A Sordid Story of Blood & Fluff

19: Possession

Powder stared at the empty-looking container that held someone's future. "As long as it's not me," she said, "and that's not Cross." It was for show but her own insensitive words made her wince.

The Monstress made a funny snort. She began dragging the doll body around the table and across the floor to the rug in the center of the room where she laid him on his back. This doll was a little smaller than the others but one of the most beautiful Powder had seen with unusually delicate features. It was difficult to tell what ages the dolls were supposed to be, but this one looked like he was hardly an adult. Her stomach turned as she thought about what may have become of this person in the First Realm.

"I know, pretty, isn't he?" the Monstress said, glowing proud. "He looks like a fairy."

"Did it take you very long to make him?"

"Not very. I'm quite good at this, you know. Once I get the inspiration I work fast."

On the other side of the room in the large glass cabinet, Powder saw something she hadn't noticed before on the top shelf; a collection of tiny glass bottles about the size the Monstress used for spirits. They looked empty as well, but the glass they were made of had a slight purple sheen to it. About to ask what they were for, Powder lifted her hand to point but knocked over the bottle on the table and sent it rolling. She stopped it before it fell, picking it up by the neck and swirling it gently even though there was nothing to be seen.

"Where do the spirits come from?" she asked, pretending nothing catastrophic had almost happened.

"I will be telling you all about it once you get used to the fabric and needles."

"Do you keep more of them in those purple-y bottles in the cabinet?"

"These things build upon each other." The Monstress sighed as though she had never heard such boring questions in all her life. "Normally, I wouldn't have you start with a possession either, but since we're all here you may as well get hands-on experience. Come sit down."

The Monstress knelt on the floor. Once Powder had sat down with her legs criss-crossed the Monstress dragged the inanimate doll in front of her.

"We want to open his mouth as widely as possible," she said.

Powder pushed down the chin to open the mouth, recognizing a gold molar. All the teeth she'd screwed into the jaw shined back at her with mock approval. She wiped her palms on her skirt while the Monstress pulled the cork out of the spirit bottle. The handkerchief was placed over the opening of the bottle and the fabric bubbled up in the middle. The Monstress pinched the scarf at the top to trap it, handing the silk bubble to Powder.

"Don't be afraid. The whole spirit isn't inside the silk. I'm just pinching it with this so that I can hold onto it."

Powder's hand lifted to take it, and her fingers touched the Monstress' during the exchange. They were warm, soft and confident.

"Stop shaking, it's not going to hurt you," the M said. "Lower it slowly over his mouth. Spirits don't usually resist this part so there's no need to pinch that tightly."

Dropping the handkerchief over the doll's gaping mouth, Powder felt like she was feeding him. The memory of Cross's spirit came back to her and the sharp sensation sliding over the back of her tongue.

She lowered the scarf until her fingers hovered just above his lips. At this point the M put her hands on top of Powder's, shutting the doll's mouth and tugging the scarf out between his closed teeth.

"Keep his mouth shut."

"What about his nose?"

"Ha, ha! Dear, the nostrils are much too small for a spirit to escape through! Silly..."