Chapter One: Rebirth.
“Once, I loved a woman... with hair like black velvet and inkwell eyes. Her life was the intricate web I wove, with sticky, silken threads that always brought her back to me. But it was not meant to be... she betrayed me with another...”
“Lady... where are you?” his voice whispered creakily. Quickly, he let his lavender eyes flutter from one corner to another. But although her words clearly chimed around him, he could not see her anywhere.
“You will understand... some day. Love will break you too. It is such a cruel thing—”
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With nimble fingers, Mei-Lin combed her daughter’s chocolate-coloured locks. She loved the feeling of those soft, thick tresses on her own skin. No one had more beautiful hair than Ali.
“Almost ready now, sweetie,” she whispered reassuringly.
As always, Ali remained silent, doing nothing but blankly gazing toward the bedroom window. Counting the many raindrops, perhaps, that threw themselves at the earth.
She wasn’t a normal girl.
“Huh?”
Abruptly, Mei-Lin pivoted on her left heel. There were muffled sounds coming from the living-room – low whispers, and strange, high-pitched giggling. Her forehead wrinkled into a frown.
“Your brother must be talking to himself again. Or to those imaginary friends of his.”
“You want me to do
what?
...
Well... okay then...”
Sighing, Mei-Lin turned back to Ali, and got ready to cover her with a warm duvet. Her son, Nathaniel, had always been a bit odd after Rush left. Terribly rebellious, introvert and hardly ever acknowledging other people’s presence. It worried her, since he used to be such a sweet child. But she didn’t want to go as far as taking him to a psychologist.
With a small kiss, she parted with her daughter.
“Sleep well... don’t let the dolls bite you...”
When she entered the darkened living-room, Nathaniel’s startled tirade instantly crescendoed in her ears.
“Mom, how many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that! Not when I’m conversing with them!”
Them. Mei-Lin truly wondered who they were. Every time she asked, the little boy would clench his jaws tightly, and mumble that she couldn’t see them because she was just a dumb adult.
She had to admit that there was something strange with this house. It was filled with this laden, static atmosphere that sent shivers up and down her spine. It almost felt haunted.
‘Not again, Mei-Lin... soon you’ll be seeing living dolls again.’
She shuddered involuntarily. “I’m sorry, honey. I forgot to knock. However, it is bed-time now, your sister is already asleep.”
Nodding his little head, Nathaniel stealthily moved to the door she had just closed and disappeared in the room behind it. He waited a moment, before he said: “This is her... Ali. Can you really use her? I mean... she doesn’t do anything. She is so stupid.”
He did not like his handicapped sister. She was the reason why he never dared bringing friends home, afraid that they would laugh at him.
I wish mommy and daddy had never adopted her. Why can't I have a normal sibling?
Tiny worms of light slithered through the air, tickling his back. He loved the prickling sensation of his best friend materialising. Well, maybe Ali would be of use this time. The mysterious Lady had promised to fulfil his wishes after all...
“Yessss. She is perfect.”
“Will... definitely... do.”