"Hey, Hannah. Happy birthday," Sid greeted his sister sweetly when she opened her bedroom door to find him there in the doorway.
Hannah looked at him, surprised but grateful. He'd never wished her a happy birthday before. "Thanks, Sid," she beamed. "Wanna play in the sandpit?"
"Maybe later," Sid replied. "I want to give you your birthday present first."
He gave her a box wrapped in sparkly pink paper. She held it and shook it to see if she could guess what it was. It felt quite light, and rolled audibly in the box. Intrigued, she ripped off the wrapping paper and lifted the lid of the box.
But she barely got a glimpse of what it was before Sid snatched it out of the box, laughing, holding them up.
"It's Marie Antoinette and her little sister!" he crowed, waving the two headless dolls above his head. Hannah screamed.
"SID!" she yelled, bursting into tears.
She was both upset and furious at her brother. She was sick of his stupid pranks and the way he mutilated every toy she owned. She wished he'd just leave her alone.
He tossed the dolls towards her, and she caught them. He went to his room, laughing all the way. Hannah knelt on the floor in her bedroom, grieving over two of her favourite dolls.