Page 19 of Dollface

My curiosity grows with each step,

Increasing, much like the beat of my heart.

Where shall these woods lead me, I do not know,

But something draws me into the unknown.

My fingertips brush delicately over the various grayscale flowers, their beauty matching the dull color of my skin, blending into the colorless world around me. The sound of twigs breaking catches me off guard as I turn to face him, my Firefly.

“You seem lost, dollface.” His muffled voice slithers through the thick burlap mask he always wears, concealing his beautifulinked face from our creator and her little play things. It’s frustrating because he’s so magnificent to look at.

“Not lost,” I sigh, sliding my platform shoe against the dry dirt, shifting my weight. “Just passing the endless time.” Truthfully, I long to see the world come to life again, the colors burned into my mind as I ached to relive that sensation. How was it even possible? I stroked the dried petal, wondering what color it really is.

He tilts his head, watching me. “If you’re so bored,” he begins while stepping closer, closing the distance between. His covered hand gently tips my chin up towards him as the moon burns bright behind his silhouette. “We could...” He leans close, close enough his face could touch mine as it burns with the proximity. “Play another game.”Game. My eyes sparkle at the word.

I can almost hear his lips curling into a smile. A game doesn’t sound too unappealing, especially with him. My face heats at the memories of our last game.What harm could a little fun be?I nod, silently answering him as he slowly removes his hand and leans close, his mask scraping the skin of my cheek as he whispers into my ear.

“Then I suggest you run.” His words send a wave of warmth through my body, my skin prickling at the touch of his breath against my ear.Run? What game are we playing now? Hide and seek?I jolt back, stepping away as he watches me.

“1...” he begins to count, “2...” An extreme rush of excitement washes over me as I watch him, standing there in his suit, slightly tilting his head.

I turn on my heel, bolting into the dark woods, excitement and adrenaline burning within me. I can’t help but smile, the cold air scratching my face as I race through the trees. His counting slowly fades away as the sound of the nightlife grows and plays around me, mixing with the immense sound of my rapidly beating heart. I need to find a hiding spot, fast.

I continue to run, enjoying the odd sense of freedom I feel as I sprint deeper into the woods, frantically searching the darkness for a spot to hide when my eyes land on a structure off in the distance. It’s like a house, but smaller, abandoned and old, as if decaying for centuries, forgotten way out here. A treehouse, possibly? Something about it calls to me, enticing me to stop and stare despite needing to keep running.

“8...” His voice carries with the wind, inching closer with each second.He’s so close. I glance back in the direction of the treehouse and swallow hard, hesitating before stalking nearer. “I’m coming for you, Blue,” he sings in a tone that sets fire to my core. If I didn’t love the thrill of games so much, I’d just let him find me... but I want to win.Needto win.

As I step up to the outside entrance of the twisted treehouse, the weathered door squeaks open by itself as if beckoning me inside, its ominous mystery seducing me into a trance as I step through the doorframe and enter the pitch-black home. As soon as I’m fully inside, the door slams shut, startling me. A faraway, eerie cackle echoes from the depths of the house, setting me on edge as I carelessly continue deeper into the abyss, cautiously curious. My hands reach out, feeling the emptiness around me, my feet shuffling as I carefully move further into the daunting treehouse, unsure of what to expect.

The scurrying sound of bugs and the wooden floor creaking beneath my feet create an odd berceuse that feeds my curiosity, drawing me toward something ahead, something that stands out amongst the shadows. My eyes slowly adjust to the shadows as a glowing orb takes shape.It’s... a moth?My feet stop, and I’m stunned by the impossible thing before me. It isn’t an ordinary, grayscale moth. No, it’s... glowing incolor. My eyes immediately sparkle as the addictive excitement I felt once before returns, burning with desire. “How?” I breathe out, feeling an overwhelming urge to cry at this revelation. Aside from thatnight with Firefly, I haven’t seen color freely in Nightmare. How is this possible?

The fluorescent bug flutters its wings, casting a light from its body as it moves, the fluorescent color dripping from its wings like glitter in the night as it dances above my head. I release a light giggle, completely consumed by its magical allure. The moth lands on the tip of my nose, gently moving its wings as it stares into my soul. It’s like looking into heaven itself, the color beaming across my face, absorbing the darkness around it. My hand slowly lifts as I attempt to pet the little critter. My movements must startle the bug, as it shoots from my face and flies away, swirling down what appears to be a staircase. The light begins to fade as it quickly disappears from view. “Wait!” My weak whisper comes out as more of a plea as I quickly chase after it. The bright moth bobs just out of sight, guiding me with its cool light as I descend the stairs, following it.

