Page 29 of Dollface

“Such a pesky pretty thing,” Havoc sings from the shadows. Havoc’s voice doesn’t faze me, as I’ve grown oddly accustomed to her lurking in the darkness, always near and appearing at random times with a burst of chaotic energy.

“I like him,” I say weakly, raising my hand as the bug lands on it. Havoc dawdles over, her body slinking as she moves, and sprawls out beside me, kicking her legs in the air.

“Which pretty bug is the dolly referring to?” I laugh, snorting lightly at her question, knowing what she means.

“Both,” I admit softly. Havoc rolls onto her stomach, sitting on her bottom before crossing her legs and looking at me, leaning in real close, her head slightly tilting. Her single black button eye sends a chill over me as I shift slightly in discomfort, feeling it boring into my soul. I noticed the rough stitching that held it to her eye socket, remembering the way the stitching felt across my lips.

“Dolly is remembering Dreadmoor, huh? Snip, snip.” She motions her fingers like scissors, smiling as her teeth sharpen. “Stitch, stitch. Loose lips sink ships, pretty doll.” I flinch at the eerie words before forcing myself to look away.

“I-I think...” I stop, struggling to form the words. “I think s-she broke me,” I whisper weakly as a lump forms in my throat.

“Dolly is a toy. She breaks playthings and boss man fixes them, needle and thread. Sad toy is not broken, only in the darkness, needing her nightlight.” I whirl my head to stare at her, her sinister smile stretching from ear to ear as anger and indignation fills me to my very core. She doesn’t blink or move, only stares at me as I stand, my hands balling into fists at my sides, my wrists stinging from my bulging muscles.

“I’m—not—a—fucking toy!” I shout, gritting my teeth as Havoc stands, seemingly amused by my outburst. “Stop messing with my head, stop playing me, and stop with your fucking cryptic riddles, Havoc! I’m done with all of it!” I recklessly shove her aside, my head aching with anger. In an instant, Havoc’s hand is on my throat as she slams my back into the wall, the force bruising my spine as a framed bug falls from its resting place and shatters on the floor. The impact and aggressioncauses me to cry out weakly.What is she doing?I try to grab her wrist, digging my nails into her flesh, desperately trying to get her to release her hold, but Havoc is shockingly much stronger than me. She pries my fingers off her, seemingly unbothered by the claw marks I leave behind, her expression frozen in time as she simply watches me struggle.

“Why does dolly hurt Havoc? Havoc cares for dolly. Likes dolly.” Her smile drops, leaving a blank emotion that strikes fear into my bones. Her head bounces as her human eye rolls, settling on mine as a shadow befalls her. “It’s not nice to shove people, Blue.” The manner in which Havoc talks normally is enough to make one uneasy, but this, right here, the way she says my name? It doesn’t even sound like her. It’s so eerily foreign, I can’t help the shaky inhale of breath I take. “Naughty, naughty,” she tuts while squeezing my throat.

“H-Havoc,” I rasp, trying to stop her. I try to find a way out, but I’m trapped. I’m always trapped, lost, hurt. Havoc, Stingy Jack, Dreadmoor, the Creator—all of them. I’m always tossed around, always pushed aside. Do this, do that, be a good doll. I finally find my voice, my own strength to disobey, and here I am, cast into a literal endless night in hell. And now, after everything, I’m going to die at the hands of my only friend.

“Dollywantsto die, yes? She likes the bugs, yes? Would like to rot in the ground with them? Be one with the worms in the dirt, eating the flesh off bones and death. Munch, munch, munch. Dirt in your mouth.” I try to shake my head side-to-side as my vision starts fading at the edges, darkness sinking its long, pointed fingers across my eyes as I fight passing out.

“I don’t—” I wheeze out, fresh blood pushing from the scabs around my lips as the Creator’s words flood my brain.

“Using that whore mouth to give the Boogeyman pleasure? To whisper him secrets? Well, I’ll take care of your loose lips, you wretched pile of trash. I should’ve sent you to be one of thetoys the second I broke that fucking button in your eye. You are nothing but a pile of scraps, a pain in my side. I’ll take care of you, Blue. Let’s see how much he enjoys you after I stitch a smile for him.”

The Creator’s words hit me, igniting a small internal spark. Without thinking, I drive my platform shoe into Havoc’s knee, causing her to cry out and fall, releasing her gripping hold on me. Cold air rushes down my throat, causing me to gasp and cough uncontrollably. I stumble back, watching as she wriggles around in pain before turning away and running down the stairs, rushing out the front door. I sprint down the gravel path leading away from the Taxidermy home, only to hear Havoc shriek, jumping from the tree outside my window. She lands on the ground and rushes to me, huffing as she runs.Shit!I try to run, but it’s no use. My legs are screaming in pain and exhaustion, unable to move.

