DOLL: A SHADOWVERSE STORY

1

Rain pelted the car as it pulled into the vacant gas station with dirty and stained pumps. The convenience store lights were on, but the interior was mostly empty, aside from the half-asleep cashier. Rebecca watched her mother turn off the radio and power down the car. She patted her curly afro and grabbed the umbrella.

"You want anything from the store?" She asked.

"Chips," Rebecca answered.

Her mother, Jesse, smiled and climbed out of the car. Rebecca watched her pay for gas and start refilling the tank. The rains intensified around them, and so did the winds. Rebecca looked out the opposite window at the swaying dark trees. As a boom of thunder shook the skies and ground, Rebecca clutched her new doll and held it closer to her chest. Her thoughts drifted back to the flea market where they found it. The doll wasn't much, Rebecca had seen girls at her school with prettier ones, but perhaps that's what drew her to it. It was a simple cream-colored doll with red hair, painted on blue eyes, and subtle red blush. The simple black and red dress had several stains on it, but she still thought it looked pretty. The lady selling the doll gave it to her for next to nothing and smiled happily when Jesse bought it.

Jesse returned a few minutes later with two bags of chips. Starting the car, she did her best to hide the scowl; she always hated this place and the rains. Jesse hated remembering how she was back then. Sighing, she drove on and looked back at her little girl as she hugged the doll tightly. She always hated the rain, just like her father. Jesse felt a ping of anger at the thought, they hadn't seen each other in two years, and she would've preferred to keep it that way, but developments with her job prevented it. Periodically, Jesse found herself checking her daughter on the backseat, trying to figure out who she favored in appearance. Rebecca's skin was tan instead of brown like her mother's but had her mother's eyes. Sometimes, Rebecca looked more like her father, other times, Jesse. I wonder what Daniel's up to these days.

The road stretched on forever, and she had to take it slow as the storm continued and the roads were coated in a dense fog. She didn't see too many cars, and as she passed by familiar landmarks, she shook her head. This place never changes. I don't even need my phone to know where to go. She turned up the radio and immediately regretted it when she recognized the song. It reminded her of him and when things were good. She switched the station and noticed her daughter looking up in response as if she liked that song.

"You okay baby?"

"It's so rainy."

"I know, it always rains." Jesse forced a smile, "you know, you were born on a rainy day."

"I was?"

"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as this."

Rebecca nodded, and it looked like she wanted to say more, but instead she went to the chips. As they entered the small town, Jesse felt her old memories returning. She remembered the movie theater and the many hours she and Daniel had spent there.

They entered a cul-de-sac with small houses and dense woods on one side. Outside some of the houses were broken bicycles and even a rusty car. There was one house with an empty and cleaned yard and someone in a yellow raincoat there. She didn't need to see his face to know who it was; the tall, lanky body gave it away. Jesse pulled up in front of him and was grateful for the tinted windows.

Two years.

They hadn't seen each other in two years. Jesse swallowed hard and put the car in park. She forced herself to smile and blinked rapidly to fight back the looming tears.