The Doll

Robert is a known lunatic in their village. He has a body of 30 years old but a mind of a 10 years old kid. He lives alone in his small house. He has no family or relatives. According to some folks who knew him, his parents are once rich businessmen who died in a car accident when Robert was only 12 years old. The death of his parents affected his sanity. It seems no one cares of Robert the reason he leaves alone. Every day he sells flowers in a church nearby for a living. Everyone in the village loves Robert, for Robert is harmless, friendly, and cheerful and seems always has a smile for them. The children in the village also like Robert and they play with him. Robert is friendly to children; he plays with them or tells them many stories. Because of Robert’s deficiencies, the people in the village feel a great sympathy on him. Usually, they offer him clothes and food for him to stay alive, or they bought flowers from him as an offering for him.
Robert shared to his children friends and to other people his doll named Barbara. He tell them stories like how Barbara loves to eat fruits, how Barbara is playful to him and how Barbara likes to tell him stories. They listen at Robert, but they don’t believe him and somehow try to get along with his stories about his doll, even if sometimes his stories are unbelievable. The children sometimes teases him by asking questions like how is Barbara, what is she doing at the moment.

“She is cleaning the house right now. Barbara loves to do domestic chores if I’m out” Robert’s reply to them if they question about Barbara.

One time, one of his children friends, Gayle, is concern of him.

“Robert, please stop telling such stories, you know and I know that Barbara is only a doll. How could she do all these things that you are telling us” Gayle said to Robert.

“But what I am telling is true Gayle. Barbara loves my company, and she loves my company too” Robert’s respond to Gayle.

“Just live him alone Gayle, let Robert play with his stupid doll” one mean child answered back to Gayle

“Why do you keep up with that stupid madman?”

“You go away” Gayle said to the mean kid.

At the moment, Robert cries what the mean kid said to him.

Gayle comforted Robert

“It’s ok Robert. Anyway I believe now that Barbara is genuine to you”

“Thank you Gayle. I will just invite all of you to her birthday. Could you come?” Robert ask Gayle

“Sure Robert, when was this?” Gayle asked

“This coming Saturday, please come, Barbara wants to have many guest on her party” Robert said
Saturday has come. Many of Robert’s friends come to his house. The guest did enjoy the party, with enough food and merrymaking. Robert showed to them his doll Barbara, a Raggedy Ann size doll with brown hair, light brown plastic body and wearing blue polka dots children’s clothes. Robert even waves the doll’s left arm as a sign of greeting.

“She is shy, I forced her to come outside and meet you all guy, but she won’t. She said anyway, she is happy that many of you come.” Robert said to them happily.

“It’s ok Robert, we understand about Barbara, tell her happy birthday anyway” comment some of the guest.

One day, Robert complained about his doll.

“My Barbara, she is ill. She said she is going to leave me soon, and I can’t accept it. I will die if she leaves me” Robert said to his friends.

All his friends comfort him. It is not because Barbara is sick, but they feel sorry for their friend Robert.
Robert is not in his usually cheerful self. He always feels sad and crying. He said Barbara is dead. He dig somewhere in a vacant lot for Barbara the doll to be buried. He even put a wooden cross in it. Robert after that is never the same again. He doesn’t go out to sell anymore flowers or play with his friends. Most of the time, he is always inside his little house, mourning for the loss of Barbara, his doll. He became sick and bedridden, he doesn’t want to eat, and he even has no longer willpower to live. His friends are worried for Robert, even the old folks. They decided to go to him to check his condition. But when they are inside his home, Robert lies in his bed, lifeless. The Robert they know who always has a smile for everyone is now dead.

The people in their village mourn. After they buried Robert, the people become curious of his doll Barbara. They decided to dig Barbara’s little grave. But to their shock, the doll is not what they thought is a toy, but inside the doll’s grave is a skull and skeleton that seems belonging to a human. Is Barbara human?