• Have you ever seen a doll? Beautiful and careful and just as unforgiving as all the world. Perfect glossed lips, flawless skin, permanently amazing make-up, and delicate as every girl will ever wish to be and fall in love with. The most beautiful, angelic… But, so ugly nonetheless.

    “Good day, sir…” Annie said carefully, sweeping to the front of the store where a small bell on the door had signaled an entrance- the tips of her skirts tip-toeing gaily around the floor at her feet.
    The tall man tipped his hat, allowing his lips to turn at the corners.
    “Good day, young miss, would you be the owner of this shop?” He responded politely.
    “Yes, I am. Can I help you today?” Annie repaid his polite tone graciously.
    “Yes, actually-“ He cast a long, appreciative glance around the wooden shelves that managed to make the tiny space seem smaller. Each shelf held many dolls and puppets of plush, glass and pottery. “I am looking for a birthday present for my niece, Bella. Might I have a recommendation?”
    “Well that depends what sort of girl your niece- Bella, you said?- is. What does she like?” Annie followed his gaze fondly.
    “Many, many things. She adores theatre and flowers- bright colors and such.” He smiled his polite smile again.
    “How old is she?”
    “She shall be fourteen this coming Tuesday.” He sounded proud.
    “Good age.” Annie agreed easily with his tone. “Perhaps something in Porcelain? They are beautiful, though more fragile than most of my work-and-I’d hate to see such work and money shatter at a careless hand.”
    “Porcelain shan’t be trouble for dear Bella, she has none but the most careful of hands. And she’d absolutely adore it, I’d imagine.” He replied, nodding his approval.
    “Very well. And bright colors, you say? Would you like something custom made or would you prefer pick from the shelf?”
    “Hmmm…” He voiced his uncertainty with a feather-sweeping glance about the shelves. Stepping closer to a nearby six-sill high shelf, he examined a few of the more delicate looking dolls.
    “Is it possible to duplicate any of these?” He asked after a long moment of careful inspection.
    “It is. Why do you ask?” Annie replied softly, curiosity tipping the adult-like politeness into a more child-like snoop. The man smiled again.
    “Because, I like this one’s facial structure-“ He gestured to a small girl dressed in a white lacey blouse and a pink flowered skirt “This ones eyes-“ This time to a blue-eyed happy looking boy “And I’d like to place a request for the clothes.”
    Annie followed his gestures with her eyes, face changing for a split second; hostility subsiding no faster than it had erupted. “Very well then.” She said in a refined polite tone- smuggling any hint of her previous enmity beneath her voice.

    The man placed his request and left with a happy tip of his hat. What he asked for sounded beautiful, indeed. Soft pale face, tiny gentle hands, pretty brown locks of coiling bouncy curls. And to dress the lovely, a lacey yellow skirt and a happy, un-annoyingly bright pink blouse with peachy buttons. Annie set to work on the doll almost the moment the sir had left.

    The small bell on the door hadn’t subsided its little tinkle before Annie had flounced delicately to great him. It had been a generous week or so since he’d placed his order.

    Just as he had during their first encounter, he tipped his hat politely. It was abnormal for Annie to begin a conversation without a greeting or even prompt, but she did this time.
    “The doll is looking lovely.” She gushed dexterously. “I am much to proud for my own work. Please answer my impolite inquisition; Might I be able to bring this doll to your nieces party? I would like so much to see how she approves.”
    The man’s eyes shined. “If you are so confidant, than I would love for you to attend.” He responded in a controlled happiness. “Twill be in three days, I shall write the address and time for you.”

    The party had been carrying on for quite some time, though people were still arriving every now and then. Guests and family and friends continued their incoming not quite steadily. It had been almost three quarters of an hour after 2 o’clock (Which was when the party was to officially begin) when Annie arrived wielding an elegantly simple box, with a small pastel green bow and dull platinum wrappings. She dressed in a similar garment to that she usually wore; being a lacey dress that tickled the floor and pointed black shoes.

    Few noticed her arrival so she placed her box gently with the others and sat down, sipping at some punch.

    All around the small backyard girls giggled and played, their dresses twirling about them. The boys ran amuck along with them, though the older ones stood aside talking. Bella was among them. When Bella parted from the group due to a bidding from her mother, they continued to talk.
    “Did you hear?” One of the boys sniggered. “One of the Gregor children actually asked if he could come!”
    “The Gregors?” A girl with an elegant flower in her hair replied. “They’re so poor! Not to mention how much trouble they can be… I mean, honestly. Have you seen how little they participate in class?”
    “And always with the same clothes! No more than two sets per person…” A different girl, wearing yellow added.
    “Hmph- as if someone of they’re status could actually…” The first boy dropped off, shaking his head disapprovingly.
    “Speak of the devil.”