“H-Havoc,” I plead quietly as I shake in my shoes. Havoc falls to her hands and knees, crawling toward me like a spider about to capture its prey. “Please, Havoc. Don’t do this.” She grins, crawling faster. “Leave me alone, Havoc!” I shout, my voice still hoarse as I try to turn away, attempting to flee. I like Havoc, and I genuinely didn’t want to fight her, but I fear I might’ve triggered something deep inside her, something dark and deadly, and no matter what I say or do, she’s going to kill me.

“Dolly,” she pouts while dragging to her feet, as if she’s a child being forced to do something she doesn’t want. “Havoc doesn’t like bad touches,” she whines. I can’t look away, both disturbed and curious about her mannerisms and words.

“And dolly doesn’t like getting called a toy,” I spit while trying to step back, little by little putting some distance between us. Unfortunately, I’m starting to feel the only way out of this situation isthroughHavoc, and I don’t think I’m able to take heron, even if I was fully healed and rested. Something about her is too powerful.

Havoc twitches and snaps her head to one side, as if someone is talking in her ear. She curls her lip, rearing back. “No!” She scoffs. “Havoc is angry, yes, but to kill the dolly would be bad for the game. Bug wouldn’t win,” she hisses sharply.Bug? Game?I blink, Havoc suddenly closer, inches away, stepping towards me. “Dolly,” she growls, lowering herself as if to pounce. I gasp, turning to run, when her arm grips my ankles, knocking me to the ground as my head bounces off the dry earth. “No!” She yanks my legs, my tights ripping against the ground as my knees slice open, my fingers clawing at the dirt, desperately trying to stop her.

“Havoc, please!” I cry out, tears burning my bruised cheeks. “Stop this madness!”

“Madness? No, not madness, dolly. Sanity!” Havoc whips me around, straddling my body with her knees. “Never ending sanity, bursting with color and bugs and toys!” She cheers with glee as she cackles, trying to grab my neck.

“Get off!” I grunt while smacking her hands away.

“Shhhhhhh.” She tries to calm me. “Havoc won’t kill dolly,” she coos while touching my face. “No, just play a fun game. A game with blood and bones! Dolly likes games, yes?” A bright, colorful light dances out of the corner of my eye, catching my attention. It’s the same dragonfly from earlier, except it's changing color from purple to green and flying away in a hurry.How odd.The dragonfly reminds me of Firefly, fueling the hidden spark within. I need to escape, to get away from Havoc.

“Havoc,” I grit out while bucking my hips and rolling so I'm on top, straddling her. “Stop it, or I’m going to murder you!” I scream out, trying to pin her arms down.

“Murder Havoc?” Her smile becomes maniacal as her cackle rings through the chill air. “That’s a good dolly. Yes, go ahead,murder Havoc. Show them all. Smells sweet and innocent, but Havoc knows the truth,” she hisses.

“What truth?” I ask as Havoc’s button eye flickers, pushing her arms into the dirt.

“Dolly has the darkness threaded within her stitches. Scraps and trash. Made from nothing into something. Spider things. Dolly is dead inside, but dolly feels. She plays the game, same as bug, but never wins. Too scared to try.”What the hell is she saying?She stops resisting and relaxes herself on the ground with a smile. “Scared dolly. Blue may be your name, but you are no longer sad. Just scared.” Her head tilts back, as if listening to someone speak.

“No, Havoc can’t do that,” she whispers, glancing at me as she continues to communicate with the air. “Think of the big, pretty picture. The web stretched thin.” Havoc nods, as if listening and agreeing with someone. I always wondered if she heard voices in her head, but this confirms it. Havoc grins, showing her sharpened teeth as she looks at me, lifting her head lightly. “Don’t be scared, dolly. Havoc is here. Friend or foe, no one knows.” She cackles. “Poor, scared, weak dolly. You think you know pain? You know only the prickling tip of a needle.”

“I’m not scared,” I grit out, releasing her arms as I stand up, tired of fighting. “You fucking psycho. You havenoidea the hell I’ve endured, living in Dreadmoor, haunted by the Creator! The torture I experienced for a set of dice! And for what?” I huff out a laugh. “No one cares. It was all for nothing.”

“Not nothing, dolly.” She tsks. “The game.”

Havoc remains laying on the ground, watching me. “The game. Yes.” I scoff. “Right, because that’s all anyone cares about around here—the fucking game! Winning this endless game at any cost! Doesn’t matter who gets hurt or dies; you all just want to win!” I begin to pant, exhausted and tired.

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