Forlot - Books 10-12

Chapter Thirty-Two

I could not believe my ears. This girl actually wanted me to cut off her own arm?

"Did you even hear yourself?" I questioned her. "I am sorry. There is no way that I am about to chop your arm off."

"But you have to!" the human girl pleaded. "You put it on upside down, so you need to be the one to do it."

"Why? I am aware that you have been a doll for what I am guessing to be a long while, but surely, you must remember what it feels like to have a body part cut off from the rest of you."

"Of...of course. I have been in so much pain when I was a doll. I...I could do nothing. I...I even attempted to make an escape from the torture, but..." Her body shuddered, which indicated that the horrible memories were flooding back.

"It is okay...um...do you remember your name?"

"My name? Why...yes."

"What about your last name? Do you remember that too?"

"Yes...yes! It is all coming back to me now." Using both of her hands, she fanned herself and plopped on the couch. "Too much stuff...to remember..."

Concerned for her, I rested my hands on her shoulders. She faced me, and...I did not know what came over me.

Her eyes...they were sparkling. Her hair...it was beautiful. And her lips...they were prefect.

I felt my cheeks grow hot, and my hands quivered and sweated. What the heck was wrong with me? I had never felt this way before.

"You are blushing," the girl said.

"Who? Me? Uh, the light must be tricking you."

"But there are no lights on. We are in darkness."

"...you got me there. Let me put the light on."

I went to one of the walls and placed a hand on it, feeling for a light switch. It did not take me long to locate it, and I flipped it on and returned to the couch.

The lightbulb, the only one in the living room that was hanging from the ceiling, flickered on and chased the darkness away.

I sat back down on the couch and said, "And there was light." I expected her to laugh or at least giggle, but she did not even crack a smile. "Why are you not laughing? Did you not think that was funny?"

"I am sorry," she said. "Was that supposed to be a joke?"

"The first part, yes. I was hoping to cheer you up."

"Oh. I see what you mean." She rested her head in her hands. "I probably would have known that was a joke if I had not been trapped as a doll for years."

"It is not your fault. Most people do not get my jokes. It frustrates me when they take my jokes seriously."

"Huh. I guess that makes that us even...Jackson."

Now that was something that I did not expect her to say.

"Why do you say that...what is your name?"

"It is Jade. Jade Spears. And I said that because I was treated like a toy for most of my life."

"When you are really a human being," I finished for her. "A person who has knowledge and can feel pain."

"You took the words right out of my mouth. Now before we continue this conversation and getting to know each other, would you mind fixing my arm?"

"Gee." I rubbed my chin with a finger as I examined her arm. "I am not sure what I should exactly do."

"I told you, Jackson. Cut it."

"And I told you, Jade. I am not doing it."

She rolled her eyes. "I am not going to bleed to death. I am just going to transform back into a doll."

I squinted at her as if I could not see her very well, for I was confused. "What?"

"You need to use that special dagger." She surveyed the room. "I do hope that you have it."

I shook my head. "I apologize in advance, Jade. Neither my mom, Milo, nor I had a dagger on us. Though, Kira did have two knives. One was hidden in her purse, and the other was in her possession."

"Not those knifes, Jackson." She turned back and described it to me in the best way possible.

This dagger was much bigger and sharper than your average knife. It had a red handle and was very shiny.

"Oh, there it is," Jade said.

The special dagger was underneath the pile of doll parts. She pushed away some of the parts, revealing the dagger, and picked it up by the handle.

"Do you mind chopping off my arm?" she asked.

"Actually, yes," I admitted. "If it sounds disturbing, then it must be disturbing."

"Alright. Suit yourself."

I looked away and soon heard a loud, slicing sound. Then poof!

I turned my head back, and there was Jade. A doll once again, and her wooden arm was detached.

In an instant, I scooped up both her and her arm and made sure this time that I put it on right.

When the arm was attached to her again, the same thing occurred. She floated into the air, transformed into her human self, and floated back down on the couch.

No. Onto my lap.

I blushed, and she blushed as well.

"Thank you for correcting your mistake," Jade said shyly. "It means a lot to me."

"A-any time," I stuttered. "We are friends, are we not?"

"Friends? Oh. I thought that we were something much more."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Like...hey, what is in your pocket?"

I reached into the pocket of my pants and pulled out the jade necklace. "Say, is this yours?"

"Yes!" Jade snatched it and brought it close to her chest, hugging it tightly. "I lost it earlier. I am glad that you kept it." She put it on. "Say, have you heard about the Lubriem?"