How it all began...
Doll loved the forest at night, it was her favourite place to be at her favourite time. The night air was cool and calm and it was so quiet and peaceful, no-one around. She loved to prowl through the trees, alone with her thoughts, without distractions or irritations. The moonlight made everything beautiful and made the usually lovely forest even more magical. The boughs of the trees were lined with silver and the leaves rustled in the breeze.
As she walked she saw a faint glowing behind the trees and just off the path. She narrowed her scarlet eyes, accustomed to the dark, but still couldn’t make out what was making the unearthly glow. She edged nearer, stalking through the trees, careful not to disturb whatever lay ahead. Closer and closer, she heard a faint buzzing and the light became stronger, pulsing on and off. Finally she reached the tree where the curious thing lay. She stretched her neck and poked her head behind the tree. She was greeted by a haughty “Mew”. The light bulb that sat among the leaves regarded her disdainfully.
Suddenly Doll was overwhelmed by a feeling she had never felt before. It seemed to be a feeling of affection, of belonging. She wanted to look after this little creature, to care for it and love it, because she got the feeling that no-one else would. It didn’t matter that it was clearly not too friendly, or even loveable - she knew it was hers.
Doll heard a noise behind her and she hovered over the light bulb protectively. “Oh, you’ve found him,” said a friendly voice. “He’s been nothing but trouble this one, we’ll never find anyone to adopt him. He’s a table lamp, a demonic one.”
“I want him,” said Doll, scooping the little creature into her arms, wincing a little as he scratched her skin.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s good news. It’s not usual hours for signing adoption papers but…in this case…you know there’s a no returns policy don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So….what’re you going to call him?”
“He’s Algernon. His name is Algernon.”
