“Mommy, I want to bring Maya home. Can I, please?” I try to pull my hand away. But Mommy holds it very tight.
“No.” She says.
“Why?” I ask. “Mommy, why?”
Mommy doesn’t say anything. She holds my hand and walks very fast.
“Maya, come.” I turn back and call.
Maya comes. She is walking fast. Well, actually, she is not walking because her feet are not moving. She is flying. See how awesome she is? My new best friend can fly. I can’t wait to tell all my friends.
“Mommy, Mommy, see, Maya can fly.” I want Mommy to see it.
Mommy screams. Everyone around is looking at her. It’s so embarrassing. She grabs me with both hands, holds me up, and runs.
“Mommy, please wait for Maya.” I want to get down.
“Dolly, hold me tight and shut up. Please.” She sounds so angry.
I’m so scared. Why is Mommy so angry with me? I hold her neck with both my hands.
“Mommy?”
She breathes so hard. She pushes people away. “Excuse me.”
“Maya, hurry up.” I want Maya to go with us.
“Shut. Up.” Mommy yells in my ears. It’s so loud. Why is Mommy so impatient with me? She always lets me play with other kids. Why doesn’t she let me today?
“Coming…” Maya smiles. She is now flying faster. Oops. Someone walks over and knocks her down but that big man doesn’t stop. He doesn’t say sorry to Maya either. Why is he so rude?
“Maya, did you get hurt?”
“No, Dolly. Not a bit.” Maya stands up and flies close to me again but she is only a little bit above the ground. Why doesn’t she fly higher? That way people won’t hit her again.
A boy runs over. He hits Maya and steps on her. He keeps running. Oops. Maya gets stuck on his foot. She is carried away. Her body is flying in the air like Mommy’s silk scarf. She tries so hard to get away from the body but she can’t.
“Hey, that boy.” I call. “Leave me friend alone. Please.”
“Dolly, Shut. Up.” Mommy doesn’t say please.
“Mommy?”
“I say shut up.” She is sweating but she keeps running. We bump into some one big. But Mommy doesn’t stop. She doesn’t say sorry either.
Maya struggles really hard. She frees herself. “Hey, Maya, good job.” I’m so proud of my new friend.
She doesn’t take the time to stand up. She lies flat and flies like a bird.
“Come, come, quick, Maya. Watch out.” Oops, someone steps on her again. This time, a mommy with a little girl. “Maya.” I am so worried.
“Ahhh…” Mommy screams and runs faster. Everyone is looking at her. But she keeps screaming and running.
“Mommy?”
“Shut. Up.” She kicks the glass door and runs outside.
Mommy keeps running until we are far, far away. She puts me down and then sits on the ground. She is breathing so hard. She is sweating all over. She must be very tired. Why didn’t she let me walk? I can walk. I can run, too.
It’s hot outside. Very hot. I narrow my eyes. The sunshine is so strong. There is no breeze at all. I get thirsty.
“Mommy, I’m thirsty.” I murmur. I don’t want to get Mommy angry. She is angry with me all the time today.
“We are going home, okay?” She stands up.
“Can I get an ice cream, please?” The ice cream in the building is very yummy. “I want orange juice with lots and lots ice cubes, too.”
“Sure.” Mommy says. “We have everything at home.”
“But I want that kind…” I point at the building. I found a new kind of ice cream this morning I really like.
“No.” Mommy is angry with me again.
“Mommy?” I try to hold my tears. “Why are you mad at me?”
“Sorry, honey, you don’t understand.” She shakes her head. “Let’s go home.” Her hands are shaking. She must be very, very angry with me now.
I really want to tell her I want the new kind of ice cream but I know she’s going to be angry again if I ask her to buy me one. Did she forget to bring money?
I lick my lips and look at the big glass door. I know we can get a yummy ice cream inside. Oh, I almost forgot. Where is Maya?
“Mommy, can we wait for Maya, please?” I peek at Mommy. My heart is jumping like a rabbit. I know Mommy may get angry with me again but I really want my best friend to go home with me.
“Dolly. Shut. Up.” Mommy screams.
Chapter Six: Sandra
I look at Dolly. Her eyes are turning red again. She’s only a five year old. She won’t understand what’s going on. She won’t know how bad the situation is.
