The Doll
In a small village, everyone knows each others business. Secrets dont stay hidden for long.
This family was no exception. The couple had married for loveboth tall, hardworking, and well-respected. Their tidy cottage, which theyd renovated themselves, and the neat garden, where weeds never stood a chance against the blooming flowers, spoke of their diligence. The young wife was always kind, never one for gossip. Her husband, though quiet, had a stern edge about him. Some men are silent because theyre gentle; he was silent because he was hard. Hed been raised that wayhis father and grandfather had been the same. But he was good to his wife, taking on the heaviest chores, driving into town to buy her things without complaint, and never joining the village men at the pub.
«Not for me,» hed say if invited, and that was that.
And, of course, he never raised a hand to her. Some of the village women envied her. She tried, at first, to advise the othersto tell them they shouldnt accept being beaten. But they dismissed her, saying she was just lucky. The bitter ones muttered that her luck wouldnt lastone day, shed be running to the barn to escape her husbands fists too. She never argued. She only pitied them.
But there was one shadow over their happiness: four years of marriage, and still no child. Both were healthy, yet nothing.
Then one day, a neighbour begged them to take a puppyher terrier had had eight, and this was the last one left, a tiny, weak little thing.
«Take her,» the neighbour urged. «Youll fatten her up, train her. Shell be a proper little watchdog for you.»
To his wifes surprise, the husband agreed. That was how they got Doll.
And thenwell, you couldnt say who doted on her more. The man taught her tricks, brought her inside when it rained, and even built her a kennela proper one, with a raised wooden floor. He trained her to sleep there, but at night, she was free to roam, always returning to her territory.
Then, one day, they noticed something: Doll was expecting.
That was when the husbands true nature showed. He was furiousno, he *hated* her for it. He chained her up.
«Run off again,» he warned, «and dont bother coming back.»
The night came when Doll had her litterfour puppies, born in the kennel without a sound. He found them in the morning when he went to refill her water.
«Dolls turned the yard into a bloody kennel club,» he told his wife. «Four of them, born last night.»
«Really?» she gasped, delighted. «She never made a peep! Let me see»
«See them before I drown them,» he said.
She didnt believe him.
«Drown them? Tiny puppies? What about Doll? Do you think she wont care? That dogs dont have instincts? Let me ask aroundsomeone might want one!»
But he was already outside, filling a barrel with water. She followed, crouching by the kennel, tears streaming as she watched the four little creatures clinging to Doll. Shed heard of thisunwanted litters disposed of cruelly. But shed never seen it.
Knowing him, she knew she couldnt stop him. So she went inside, shutting the doors and windows, refusing to watch or listen.
Later, he came in.
«They didnt feel a thing. Still blind. Buried them at the end of the garden.»
She whispered, «Did Doll understand?»
«Dunno. Didnt ask. Shouldnt have been roaming at night. Locked her in the kennel.»
«Shes howling.»
«Shell stop. Maybe shell learn.»
Something inside her broke then. Yes, litters were often culled in the villagekittens, puppies, it happened. But why like *this*?
For the rest of the day, she barely spoke to him. He muttered,
«Whats the fuss? Theyre just dogs. Whod feed them, clean up after them?»
Dolls eyes stayed wet with what looked like tears. She often wandered to the end of the garden now, sitting motionless where hed buried her pups.
Doll had two more litters after that. Both met the same fate: drowned in the barrel, the mother chained for weeks.
But the last time broke her completely. Doll was heavy with pups again, barely able to walk. It was autumn, and she barely left the kenneltoo cold.
She never got the chance to freeze.
One morning, the husband took his shotgun, lifted Doll under his arm, and walked to the pond.
He shot her therebefore she could deliver another unwanted litter.
An old neighbour saw itthe same one whod given them Doll years ago. She stood frozen, tears on her wrinkled cheeks.
«What have you done, boy?» she whispered as he passed. «Youve taken lives. Not just a doga mother and her unborn pups. Arent you afraid God might do the same to your own?»
