The Dollhouse

Chapter 37: Plans

Evelyn
1 Month Later...

The days were long. The nights were longer. Liam smothered me with attention, affection, and affirmations that everything was perfect. It was not. I knew it was not. It never had been perfect. It had always been a constructed view of perfectionism that Liam had created. Perfect to him, but delusional to everyone else. But yet, I played along fear will do that too, as will a life that you are protecting other than your own.

I was sick all the time. Really sick. So sick that he moved me into his bedroom, which angered everyone. When I was able to be present at meals, I could tell that I was not one with the other dolls anymore. I was above them and it all had different meanings to each of them.

I could tell, for Abby, she was in no better term for it pissed. She glared at me throughout meals. Toyed with her knife in her talon like claws. Pointing it toward me when she become animated speaking at dinner.  However, the last time she did, it released from her grip landing in front of me, clattering on my fine China plate.

"Oops," she had muttered, but Liam saw red and ordered her from the table. When he yelled, Laurel had flinched and Hannah had bowed her head, tears sprang to Abby's eyes as she begged to stay, but it only caused Liam's bellowing to escalate and she fled the room. Not going to lie, a smug smile had spread across my cheeks at it. I knew, trying to escape, she'd be my biggest advisory other than Liam.

Laurel seemed terrified to come near me, she would never make eye contact with me as if looking at me would spring some disease on her.

Hannah though, she tried to ignore me I could see her sideways stare. Her lips itching to tell me something, I knew I would need to scratch this itch if I were ever to escape.

I decided, a week after the positive test, after a week of crying until my face was stained a permanent tear stained red that I needed to escape. That the thought of bearing his child would destroy me.

A month later though, my mindset had shifted . This baby was not only his, but mine. I could raise it right, so that it didn't turn out like Liam and that's when I began to plot out my plan. 

I learned in my time in Liam's room that he indeed was a doctor and I now had become a patient under his care. He had never lied about that, but now only took house calls for rich clients for unnecessary medical concerns and procedures. This left him gone from the house at intermittent times. I usually never knew when he'd be gone until he told me as he dressed in the morning. Staying in his room did have its advantages.  Typically, he was gone for a few hours at a time a few days a week, leaving a short window for escape, but that still left the matter of the other girls, the other dolls.

Laurel kept to her room for the most part. She locked herself inside it in fact, which was surprising she even had a lock, but I'm sure Liam had a key after all. Laurel only came out for meals and to complete her cleaning duties. She was responsible for the downstairs. She was quick and usually finished working within a two hour time frame.

That left Hannah and Abby. Abby cooked the meals. It seemed that was her main role, main job in the house.  She did very little cleaning. Hannah seemed to control the upper level of the house duties for now, something that I had previously begun to do until my pregnancy. But what had Hannah been doing before?  It seemed everyone here had a role. I needed to figure out hers.

On a day Liam left for work I waiting patiently in bed. I held a book in my hands if anyone walked in but even though my eyes were gazing at the words my ears were trained on any noise.

The front door closed and locked. I waited a few minutes before hanging my legs over the side of the bed. I let them dangle there a minute or two as I listened. Nothing. The epitome of silence graced my ears.

I inched the rest of the way off the bed and tip toed toward the door. I didn't want to alert anyone of my presence. I wanted them to think I was in bed.

It was around 1:30 in the afternoon. Liam, had gone on an "emergency" house call that had angered him greatly before he had left. I remember his harsh kiss to my head as he hurried out. Lately, all he wanted to do was be right next to me, so my chances now to learn what Hannah did were slim.

I slowly turned the knob and opened the door. It was excruciating the amount of patience I had to hold, but it would be worth it.

Laurel had cleaned the downstairs after breakfast. We had already had lunch so that meant that Abby was most likely in her room.

I crept down the hall, careful to avoid the floor boards that creaked and made my way to Hannah's room. The door was closed so I quietly whispered, "Hannah."

I waited, but heard no movement. No noise at all.

"Hannah," I called out again as quiet as I could.

Still nothing. She wasn't there.

I made my way to the stairs and moved on my toes down them. I stopped more often than I would've liked in fear that Abby or Laurel would exit their rooms and find me.

Finally, I reached the bottom and the foyer. Sweat drenched the back of my white nightgown from my tedious movements and from a thick wall of anxiety encircling me.

I turned into the hallway and saw her at the end of it. Her coat on. A bag strung on her shoulder and a pair of keys in her hands. Car keys. House keys. She was leaving the house!

Sorry for the long delay! Things have been hectic around here.

Did you see Hannah being able to leave the house? Where do you think she is going? Will Evelyn use her in order to escape?

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