(insanity today, maybe some cheesecake tomorrow -b. )


With a growing little ache an old wound awoke the doctor from his educational ramblings. Setting down his evening glass of wine, his plush leather chair turned a his eyes narrowed upon the skyline outside his office window, the warm glow of dusk was giving way to a cold night.

“Pardon me, but that will have be enough for this evening Miss Spence. If I am not in tomorrow I’m certain Dr. Vinelann can continue with your research.”

Miss Spence gave the Doctor a curious look, “Are you alright sir?” while his attention turned to an empty spot between a crowd of portraits and degrees that mingled upon the wall.

He’d move offices nearly a half dozen times, but out of some twisted sense of sentimentality and penance he left that spot bare each time.

“…it’s nothing… Please… have a good night Miss Spence. It has… been a pleasure.”

Slightly confounded the young lady nodded and thank him for his time as she gathered her notes. A scant moment later the door to his office closed leaving him almost alone in the growing darkness.

A deep breath filled his lungs as he then released a worn sigh. Moving his hand down the opposing side he felt the old sting freshen. If he’d not looked at it every day since that night he’d swear it was bleeding still, but it had not been the case these past fifteen years.

“I’m sorry Marie… we all were.”

He couldn’t hear the footsteps, but the tighten pain told him she was with him. “I was certain you’d gone down in flames back at the townhouse… but of course before that I’d thought you’d been lost at sea with the ship…”

“But then I saw Renswell’s obituary… and I knew better.”

Turning in his chair back he looked down before his desk as she looked back with painted eyes. Her twin blades glinting in the fading light as her tiny hands held them tight.

“Not even a singe… these years have been far kinder to you than they have me.”

The doctor made no effort to move as the doll’s joints seemed to go limp for all of a second before she sprang through the air, severed threads following her flight. An instant later the blades thunked loudly into the antique wood as she landed upon his desk. Again he made no sign of escape.

Another sigh as he looked upon his small but looming fate, “While I will never ever attempt to justify our actions… a life of vengeance is no life to be had. I know you’re sentient… what you did on the boat proved it… but I ask you this… has it been worth it?”

The doll paused. Her crooked gaze locked firmly upon the graying man. None of the others had talked to hear... unless screams of pain mixed with profanity count.

“You kill me where I sit and the Spell ends and you die along side… these past fifteen years… you could have been protecting some other girl that would have loved you. Loved you as much as Marie…”

Even saying her name with the doll before him made the pain tear deeper. Groaning he took a second to recover, “You, you could leave me the broken soul I am and go help those that need it. Even if I might still be alive I believe vengeance has been paid ten fold… you might be a nightmare… but you’re nothing compared to those I’ve been living with.”

The doll’s thin arms pulled her blades from the desk top as she bowed her head in mute contemplation.

“I leave it for you to decide.”

* * *

A few minutes later Miss Spence knocked upon the door softly, “Doctor? I forgot one of my folders… doctor? Sir? Are you still in there?”