The Doll Collector

Chapter 16: The Doll Collector

I watched her from across the dinner table. She was listening to every word I spoke, and with undivided attention. I was right, she was perfect. She understood my girls, and most importantly, me. It was my fear that I would meet someone, and they would reject the idea of my girls. I paid the tab and walked her out to my car. The silence for the first few minutes on the ride back to the bar was incredibly palpable. My nerves were pulsing as I dared invite her to my home. I almost couldn't believe that the words had left my mouth.

The following seconds it took for her to respond were tortuous, but before that tiny voice in my head could speak for her, she blessed me with an answer. Yes.

Yes, she would come home with me. The thought floated unnaturally in my head. I was taking home a live woman. She wasn't stiff in my backseat, and I wouldn't have to sneak her in. The others had never been in my home before they were dolls. This was a privilege no other woman had ever been given.

I pondered that for a few seconds. It wasn't part of the plan, however, my intentions seemed to be shifting without me noticing. 

I turned onto the street where the bar was situated. Maria's eyes landed right on what I assumed was her car. I'd have to remember what it looked like for later if it needed to be disposed of. My mind and heart suddenly began to wage a war as we reached my driveway.

What should be her fate? She seemed to like me, she accepted to come back to my place. How did the next steps go? At this point, it was all very clear they would be turned into dolls. They were usually drugged and were being taken to the cabin.

Why not Maria? The plan had been to see her again, not bring her home. This was uncharted territory for me. 

Maybe because I'd taken her to dinner, exposed parts of myself to her, and now my confidence was beginning to wear off. She was already so different from the others.

I pulled into my driveway, cutting the engine and headlights. Maria stood patiently as I measured the distance from the garage door to the front of my car. That part of the routine could not change.

Her body was relaxed, maybe even a little tired. She hadn't seemed to notice my taking a few extra minutes to complete this ritual.

Her eyes flitted along my walls as I turned on the living room lights once we had entered. My Glade plug-ins were producing a fresh scent that pleased my nose. I breathed it in, inviting Maria to make herself at home. Eloise was nowhere to be seen, and it was my hope that it would stay that way.

I didn't need her cockblocking me.

I excused myself into the kitchen to grab the wine bottle and two glasses. As I pulled open the pantry, I was faced with quite the moral dilemma again.

The bottle containing several GHB pills was sitting on the shelf.

It seemed to stare me in the face, posing the question: what are you going to do?

Maria was just like them, lonely, and broken. I could fix her, I could. She needed me and I needed her. But did I need her alive? She could very much serve her purpose without a pulse. 

My hand reached for the bottle but stopped as my fingertips brushed the label. Why hadn't I taken these with me to the restaurant?

I could have drugged her there and I didn't. What made me think I could do it now?

Well for one she was in my home, sitting on my sofa, without access to her car. I had successfully isolated her, and she had alcohol in her system.