Mansion of Dolls (Complete)

Chapter 20 (Rewrite/Edited)

Under the strict watch of both Mei and Toya, Taryn had been confined to something akin to house arrest. Having to remain in the room that she was now resting in. Mei reprimand Rachael in the hallway like a scolding mother for forcing Taryn out of bed to role-play a scene for their comic, as Rachael told her. It was a lie, of course, but a needed one.

Taryn had yet to tell Rachael anything of what really happened, the parts omitted by choice. As much as she trusted her friend, Taryn worried about how Rachael would even react to knowing that a doll was the real culprit. A regular person would go into complete disbelief, laugh it off even, but this was Rachael. She wouldn't outright think what Taryn was saying as false; they had history involved with it after all. But if anxiety were to be included, who knows how much Rachael's worry and fear would be amplified. The last thing Taryn wanted was to give Rachael a panic attack after dealing with a life or death situation.

Again...

That coming night Rachael had stayed in the room, having no intention of leaving Taryn alone after what had transpired. With Toya coming to check on the two of them a few times during the night, Rachael clearly noting the affection Toya seemed to hold for Taryn when he spoke with her. As Rachael poked fun when the two women were alone trying to make a tense situation lighter as best that they could. Even to the point where Toya had even fallen asleep for a short time while looking out for her.

Being at ease was far from Taryn's mind.

"If you wish to seek the truth, then when you are able, go back to the Shrine and go down the well. There is a tunnel deep underground. There, you should be able to see the truth with those eyes of yours. But once you do, leave and don't look back. Forget you ever came here. Forget everything." That was what Yoko had said to Taryn when she first woke, it lingered in her mind throughout the whole night, yet sleep was few and far between.

For even as she lay prone on her side, curled up underneath the heavy covers trying to sleep, she could feel it. As though it was there. Of those glassy eyes boring into her, and the squeaking of joints coming from its limbs moved towards her. With hands on either side of her, entrapping her in the bed with its unblinking stare. She dared not move until that feeling began to overwhelm her and could no longer take it.

Taryn forced herself up, to confront it, of what her mind believed was there. But saw nothing. Of course, there wasn't anything; it was just her stress, making things manifest in her head. With the feeling of what if kept filtering through. What if it came back, what if it did it again, what if it killed the people closest to her?

It was a nightmare; it wasn't real. The doll wasn't here.

She took in a few steady breaths as she looked to see Rachael fast asleep in a nearby corner at the far end of the room, then glanced to her side to see Toya; he had merely come to check on them a few times. And here he was fast asleep in his kimono. How long had he been asleep here?

She reached to wake him, to get him to head back to his own room, only to stop when he shifted in his sleep and grasped her left hand, giving it a light squeeze. It felt warm. Alive. Nothing at all like the doll's hand.

A faint feeling of relief washed over her as the tension began to ease in her shoulders. Knowing she couldn't move out of bed; she tugged the lighter blanket from her covers over Toya to at least give him something while he slept by her side.

As she laid back down into the futon's softness, she grasped his hand with her other and brought it up to her forehead. Having the knuckles of his hand rest against her forehead.