Still Doll

The dark hallways were so silent and empty. The doll's body-that felt so fragile now-couldn't stop trembling, still under the influence of that unpleasant dream. She placed her shaking hand upon her chest, resisting to cry out for help in spite of the pain. Her throat ached like before, as if she had been screaming for her dear life. Just as that young girl had.

"Stop it!" Kanon yelled at the voices following her. "Leave me alone! Stop it!"

From a distance, she could hear them calling her, beckoning her to return somewhere she felt in her pained chest she didn't want to be. It was agonizing, and resisting the urge to call for help was tormenting. She screamed helplessly, starting to run in the process. The voices which were pursuing her now sounded closer to her, and even more ominous by the minute. But, now the voices were not the ones following her, if not the staff waking up to see what or who was making all that noise. By the time they came outside, she was long gone to some place where people thought to be logical wouldn't find.

"Settle down everyone!" Alexander said. "I shall go see what this is about right now!" He walked towards the door to Kanon's room, and headed inside without knocking. His eyes grew wide when he realized who was missing from the bed, and alarmed, he ran down the hallway, yelling, "She's gone! Everyone must go in search of her, and find her immediately!"

Everyone present went on their search for her everywhere they thought of, almost everywhere in the mansion. Yet still no Kanon. Alexander had a bad feeling about this sudden disappearance. He still remembered clearly talking happily to her just a half an hour before. How could this have happened so soon? After a few minutes of pacing back and forth across the last room he checked in, something struck him as an idea. Of course! he thought to himself. The nightmares! They must have startled her greatly...

However, it had done much more than startle her. The confusing and torturing nightmare had made her scream in terror and hide in the first place she could think of. A place she'd thought to be the only place they would not think to look for her. Small cries were heard from somewhere close as one of the maids started to search for her in Alexander's music study. It sounded as if they were coming from somewhere outside the walls of that room. The maids went quickly to inform Alexander about the noises. Once they did, he stormed off to go look for himself, and honestly, they would have never thought to look in there. How foolish to think she wouldn't hide somewhere obvious! Panting and out of breath, Alexander opened the door slowly to the balcony. There, he found her, legs hugged against her chest, and her head resting upon her knees. She raised her head to look at Alexander.

"Oh, Kanon." He smiled. "I'm so glad I found you. Who would have thought you'd hide somewhere in plain sight, I mean the door is crystal with no curtains, for heaven's sake!" His voice... His voice felt so replenishing, taking away the pain in her chest little by little. Gentle, and pure. Only he would wonder why she did what she did next.

"Alexander!" Kanon yelled, as she jumped up to put her arms around him. He stiffened. "Alexander!"

Though, she couldn't see, his cheeks turned a slight red. Alexander hesitated, but gently put his arms around her for comfort. "It's alright. Just a bad dream," he told her, a smile in his voice.

They both began to fall down, still wrapped around each other. Loud sobs left her body as tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't understand. So strange to think that each time she was with him, it felt harder and harder to leave his side. "Alexander!" she sobbed.

Alexander chuckled, caressing her hair gently. "Yes, yes. I'm right here beside you."

"Alexander!" she cried again.

"I'm right here." Alexander straightened up and lifted her up in his arms. As she cried, her head resting against his shoulder, he hummed a lullaby to calm her down. She slowly began to become silent, every once in a while saying his name in a soft, sweet voice that would make his cheeks go red. The maid waiting for them at the hall, thinking that they were heading towards her room, opened the door for them to enter. Alexander corrected her, and informed, "She'll be resting in my room tonight." She turned a bright red and closed the door, then walked down the hall.

Alexander placed her in his bed, and put the warm bed sheet on her. Shortly after, he took his place on the bed, laying down beside her. Kanon, half asleep, muttered something incomprehensible and searched for his hand. He placed his hand upon hers and softly whispered in her ear, "Pleasant dreams, my dear girl."