''Only- you-and-I, in- this- room~'' I sing, smiling softly.
That person, the dollmaker, smiles at me, ''Very good, very good,'' he says, patting my head.
He walks out of the room, going off to do what ever he does in the world outside of our little room. I know nothing of the outside world... but I'm fine with that if it makes him happy; if that is what my creator wishes, I will not argue.
When he comes back, he brings with him a new outfit for me and I smile prettily even though I know that he'll leave me.
''Artur...?'' he asks, laughing at my naivete. I tilt my head to the side in confusion.
''Yes, sir?" I respond, smiling.
He pets my hair lightly, ''Call me Papa, oui?'' he smiles back, ''et I will call you Mon Fils.''
I nod slightly, confused by the other language that he likes to speak sometimes; he has a nice voice and pretty eyes that comment his hair so beautifully... I'm glad when he wants to visit me.
He carries me around the room on his back, because I have no clockwork in my legs; he says that I'll run away if he puts clockwork in my legs, too... why would I run away from my 'Papa'...?
He gives me such lovely presents... such as a rose encased in resin so that it will never wilt; the room is so filled with beautiful things that I am covered with them ever when I'm sleeping.
He leaves to do something, making excuses about it being urgent... it hurts my heart when he says that.
When he comes back, he gives me a little box with more things inside... a glass stained red by something, it's achingly beautiful but it scares me somehow... a blue spoon that I've seen 'Papa' eating with before, it's delicate and looks like I could break it with just my fingers... and a pair of mirrors with yellow framework, they look expensive but one is shattered like spun sugar... I hold them in my hands and examine them more while Papa is gone.
Only Papa and I in this room... no one else is needed here; he's all I need to be happy. I don't need to know anything about the outside to be happy, as long as that's what he wants... as long as he is here.
This room and all that I can see from the window, is the whole world, for me...
...and yet, I can't help but think... although, he is always so kind... he never teaches me about the outside world.
The things in this room...
...they keep laughing at me...
...I'm going crazy; I can hear them say...
''We are the same, you are just like us!'' the laugh mockingly at me.
''Lu- li- la- lu- li- la~'' I sing like such things are not heard in the outside world.
I sing for only my creator, because that is what I wish...
When I see him next, he says a word that I've never heard before... 'War'...
...I don't understand what that word means...
...I can't comprehend it's meaning.
Papa says that war is bad... and that I should stay in the house, no matter what...
...but, it's not like I could leave if I wanted to...
...my legs have no clockwork.
I wake up and there is smoke, surrounding me. His arms wrap around me and I feel safe, even with flames all around.
A question tugs at the back of my mind...
''Why is the room burning?'' I ask, trying to get him to let me go.
He doesn't answer... just picks me up and starts carrying me out.
Everything faded because of the smoke... I couldn't see or hear.
When I awaken... there is nothing.
Papa is gone...
...the room is gone...
...the window that I could once see my whole world through is gone...
...it's all gone.
'Alfred, I found a doll!' Madeline calls to her brother.
Her brother walks over, smiling sadly. 'We can fix it, right, sis?' he asks hopefully.
'Ivan can fix it for us.'