“For the love of god, Lizzie, just throw it away!” That only made me hold her tighter. She saved my life when I was 6, who knew if I would need her again?

“At least leave it at home, this is your college interview! You’re never going to get it was that thing in your hand!” I shook my head. One way or another, she was coming with me.

“I’ll put her in my bag, okay? But I am NOT leaving her here.” Mum sighed, knowing that this was the only compromise she was going to get.

I was shaking with nerves. Dream school. In the waiting area, some were rehearsing what they were going to say, some were just sitting there, some were pacing. I just slipped my hand in my bag and touched her.

“Lizzie?” I grabbed my bag and walked in. I shook the Dean’s hand professionally.

“Hello, nice to meet you!”

“And you, Lizzie!” She smiled warmly at me.

“I must admit, this has been my dream school since I was 11,m.” The Dean smiled. I went to put down my bag, it toppled over, and Jade fell out, her glass eye staring pleasantly at the ceiling. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I stuffed her back in my bag.

𝑃𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛, 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑛...

But the look on her face gave everything away. The rest of the interview was painful. When I told mum what happened, her face went blank, unreadable. I didn’t think anything of it, I just accepted that I had failed. However, a week later, mum told me to get in the car.

Therapy.

She sent me to therapy.

I sat in the chair, mortified, clutching Jade.

“Hello Lizzie, I’m Doctor Charles.” His voice was smooth, but I felt tense.

“Why am I here?” I asked apprehensively.

“Well your mother told me you bring this doll,” he indicated towards Jade “everywhere you go?”

“So what? She saved my life.”

“Ah, I heard about that. Tell me, where is the culprit now?”

“Serving a life sentence.”

“So you don’t need Jade any more?” He was right.

“But she makes me feel so safe!!”

“I understand. I don’t want to push you. Could we just try handing me the doll? Take control over her out of your hands briefly?” Reluctantly, I handed her over. He examined her. When I asked for her back, he smiled. Without breaking eye contact, he reached one of his hands to her head, and ripped it off.

“This isn’t what therapy is meant to be like,” I murmured anxiously.

“Jade can’t help you now. You won’t get away from me that easily. I can’t believe you just handed it over to me!” My heart stopped.

A scream.

A s c r e a m.

Silence.