7. Living Doll (Pt. 2)

Mattias

[ It isn't long before the flat is suffused with the scent of butter and egg. Most of the pan he dispenses onto his plate, with a tiny portion in a freshly-scrubbed bottle cap for his diminutive young guest. ]

Mattias

[ It's incredibly strange to watch the little doll move about. Human, fey, magical entity unknown, whatever she is, he's never seen anything like her. And yet, at the same time, he has the overwhelming sense of history repeating. ]

Mattias

[ But any pessimistic theories he keeps to himself. He sits back down at the table, giving Pandora plenty of space. ]

Pandora

[ While Mattias cooked, she dried her tears and tea-stained hands, and kept well out of his way. The red flames under the pan were frighteningly large—she won't be climbing that grate again! And Mattias is still unknown to her. He has a slow, shuffling gait, wrinkles on his forehead, and round cheeks beneath the hair. ]

Pandora

[ She sets aside the stiffened towel, picks up the bottle cap, and examines the goopy yellow stuff inside. It smells like food. ]

Pandora

[ She tips the bottle cap back and slurps. Through the slimy texture, the warm egg tastes good. Better than all that hard old bread. She lowers the cap, chewing. Stares at the distant Mattias over the rim. ]

Mattias

[ Watching her eat in this laboured manner, he wonders if they make cutlery for dolls. They must do, surely... ]

Mattias

D'you like that?

Pandora

[ Startled at being addressed. She swallows thickly and nods. ]

Mattias

I'm sorry. [ Conversationally. ] If I'd known you were alive, I would've left some food out for you earlier.

Mattias

You must've been hungry, living off crumbs.

Pandora

[ Stolen crumbs. The egg in her stomach churns. Is he trying to catch her in a lie? ]

Pandora

[ In a voice as small as she is: ] I'm sorry I ate your bread.

Mattias

[ Waving with his fork. ] Oh, no, no, not at all! I hardly missed it, did I?

Mattias

Though, you shouldn't have to do that again whilst you're here. [ Smiling softly. ] You're my houseguest, after all.

Pandora

[ He doesn't seem mad. Her shoulders tentatively relax. ]

Pandora

[ —Oh! She sits up straight and points at him. ] You said that before!

Mattias

[ He manages a chuckle, though his ears are pink. ] Oh, you heard that, did you? [ That’s the last time he monologues to a doll. ]

Pandora

[ She draws her overexcited finger back to her chest, suddenly shy. ] It was when I was in my box. What does that mean?

Mattias

A houseguest? [ He considers the concept, taking a sip of cooling tea. ] It means as long as you're here, I'll take care of you.

Pandora

[ The bit of egg wobbles when she tilts the bottle cap. That doesn't sound so terrible, as long as she's here. ]

Pandora

Then, you aren't going to take me back?

Mattias

Take you back...?

Pandora

[ Plaintive. ] To the DSC.

Mattias

[ There it is. ]

Mattias

[ He'd be lying if he said he hadn't wondered. But that doesn't stop his mind from trying to— ]

Agent Kepler

—Skedaddle. [ With a shooing motion. ]

Mattias

[ Rigidly, he glances to the boy behind him on the platform. ]

Soren

[ He shakes his head urgently, fingers curling into his backpack. ]

Mattias

[ He turns back towards Agent Kepler. Slowly: ] I—

Mattias

—I-I don't think that's a good idea. No.

Pandora

[ Relief fills her body. He won't take her back, and he'll look after her... maybe he is like Lysander. With shiny eyes, she nods. ]

Mattias

[ He rubs his beard. Certainly paints the situation in a certain light. A young magical being whose last residence was the DSC. A man in a terrible hurry to leave through the same Underground station as he did, right after his appointment. ]

Mattias

Is that where you met Lysander? At the DSC?

Pandora

Yeah. [ With a safe place assured, the words come easier. ] He's the first person I saw when I woke up.

Mattias

[ Gently probing. ] When you w...oke up?

Pandora

[ A nervous look. She's never had to explain her origins to someone who doesn't know. Is she supposed to tell him? ]

Pandora

Um... yeah. I wasn't real before I became a shard.

Mattias

[ His fork freezes halfway to his mouth. ]

Mattias

A shard. [ Slightly strangled. ] Like an overground shard? You, yourself, are an overground shard?

Pandora

[ Uh oh. Maybe she should have kept that to herself. Next thing you know, he'll say something like this is absolutely unprecedented or the implications are astounding, and the questions will start all over again. Her brows pucker. ] Is that bad?

Mattias

[ Covering for it. ] No. I was just... surprised, seeing as you're a little girl.

Pandora

[ Somewhat placated. She tucks her knees under her chin and wraps her arms around her legs. ] That's what Lysander said.

Pandora

[ She hesitates, hopefully. ] ... Are we going to go find him soon?

Mattias

Ah. Well. [ Here he was hoping she wouldn't follow up on that. He thinks through the possibilities for tracking down somebody whom you know absolutely nothing about. Quite difficult, since his rexupresine dose tends to make him a bit, you know, what's the word... ]

Mattias

He didn't leave you any way to get in touch with him? A ph...one number? An email address?

Pandora

No. [ A touch scornful. How would she use a phone? Those are bigger than she is! ]

Pandora

He told me to stay put and he would come back for me. That's one of the rules. So he has to come back. [ Well-fed and on decent terms with the stranger, she feels more certain of this than she did when she was hiding in the cupboard and snacking on stale bread. ]

Mattias

[ Nodding vaguely. ]

Mattias

[ He considers what little he knows of Lysander. A man with the DSC who was experimenting with magical artefacts, from the sound of it, and when he realized said artefact was alive, decided to leave with her. Stole DSC property, some might say. There are some notable gaps in the story, but the premise he can accept. And there are plenty of psychics who could find a missing person; he knows that firsthand. And yet, she has stayed put, for a few days, and there’s been no sign of the man. Perhaps the DSC found their thief. ]

Mattias

[ But these cynical thoughts are not the kind you share with a child in distress. ]

Mattias

Yes, I expect he's looking for you this very minute. So keep your chin up. It's important to be brave, for his sake.

Pandora

[ The encouragement rouses her. She squares her shoulders and thrusts her chin out. ]

Mattias

[ Chuckling. ] Just like that. We'll carry on as best we can.

Mattias

And in the meantime... [ Pause. ] Do you sleep in that box?

Pandora

Oh... yeah. [ Though Mattias has been surprisingly nice so far, you never know when someone is going to turn mean. She mumbles into her legs: ] And in your towels.

Mattias

[ Aghast, but not for the reason she thinks. ] Dear me, that's no place for a growing girl— or rather, you know…

Mattias

Tell you what, why don't we put some of those towels in your box? Make it a little more comfortable, at least, until we find something better.

Pandora

[ She perks up, and nods vigorously. ]

Pandora

[ It's funny—she’d been perfectly safe all along. If she’d just said something when he first opened her box, she would’ve known he was nice, and they could’ve had this conversation days ago. Of all of Lysander’s rules, the only one she needs to follow is number three: stay put, and he’ll come back. ]