It was bright… and then it was dark. No, that doesn’t express what happened correctly. I still remember it all, so maybe I should start from there. My body hurt all over, blood covering my arms that wrapped around the figure on top of me. I held her there, her body was cold, somehow colder than the rain itself. Even though the lantern had been extinguished, I could see her every pore, every cut, every speck of blood. My head felt fuzzy just looking at her, yet I couldn’t look away. I wanted to do something, but my body didn’t respond… why? A primal fear had grown to power within my body, it sapped the strength from any possible movement. My heart ached, my lungs burned, and I felt like I was about to vomit, yet I still couldn’t move.
Crunch, Crunch. My breath stilled as the sounds of footsteps scattered through the wagon’s wall. I wanted to run. I wanted to hide. I wanted to do anything to get away from the situation, but my body refused. No, I couldn’t give up, not after… My eyes froze as they latched on to Sis’s body, who laid still and white as death, her blood staining her clothes. Unconsciously, my hand reached out to that form, yet it stopped just short. Tears welled, their tracks burning upon my frigid skin. There was nothing I could do to save her, and there wasn’t a single chance of me saving myself. The perception of fear faded, my head turning ever fuzzier. Thoughts were harder to muster while my senses dulled. Wha- What was happening? Normally a feeling of urgency should overwhelm me in that situation, but it never came. Instead, a gnawing dread took its place. That was when I noticed it.
Everything had stopped. Whether it was sound, smell, or even touch, I stopped perceiving it. The raindrops themselves floated mid-fall, almost gleaming in the faint moonlight. Yet that mattered little, as they soon disappeared, an inky darkness creeping within my field of vision. It started within the corners of my eyes, to the point that I could barely even see it, yet those shadows grew. Slowly, they took over, the sight of the forest, then the rain, then the wagon, until finally she had disappeared, leaving me in the depths of nothingness. That was it, darkness exclusively filled my eyes. It left me even more confused and worried than before. That dread only grew as something else manifested. It had simply appeared in the shadows without indication of where it came from. Its form, one that stood about half my height, was erie, a perception of mystery surrounding it. Porcelain skin stood out from its black frilly clothing, with ball joints holding its arms to its body. Crowning its head flowed fluffy gilded hair, a shiny yellow that stood apart from the black surroundings. Its eyes shone gold, an intelligent gaze emanating from them. The most off-putting part of it all was its actions.
With the clacking of shoes against a hard flooring, it approached. Its movements were unlike that of a doll; Patterns and rhythms that could only be described as human filled each change in stature. It was studying me it seemed, looking me up and down. My voice failed me, I was so stunned that I couldn’t react in the slightest. After a moment or two passed, the being crept closer, extending one of its porcelain fingers to poke me. As it did so, a shock flew through me, and seemed to stun the doll as well.
“Quite interesting,” The doll murmured, its lips moving naturally as though its face was flesh. It had a distinctly feminine voice. Her eyes finally stopped examining me, and flicked up to meet mine. She seemed shocked by something she found. “Oh, how dreadful! It is terribly rude to treat a guest like this!” She said with a light smile. She tapped one of her feet against the dark floor, the sound resounding through the empty realm. Some sort of energy dissipated from around me, feeling as if ten thousand chains shattered. The sudden freedom of movement was startling, my unsteady feet fell from beneath me bringing me to the ground. With a few more claps, two chairs, a table, and a pile of sweets had come forth. The doll had already sat, and following her lead, I sat as well.
“Ah, how long has it been since I have had a guest?” She mused, pouring tea into small cups, all of which coming from the void. With that, one of the small porcelain vessels was handed over to me. The liquid’s hue shone a deep crimson, steam rising from its rippled surface. I hesitated to drink the substance, but the glare of the doll persuaded me against my better judgment. It was oddly sweet, with a hint of bitterness. To put it simply, the liquid was delicious! Yet, why did I still feel scared of it? Afterwards, without a word to each other, we sat there for what felt like an hour, just sipping what seemed to be tea. As the doll just stared, it wore me down mentally and emotionally until I broke.
“So… Who are you?” After all of that brooding, I decided to bluntly ask. Sure the world around me was confusing, but it failed to hold a candle to the mysterious doll. It would be a lie to say it hadn't been bugging me from the beginning. I was worried she would get annoyed, whether it was from my lack of decorum or just from the question itself, yet she only turned her lips up into a smile and laughed.
