She is a chubby little girl. Her father is a politician. And she was force to enter in this institution. She's a troubled child. She has been 'transferred without cause' form three different highly esteemed schools because of her 'expressive interaction' towards her classmates. Her father didn't care one bit. She knew her daughter was tough and would defeat even an army of men, literally. But her father didn't really care for her. In his mind, the only important person in the world was himself and no one else. So, when her father was criticize on his management on department of education. He transferred her to this school to prove a point.. I guess. It was a publicity stunt. Her father knew, her mother knew, she knew and especially, the public knew. This made Suzanna sad, and thus her reason to 'expressively interact' with her classmate, especially Maria, and how extra expressive Suzanna was to her.
Suzanna was clutching the doll. She did not hold it with love or care. She held it but never looked at it. Maria wanted her toy back. She reach for it but Suzanna would move it further way 'say something retard!' she taunted. Maria step out of her seat and tried to take Mr. Bean back. But Suzanna ran waving the doll to tease Maria 'retard! Retard! Retard! ' they began to chase each other in the room, passing to tables dashing trough art projects that hang on the wall and even rush by the cage of Mr. whiskers the hamster who was even curious of the commotion that he stop eating for a moment But continued to chew a tasty walnut. The fiasco went on for a full five minute. Suddenly, Suzanna bumped into someone. She looked up and saw Ms. Evangeline.
Ms. Evangeline was a kind hearted woman. She was old but still young at heart. She's a teacher. In fact, it's Maria and Suzanna's adviser. 'Hello Suzanna!' She said lovingly. 'What are you doing?' Suzanna stopped for while. 'Nothing' she replied. 'Aw! What a lovely doll' Ms. Evangeline took the doll from Suzanna. 'Is this yours?' Suzanna swung her head. 'Then who's is it?' She pointed at Maria 'did you borrow it form maria?' she swung her head again. 'Oh! Dear it is really rude to take anything from someone without asking permission' ms, Evangeline gently took the doll from Suzanna, Inspecting it for any damages. 'I really like your doll' Maria gave a faint smile. 'I had one but it was a bit more raggedy' she gave the doll back to Maria. 'Remember, they have feelings to so treat them carefully okay.' She nodded and Ms. Evangeline left, A bit of a story about Ms. Evangeline. In her youth, she was, like Maria, a shy girl. She would always be in the corner of the room. Sitting to peacefully and mind her own. She never made friends. Ms. Evangeline sees herself in Maria more than she can admit.
Maria is just happy someone noticed her doll. And she is proud, Suzanna just though it was stupid. To retaliate, she took the doll and dropped it on the floor and left. Maria picked up her doll. She wiped the dirt out of Mr. Bean. She took pity in her doll. The mean mean Suzanna was evil and we should know that form the start. The bell rang and school started.
This is what school is. Teachers talking – test – lunch - teachers talking again - P.E. – end. This is a habit that did and shall not be broken for forever. Nothing really happens in this school. Well, nothing fun. She hears of school exploding and kids have adventure of great imagination. Not this school. In the great endless wonderful universe, this school was not blessing with anything….fun. The only thing it was bless is the bell that signified the end of school. When this bell ring, it like you've just landed in Africa, in a middle of a stampede. Hoards of children, and some faculty, running out the door, free from the oppressive concrete box.
Maria never breaks habit. She has her own monotonous repetitive thing. A visit from Oliver's will not be a thing of the past, even if she has her own doll. In fact, Mr. Oliver needs a thank you or a gesture of gratitude for giving her Mr. Bean. She ran to the shop, Looked at the window and as a habit, stained at the beautiful dolls in the shop. But something is odd. Where is Mr. Oliver? She did not see her in his usual place. And the man was not keen to leave his station. She looked at the door. A sign read 'close'. 'Odd!!!' she thought. This is not Mr. Oliver's habit. Something is wrong? She looked at Mr. Bean, Getting advice from the doll. She looked at him. And she decided. Maria will now do the biggest thing she was done in her sever years of life, stepping in Oliver's. She stood in front of the door. She checked the door and it was unlock. She opened the door. The shop was dusty. Mr. Oliver needs to clean his shop. Maria tried to be quite but the floors would creek in every step. The dolls she once admired looked hauntingly creepy. It might be the lighting but it looked scary. She felt like a princess in deep forest. She clutched Mr. Bean so tight that it looked like he was struggling for air. In fact, he is. Maria came closer and closer to the station that once place Mr. Oliver. She looked inside, slowly peering for any sign of Mr. Oliver. But no, there was nothing inside the desk, only a small doll. The doll was badly hurt. Its cotton spread out on the floor. Poor little doll. I hope Mr. Oliver would fix this little creation. And if take a close look, it looked like Mr. Oliver.
Maria was startled. She saw a figure, so afraid that she ran out the door. She never knew who was the figure or knew its intention. She just ran straight home. What happened to Mr. Oliver? Where is he? The mystery deepens. Maria hates mysteries. In the eight years of her life, she always wanted to know everything. She may be shy but her curiosity has never failed her before. Please don't fail her now.
Maria is dreaming. Dreaming of everything she wanted. The sky is not the limit, it's her. Tonight, she is dreaming of fairies. In a lovely forest in the middle of a kingdom she created. She is princess. With her pink dress and magic star wand. She has a white unicorn with fair blond hair poking out of its head. But then, dark clouds cover the forest. The animals began running away. From the distance, the dark figure, with his devilish smile and flaming red eyes laughing a horrible laugh Maria wanted to wake-up and she did.
Maria never wanted to dream, at least just this night. She wanted company someone to sleep beside her. But her sister is out again for work. She is alone in her room, Affair to sleep. Not wanting to see the dark figure from her dreams. 'Maybe milk would help.' she thought.
She walked silently to the kitchen. The floors are made of rice paper. Well! Not literally. But every step is like cramping tinfoil. She made her way to the refrigerator and searches its contents for the milky substance. She heard a creek, like footsteps. Turned around but there was nothing. She thought it was a rat. So she continued searching for the milk, which was between the cheese and the yogurt. The creeks resumed walking inch–by-inch. She turned around but there was nothing. The creek still resumed.
At first, she thought it's just a rat. And living in a place like this, rats are very common, but the creeks were not infamous with the rats that call this place home. So what could it be? Her imagination might exaggerate the creeks as a monster trying to get her. And a girl mind exaggerates a bit I might say.
Maria investigated, following the creaking sound. She heard a buzz. It's electronic but the sounded like a humming bird. She followed the noise. It came from the front door. And when she arrived at it, she saw Mr. Bean, trapped in the cat-hole. It wasn't there cat-hole. Maria and her family did not like cats, but was, as the real estate agent said 'comes included in the package'.
Maria took the doll away from its awkward position. Who could have done this? She thought, then, another creek. It was coming from behind. She was startled. She slowly turned around facing her attacker.
And what she saw it dark figure.