He glared but said nothing. What did she know? Her house was full of strays, and she lived hand-to-mouth. But her words stuck in his mind like a thorn.
At home, he meant to tell his wife about Doll. But she met him with news:
«I think Im pregnant.»
He forgot everything elsethis was joy. Long-awaited. Unexpected.
«Were going to the hospital,» he said.
At the clinic, the doctor confirmed itfive weeks along. She was put on the register. He didnt mind the wait. Hed have waited forever for this.
Now they talked constantlyof cots, of toys, of names. He humoured her superstition about buying things too soon.
A month before the due date, she spiked a fever. Thenworsethe baby stopped moving.
They rushed to the hospital.
Hours later, a doctor emerged.
«We saved your wife. The child was stillborn.»
He stumbled outside, blind with grief. Then rememberedhe hadnt even asked.
Back inside, a young nurse told him softly:
«It was a boy.»
He wept in the car.
His wife lay hollow-eyed when he visited. He kissed her hand.
«Next time,» he promised.
She tried to smile.
A year passed. She recovered slowly. He brought her fresh cream from a farm, crossword puzzles to pass the time.
Then, one evening, she met him at the door with a shy smile.
«I think its happened again.»
This time, they spoke less of itafraid to jinx it. The village didnt know.
But at eight months, the pains came early. The ambulance saved her, not the baby. Another stillborna girl.
A week later, he went back to the hospital alone.
«Why?» he demanded. «Twice? Whats wrong?»
The doctor shook his head. «No warning signs either time.»
Superstition crept in then. Had they been cursed?
At home, his wife was a ghost. Unwashed, unmoving. One day, she whispered,
«Find a proper wife. Im barren.»
He snapped, «Dont say that!»
But he was afraid.
Then he remembered a neighbours storyabout a woman in the next village, a seer. Shed helped others. Maybe she could lift this curse.
He took a photo of his wifeone from the village halland went.
The cottage was dim, smelling of lavender and candle wax. The old woman studied him before he spoke.
«Your wife isnt to blame,» she said. «You took lives. Needlessly.»
He stormed out.
But driving home, he saw the old neighbourthe one whod given them Doll.
Her words echoed: *God might do the same to your own.*
Had he? Had he *killed*?
The next day, he went to the cathedral. An old woman tending candles listened as he confessedabout Doll, the puppies, the dead babies.
«Light a candle for your wife,» she said. «Then help where you can. Theres a dog shelter nearby. They always need food, volunteers. Dogs are like people. Better than some.»
He went.
The sight choked himabandoned, rescued, alive. He asked what they needed most. Not food, but cleaning supplies. Then the worker added,
«If you have a car could you sometimes fetch the vet?»
He gave his number.
For months, he helped. He learned the dogs names. They wagged tails when they saw him.
Then he met Bennya scrawny spaniel pup, one ear torn off, found near the railway. He drove Benny to the vet, bandaged him, talked to him in the car.
One evening, he told his wife.
«Im bringing a guest tomorrow. If you dont like him, say so.»
She shrugged.
Benny seemed to know this was his chance. He lay quietly in the car, watching with hopeful eyes.
Inside, the wife barely glanced upuntil Benny gave a soft bark.
She turned. Stood.
«Lord, wheres your ear?» she murmured.
Benny licked her hands. She lifted him.
That night, he made a bed in a shoebox. But when he checked, Benny was curled beside her on the pillow.
He didnt scold.
In the morning, she made breakfastthe first time in months.
Benny, he decided, was a healer.
A month later, she whispered,
«Im pregnant. Dont be afraid. I believe in miracles now. In *you*.»
She was right.
Or perhaps the curse was truly broken. Hed begged forgiveness. Hed helped others. And God, it seemed, had forgiven him.
Two healthy girls were born.
Now they race around with Bennyhis redemption, his proof that kindness is stronger than cruelty.
The past is gone.
Life is softer without it.
