Suspense Short Story – The Doll Collector
Photo credit: clarita from morguefile.com
She was the best piece in his collection. Working on new things always makes him tired and did great. Satisfied. He returned a few steps back and looked again. Although the light was dim in the basement and yellow, he was aware of how wonderful and glorious his work was.
She was in the red silk dress with long, black, shiny hair , gleaming porcelain skin, full red lips and rosy cheeks colored with lipstick small ,red circle. Almost like old fashioned doll from his childhood. Only her eyes with long lashes were closed, but later he will solve the problem, as he resolved same problem with two other dolls. This was definitively, his best work till now and he was so proud of himself. He wiped his hands with a dirty old towel and sat down on old, wooden chair.
Memories from the past started coming like thunder in gray, winter sky. He closed his eyes and began to think about completely new life, universe what was created in this small, stuffy basement. Totally new world and meaning for him and for the people of this town. He, in his fifties of his life, was lonely man.
His mother, worthy woman, God bless her soul, died two years ago and left him a small apartment in the complex of old buildings, called “railway building”. They belonged to the state railroad company but not anymore. She also left him behind her so much loneliness and emptiness. He didn’t knew his father. According his mother’s stories he was drunk who left them for a young Moldovan or Russian slut in Italy. His father never cared for his family and his only son. Reason more to pray God for some sexually transmitted disease for his good- for- nothing father and death in pain greater than he and his mother were ever passed trough.
When he was in his thrtiest, he found work at the City Hospital Morgue in Skopje and he loved his obscure work. No one could complain about his job. There were all silent and dead . Others, those living one, workers and doctors thought that he was a bit strange and weird dude, but he was quiet and a good worker, reliable, and, what else can be expected from a man who works in a morgue?
His mother was all his world and he took a good care of her while she was ill. After her death, he was lost more than year and a half and then he found his first doll abandoned on the street near his building. He realized in that particularly moment what was his mission in this savage, strange and hostile town- to save the beauty from streets, from mud and dirt. To save them from devastation and destruction from all negligent people who know how to and intend to harm a beauty. And, also, to be prepared to wait for the perfect time to show to Skopje and the rest of the world what he has done to preserve that beauty for the future.
Still with his eyes closed, he shook his head smiling sardonically. He didn’t want to take any reward, knowing that many, so-called artists, will be jealous of his work. Just a smile on the faces of ordinary people, maybe exhibition in town museum or in a gallery…. Or, perhaps reception in City Hall organized by Skopje mayor. Well, will see, he said to himself
… But now is still not time for thinking and daydreaming about awards and exhibitions and spending precious time. He had just launched his mission and it will be his major task for next few years, maybe more. First, he needs to complete this one. To the perfection, as only he knew and felt. Also he need to find another lost and abandoned doll in the city and brought here into this place, prepare her and give her glory and eternity.
He opened his eyes and jumped off the chair. Wristwatch showed him that is the time to start looking for a doll. Particularly one. It was eleven o’clock at evening and the city streets looked familiar. Almost like hospital hallways on the way to morgue. Around his building was silent and sunk in thick darkness. Only a few street lights worked but they were so far and didn’t managed to upset this place with net of bright lights, which some people consider essential and safe.
He covered doll with a white sheet and grabbed the black plastic waste bag . Before he closed the door of the basement he looked again and his whole body begun to tremble with pride and joy. He turned off lights and closed the door with a padlock. Then he checked is there someone else in the rest of the basement. He smiled. Nobody had the courage to visit this place at night, due to the terrible, wooden stairs and no lights. He solved the problem with the lights long time ago.
Now, no one in the building can fix it and, honestly no one care. It was just endless complaining about situation but nobody done anything to fix the problem because they don’t want to give a money for repairing. He hated his neighbors. Lazy and curious people. Especially that fat, ugly woman on the first floor with a moustache and freckles like a man. She always placed her nose where is no place for that.
Now she started talking and spreading gossips about some strange smell in the basement, and sometimes she gave him a weird look every time when they meet each other on the stairs . He will soon solve problem with smell and shut her big, dirty and dangerous mouth. He climbed very carefully, trying not to cause any noise and cracks on old wooden stairs . Last days, near his building he saw a doll, lonely and abandoned. Like providence is sending her there, close to him. He hoped that she was still walking around his street, waiting for him. Tonight he will check it. She was so beautiful and fragile even she was in dirty clothes and with scared look in her eyes. He recognized her beauty because he was an expert. He was a master of this ancient craft. He was a doll collector.
*
“Dnevnik”, Wednesday , November 11
“14 years old girl reported missing”
Young MS was reported missing two days after she didn’t returned home in the Skopje suburb near City Railway and International Bus Station. Her disappearance was reported by her grandmother, in which house girl stayed. Grandmother stated to the police and the newspaper that missed girl sometimes used to spend the night outside home, but always informed her about it. Police spokesperson Irena Stojanovska said the investigation is ongoing and that police didn’t have any information whether girl disappearance is linked to the disappearance of three other teenage girls in the previous three months. Spokeswoman said, that, in this moment she couldn’t give more information because of the ongoing investigation, but police is working hard to find missing girls.
*
“Dnevnik”, Friday, November 13
“Fire in the buildings near City Railway Station. Five people dead”
On Thursday morning, a fire broke out in a building near the City Railway Station. Fire started in the basement and spread to the first floor, but the quick intervention of city Fire Department fire was soon localized . Unfortunately, the fire and smoke killed five people whose remains were found damaged in the basement. Police and fire inspectors are investigating the cause of fire . Victims were transported to State Forensic Center for further identification. Unofficially, our newspaper found out that one of the victims was an elderly woman, and four other are probably young teenage girls. Police spokesperson Irena Stojanovska stated that investigation and identification of victims is ongoing and that it is wrong to speculate about possible links between this event and the disappearance of four teenage girls until the investigation is complete. Fire Inspector Zoran Petrovski said that cause of the fire is probably old installation in the basement of the building. This was one of the few old buildings in that area that was not renovated in the past few years. Skopje’s Mayor and the Mayor of Municipality of Airport offered money and food as a first aid to inhabitants of the destroyed building . Mayor of the Municipality of Aerodrom also promised renovation of building in a quick period, financed by the local budget and with help of city of Skopje .
*
He closed and folded newspaper and put them in his pocket. He was still thinking about that crazy, fat woman who destroyed everything ,whole his beautiful and precious collection. And he invested so much in his work. Passion, tears, sweat…. He was angry at her and she deserved terrible death and everything what happens to her.
Why on the earth she was pushing her nose everywhere ? Why she came that night and saw his new doll. She just started screaming and yelling, and he was forced to shut her up. Fortunately, no one heard that. Now he need to be cautious in next few weeks and months . Bus came and he went inside, sat in the back and began stiffly looking trough dirty window. Smile showed on his face.
He saw another doll. Abandoned and frozen, fragile and beautiful. He immediately knew she was waiting for him to find her and save her. Slowly he raised his hand and waved her. The bus moved forward and he promised himself that she will be saved, and that he will restore his collection and make it even more glorious and majestic. He was Doll Collector, on the end and he had a mission on this world, in this city no matter what happens…
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