I need to catch the hooded man before he enters this room. I won’t be able to trap him with another person in the room to witness it. The doll shuts the doors again and crawls back under the bed, awaiting the next guest. I run towards the hallway outside of the playroom, where Jackal stands at the end.
The hooded man comes into view, and immediately I start singing from inside the walls. The man freezes, his body completely immobile as I continue to sing my haunting lullaby.
At the end of the hallway, Jackal comes to life. His head turns towards the man. I can’t see the man’s eyes, but it seems as if he spots Jackal. To my surprise, he heads straight towards my henchman. My singing ceases, surprised by the nerve. Most stay away from Jackal. He’s stationed at the end of the hallway to deter people from going down that direction. Their path is supposed to go through my playroom first.
The man brushes past Jackal and enters into another bedroom. Seeing my opportunity, I take a risk and scramble out of the small door and into the hallway.
I run towards Jackal, whose head is now turned back towards me with a quizzical expression. He’s surprised too.
“We need to get him now,” I rush out. Jackal follows me into the room. I stop short when I see the large man standing in the middle of the room, his back facing me as he looks around. We’re in another playroom filled with mechanical monsters. One bursts from the pink armoire in the far corner of the room. Another bursts from a closet filled with baby girl clothing.
Slowly, the man turns towards me. His face is still hidden. The flashing strobe lights do little to provide me with enough light to see his face. I just make out his lips and chin.
“Where are they?” he asks. I shiver from the sound. His voice is deep, but what makes my spine tremble is the smokiness to his tenor.
His voice emulates his scent. Fire and brimstone.
“Safe from you,” I say, as Jackal walks around me and comes to stand beside me. The man doesn’t pay my henchman any attention. I frown. That angers me. He doesn’t appear the least bit intimidated and I don’t like it.
I look at Jackal. “Let the others know two women are being followed and make sure they get away safely. I have this handled.”
Jackal nods, trusting me to handle this man and leaves.
I managed to capture one, but the other four men will still be stalking the girls. They’re not safe yet.
A small smirk is on the man’s face.
“So you’re crazy, huh?” he asks quietly.
I rear back, shocked by his assumption. I am not crazy.
“Don’t call me that,” I snap. “You’re the one preying on women.”
He cocks a brow. “That just makes me disturbed. Not crazy.”
Anger fills my lungs, like a flood bursting through a dam. I clench my fists, my nails biting into my skin. Red crescent moons imprint in the flesh of my hand. This man is… I can’t wait to kill him.
I slide my pretty knife out from under my nightgown. I always have it strapped to my thigh for quick access. I can’t see them, but I know he’s eyeing the blade, the dull metal glinting under the strobe lights. I kick my foot back, catching the door and shutting it firmly behind me.
I’m not entirely sure he’ll fit in the walls. But maybe if I can chop his arms off really quick, he’ll fit.
“What are you going to do with that, dolly?” he mocks, a sinister smile widening his lips. My eyes thin, and I nearly choke on the rage.
How dare he! This is my dollhouse, and he has the audacity to disrespect me like this.
“I’m going to kill you, monster.
Silence greets me.
“Why would you do that?” he questions after a pregnant pause, taking a threatening step towards me.
For one single second, I lapse into a moment of insanity and almost take a step back. His image flickers, and for a split second, I see Daddy looming before me. I focus on the man and steel my spine, forcing myself to hold my place.
This monster will not intimidate me in my own home. Especially when I’m not the one that should be scared.
“Because I’ve cast my judgement,” I say, my own smile ticking up the corners of my mouth. “And you’ve failed. You’re an evil man, and you were here to hurt two women.”
“Two?” he queries, feigning stupidity.
“Yes,” I growl. “You deserve to die for what you had planned.”
“And what did I have planned?” He takes another step towards me. White hot rage prickles at my flesh. I do him the same honor and take one towards him.
He pauses, just for half a second, before he recovers and smiles. It was enough. He was surprised.
I giggle, an evil smile ticking at the corner of my lips. “Don’t play stupid, demon. You were going to kidnap them. Probably rape and torture them. You would’ve let your goons do the same. And then either kill them or sell them off to someone.”
He doesn’t speak. He just stares at me, his chest rising and falling in a steady, calm rhythm.
“Is that what you think?” he challenges, his voice deeper and huskier. He’s angry.
“That’s what I know,” I sass.
“Then it seems we’re done here,” he concludes before briskly walking towards me. I’m not sure if his intentions are to leave or to hurt me, but I don’t wait to find out. I charge at him, swiping my blade across his face.
But I miss. He bends backwards, the tip of my blade several inches from his face. It happens in almost slow motion—when he bends backwards and I catch the first glimpse of his face. I gasp, surprised by the sight.
And then time speeds. Like a viper, his hand snaps out and
