Page 46 of Dollface

You.

“Welcome home,” she whispers to me, the trauma I have carried from her, boiling over the surface as I step back, shock and fear filling me. “It’s been far too long. Tell me,” she leans forward as my blood runs cold, “do you enjoyplayingwith my toys because they remind you of me?” She taps her button eye, chuckling to herself. “Remind you of us?”

I can’t speak. I feel powerless and weak, drowning in the overwhelming dread of coming face-to-face with my abuser after all this time. I never thought I’d actually see her again, yet here she is, in front of me.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue,Boogeyman?” She points her sharp finger at me as the crowd erupts into laughter. “Havoc!” She snaps her head around to look at the Spinster. “Enough with the doll. I think it’s time you read our audience a little bedtime story.”

Havoc giggles, jumping from the spider as it hisses at me, running in my direction with her hammer.

“Havoc. Don’t. Pl—” Her hammer collides against my skull causing me to fall to the ground, dust and fog surrounding me as the crowd cheers, and darkness seeps into my mind.

“Night night bug!”

Everything quickly falls into absolute blackness. The only thing I can comprehend is the whispered voice of Blue calling my name, as if she’s been hiding away in my consciousness.

Firefly.

“Fuck!”Cold water jolts my consciousness back to life as I inhale sharply, breathing in the thick scent and sounds of the circus. My body aches like before, but with a stronger intensity. I try to grasp what’s happening, my vision still clearing as I shake my head and realize my suit is gone and I’m now shirtless, my flesh sewn in large knots that stretch high into the air, but I can’t see where they lead due to the lack of light.

“F-Firefly.”

My head snaps in the direction of her sweet, weak voice, searching the darkness for her.

“Blue?” As I call out her name, something rams into my chest, almost knocking me forward as the sewn knots pull and tug on my skin.

“Hush and shush!” Havoc snarls, mounting her giant spider. “The show must go on!” She rides the shadowy nightmare away to the center of the dark circus ring as a single purple spotlight shines down on her, her hat sparkling in the light as she grins, raising that ridiculous megaphone to her mouth.

“Once upon a time, there was a big, bad bug!” Another single light shoots to life, spotlighting me in a vibrant neon green. My eyes burn from the brightness, straining to look around for Blue.

“A naughty bug, who broke spider lady’s rules and ran away!” The crowd boos as a white spotlight aims at the Spinster, accentuating her grin as it branches further than I’ve ever seen, eating up my pain.

“Shut up!” Havoc yells, her spider crawling across the ring as the unruly crowd slowly goes silent.

“Blue,” I whisper into the darkness. “Baby,” I strain, “where are you?”

A blue spotlight flicks on, highlighting Blue perfectly. I gasp as I stare, her mangled body held up by the same tied knots and thread, blood dripping down from them as she barely manages to stay standing, her mouth uncovered though rippedand stained, as if it has been stitched and reopened in some sick torture.

“Blue...” I yank against my threads, feeling something resist and pull me back. I glare up, my eyes following the strings into the lights above as I notice they connect to a pulley system at the peak of the tent and loop down to the back of the Spinster’s chair, attaching to her long fingers. She’s controlling the strings—controlling us.Fucking cunt. I try to pull my arm, watching as it lifts her finger lightly. She sits it back down, snapping my arm back the way she wants.

“One day, a sweet but innocent little dolly found this big bad bug and tried to be friends,” Havoc croaks, cackling to herself. “But what dolly didn’t know was that bug here,” she aims her hammer in my direction as the Spinster tugs the thread, yanking me forward, “was playing his own games.”

Oh God... No.

I try to look back at Blue, the Spinster moving her up on her feet as she groans, clenching her teeth while tears spill down her dirty face.

“Game?” Blue wheezes. “W-what game?” she whispers, her poor voice so weak and scared. She winces as her threads continue to be pulled. “Firefly.” Her breathing is shallow and I can feel her in myself. Her fear, her pain, the rapid increase of her heart—I feel it all, and it only worsens my own emotions.

“Don’t listen to her, Blue,” I call out. “Just look at me.” Her eyes raise as she stares at me, broken and exhausted. “Keep your eyes on me, baby. That’s my girl. You’re doing a great job. Don’t give up. You keep fighting, Blue. I’m going to get us out of here. I promise.”

“Yes, big ol’ boss bug had his own twist in the game.” Havoc chuckles.

“Shut up, Havoc!” I yell, my throat burning from the aggression in my voice.

Her spider scurries to me, hissing as she leans over and whispers down to me. “Webs and lies, tangled together, creating such a messy mess. Havoc warned boss dolly was glass. Now, bug must watch his toy shatter!” She leans back, raising the megaphone to her mouth.

“Don’t do this,” I grit, fighting the threads, begging Havoc to stop. She merely grins, facing back to the large crowd.

“Bug saw dolly as a key. A key to win his game.” I pull at my arms, trying to rip the threads from my flesh, but it’s no use.

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