 It had been one of those dumb dares people would sometimes come up with:  to sneak  into the supposedly abandoned castle,  and bring  proof of fulfillment of the task. A joke at the expense of his loss of bravery when left alone, and no one expected him to actually follow through.
 But he did, and now here he is, wandering around the halls of the massive building. Dust and darkness cloud his already poor vision, and beginning to search for a window, or any light source, Len enters one room after another, exiting from each  when the suffocating feeling of dread intensifies thanks to the narrower spaces.    His heart is already about to burst out and run away from within his chest when  he stumbles upon a certain set  of bigger doors.  He⊠has the feeling that  heâs not  alone.  Itâs silly,  yes, but he still  knocks on the door  and waits with the sole purpose of confirming that, logically, no one will answer, only to almost faint the moment it actually is opened by someone. A cracking countenance, the first thing he sees.
     âH-holy shssSSSsâ!!!!â
    âI-I mean, your face! A-are yâalright, sir?! Oh my godââ
 Luckily, his caring nature is stronger than the desire to vanish from this place as fast as humanly possible.
   The exclamation leads the doll back a step. Such a long time since a noise of that volume has been heard. Doesnât register what it means. A head tilt at the boyâs question. His face is normal; this is what happens to old dolls. He doesnât understand what the concern is about.
   âIâm fine.âÂ
   Gloved hand releases the door. Thankfully it doesnât fall shut on the boy.  He steps back from the entrance, allowing the boy to enter the room. Company is nice. Company is confusing. âWhy are you here?âÂ
   Footsteps muffle on the aging strip of carpet as he returns to the throne. Fiddles with the music box again. Waits for an answer.
