“So, how did you get dollified?” Sergeant Sally asked. She loved hearing these stories, every doll’s was different.

“A witch’s curse. Well, ‘curse,’” Aimee said with air quotes. “The joke’s on her, because I love it.”

“Right? It’s the best! No more thinking, no more doing. I just listen to my owner and stand in the store window all day. Yes, sir, I can do that.”

“And I don’t know about you, but I never wanted to be objectified in a mean, scary way, but I always wanted to be objectified. I love being used as a living teddy bear, you know? Or, rag doll, whatever. You know what I mean.” Aimee said, stumbling over her words, admitting something to someone she had never admitted before. Even though they were both dolls, her cloth heart sped up admitting that she adored her new life. “What about you, how did you become a toy?”

“Enchanted wind-up key. Just messing around one day at the store, and whoops! I was marching for an hour before my owner found me.”

“You march? Where’s your key?”

“Oh, it’s detachable, thankfully. But when I march, it’s just totally mindless, smiling, fun.” The toy soldier said, miming her rigid arm movements.

“Rag dolls have something like that. Not the marching bit, but there’s this way I can flop. I’m not going to do it now, but it’s like the most no thoughts, just doll you can ever be. Hours in my Owner’s bedroom go by like that.” Aimee tried, and failed, to snap with her cloth fingers.

“I’d love to keep chatting, but I do need to get back to the toy store. This was so fun, though! I’d love another playdate with you. If your Owner is ok with it, of course.”

“Yes! I mean, yeah, sure, whatever. I’ll ask my Owner. You don’t think it’ll be a problem being owned by two different people?”

Sergeant Sally shook her head, “No, my Owner is easy to live with. Actually, he’s been talking about selling me.”

“Really! My Owner’s been wanting to buy another living doll!”