Chapter 2

Alena curled up on the old chair, pulled her knees under her chin and leaned her head on the armrest. Only her bare feet stuck out from the confinement of the chair. I smiled. The storm raging in her eyes must have abated for now because I had never seen her looking so at peace. I wished I could cover her with the blanket lying next to me on the sofa, but my body refused to move.

I watched her until I was sure she’d fallen asleep, and then turned back to the room. It took me great effort to turn my head and look around, and I regretted not having paid attention to it before, when I was free to move at will. Now, being bound to this wooden body, I didn’t have that luxury.

It must be late afternoon, judging by the soft light that flooded the room, but I couldn't be sure. The window I had seen when Alena brought me here was behind me, and my body refused to turn towards it, no matter how hard I tried.

After another failed attempt, I turned back to her, watching her sleep. I didn’t understand her. Why had she tried to summon a spirit into this doll? What had brought her to take such measures? I watched her, not finding any answer to my questions, until the sun had almost set, and long shadows danced on the walls of the room. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes, stretching herself with a yawn. Her eyes fell on me, and she bolted up, seemingly remembering what had happened. She looked around wildly for a moment before turning down her gaze and whispering,

“Mia… I am sorry… I shouldn’t have left you alone.”

I wished I could tell her it was all right and that I didn't want her to feel sad because of me. I tried to lift my arm, and, noticing my gesture, she left her chair and came over to me. She gazed at me silently for a moment, and I tried to smile, but I wasn’t sure how well I managed. Her face still carried a shadow of guilt, and my effort didn’t manage to disperse it.

She took my hand in hers.

“Why did you want to stay?”

Why did you want me to come?, I thought as the sun finally set, taking the last glimmers of daylight with it.

Alena averted her eyes at my silent question and walked over to the candles standing on the table by the wall. I could see the faint glow of her elemental magic flare in the air as she carefully lit them. The night was falling outside, and she walked over to the window behind me, and I heard her pulling the curtains close before returning to the sofa and sitting down as far away from me as she could. She pulled her knees under her chin, and the room fell silent. I was watching the flickering lights of the candles when she suddenly said into the space,

“I just wanted to have someone who would like me as I am”

With some effort, I turned my head towards her and watched the shadows dancing on her face, not being able to say anything. I didn’t understand what she meant. In that short time when I had followed her outside her home, I had never once seen anyone treat her with scorn or disdain.

She brushed her hair from her face, combing it with her fingers for a moment before releasing it with a frown.

“I hate it”, she whispered. “I hate who I am.”

She sat silently, watching the room, and I was left with the stark pain that her words had sparked within me. After a while, she stirred, looked at the clock hanging on the wall, and said,

“It is getting late, Mia”.

She stood up and picked me up from the sofa. I tried to put my arms around her to ease her burden of carrying me, and I was pretty sure she smiled when she noticed my efforts. She carried me to another room and sat me down on the bed.

“I made a room for you…but…”

Her voice trailed off, and I looked at the small bedroom we were in. It was hers, I knew it from the time when I had watched her crying herself to sleep after every failed summon she attempted, but like before, I hadn't paid much attention to it back then.

The bed felt softer than I imagined it to be, but it might have been the weight of my wooden body that made me sink into it. Alena took a blanket from a wardrobe hidden behind me and threw it on a small couch lined against the wall. I watched her pulling the curtains close, cutting the room from the night that lurked outside.

“Mia…”

She turned to me.

“I will put you to bed”, she said softly. “I will be here on the couch…okay?”

I wanted to protest; lying in a bed wouldn’t make my sleep come easier, while she wouldn’t rest well on the couch. But she came over to me and put her hand on my shoulder before I had a chance to ponder how to tell her.

“Mia, I’ll help you out of these clothes”

Slowly, I turned my head towards her and tried to compose my face into something that resembled a smile. She took it as a yes and undid the buttons on my dress, carefully removing it. I watched her face with curiosity as she gently lay me on the bed and covered me with a duvet.

“Is this okay…?”

She looked at me with her stormy eyes, and a faint smile appeared on her face.

“Do you like it?”

I heard her moving away and blowing out the candles, plunging the room into darkness. I imagined that she lay down on the couch, covering herself with a soft blanket, and I hoped she would find enough comfort there to fall asleep.

“Good night, Mia”, she whispered into the darkness, and I closed my eyes.