As a young boy, Myles Garrett had always been rather stoic. He kept to himself, opening his mouth occasionally when asked questions, and hid his bright blue eyes behind his brown mess of a hair do. That was the first fourteen years of his life. Then, at age fifteen, Myles began to see things. Maybe it was because he would only talk to himself or maybe it was because he loved to draw pictures and make up stories about them. Either way the stories become fact soon after he would make them. The creatures and people would walk and act alive though they would disappear when others would come. All of them except for a little doll. Blond, curly, hair and a white gown was all it had. No mouth and the eyes were buttons with one being very chipped. It had a name that Myles would not speak. He was not prone to talk anyway, but the doll's presence did not help get rid of this habit. It would speak to him at night, talking of glorious reclamation of the world around him. How with just a yes he could get revenge on the bullies, his parents who hated him, the teachers who scorned him, and his "friends" who abandoned him. Myles actually liked the idea of all of this, but he would not submit. This was because of his doting teacher Ms. Richardson who was nice and supportive of him even in his silence. He also had a friend named Abby Wilson who helped him with math. Their relationship may have strictly been that, but it was enough for Myles. To feel valued was enough. Of course the story doesn't end with all was well and he resisted the temptation just fine. The doll was powerful without him and Myles made the mistake of telling it about his teacher and Abby. The next day, October 30th 1998, Ms. Richardson vanished. She was said to have quit and moved to another town, but Myles knew something was wrong. He knew what had been done. He knew yet didn't want to say anything about it. He got home that day, skipping his math session with Abby, and confronted his creation.
"What did you do, doll?" He asked in his raspy, quiet, voice.
"Did you say my name? If not I can't answer you." The doll replied in a, female, sing song voice.
Myles said nothing, easily defeated as his resolve had already plummeted to zero. He sat, and then laid down, on his bed before letting out a sigh. It was one of submission. One that the doll was more than happy to hear.
"Alice, what did you do?" Myles asked, coldly and quietly.
Alice would have smirked if IT had a face. Alice floated off of the chair and onto Myles' chest. Myles batted Alice away, but the doll did not fall to the floor. It, in fact, materialized in the form of a full bodied girl at his bed side. The blond hair and white gown remained though the button eyes became normal and brown. The missing mouth, however, was replaced with a thin streak across it's face. No lips, just a gap that would open and close when the doll spoke.
"I got rid of that teacher who poured lies into our head about how good we are and what we can do, Myles. You didn't need her all you needed was-" Myles sat up quickly and stared at it through his hair.
"Lies you say? WE you say? Those lies made me feel better about myself than I ever had! And who is the we when all you want is to do make do things I don't want to!" He raged.
Alice flinched at his sudden outburst.
"Alright, maybe she was right about one thing. You've got a fire in you. And yes WE are exactly that, WE. I'm just a part of your mind, Myles. I also know that you want to hurt the people that hurt you. You may have felt better than ever, but how long does the feeling last. Till they find you behind the school and take what you have?" Alice retorted, a twisted smile spreading across the astral figures face.
Myles had nothing to say to this. He folded, turning over and clutching his chest in rage and agony. He cried, not out of fear or resentment, but out of anger. Anger that he was starting to believe what Alice told him.
"How about you-"
"Shut up." Myles interrupted.
Alice turned its head to the side ever so slightly. The doll then whipped it back, making a startling crack.
"Myles, you dare to ignore me after you called my name? You'd better use me or else I may have to take more... measures."
Myles turned over and stared at Alice. He had already whipped his eyes and the worn sleeve of his white hoodie.
"You wouldn't dare." Myles said, still shooting daggers at the doll from behind his eyes.
"Oh, I wouldn't. Maybe if you go swimming in the lake you'll find out exactly what I would DARE to do." Alice sneered, though the doll's expression did not change.
Myles was a smart boy. Smarter than most in fact. He had already assumed Ms. Richardson dead, but drowned. That was not what he had expected. Myles had assumed Alice would be showy of any murder it committed. After all, this wasn't the first time, this wasn't the first school, and this wasn't the worst way someone had died at the hands of Alice. Though the first murder Alice had ever committed had left a town in shock, a road paved with blood, and a body nailed to a McDonalds sign.
"Alright, Alice, you win. What do you want me to do-"
"Not you, Myles, what WE do is cause an equalizer." Alice interjected.
"Equalizer?" Myles asked, obviously confused.
"When you get bullied you don't get mad and quit you get even. Now let's go get them."
Later that day Myles arrived at Jamie Wilson's house. He didn't want to be there, not to mention it was two in the morning, but he did as Alice asked. To protect Abby of course. Little did Alice and Myles know, she was related to Jamie.
"What are we doing here, Alice?" Myles asked.
"Retribution. He's the ring leader. He's the head honcho. To get rid of our problems we just need to cut off the head." Alice answered.
Myles said nothing and crossed the street without looking either way. Luckily it was dark and the streets were empty. No one saw him cross as he made his way to the back of the two story house. There was a lake behind their house. Probably the same one Ms. Richardson had been drowned in.
"Jamie, you're such an idiot." Abby's voice could be heard, stopping Myles in his tracks as he saw the two of them on the walk off.
They sat with their feet in the water, Abby's long brown hair soaking wet and James own brown hair the same. Myles couldn't make himself move, whether it meant retreat or continuing for revenge. Alice grew impatient behind him and the doll began to round the corner. Myles grabbed it's hand, not even realizing he'd done so, and yanked Alice back.
"We can't do this. It's not worth it. I'll just move again, yeah. That got rid of the bullies, the bad teachers, and the terrible school just fine." Myles mumbled, slowly losing his grip on what to do.
"For once it won't be we. I'm taking care of him. No, both of them. Then you'll have no choice but to obey me." Alice said, storming toward the pair.
Myles didn't even seem to notice this, biting his fingers to the point of bleeding. Abby and Jamie heard Alice coming and turned while standing.
"Hello children, and goodbye." Alice said, grabbing them both by the neck.
Abby and Jamie kicked, but they could not touch Alice despite being grabbed by the doll. Myles was shaken, unable to move and watching through his hood in hair. That was until he made eye contact with Abby. That was enough, her pleading eyes and the mouthing of the words, "Help me" to get him to move. He walked at first, not sure what he was going to do, before bolting at Alice. He pushed the doll closer to the edge which caused it to drop the siblings.
"What do you think you're-" Alice began, but he'd already made up his mind.
Myles tackled Alice into the water, being the only one able to touch the doll. He had a plan, a bad one at that, but a plan nonetheless. That plan, however, didn't leave room for Myles to worry about living. In fact that was the whole point. Just embracing the water as it rushed along his body, into his nose, his mouth, and putting it all to rest. Alice and Myles, gone the next day. No bodies, not even Ms. Richardson, like nothing had ever happened.
