My Doll

The Beginning

The day drags on painfully slow, and Emil spends most of his time reminding himself he's getting paid to be here. About two hours before his shift ends, a unique customer walks in. He leans over the counter, trying to peek over the shelves to get a better look at him. The new face was draped in black curls, spiraling in every direction. His eyes were pitch black, with somewhat small pupils. He walked swiftly, like a marionette. Emil stared subtly at the scars all over his arms, wondering if he draped his jacket so lazily because he didn't care if people saw them, or if he just couldn't zip it up all the way because of his hair. Either way he was intrigued by this ..man?

Finally the man came up to the register, he sat down a hunting knife, curved and black. Emil held in a snicker, making a joke in his head. "Something wrong?" The black haired man asked, smiling softly at him. Swallowing his heart, Emil rings it up, putting it in a bag and handing it back to him. "No Sir, thank you. If you have any problems with it I suggest you keep the receipt, gas station knives aren't all that reliable, even if it's from the top shelf."

While closing up, it begins to storm. "Fuck." Emil groans, putting his hood on and running for his SUV. Pulling out, he notices the man from before on the bus stop bench, with almost no protection from the rain. "Ugh... He's a stranger Emil!" He tells himself, slowing down in front of the bench. He rolls down his window, and the loud pitter patter of rain trying to force it's way into the jeep becomes more clear. "Hey Sir, that bus is probably gonna be late, if not canceled completely, it's supposed to get dangerous here in about an hour." The man looks up at him, droplets flow from his black spirals. He looks as if he just witnessed something traumatic. "Um.. If you don't live too far I can give you a ride home." The man manages a smile, tilting his head cutely. "Really? Thank you." He shrinks his shoulders getting up, seeming afraid of the rain. He climbs into the seat, despite all that time he was on the bench, his skin is actually not wet. "You cold? I can turn up the heat." Emil says, gently feeling the mans cheek. "Oh-" he blurts, pulling his hand away quickly. The warmth radiating from him was almost hot to the touch. The black eyed man looks at him curiously. "You're running a fever, I can take you to the ER instead if you need." "ER?" The man repeats, thinking about it. "No I..don't really like people in suits.." The mans voice is soft, almost shaky. Emil wonders of his reason for that distrust, before driving off. "You can put your address in my phone." He hands it to him, looking at the road through his wipers.

During the ride, the man stared at everything Emil did, with a face like a six year old seeing their dad at work. "Do you know how to drive?" He asks, hoping to get a gauge of the mans age. "Yes, why?" "No reason." Emil stops at a light, and the red shining through the pouring rain draws his attention almost instinctively. The man smiles at Emil blank expression.

Eventually they reach his house, it's small and looks cluttered, but Emil focuses more on the man getting home safe. "Thank you." He says, stepping out with that same soft smile.