The Case Of Unexpected Deaths In Little Meadow

IX

The moment Richard stepped into the doll house, he felt goosebump cover his entire body. There was just something indescribable about the place, like a thousand eyes suddenly glared at him when he went in. Dei was also nowhere to be found which did not lessen his anxiety. Add to that, the eery silence enveloping the place. Any one would have questioned their courage. He tried to remain calm and save face to not look like a snivelling idiot. Though he failed to suppress his surprise when someone spoke behind the counter. He almost shrieked, well..almost.

" Good Evening, Welcome to Maine's Haven. What can I do for you ? "

Richard let out a sigh of relief when he saw it was only an old lady. He deduced that she was probably the owner of the place or perhaps a relative of Dei. Though he could not shake the feeling that something was amiss with the old lady. He shook the feeling away and was about to ask for Dei when the old lady spoke again.

" Straight to the back behind the black door. Never stray for the dolls will know. "

Richard was officially weirded out but he still followed her directions. He slowly backed away from the lady and began walking towards the said door. All the while, he was examining the shelves and the dolls intriquite designs. It was unique and look almost alive because of how distinguished the eyes were made. He had never seen such art.

One particular life-size doll caught his attention and it made him stop. It was dressed in a black gothic gown with porcelain skin and hair as black as coal, but what intrigued him more was the fact that it looked exactly like Dei even the eyes. It was the same brown expressive eyes.

" Aren't you beautiful ?. A little creepy but still beautiful. " Richard whispered to himself. The resemblances of it to his classmate was so uncanny that he wanted to touch its lips. Why its lips? He didn't know why.

His finger tips was only a few inches away when he heard the old lady speak again. This time though, there was something different about her voice. It felt more like a warning and not a simple reminder.

" Never stray for the dolls will know. "

The tone behind the old lady's voice made him quickly retract his finger and went straight to the black door. He knocked once then twice but no one answered. Thinking Dei probably was doing something and did not hear him, he decided to just let himself in. Richard took a quick glance at the old lady at the counter before he did though and noticed she was gone. He just shrugged it off and proceeded to enter.

Darkness was the first to greet him but soon when his eyes adjusted, Richard saw Dei sitting in the middle of the room holding an antique oil lamp. It looked as if she was having an arguement with someone and frustration was evident in her voice. He cleared his throat to catch her attention but there was no response. He then tried to call her name as he slowly walk towards his classmate.

" Hey Dei? .. "

" Dei? .."

Richard was only a few feet away from the girl when she turned her head towards his direction and gracefully stood up to greet him.

" Hello Richard, its been awhile. It seems you haven't forgetton everything. You still know where to find me. "

The young girl's smile was disarming but her words made Richard frown and halt his steps to make sense of what she just said. As far as he knew, it was his first time at her place and would probably remember if he'd been there. The place was too remarkable to be easily forgotten.

" Im sorry Dei .. but what do you mean that I haven't forgetten? And it was the old lady that pointed me here. I really had no idea. Is she your grandma or something? " Richard clarified and chuckled shyly.

" No she's not. She's what we may call a caretaker. She takes care of us. She knows you too and likes you as well. "

The response he got only confused hin more. He would surely remember meeting the old lady too. She gave him creeps for crying out loud. Those thoughts cemented his notions that something was wrong with his situation.

" What are you talking about? I have never been here. I just moved here recently. Enough games please. I need answer Dei. "

Silence engulfed them then. Richard only stared at her and studied the play of emotions on her face. He thought for a second that he saw pain in her eyes but dismissed it. Knowing also there was no point of pressuring her, he just patiently waited for her to speak but when she did. It was not the answers he was looking for but the complete opposites.

" Im not the one you thought I am, Richard. I am Maine. Did you forget about me too? "

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Bahala na. 😎