Ten: Introducing Schmerzmann

Kurti opened his eyes to see something incredible. There was a little
doll-Kurti lying on his pillow, looking back at him with gold buttons
for eyes. The doll - or effigy - was the very image of him. Gold eyes.
Indigo hair. Tridactyl hands. Tail. He had *everything*. Even little
felt pyjamas that matched Kurti's.
Kurti sneaked a quick look inside the doll's pants. Okay. Not
*everything*. Finding a match for *that* on a toy would have just been
disturbing.
_God bless you, Mama,_ Kurti thought, and scooped up the toy. This was
just the thing he needed so he wouldn't have to wimp out and be a bad
big brother to Katja.
He rushed out to give her a hug. "Thank you, Mama!"
"Whatever for?" said Mama, playing innocent.
"For Schmerzmann, of course," he told her, holding the doll aloft.
"He's the best. *You're* the best. *Thank* you *so* much..." And he
hugged her again.
"*Schmerzmann*?" said Mama. "Why Schmerzmann?"
"Why not?" said Kurti. "That's what you made him for."
"Impeccable logic," said Papa. "We'd better watch out for *this*
brilliant little man."
Kurti grinned at him, then turned back to Mama. "So where are the rest
of his clothes?"
"Eh?" said Mama. This time she was really confused. "What do you mean
'the rest'?"
"Well, he's just like me," said Kurti. "He's gotta have clothes just
like me, too."
Papa started laughing. "Impeccable logic," he said.
Mama sighed. "Laura had to have *underpants* on her dolls. Susi had to
have *navels*. *My* son has to have a verdammt matching wardrobe..."
Papa just kept on laughing.