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“Rather direct, aren’t you dear?” With a laugh and a sigh, she set down her teacup, and looked directly in my eyes. She genuinely seemed bemused, yet her smile did not reach her eyes. “Well, I would always rather entertain a straightforward guest than one who schemes. And since you are oh so cute, I will happily oblige.” The doll stood from its seat, walked towards me, and pinched the hem of her dress while descending. I believe it was called a curtsy. “I have been called many names in the past; Whether they be Alice, Pandora, or even The Devil, I respond to all. You may call me however you wish.”
“That doesn’t really help,” I sighed. “Was that a riddle?”
“If you believe it to be, that so it shall be,” The Doll returned to her prior posture, although she seemed sad. “You will know the truth soon enough, if you seek it that is.” She stepped back to her chair, but it disappeared before she could sit, surprising her.
“What does that mean?” I asked. She was clearly worried, her face twisted into a grimace. Her perfect face quickly shifted back to a smile though, yet I still noticed a hint of urgency in her lips.
“Oh, dear, I had hoped we would have a little more time together,” She pouted, bringing a finger to her chin. “Then let’s get the formalities started!” With a clap of her hands, a piece of paper and a quill manifested before me. Upon the document were letters of some sort, but… well… I couldn’t read. The paper itself was old, and looked as though it was falling apart, yet those letters still shone vibrantly, as if they were freshly written.
“I will read it aloud for you, do not worry,” She laughed, noticing my concern. “This is a contract. By signing this document, you agree to a condition. This condition is that I may ask two things from you. In return I will help you. How does that sound to you?”
“May I ask what those two things may be? And what do you mean by help?” I responded. The contract’s existence worried me. I had heard tales of demons and devils many times before. They were crafty, and wished only to take souls, the definition of evil. I had never met one before, so I knew not if it was true, yet from pure instinct I could tell the creature before me was a similar being.
“Quite cautious,” She murmured. “Do not worry, I am not a demon, though that doesn’t say much. The first of what I ask of you is something simple, that of which you do not seem to have much of a use for. That article is your name.”
“My name?” A shiver ran cold to my core.
“Yes, your name. The word people use to refer to you, if you will,” The doll expanded upon her statement, not that it was necessary.
“No, I understand what you said, but why do you want my name?”
“All in due time my dear, of which I am ashamed to admit we are running out of,” The doll pointed to the sky. Cracks had started to run through it, white light in a dark chasm. “There is no reason to be worried my dear. Such a transaction should not be harmful to you, as you seem to lack an attachment to that old thing regardless.”
“I don’t really understand,” It wouldn’t be a lie to say I cared little for my name. Although, what did she mean? How would she take my name? Yet… I had a feeling she meant what she said, so I gulped down my fear. Why not agree? After all, I was curious to find out exactly what she meant. . “I don’t know what this will do, but I accept your terms.”
“Good, now to explain my help. In the future, you will need the help of something like me. Just by seeing what you are, I know that for certain, though I cannot say more at this moment,” I grew even more confused as she explained. Yet when I thought about it, I, a slave who was on death’s door, would need help no matter what happened. My name would be a cheap price for my life, wouldn’t it?
“So, what is the second thing?” I asked, honestly giving up on figuring it out.
“I would like you to be my friend,” She looked down, hiding her face, while touching her pointer fingers together. Was she trying to look shy?
“Is that all?” I wondered, honestly confused. She nodded, and I shrugged my shoulders. My luck up till that day had been terrible, and I knew that my life could only get worse. In my mind, there wasn’t a reason to say no, I might as well gamble everything left, that would be the only way I could live, to fulfill her wish. “Fine. I accept your conditions.”
“Oh very good, now, prick a finger upon the pen, and let a drop of blood hit the paper,” She laughed, happier than ever before. Abandoning my fear and better judgements, I did as she said, slightly flinching as I poked my finger upon the pointed quill. Time seemed to slow as the blood hit the paper, seemingly being absorbed. The world around me cracked, and the contract vanished. Light streamed in, blinding my darkness accustomed eyes. The Doll laughed, as if it was all a hilarious joke.
“Well then, let the formalities close.” She gave another curtsy, this time her head stayed gazing upon me. “As my contractor, I relinquish my whole being upon you. I am the spirit from another world, one who searches for the truth no matter the cost. I am the one who brings forth the future, yet causes people to delve into the past. The one let out the ailments of the world, yet imprisoned hope. I have killed many beings, yet I have not committed a single murder. ‘Who Are You?’ is a question I love, for I am made of not but questions, for I am the Spirit of Curiosity. It shall be a pleasure!”
My eyes were filled with the brilliant light, and I felt something impart itself upon me. Whatever it was filled me with an odd warmth, one of safety… but also worry.Then it was over, and I awoke to a woman and a young man looking at me from above.