“Sorry, Dolly.” I sit on my heels and hug her. “Mommy yelled at you. Please forgive me, okay?”
She nods. She is such a sweet girl.
“Dolly, let’s drive to the mall and pick up your favorite ice cream, okay?” I try to comfort her.
She nods. “But…” She looks at me. The corners of her mouth bend down. Her eyes are full of tears. She is trying so hard not to cry.
I know what she means but I don’t have the time for a long explanation. We have to move now. “Dolly, let’s not worry about Maya, okay?”
“But she’s my best friend.” Tears drop down her cheeks.
“I know. Dolly.” I wipe her tears and give her a quick kiss.
“Am I going to see her again?”
I really don’t know how to answer this question. Dolly is very serious about her new best friend. That I understand. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. But I can’t say yes. I have to protect her.
“Look, Dolly, Maya is different, very different.” I swallow hard. “I’ll explain to you later on, okay? But we have to go now.”
Dolly wipes her tears with both hands. She turns and waves, “Bye, Maya.” Then she screams, “Maya…” She begins to run to the exhibition hall. “Maya… Maya…”
“Dolly.” I yell. I try to stand up and catch her. But I feel so powerless. “Dolly, wait for me.”
“Sorry, Mommy, you stay…” A girl’s voice echoes in my body. It’s sharp and… booming.
My blood boils. That cursed doll. Now she is trying to control me.
“Stay away from me.” I yell. “Leave Dolly alone.”
“Mommy, it’s me… me…” the booming voice echoes right inside of my chest again.
“Who are you? Go away and pick someone else.” I yell.
“I’m coming back, Mommy…”
“No, you liar. I don’t know you. Go away now.” I scream. I look at the sky. The noon summer sunshine is strong. The sky is all blue, with absolutely no clouds. How could a spirit get hold me under the sunshine?
“Because I’m in your body. Mommy… Aren’t you happy I’m back? We’re one family. We are together again…” The word again echoes a few times and fades away like the sound traveling in the valley, “Again… agai… ag…”
Gosh. That cursed spirit. She’s now hiding from the sunshine inside my body. She can read my mind, too.
“What do you want?” I hit my body in desperation, wanting to get this damn spirit out of my body.
“I want to be back… back… Mommy… I want to be with you, with Daddy, and with Dolly…”
“No.” I scream. I lower my head and close my eyes. I hold my head with both hands. “God, please help.”
“Mommy, please meet my new friend, Maya.” Dolly’s happy voice comes.
I open my eyes. Dolly is standing right in front of me. She is holding something invisible.
“This is Maya.” She says happily. “And this is my Mommy.”
“Nice to meet you, Mommy…” That boom voice echoes in my body again.
My body is frozen. I try with every bit of my strength to stand up.
“Let’s go home, Dolly.” I murmur.
r />
“Let’s go, Maya.” Dolly says happily.
I don’t know how I get into the car, how I start it, and where I drive. My mind is all blank. I can’t think. I drive along the street. I almost hit a dog. I make a sharp turn and see a big tree approaching very fast. I kick the brake all the way down. The car stops only a foot or two away from the tree.
Maybe I should leave the car and walk home? I don’t know.
Dolly is talking and laughing with her new best friend. She’s so happy.
“Mommy, Mommy, Maya has never tried ice cream. Can you believe that?” She turns to her invisible friend, “What? You haven’t played a video game either?” She turns back. “Mommy, can I share my ice cream and the video games with Maya? Can I, please?”
Do I have a choice? I take a deep breath. “Look, Dolly, whatever you do with your new friend, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Thank you, Mommy…” That booming voice pops up. “I won’t hurt Dolly.”
“Thank you, Mommy.” Dolly is so happy. “Okay, Maya. We can play the Barney’s Musical Counting Game when we get home. It’s so cool. Oh, yeah, and the Zerby Derby games, too. You know, those cars. They have eyes. And they talk…”
I back the car into the street. I drive again. The heck. I’m not afraid of you. I’m a mom. I have to protect Dolly. I can’t be weak. I stare at the road and try to focus.
There. I see our new home. I’m so happy I drove home. Then my heart sinks right away. Am I going to bring this foul spirit into my house?
-*- THE END -*-
of Book One
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