"Why. . ." she said tentatively, "Why was I turned into a doll?"

"Well, I didn't do anything. The man in the pin stripe suit did. Why you? I dunno. I suppose he thought you were pretty or that you looked like a doll. Ah, here we are." He said when they arrived at a pale steel door at the end of the hallway. Max put Haley down while he reached into his pocket.

The doll was patient to just stand there until she realized the warmth that Max gave her was quickly fading away; her body was stiffening once again. Terrified, she jumped forward and grabbed Max's free arm. It was just enough to keep the tide of coldness at bay. He looked at her and Haley smiled sheepishly, and he smiled in return.

"Sorry. Will this happen whenever someone touches me?"

Max shook his head while he pulled a key ring from his pocket. "Nope; just a few of people that I know of. My sister and I can; in fact, it's why my employer hired us." He found the key he was looking for and put it right in the middle of the door and turned it. The door changed from dull steel to a bright cherry red. "Here it is." Max said, "Your new home, the playroom."

Haley looked at it with apprehension, but the bright red door and Max's reassuring arm helped to soothe her. She reached forward and opened the door to see a large, brightly colored room full of toys of all kinds and sizes. Along the walls, Marionettes were hanging from hooks. All around the room there were different types of dolls; wind-up dolls, rag dolls, even glass and china dolls.

Haley noticed that in the back that there was also a large music box with a ballerina mounted to the base of it, stuck balancing on one leg with her arms up above her head.

"Is everyone in here a person?" Haley asked in wonderment.

"No, not everyone. Many are simple automatons. It's only the important ones who are like you. Now, I'm going to need to meet my employer so we can figure out what to do to finish your change."

"I'm fine like I am. Please, I don't . . ." Max held his finger up to Haley's mouth.

"I will tell my employer that, but I can't guarantee he will agree. Understand?" Haley nodded. "Good." Max pulled away from the doll, and the dreaded cold came over her. Haley fell onto her bottom, arms and legs once again spread wide, mouth open like an 'O'. Max walked to the northeast corner of the room and walked through an arched door made of oak, leaving Haley alone in a room of toys. She took the time to look around more.

Right ahead of her along the north wall was the large music box with the ballerina in a pink leotard prepared to dance. The east wall was a bank of windows overlooking a majestic view of a lake and forest beyond, darkened in night. There was a gold telescope mounted there, and a robed wizard in a pointy hat standing next to it. The other side of the room led to a raised wooden platform where a sultry queen of hearts held court. Marionettes and toys were strewn where there was room, and there was also an opened red box next to the ballerina overflowing with colorful costumes.

Haley allowed herself to admit that maybe being a doll wouldn't be so bad. Then, the large oak doors began to open, and a fairy walked in. She was shorter than Haley, maybe only four and a half feet tall, and walked on green and white striped stocking feet with a dress made from tattered green cloth. Her skin glistened with glitter. But what most surprised Haley was that she had the wooden finish and joints of a doll! The fairy saw her and waved, and then placed a finger over her mouth. She then padded over to the wizard and whispered into his ear before retreating to a corner of the room Haley could not see.

She was still mulling over the implications of the moving doll, when the door opened again. Haley's heart leaped up; it was Max, and a maid of similar features and age.

"Well, Haley, we're going to make a few finishing touches and get you ready because there's going to be a doll party tonight, and you need to look your best." The maid, who wore her brown hair in a bun, beckoned to her left and the fairy doll flitted over. She wore a green-tinged smile and she looked Haley up and down, inspecting every small detail about her.

"Yes, she's in prime condition." the doll finally said. "She will be an excellent addition to our owner's collection. Now what for her to become?"

"Well, he wants her to be soft."

The fairy cocked her head, "Soft?"

The maid nodded, "Yes, and he wants her to have this." She gave a fist-sized metal box to the fairy.

"What is it?"

The maid shrugged, "Dunno. Don't care." But the fairy investigated it and suddenly her eyes lit up and she nodded.

"Ingenious." She said. "I can take it from here." Max nodded and he and the Maid pulled away. The maid began to leave the room, but Haley saw Max hold onto her and pull her to the trunk of costumes.

"We've been invited," Haley heard him say. The maid slumped her shoulders.

"Again?" she whined. Max nodded and the pair began to pick through the many colorful costumes.

Meanwhile, the Fairy sat across from Haley and tapped a starred wand to her mouth. She flicked it and a mirror appeared to her side. Then she flicked the wand again, and Haley watched, horrified, while her wooden frame melted away. Her arms, legs, and body turned to sticks, barely more than two inches across. Even her face lost some of its fullness. Haley's costume hung from her frame and she looked every bit like a withered skeleton. But her growing fear at her own appearance was assuaged when a clothy cover appeared around her, covering every inch of exposed skin. It was a simple tan fabric that Haley had seen used in countless dolls. After another flick of the wand, the cloth was padded out with foam, returning Haley to her true size and making her fully into a doll.

The fairy nodded. "There, now you're soft." She jumped up and gave a flit of her wings, then she swirled her wand about, and Haley stood up as well. The fairy walked behind her, metal box in hand.

"Just so you know," she whispered, "We never leave this room. Not even me. Do you understand?" Haley tried to nod, or speak, but her doll form would not allow it. "I hope you do." She walked back around Haley, and the box had disappeared.

"You should go salute your queen," the fairy said. Haley heard a spinning sound start up, which was quickly followed by orchestral march. Haley hopped on pointe and began to march by throwing a straight leg out and waist high, rhythmically moving her arms to the music. Each step took her towards the throne of the Red Queen. As she marched, Haley thought, for a bare moment, that she had some control over her dance, and tried to leap into the air. Her gambit failed, unfortunately. She came to a stop just before the dais of the toy queen, and gave a crisp salute, then danced to the left side of the chair and stood guard next to the queen, padded hands resting on her tutu.

From here, Haley saw a new object in the southeast corner of the room, where she could previously not see: a tree fort built on a fake tree. The green fairy had made her way there, and took her place on a swing hanging from a high branch. The maid walked over to the dais, the costume she picked from the trunk folded over her arm. Haley noted again how much she looked like Max, except she looked terribly displeased with the entire situation.

"I'm supposed to give you a crash course in etiquette before the party. Please be a good student." She reached forward and took Haley by the hand, and the doll was once again filled with warmth. After a moment, the maid led Haley away to a dressing room hidden behind a red curtain.


"First lesson . . ." the maid began . . .