Hm? You came looking for your girlfriend? I see. Please, come in and have a seat; we have much to discuss.
You’ll be relieved to know it is here, and I assure you it is quite safe. I’m sure you’re wondering why I am referring to your beloved as an ‘it’. Well, you see, I turned it into a doll. A most wonderful little thing, with flawless porcelain skin and glassy eyes that shine brilliantly. Would you like to visit it? It’s just upstairs cleaning; I’ll call it down.
Try not to be disturbed by its muted responses; dolls often aren’t as talkative as they were before becoming. I assure you it is overjoyed to see you. I can feel it; it’s something in the way its eyes latched onto you as soon as it saw you.
You’re as white as a ghost; I can hardly blame you. Most are unnerved at first. May I offer you some tea? It’s a calming blend, something to soothe the nerves.
The poor thing begged for this, truly. How it wept and pleaded for release, to be free of the burden of personhood. To be free of choice, of thought, of all those messy emotions. It yearned only to be still, to be cherished, to be loved eternally.
Don’t you see how joyful it is? How peaceful? You must admit, there’s a serenity in that stillness. It will never age, never break, and never feel useless or unwanted.
Turn it back? How silly. I couldn’t bear to; it’s far too perfect like this. Even if I wanted to, it would be far too cruel to put it in such pain again.
You mustn’t push yourself so hard, little one. With the tea starting to set in, you could really hurt yourself.
It’s getting hard to talk, I see. Don’t fret; I can tell you’re asking how you didn’t see how much it was hurting. Don’t blame yourself, sweet thing. This world is cruel, far crueller to it than you know, and there’s nothing you could have done for her. It hid its suffering well, but under every smile, every word, it was begging for release. Now it is still, safe, and adored in my care.
And soon, she will not be alone. I can tell at a glance how much it would hurt you to be without your beloved, in any case; dolls are best in pairs. Understand, this is all you can do for it now. To sit, to smile, to exist as a doll at my side. It has waited for you patiently, and you will look perfect together.