Doll Tears

I could not imagine a more beautiful way to die. Surrounded by my six Goddesses whose images had saved me on lonely nights.

Entering the arena two hours earlier, I had my mind locked on the Plan. Months of Planning. Buying a 2000 Ford Windstar from a guy on Facebook who kept looking over his shoulder as he stuffed my cash in his wallet. Studying the arena’s layout, the dressing rooms circled in bright red marker. Designing and ordering six unique 6-carat diamond rings. Renting a house large enough for seven people and far enough away from Their concert venue to avoid suspicion. Acquiring seven bullets and a handgun. In case we are found.

All of my savings had been spent on the Plan. Nothing was off the table for Them. For my angels. Their cherubic voices speak to me; they always have. They sing Their songs for me, only me. Six representations of purity and perfection.

After the show I had made my way backstage, where my Girls would open their arms to their admirers. I had pushed through the rows of heathens. I hate fangirls: stupid, unworthy teenagers who always fail to understand the sacred texts sung by my Six. Seeing all those girls dressed as cheap, repulsive imitations of their ideas of my Girls had nearly made me lose my stomach all over the cement floors. The reignited rage had spurred me on to bite, scratch and shove my way through the crowd like a rabid animal. Some of them had cursed at me, tried to stop me. I had blindly hurried my way through the ocean of disgrace, sweat beading down my forehead, breaths heaving.

When I was standing in front of them, the security team had looked at me… intrigued? Amused? A man and a woman. Both dressed in red polos, lanyards around their necks, tasers in their left back pocket, pepper spray in their right. Neither of them reached for either pocket. Seemingly daring me to try and enter the door behind them. I did. Despite their sizes indicating they could easily overpower me; I did not receive any resistance as I kicked the door open.

Six heads simultaneously tilted towards me when I barged in. Twelve eyes drilling into me. Some of my Girls shrieked, others did not made a noise. The duo in red entered the room behind me. I fully expected them to drag me out, leaving me with nothing but a useless Plan and only the brief sight of my Girls to remember. Instead, the duo closed the door behind us.

They warned me that they were armed. I mumbled that I knew they were before dashing further into the dressing room. Three of my Girls stumbled backwards from my sudden movements.

I had been rehearsing what I would say for days leading up to Their performance, but I was unable to verbalize anything in the moment. I knelt down on one knee, the pistol uncomfortably pressing against my tailbone in my back pocket, mumbling something about Them speaking to me since my first time hearing Their songs, and I took the six little dusty pink velvet boxes out with trembling hands. The room went silent, the quiet interrupted only by the click of the door locking behind me.

My Girls came closer to me. I allowed myself to fall to both my knees, trembling which each step taken towards me. They had never been this close to me. Not physically, at least.

Their eyes bulged out of Their skulls, lashes like bug legs. Blondie, the cute One, was the first to reach me. She placed her delicate hand in mine, gently taking the box with her name on it, her long nails scratching my palm as she softly pulled her hand away. She opened the box and stared inside. Long and intensely. Eventually, she looked back down at me.

“Kevin, are these for us?” Her shrill voice caressed my eardrum. I nodded hastily. Asked them how they knew my name.

Poppy, the short One, joined in, “Your passion is impossible to go unnoticed.” She, too, took and opened her box.

Yes. Of course, my passion is impossible to go unnoticed. I had been more worthy than those squeaking teens outside.

“Kevin,” Dolly, the quirky One, cooed as she and Ivy, the energetic One, opened their boxes, “These are so beautiful.”

Ruby, the sexy One, placed her soft hand on my shoulder after opening her box. Her touch sent warm, electric waves through my body, causing my legs to tremble. And like my other Girls, Candy, the funny One, smiled brightly upon seeing her ring.

Ruby whispered my name.

“How long did you wait in line to be here so early?”

My mouth went dry. I couldn’t lie. Not to Them. I told Them I didn’t.

“You skipped the line, JUST to see us?”

I nodded again, so intensely I made myself dizzy. A wave of oohs and aahs flooded the room, Six voices melting together into a song of praise. About me. Six throats singing my praise. Six bodies moved closer towards me. I was pulled to my feet, anticipating Their embrace. They were impressed by my devotion. Of course They were. I would finally be rewarded for it; my devotion was finally paying off.

Six mouths smiled at me. Six mouths became one shared hunger. Twelve arms wrapped around me. Sixty acrylic nails digging into my flesh.