Tales of the Other

The Island of Lost Dolls

The sky was reddish when Nurhanna visited the quiet island, its vicinity close to her home as she was the caretaker of the nearby villa. It was her habit to spend time on the island: a place of ill-repute known for mysterious disappearances of several people who tried to investigate the haunted nature of the island.

Nurhana was the only one who can safely visit the island according to her liking.

Because of this, the villagers believed that the woman had a part in the unknown whereabouts of the island's visitors but they were too afraid to make a move against her due to the ambiguous nature she possesses. Beside, the villagers pitied her reluctantly as the woman went through adulthood witnessing the violent demise of her sister. It is said that the poor child was gang-raped and chopped to pieces on the same island.

She was beautiful, like Nurhana.

The island was covered by a lush forest, and Nurhana felt at home more on the isolated place more than at the villa she was guarding. After anchoring her boat to the wooden port, she grabbed her basket and walked to the forest.

One hour had passed and the night had arrived. Nurhana turned on her flashlight, walking leisurely as the crickets chirped in with the occasional howl of dogs, merging with the harmonious sound of the frogs. She had always wondered why the villagers found the island too scary.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she stopped, reaching her destination. It was a strange place. On the branches of the trees were dilapidated dolls, old and partially covered with moss and dirt. Nurhana smiled as she lovingly caressed the mutilated dolls, most of them lacking a body part or two. Limbless Barbie dolls fill the place; baby dolls without eyes stayed on the treetops; headless glass dolls sat on the ground, their Victorian gowns torn and wet.

Nurhana lighted a candle and placed it on the bronzed candleholder, then unrolled the mat she was carrying inside her basket, arranging the food and books on the mat. Finally done, Nurhana sat and softly sang her sister's favorite song, "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra.

She noticed the moving dolls towards her, all of them limping their way to Nurhana, bumping to one another and falling to the ground. Nevertheless, Nurhana received them with warmth as the damaged toys listened to her sing. When she was done, the dolls opened their mouths, trying to speak in stuttering words.

"A...te Nur-nur-hana...I mi-missssed...y-ou..."

"I missed you too, Mira," Nurhana responded. "Did anybody disturb you here?"

"To-too ma-ny of thhheeem...they ha-had to g-goo..." the dolls responded with their deadpan tone. It was haunting, but Nurhana had a different perspective.

The woman ate a sandwich and just shrugged. "They will not disturb you here. This is your place."

Nurhana stared on the three hanging bodies three trees away. Their corpses were full of maggots, and the dolls nodded in approval.
"N-no...do-dolls?"

"No. They will not get dolls," said the girl. "No second life for them. Only you."