Gate Points

-Baby Doll-

Suddenly, I know that I am not alone. I turned my head.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Hello?” a small voice asked. I about jumped in my chest.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you?

“Baby Doll. And you are?”

“Baby Doll?”

“Yes. And you are?” I managed to see a silhouette behind a frosted over wall. Wait, had that always been there? I shook my head and tried to focus. Okay, I was seeing a little kid with what looked to be curly hair.

“Botan,” the voice answered. I wrinkled my nose.

“Well, that’s an odd name,” I said.

“And Baby Doll isn’t?”

I shrugged in my restrains. “Fair enough. But that really isn’t my name.”

“So what is your name?”

I frowned as I shook my head. “That’s one of the few things I don’t remember about myself. In fact, that’s the only thing I don’t remember about myself.”

“You’re lucky. I don’t remember much about myself anymore.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Anyway, what exactly do you want from me?”

“We’re both in the same boat here and we don’t have much time. You can feel it too, yes?”

I was about to ask what he was talking about when I felt my whole body go stiff. “Yes.” My answer ended up coming out as a whimper.

“Okay listen to me. There’s isn’t much time before he comes back. You just have to do as I say if you want to get back to the Living World. Do you understand me?”

I hesitated in my arm as I tried to regain control of my body while trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

“Do you understand me?” Botan asked again.

“Yes, yes!” I said in a yelp.

“Good. He’s going to be back along in a few minutes. Don’t say a word and always act like we haven’t been talking. Understood?”

“Yes…” I said. Botan’s voice stopped altogether. Further down the hall, I could hear his footsteps. Oh shit, Botan was right. He is coming back.

Then that damned door just had to open again.