smiling with her mouth and I stopped in front of her, a concerned pout forming on my face.

        "Yes?" She asked innocently. I decided to ignore the obvious question asking what she was doing because it was quite clear she had been avoiding me and I knew it as well as she did.

        "Let's go get some tea or something." I did not phrase it as a question on purpose and I clasped my hands behind my back, rocking back on my heels. She frowned before nodding slowly.

        "I suppose that is alright."

        "Well come on then!" I say and grab her by the arm, dragging her gently with me to the kitchen. She stumbled at first then looked up at me, shocked.

        "Now!?" I looked down at her, confused.

        "Well, when else would it be?" She looked down at my clothes.

        "Well, I didn't think you meant now because I didn't think anyone drank tea like that." I blinked as I realized I had left my room without changing and I had been ready for bed because it was after hours. I looked down at my outfit before looking back up at her with a completely serious face.

        "It's the reindeer slippers isn't it?" She laughs and finally the haunted look melts from her eyes. I wrap an arm around her and pull her with me, talking about nothing and everything. Maybe now I will be able to put my mind to rest and prove those disgusting words the prisoner said untrue. My eyes were serious as I pushed open the door to the kitchen and pulled out the chair for Lola, gently pushing it in as she sat. My brow knitted together as I turned from her to begin the process of making tea and as she did not see my face, I did not see the smile slide immediately from Lola's face.