A/N: I'm terribly sorry for the late update! Please, do enjoy this chapter of Rima but be warned it's a bit on the creepy side. Carry on ~ I'll just be here hoping you all enjoy this one as well! (sets up tea set while humming merrily to self)
Three
...
Dolls, they're everywhere.
Creepy porcelain inventions line the shelves of the small room, glassy eyes piercing into her, lips painted into creepy smiles.
"Where...am I?"
"Rima." A soft voice filters into the darkness, she looks up.
"Who's there?"
She's met with silence. Rima turns slowly, eyes falling on the closed door. There's a music box playing somewhere in the distance, tickling her senses as it bounces off the walls of the tiny room.
"H-Hello?" She croaks stepping towards the door, slivers of light seeping into the room through the opening and slowly Rima extends a trembling hand for the handle.
"Rima." It's right in her ear this time and screaming she scrambles back, body colliding with the wall. Eyes glassy, Rima searches the room for the culprit, gaze jumping from one porcelain doll to the next.
"Rima." She shakes her head, curling into a ball, hands over her ears.
"Leave me alone!" She yells squeezing her eyes shut. Tears roll down her cheeks as the music grows louder – faster.
"Rima."
"Rima."
"Riiiimaaaa."
She can't take it. She's going insane here surrounded by all these creepy dolls and jumping to her feet, Rima scrambles for the door and tearing it open she bursts out into a brightly lit hall.
The light, it's hot – burning through her skin painfully. She hisses in pain stumbling back into the doll room as the door swings shut sending her bangs flying. She doesn't move, eyes glued on her sweaty arms. A moment ago it had felt as if she was on fire and clutching her hands over her chest she chokes back a sob.
Just what was this nightmare?
"I want to leave now!" She yells hammering on the door.
"Let me out!" She cries, kicking the wood angrily, face hot as her screams consume the dark room.
"Let me go!"
"Rima."
She curls into a tight ball once more, clamping her hands over her ears, eyes squeezed shut.
"You're not real. None of this is real. Leave me alone!"
The music abruptly stops, silence hanging over the blonde's head and opening her eyes slowly Rima takes in the dark room, moonlight pouring in through the tiny transom window. The dolls are still here – all of them, watching her intently. Rima rises to her feet, arms swinging limply at her sides, large eyes glossy as they drift from one face to the next.
What was this place?
She breathes out jaggedly, sweat filming her face.
"How do I –"
"Rima."
She gasps; whirling around and there, seated on a stool is another porcelain doll. It's gorgeous, curly black hair swept up into an elaborate display of flowers and butterflies. Blue eyes dance in their sockets, lips supple and pink unlike the clown-faced dolls decorating the shelves all around her.
Cautiously Rima approaches, footfalls light as she reaches out and snatches the doll from its resting spot, eyes glued to the fancy kimono it wears.
"J-Japanese style," she breathes, tugging at the doll's obi, gaze wandering over the ones high on the shelves and for the first time Rima realizes they're all different. Each doll wears a different outfit, hair styled a different way. The only thing they all have in common are their eyes.
They're all glassy and bright, goose pimples forming on Rima's arms as her gut lurches. Something's wrong here, she can sense it.
"Rima." It's back, the haunting whisper and Rima listens as the music box cranks up once more. A set of fingers suddenly curl around her wrist and screaming she stares down, eyes widening at the sight before her.
It's the doll, its hand is clutching at her wrist, glassy eyes boring into her – face frozen into a permanent smile.
"Rima..."
"Rima..."
"Riiiimaaaa..."
All around her haunting echoes chant her name as she stumbles backward trying to pry her arm free. She screams, slamming the doll against the wall with all the strength her tiny body can muster and when the doll releases her she scrambles away, panting, arm clutched over her chest. The chanting grows louder now – more desperate than before.
"Rima."
"Rima."
"Riiimaaaa."
"Stop it." She breathes, eyes flitting from one doll to the next. "Stop it, all of you!" She hollers and to her surprise she watches as the room begins to fall apart, dolls falling from shelves – cracks weaving up the sides of walls before it all shatters like glass darkness devouring her as she begins to fall.
Screaming, Rima flails her arms about, hair whipping out behind her. She hits the water with a loud, painful splat sinking below the surface, body numb.
"Save me, Rima...before it's too late."
...
2:15am
Gasping, gold eyes flutter open as Rima shoots up body coated with sweat. She's panting, long hair sticking to her salty skin as her eyes dart about the dark bedroom. Rima blinks, fingers trembling as they clutch at her nightgown.
It was just a dream. Releasing a jagged breath, Rima falls back onto her mattress, chest puffing up and down as she sprawls out her limbs, eyes narrowing.
"Something's...not right with me."