Something was missing...
Melanie stared at the doll house sitting in her little chair. Opposite was the chair that her play mate Lilly was, for a brief few hours asking her very difficult questions. She wasn't sure why but now the tasks she did in playing this game, didn't feel... right? She had everything in the right order, and gave one doll a little kiss, before setting it down with the rest of her brothers and sisters...
She stared at the dolls, as they stared at her back.
They were locked in this staring match for a good few minutes, before Melanie blinked. No, something was definitely missing. She didn't know what it was.
"Are you okay Melanie?" Asked Agnes. The elder woman looked with some concern.
"... Not right." She stated. Could the other one explain? But how to communicate the feeling with just a vocal resonance? It was so strange and so difficult.
"What's wrong?" The elder woman asked, bending a knee to the little girl who seemed very confused.
Melanie tried to give a summery. "Lilly gone. Not have anyone... play?" she said blankly. Why did that even feel necessary? As far as she could tell, play didn't actually require another person. One could 'play' by themselves. But there was something unsettling about it. It was just so hard for her to understand though why. It was like playing alone seemed wrong, even if a perfectly valid act for such a pointless action.
"I could play with you if you like," smiled the elder woman. "But I think it's getting late. Why not go to bed?"
Melanie understood that this meant she was to partake in the 'sleep'. She wasn't sure why she had to do this every night. Somehow if she didn't do it something in her body just did it for her. She could already feel as the mere thought of sleep signalled a yawn... she resisted, and resisted... but the gasp of air came out. She was surprised at the betrayal of form...
Agnes just smiled, and led her to a small room. "This is our guest room, but we'd like to make it your room, for as long as you are staying with us."
Melanie stared at the blank walls and the simple sheets. There wasn't anything to dislike about it. It was functional and served its purpose efficiently. There were some odd decorations here and there, but nothing she could really object to. A light source powered by their knowledge of electricity was on a small platform beside her bed.
"Do you like it?" Asked Agnes a little worried.
Melanie wasn't sure how to respond. Should she like it? There was not really any basis for comparison. "It- a room." She said in the end.
"Your room dear," smiled the old woman, placing a hand on the insect girl's shoulder. "We'll be getting some new clothes for you. We'll have breakfast around eight o'clock..." Oh goodness she was sounding like an inn! Still this girl was family now, and they had to take care of her.
Melanie looked about, opening the empty wardrobe, and looking at every corner of the room. She made sure she had a visual idea of every aspect of this room, if it was to be hers. That was how it had to be. She had to picture and know it from every angle. The picture of it was drawn in her mind.
Agnes watched a little bemused by how the girl was acting. This wasn't exactly normal behaviour, and she had no idea how to react to it. Still it didn't seem harmful.
Finally Melanie sat down on the side of the bed. "My room." she said affirming it. "It.. accepts me."
Agnes tilted her head at that. "You are accepted to our family dear. Never feel otherwise."
"... Place... confusing. Don't understand," She said struggling a bit, clenching her hands. Being something was so ... difficult. Having form, of mind and body... spirit... soul... bound to reality, and having a 'future' to think about... removed from her non-being to this... without being able to access the others... but they would hurt her new family if she made contact with them. They would hurt her...
"I think you made a friend with that other girl," smiled Agnes. "Lilly seems to like you."
Melanie wasn't sure how to respond, and life so far taught her that silence was probably better if one didn't understand. "I- go to sleep now?" She asked.
"Yes.. alright dear. I'll just turn off the light?" she flicked off the switch.
Instantly Melanie was plunged in darkness and she gasped. "L-Light. Light!" she called almost screaming.
Agnes tensed at her voice. She quickly put the light on. "It's okay dear. But the main light is just too bright to sleep in. I'll leave the hall light on if you like?" Doing so, gave Melanie's room a more grey feel. This was far more comfortable to the insect girl.
Agnes smiled and let her be. "Sweet dreams," she said before going to her own room.
Dream? What was a dream? Sweet.. so something she was supposed to eat maybe? More confusing words. For a while Melanie stared up, and closed her eyes...
.... Only to find herself, in a blank landscape. She wasn't anywhere. She looked up and there was nothing. She looked down and there was still nothing... nothing left, nothing right... she gasped for air, as she struggled to understand quite what was happening to her. How did she get here? She was in her room before. Was she taken away? did- they bring her here?
She walked the shifting blank slate that was this world's canvas, for what felt like hours... days... weeks... she wasn't sure. It felt like she would be here a very long time.
... maybe forever?
She didn't want to be here forever! She- she was something now... she had to find the way out..
