Perfection Exception

Return to the Gauntlet

Lou

I felt a wave of sadness as I watched Annabelle. She had her eyes glued to the portal to the Big World whenever someone went through it, as if wanting to join them.

"Girl, are you alright?" Kitty asked her as she watched yet another doll step through the portal.

Annabelle didn't respond, simply turning her back on Kitty and walking away. Her hair, which fell in curls unlike her usual braids or ponytails, bounced with each step she took. She paused when I pressed a button on a the remote that controlled the surround sound systems and television screens. A slow song started, and I stepped toward her as I sang.

'Mmm, baby I don't understand this
You're changing, I can't stand it
My heart can't take this damage
And the way I feel, can't stand it
Mmm, baby I don't understand this
You're changing, I can't stand it
My heart can't take this, damage
And the way I feel, can't stand it
Mmm, baby I don't understand it'

Annabelle's hands balled into fists, and she refused to look at me. I stepped around her to look at her face, but she looked away as soon as I stood in front of her.

'Girl, you're making it hard for me
Girl, you're making it hard for me
Girl, you're making it hard for me, uh
Girl, you're making it hard for me
Girl, you're making it hard for me
Girl, you're making it hard for me'

I tried to get her attention, but she continued to avoid my gaze.

'Mmm, baby I don't understand this'

I used my hand to cup her cheek and force her to look at me. Her eyes held a mixture of anger, sorrow, and longing.

'You're changing, I can't stand it
My heart can't take this, damage
And the way I feel, can't stand it
Mmm, baby I don't understand this
You're changing, I can't stand it
My heart can't take this, damage
And the way I feel, can't stand it
Mmm, baby I don't understand this
You're changing, I can't stand it
My heart can't take this, damage
And the way I feel, can't stand it
Mmm, baby I don't understand it'

I lowered my hand when the song ended, and Annabelle lowered her head. She suddenly started to cry, and I was surprised when she hugged me. I ran my hand up and down her back to try and soothe her.

"Come on. Let's go inside and talk." I whispered.

I took her hand, and it took a few minutes to coax her into walking to the mansion. She made a soft sniffling sound every few seconds as we climbed the stairs, and I had her sit on the couch in the main room of the mansion. I closed the mansion doors and locked them before I sat down beside her.

"You've been really sad lately. What's bothering you?" I asked, looking at her.

She wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. "It's just really hard to watch them all leave and never come back."

"What do you mean?"

"The dolls, Lou!" She got to her feet and took a few steps away, her back facing me. "They train so hard to be perfect, and they go to the Big World! They never come back. What happens to them?"

"They meet their perfect child." I answered.

"I know that, but what happens after? What happens to them if they get dirty or damaged? Sure, they can just go into the washer or be fixed, but what if the humans get tired of doing that? There's some equivalent to the recycling bin out there, isn't there?"