Alyssa

Here we go again. Alyssa was lost in her own world, playing with her favorite doll when once again, Suzy invaded her room.

How Alyssa hated her. It wasn’t merely the fact that she had to share her room with the girl. Aside from them favoring the same doll, the two of them were practically opposites. Alyssa had brown eyes with black hair, cut in a bob style, while Suzy had blue eyes and long blonde hair. Suzy was dressed like a princess in her ridiculously frilly pink dress with a red ribbon bow tied in the back. Alyssa, more or less preferred practical garments, often times dressing like a boy.

Alyssa didn’t like anything about her room either. It was unclear to her as to why they decided on pink for the walls when they would immediately be painted with posters of unicorn and Disney princesses. The other toys and the comforter on her oversized bed shared similar images. If Alyssa had her way, there’d be minions, soccer effects, and even a dancing Groot bobble action figure, though she never knew what show he was from.

At first, Alyssa thought she would just ignore the annoyance, maybe even get to like the other girl. At least the two were about the same age. How wrong she was. This Suzy girl may have looked liked a princess, but she sang like a crow. Alyssa knew if she heard that girl bleat out the words “let it go” one more time she would scream.

There she was in the doorway with that same dumb look on her face anytime she looked at Alyssa playing. Suzy ran over, rudely grabbing the doll out of the girl’s hands, and hugged it. Alyssa watched in heated jealousy as the princess embraced the doll. “You’re alive.” Suzy exclaimed.

That was it. No more mister nice girl. It was time to have fun again, and the fact that Alyssa had waited so long to play with this girl made it so much more gratifying.

With the doll still held tightly in the princess’ arms, Alyssa positioned herself behind the other girl and whispered in her ear. “Yes, I am alive and want you to know that I’ve never like you.”

Suzy held the doll away at arms length, with a shocked and teary eyed expression “But, I love you!” Her voice breaking.

“Well I think you stink and nobody likes you.”

Erratic breathing along with a long whine, working it’s way through her vocal cords, it was obvious the princess was near the breaking point. It was time to finish the job. The same way she always did. Still next to the other girls’ head, Alyssa screamed in her ear. She was good at screaming and proud of it. It was nearly the same pitch as a train screeching to a stop.

In an instant the princess was gone, leaving only the doll and a warm puddle behind. A few moments later Suzy’s parents stepped into the room, looked around, shook their heads and left.

Alyssa was content once more. It worked. It always did. She knew that girl would never return to her room. All she had to do was make some noises, maybe break some dishes, and that family would leave just as all the others did before them.

She was used to being alone. It hurt when Alyssa’s own family moved out of the house without her, but it didn’t sting nearly as much as the day they began ignoring her. As Alyssa recalled, it was around the time she fell down the stairs.