Chapter 9: Real friends

The McGees were finally back from the party. They all sure had great night there. Molly spended wonderful time with Ollie... But on her way home, she started to realize that she barerly saw Libby. However, this wasn't important. There was one thing, more important... To talk with Scratch. She wanted to finally talk with him, about bottling his problems and emotions...

She grabbed herself a glass of water, went to the attic... And right to the dollhouse, was Scratch with a angry and disappointed look on his face.

''Scratch, we need to talk!'' Molly said.

''Yes! We really should!''

Molly now noticed the look on his face and was very confused.

''Huh?''

''Oh, so you don't even realize, eh? Well, earlier when I was at the park, did you know what I saw? Libby, having a complete breakdown, because MISS MCGEE was so focused on her date!''

''Wh-what?'' Molly asked, confused.

''Yes! The whole night, she was alone! Her mom couldn't come, her dad was a no-show and no one payed attention to her... Including you, Lady Casanova!''

Molly now realized why she didn't saw Libby when they were leaving...

''Well... Is that my fault? I saw that Libby was missing! If she was that lonely during the party, she could've speak up or interrupt!''

''Moll, what do you expect from an introvert? Wallflowers like Libby, prefer to be picked... You didn't even noticed that she was having a hard time!''

Molly was feeling little annoyed by this. Sure, it wasn't nice of her to be so focused on Ollie, but was it her fault that Libby was too shy to speak up? However, she was actually starting to feel kinda bad...

''I... Guess, I own her an apology... I'll talk with her tomorrow, but there is another thing I want to discuss with you!''

''Say what now?'' Scratch asked, confused.

''Lately, I've noticed that you've been... Repressing yourself, lately. You remember the last few times you did that, right? First: you looked like a shaken-up soda, after you tried to repress your memories. Second: you summoed ghost shark in your sleep and he almost ate me, because you kept your emotional issues to yourself... AND YOU HID YOUR CORRUPTION FROM ME! How could you actually hide, something that serious from me? I want to nip this in the bud this time, before it escalates to something crazy!''

Scratch was feeling little nervous. He only did that, because he didn't wanted to worry Molly... But she was right. Every time he tries to hide his problems, it ends up badly...

''I don't know what you are talking about...'' Scratch said.

''Oh, please! This morning, you didn't even finish your starwberries, because of that sad look on your face. The last few days, you acted scared from something YOU refuse to tell me! So, no more running away, Scratch! Tell me, what's going on with you''

Scratch didn't know how to respond to this. He himself had no idea why he had... Those memories. He also had no idea what to do with the grim reaper. He knew, he can solve his problmes... He hated so much, when Molly tries to try to 'fix' everything.

''Listen very carefuly! I know that you just want to help me, but you DON'T KNOW ME A LITTLE BIT! When you have problems, you do the same, pretending that 'everything is totally normal'. I'm sorry, but you don't know what kind of problems I have... And it's none of your business!''

''I just want to help! Sorry, but I won't leave you alone, until-

''You are just a friend, Moll... So please, stop trying to act like my mom...'' Scratch said, as he went inside his dollhouse.

Molly was just standing there, trying to realize what just happened. There was clearly something that he was hiding, but she didn't know how to help him.

''Scratch... I do this, because we are best friends. BFFs are exatcly to help each other''

''Go to sleep, kid'' Scratch said, annoyed.

Molly knew this won't work. She wasn't gonna leave things like this, but for now... For now, she wasn't gonna bother him...

''Goodnight hug?''

''I said go to sleep!''

She was now feeling really bad. Not even a goodnight hug... Molly didn't wanted to offend him, or to annoy him... All she wanted, was just to try to help him...

''Okay... If you really don't want a hug... I won't force you. But that's only for this night...'' Molly said, as she finally layed down on her bed.

...

Libby was walking back home. After she spended some time with Scratch, it was time to go home. She was still thinking... About the party. No one... No one, dared to even look at her. While she walking, she was questioning what would happen... If she goes missing.

Really... If she just disappears, would someone even notice? Maybe her mom... Maybe. Molly? Molly already forgot she exicted... Libby just accepted the fact, Molly wasn't her friend anymore.

''At least you have a brain''

Libby was confused when the voice in her head said this.

''What?''

''Yeah... At least you see what person Molly is. Unlike poor Scratch. Molly keeps him like a little pet, but he doesn't even see it''

''That's... Kinda true... She really sometimes can be stressful...''

''If I had a chance to kill her, trust me I would. I would do it... And will enjoy every second of her dying screams. People like her, act like little angels... But in reality, they are jerks who forget their friends...''

Libby realized... The demon was right... Molly really is that kind of person. All this time, Libby thought that she found a real friend... But it looks, like everyone else, Molly only used her...

''Since you really are lonely... I know a place, where you can find a real friend...''

...

Libby was standing outside... The Jonhson's toy shop. The last time she was here, she almost ended up killing herself. She went inside and it was just like she remembers it... Dark, scary and miserable. That place is left, decades ago. She didn't know, if what she is looking for is even here... But she found it...

The destroyed doll... It was still on the floor, after so much time. It was really damaged, but... It could be fixed. Now the real question was, should Libby do this?

''Do you want a friend, or no?''

''Last time, you used that thing to secretly feed on my soul...''

''True... But that was just, so I can survive. And now, you are the one who needs to survive... You have nobody... Absolutely nobody... Take it... She will be your friend... Forever...''

Libby continued to stare at her old doll. She was really traumatized from the incident, but... Maggie was with her, all those years. When she was bullied, when she was an outcast... Even at the third grade sleepover, Maggie was still with her. Libby couldn't argue, that sometimes she really missed her old toy. It was ripped apart, but... It still was fixible. She can sew it, keep it as a secret from her mom, and enjoy the rest of her life with that doll...

She just continued to stare at it... And stare at it... And finally picked up all the pieces of the doll. It really was bad, but it wasn't impossible to fix it. After all, there aren't any demons inside that thing, right? While she was still thinking this over... Libby's eyes color, changed to red and her stomach growled from hunger and pain.

''Ah! Wh-What?''

''Welcome to your new life, sweetheart''

The last few days... Libby really was feeling hungry, without a reason. Her mom is probably already in bed (and will be so mad in the morning, because of how late Libby was tonight), so Libby could get a little midnight snack, right?

Libby finally started to walk back home, while holding the pieces of her destroyed doll. There was a little 24/7 shop in Brighton, so she was gonna pick something to eat from there. Was it mistake to get her old doll back? No... She really loved that doll. Was it insane, that she wants to spend the rest of her life, with it?

''No... You just want a real friend...''