Voodootown

Chapter 14 part 1

Chapter 14

Camo

It was nearly an hour later before the man and all of the dolls were out of sight.  Slowly, Camo crept down the tree on her three good limbs and crossed to the storm drain.

She limped around it and crouched under a nearby car.  She counted to thirty, saw no other dolls, and decided it was safe.  The grate was covered with motor oil and dirt, which rubbed onto her fabric and clothes as she squeezed down into the storm sewer.

She dropped into a puddle of water and it quickly seeped into her burnt foot.  Some of the stuffing leaked out of her leg, but the water was cool and took some of the throbbing away.  She got her bearings and started down the tunnel. 

Five turns later, she stopped at the entrance to Voodootown.  It was darker than usual, and quiet.  She let herself blend into the tunnel as she watched and waited.  Nothing moved and finally, she limped out.

The streets were empty as she approached the kiosk.  Missing doll posters littered the street, but there was no wind to blow them away.  She walked and tried to think up some kind of plan.  There might be something she could use in the challenge arenas.  She could try to sneak up on the dolls, pin them and take their collars off, or grab some hexes to use against them.  But none of her ideas seemed to make much sense.  It was just her and she had no idea how she could fight them all, especially if that man could turn a doll into his slave just by sliding a collar onto its neck.  Strap had become one of his helpers right away, and if a doll as stubborn as Strap could be changed, there was nothing Camo could do.

She turned away from the arenas, walked toward the downtown section instead.  The buildings grew taller around her, though the windows were dark.  As she passed Rada, she saw a body.  The doll was face down under one of the patio tables in front of the bistro.  She walked closer, still hidden.  When she circled around to its side, she saw the collar on its neck.  It looked dead, but its body was still intact.  Strap had seemed unconscious when the man had first put the metal band on her neck.

Camo backed away, started down the street again.  She turned the corner and saw a group of dolls gathered around the door to Petro.  She stopped, tried not to move a single stitch.  There were three of them.  One in black, with faded patches at the elbows of her jacket.  The second had a hoodie pulled up over her head and jeans that sagged down.  The third seemed nervous, kept looking around quickly.  He had on jeans and a shirt with a rocket ship on it.

When she realized he was wearing a pajama top, Camo recognized the group.  It was Twister, Root and Blink.

Twister bent over, stretched out her arm and Camo saw what she was reaching for.  There was another body in the doorway.  It was Petro's doorman.  He looked unconscious as well, and had a collar around his neck.

"No," Camo said, as loudly as she dared.  The three dolls turned to her, then kept turning.  They looked past Camo, from one side of the street to the other.  Twister put herself between Camo and the others.  She pulled a pin from her sleeve.

Camo wondered what they were doing for a moment, then looked down at herself, saw only the street.  She turned off her power and looked up at the other dolls.  All three seemed to let out a tense breath.  Twister stepped forward, pin still out, but pointed down.  "Camo?  What are you doing here?  Curfew, remember?"

"I'm..." Camo stopped.  She had no idea what to tell them.  "Don't touch him.  He's...I don't know what he is, but don't go near anyone with a collar or a pin through their chest like this."  She waved one hand over her chest in a circle the size of the pin she had seen in the doll that had talked.  She was sure she wasn't describing it properly, gave up and walked forward.