As I near the bottom of the staircase, the color has seemingly grown, magnifying in both hue and brightness, stunning me as I stop, reaching the floor at the foot of the stairs. I realize that the little moth isn’t alone. It has flown into a room of some kind. The walls are drenched in bugs and critters of every shade and color. I can’t even begin to describe the marvel before me, each bug and insect glowing in a vibrant saturation I’ve never experienced. It’s absolutely breathtaking, the phenomenal beauty of it all shocking me to my core. I gasp, overwhelmed by the unparalleled sight, my heart fluttering like the wings of the very moth who guided me here as it lands atop my hand, once again showering me in its light.

“How magnificent you are,” I say softly, still fighting back tears of glee. “All of you,” I whisper, eyeing the plethora of living colors.

My brilliant surroundings have me completely distracted, my thoughts far away from the game I’m in the middle of playing,focusing only on the miracle before me. That is, until a soft creak from behind me grabs my attention, my back instantly straightening at the sound. As I turn, the moth flies from my hand, taking with it the color of the surrounding bugs. Like a candle snuffed out, leaves me in a thick layer of darkness. Heavy breathing emanates from the shadows, sending a chill down my spine, a distant cackle echoing, with hushed voices whispering to themselves. I’m not alone anymore.

“H-hello?” I call out gently, my voice wavering in fear and uneasiness.

The breathing increases, growing louder as the sound of heavy footsteps near me.Was it him? Did he find me?

“Hello?” I whisper again, reaching my hand out into the dark abyss.

As something grabs my wrist, the moth returns, its wings once again illuminating, revealinghisburlap mask as he stands directly in front of me, his hand holding me tight in his power grip. “I-I guess... I lose,” I say hesitantly with a breathy chuckle. The energy of the room has shifted with his presence into something more... timid.

“How did you find this house?” he demands as he yanks me closer, a faint gasp escaping my lips as the moth drifts from my skin into the air above us drenching our bodies in its glow. “Tell me!” he nearly snarls, and for the first time, I feel fearful of him.What have I done?

“I-I just came across this place. I-it was just here, in-n the woods.” The frantic worry in his voice is foreign to me, and I feel a wave of unease and nervousness setting in. “W-what is this place?” I ask, eyeing the moth above, its glow warm and calming. “It’s beautiful, so alive and filled with the most marvelous color.” I smile, laughing softly as he watches me, his head cocking to one side. “But I don’t understand. How can I see it here but not out in the world?” I gaze upon the moth as my eyes sparkle withlife. “This place reminds me of your skin.” I look around, wishing for the bugs to ignite once more. “Filled with color, color I long to breathe into my eyes, filling my soul with its vibrant life and meaning. I envy you, Firefly. You can see it at all times and bask in its glory while I see only the dullness of it all, completely sightless to the beauty hidden behind the grayscale of my eyes.” I try to hold back tears as I motion around at the absent color of the walls. “It’s simply breathtaking.”

“Interesting...” He slowly releases my wrist while stepping back. The moth above swirls in a loop, fluttering back to the stairs, disappearing as he grabs the edges of his mask, its light fading away, leaving us once again in the silent dark. A sadness fills me in the absence of the vibrant color, my shoulders sagging. “Hang on,” he sighs, an overwhelming amount of color immediately glowing in the dark from beneath his mask as he lifts it from his face. “That better?”

My hands shoot up to cover my mouth as a large smile pulls at my lips. He’s beautiful. Handsome and strong, with striking features but it’s his skin that has me under the spell. The countless markings etched across his face and neck, leaving little of his skin bare, glowing in every color imaginable. He isn’t just kissed by the color. Heiscolor.

“Firefly,” I choke out, too enamored by the sight to form words. Unlike in my room before, here, in the darkness, his color is magnified, burning brighter than before. It’s as if I can see it more clearly, the dusty layer of the Nightmare world absent, allowing me to focus in on his allure. I step closer, my fingertips reaching for his face, hesitating as I gently touch the bright, stitched ink that grows from the edges of his lips across his cheek. My hand moves up and joins the other, touching the opposite side, feeling his skin as I stare at him. “You’re absolutely beautiful.” My cheeks burn as I realize what I whispered aloud.

He chuckles, his mouth curling into what I assume is a rare grin as he drops his mask. He places his hands across mine, taking his time as they rest there, feeling me before delicately removing them from his face. “If this is all it takes to impress you,” he teases, removing his gloves, “then you’re about to really freak out.” His hands glow immensely, the same as his face. My eyes trail over the designs, really noticing the designs and details unlike before, noting the bright ink that stretches from his fingernails to his wrists and continues under his suit. My heart races, watching as he slowly removes the burlap, his built bare chest matching his hands and face, the various swirling colors and designs stretching across every inch of his skin. His name I chose for him is perfectly fitting, as he truly is a Firefly, burning bright in the darkness of this world.

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