The Witch's Doll ⚢

Chapter 13

Alessandra was passing through the streets of Salisbury at six in the morning, carrying a box of milk she bought on the way back to her flat. A small round golden-shaped locket now nestled at the crevice of her neck.

She woke up way earlier on a Friday morning, around five to sneak into a house she was familiar with. She knew that the owner wouldn't be there at that time so she used the opportunity.

From her coat pocket, Loa mused. "You are holding onto your beloved's hair."

"I'm not thinking what you're thinking."

"Oh, so the thought of controlling or killing her never crossed your mind?"

"I am holding onto it because it's a piece of her," Alessandra said, a hand clasping the golden locket where she neatly rolled the hair and hid it there for safekeeping. "A piece of her I want to always be with."

When she passed by a window shop selling televisions, she stopped by to see what old movie it was playing. She recognized that movie from one of the Orphanage's old tapes required for them to watch.

She hasn't heard it for so long it felt like she heard it for the first time. Which she had to hear over and over again, similar to a needle stuck in a scratched record: "And remember, children, God sees everything! God will see what evil you do behind my back! And God will be the one to punish when I don't!"

"People live their lives probably thinking that their opinions are the absolute truth."

Loa cackled devilishly, akin to an old crazy woman who lived in poverty of the 1700s. "And what is your absolute truth, Alessandra?"

"Indignation," Alessandra said before catching sight of a little arachnid on the glass window. "Oh look, your everyday normal British venomous spider!"

"Are you going to kill someone with its poison? You're losing your creativity."

"The lowly spider can't even successfully kill a person with access to healthcare." Checking her pockets to see if she has anything to put the spider in, like a spare empty vial or empty matchbox, Alessandra sighed—a heavy one. "Loa, can you keep a spider inside your body?"

"You want it to die?" Loa asked. Similar to the people around Alessandra's small circle, Loa was multi-talented. Alessandra sometimes wondered how she got to be so blessed to be surrounded by so many skilled people or a doll. Loa's particular specialty was sarcasm at Alessandra's expense.

Alessandra gave her usual response, rolled her eyes, and sighed like a martyr, "Unless you have an alternate option, then no."

"Why is the spider important?"

"It's been a while since I have a living pet. Or even a dead one, Dr. Adams told me to get rid of them all."

"I'm glad you don't treat me as a pet but now you're treating me like a container."

Alessandra snarled. "Obey me or I will stuff you in my dirty laundry."

"NO, NOT THE LAUNDRY! YOU VILE WOMAN!" Loa flew from her pocket and floated towards the spider.

Ever so vigilant, Alessandra looked around to verify if any people or security cameras could catch a glimpse of the floating voodoo doll.

The spider immediately saw the upcoming danger and made a jump for it but Loa was faster and split herself from the frontal area in two and trapped the fleeing spider into her cottony grasps and trapped him inside.