“Where—where am I?” The doll asked, quietly looking around the small workshop she found herself in, hearing the hum of loud machinery outside. There was something familiar about this place, and the sound, but she couldn’t place it.

“You are in a toy factory,” a woman with red hair said, as she worked on sewing up a patch on the doll’s shoulder, pulling a needle through the doll’s plush, tugging her cloth skin together. It wasn’t a painful feeling, but it was an odd one. “And just to get ahead of your next questions, you just came off the assembly line, and your name is Tim. Oh, and your memories will start to come back in the next few weeks.”

The doll was terribly confused, looking down at her patchwork skin, testing the plush of her breasts. Everything seemed so strange, so new. The name Tim didn’t sound like it fit her at all. “That doesn’t sound like a doll’s name,” she said.

“True. Once your Owner buys you, you’ll probably get a name like Patchwork Patty or Miss Stitches, whatever they decide to call you.” The worker said, snipping the excess thread and finishing her work on the doll.

“Owner?” The doll asked, quietly, trying to think on the word. What it meant. Having an Owner meant she was a possession, property. That she existed for the pleasure and enjoyment of another. It was a concept that twisted up her plush, making her feel less than. Which was odd, because she couldn’t remember being anything more. “But what if I don’t want an Owner? People don’t have Owners, and I was a person.”

“Look at you, smart little toy. It usually takes a few days before dolls start to reason like that. And you’re right, people don’t have owners. But you’re a plaything now.”

“Well, can you fix this? Can you turn me back!?”

The woman came around to stand in front of the doll, looking into her big, green eyes. Panic was beginning to rise in the doll, and the woman gently held her, shushing the toy to silence.

“I know this must seem terribly unfair, Tim. You didn’t ask for this, and I’m not sure that you deserved it. But the assembly line only goes in one direction, so the way you are is the way you’ll stay. Fortunately, the way you are is a cute toy, a fun toy, and a playful toy. I know you’ll be a perfect plaything for all your owners, but you won’t be anything more than that again.”

“Now, I need you to hush for a bit, so I can finish getting you ready for the auction tonight. You need to look perfect for your first Owner.”