    “No, David.” Bella was saying to a boy dressed in an old brownish hand-me-down jacket and a pair of jeans torn at the knee, sticking out quite a bit among the chic dressings that made up the party. “I can’t be friends with you anymore. I’ve moved on, I’m not suited for you. I never have been. Please leave.” She spoke curtly, coldly, casting a wary glance back at the small group of friends she’d been speaking to. Seeing their approving eyes, she leaned her gaze back to the sorry looking David.
    “Bella…” He responded in a shy sounding, hoarse, hurting voice. “You said… You said that wouldn’t…” He looked almost about to cry.
    “David. I can’t. I mean, look around. You’re the only one different. We’re different. This is whom I’m meant to be with, not people like-“ Her voice caught for a minute, but she could feel her friends expecting stares. “Not people like you.” The words hit hard, and David flinched when she finally spoke them.
    “Bella…” He said again, pleading now.
    “You have a problem, please, take the spectacle outside.” Bella’s uncle spoke now, coldly, much unlike the polite happiness he’d used in the shop.
    “I’d be happy to escort you.” The boy who’d first started the talk of the Gregor’s stepped forward, face hardened to stone.
    “Bella…” David looked so hurt, sounding about to break.
    “Go, David.” Bella said icily.
    David looked her in the eyes, trying to find some trace of the Bella he used to be friends with. Another flash of hurt corrupted his face further as he turned, stumbling sadly from the yard.

    The talk started up and Bella laughed off any of the questions her friends gave her. They allowed them to pass easily, not bringing them up again.

    The time passed freely, breezing by without much notice of Annie in the corner, her eyes apathetic as she watched the proceedings. Finally the time for presents and cake arrived. Bella sat in front of a delicious looking cake and a blocky cloud of wrapping paper. Cake was served as she started to unwrap the various gifts of clothing, plush toys and other girlish affairs. She arrived at the platinum wrappings last.
    When she opened it both she and her uncle were pleasantly surprised. It was not what her uncle had ordered, instead it was a mini duplication of Bella herself.
    “Oh, thank you Uncle!” She cried happily, not tearing her eyes from the doll.

    It had been a small while since the party was supposed to end, though many people lingered. Bella’s uncle was one of those who’d remained.
    Annie stepped quietly up to him, moving from her ambiguous spot for the first time.
    “Excuse me, Sir.” She said, a not impolite curtness to her voice. The man turned around not quite gracefully and grinned.
    “Ah yes, the genius doll-maker.” He said, pulling his hat from his head a bowing deeply, keeping the grin on his face the whole time. Annie didn’t smile back.
    “Thank you, sir.” She replied. “May I speak to your niece alone?”
    “Yes, yes, of course, my dear. Anything for the one who made dear Bella so happy. Bella!”
    Bella answered quickly, switching from wary polite to joyous when she found out who Annie was.
    Her uncle left them to talk.

    “You love him.” Annie said, as soon as the man was from ear-shot. “How could you leave him like that?”
    Hurt flashed across Bella’s features, before she turned cross.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She replied coldly.
    “I could tell! You only did that because your family…” Annie trailed off.
    “Didn’t you see him?” Bella sniffed arrogantly “We are completely different. He was dressed in rags, while I’m dressed in some of the most expensive dresses. He couldn’t ever hope to afford something that met these standards.”
    “But you… you loved him…” Annie said again. “I could see it. See it. And he loved you too. You used to be friends, you told him nothing like that would matter…” She trailed again. “Why?” She pleaded softly. Bella stood there slightly dazed, her haughty act failing.
    “How did you know?” She whispered. “How did you…”
    “You can’t leave him like this. I’ve seen this happen before. You can’t do this… You can’t. Didn’t you see how much it hurt him? You can’t…” Annie watched the emotions play across Bella’s face, through her eyes. Contempt, misery, love, confusion…
    Confusion…
    Confusion…

    The yard and house were finally cleared about an hour later, and the man let out a long happy sigh. What a success, what a success, he thought striding easily back into the house to wish Bella a last happy birthday before ambling back home.
    “Bella, darling!” He called, closing the door behind him. “Bella!” He was greeted by silence.
    He was bewildered for a moment, but his brother and sister-in-law had gone out with friends after the party- which explained about two thirds of the silence.
    “Bella!” He called again, peeking around the kitchen and throughout the rest of the front rooms. ‘She must be in her bedroom.’ Was his next thought. But when he looked into her bedroom, and the other back rooms he found no one.

    Again, he walked back outside to check the back yard, and then the front. There he found the boy who’d threatened David.
    “Ah, Louis. Have you seen Bella?” He asked.
    “No, last I saw her she was with a girl I’d never seen. Lacey dress, black shoes.” Louis replied. The mans’ brow crumpled further and he returned to the house.

    He checked every room again before finally stopping in her bedroom. He looked around at all the gifts that were there. On the bed was the doll still boxed. He retrieved it and looked over it carefully. It was the spitting image of Bella. Examining it more thoroughly he found a note attached. It was not signed and was just plain folded paper. It only read:

    “You are the one
    Who wanted a doll
    And now you finally have one”

    The shop appeared empty for the night when two of the girls that had attending Bella’s party turned the corner and continued their walk passed the little vacant shop.
    “Did you know-“ Said one of them “That this shop is to close tomorrow?”
    “No.” The second girl replied. “Why’s that?”
    “I don’t know. The owner just announced it. She just says she needs to get away.”
    The second girl then stopped completely, looking through the shop as if for the first time.
    “It’s never really occurred to me before,” She said skeptically “How creepy this shop is.”
    The other girl considered this for a moment. “Why? Because those dolls never blink?”
    “No,” The first one replied slowly. “They all look the same…”