The Collector

Mrs. Puppen

A woman with curly red hair watched her former students in amusement. They ran around her manor in groups or on their own. It was like they were playing a game of man hunt. She chuckled as one of them hit a dead end. The camera in the hall zoomed in on his face and the redhead got to watch the expression of pure panic bloom as he realized he was trapped. The tall woman focused her attention on another screen on the wine-colored walls of her attic as she already knew she had poor little James. She zoomed in on a trio of girls Alyssa, Melissa and Isabella, who was struggling to move in her tiny denim skirt. All three of the teens had ditched their heels at one point. The woman smiled and shook her head knowing that would make no difference. When the trio was ambushed as they turned the corner, she laughed out loud as Isabella ditched her friends when they got captured. The woman picked up a microphone and pressed a button on a screen so she could be heard by Isabella as she sprinted.

"Oh, Alyssa dear, I always knew you were the selfish type. All about self-preservation at the cost of others... Although given the situation I can't blame you," She chuckled into the mic before turning it off.

"Well, everything seems to be in order here. I should check the fridge though..." the woman nodded to herself before turning and walking to a black metal door on the far wall of the room.

Before opening the door, she grabbed a long dark green jacket that was on a hook beside the entrance. After she put it on, she opened the door and stepped onto the landing which had a set of black stairs going down the wall on her right. She stood there for a moment and took in the sight of what could easily be one hundred glass cases that were seven feet tall. She counted the empty ones for the umpteenth time to make sure she had enough.

"Fantastic all fifteen cases for the new ones," she murmured.

The lady glided down the steps slowly, her heels clicking each time they touched a step. She strutted slowly over to a case that wasn't empty and smiled at the contents.

"My first life sized doll. I've come a long way since making you Fiona..."

Inside the case was a beautiful female doll with long blonde hair. The doll was dressed in a knee length dress that was made up of feathers in all shades of red, orange and yellow. A pair of fiery wings sprouted from its shoulder blades. On its feet were a pair of dark red ballet flats. Long black strings were attached to the head and its joints. She was a made to resemble a phoenix. As the woman placed her hand on the glass the dolls head twitched. The body had sensed the movement, but the dull brown eyes stayed unfocused.

"I could see your potential back when you were Heather. You were so self centered, all about making your mark at Everdeen's School for Girls. You wanted your name to live on forever. And that is why you're my phoenix, darling. Forever immortal and rising from the ashes. My first human doll," she sighed.

The women turned away from the trapped girl and walked past more children in glass cases.

"All of you are so perfect now. Pretty, handsome, well fed, confident and most importantly part of the family. All your dreams have come true and now in just a couple of hours we will be welcoming fifteen new brothers and sisters! Isn't this exciting!" the red head exclaimed; a manic glint visible in her eyes as she observed her dolls.

All was silent minus the shallow breathing of the dolls and the excited huffs of the woman.

"Oh no my darlings there's no need to thank me! How about I tell you how I selected your new friends? They're from Yancy's Academy for Gifted Youth. I went as Mrs. Marionette Puppen again, kind of on the nose I know. I was hired as the secretary's assistant," the youthful woman trailed of as she recalled the events of two years ago.