She knew she was doing it wrong, she didn’t care. She didn’t have a real sewing needle, she had to make due with a broken off tip off a fishing hook and some silk crazy glued to the end. When she was done with the wire she would just bite it off and glue on another one. She knew she was doing it wrong, and she didn’t care. She just watched the little needle pulling the log string of scarlet silk back and forth through the dull beige fabric of her face. She had found her outside near the recycling bucket and knew she had to have her. Karl never wanted that thing in the house, said it would scare Joshua. She didn’t care. Setting her doll down she ran her little hand through her short black hair. Her big blue eyes looking down, searching for any sign that she was doing a good job.

“Don’t worry,” she says clutching the bundle in her arms. “I’ll fix ya up.”

She was alone as she worked; the low hum of rain on the tree house roof was almost lulling her to sleep. A little was still leaking in but she had her slicker on so it didn’t bother her. If anything it reminded her of the times her Dad would take her puddle jumping. She really did try to be a sweet girl for him. Always tip toeing on his feet trying to enjoy the days with him. God knows her nights with him weren’t enjoyable. Always joking about his other daughter. She always listened to them shouting at each other, talking about how much they hated each other, how much Dad hated him telling him that his lifestyle would ruin the family.

Now they’re living in his house, lower eastside queens. She hates that she misses him. She could almost feel the tears in her eyes but he wouldn’t want her to cry. He’d want her to laugh. To be the hip cocking glib smirking smartass he was when he came home after work. She loved laughing with him when he did. One thing he did right was that laugh.

She’s humming now as she sews. A sweet little tune barely loud enough for anyone to really hear. She wasn’t even looking at the doll anymore. Absently she passed the needle through any fabric she touched as her eyes wandered from one oak wall to the next.

A car door slams and brings her out of her trance. “He doesn’t need to come here everyday,” she says bitterly biting her lip.

Still holding the doll she props open the little latch window above her. Creaking open she saw his car parked in the front lawn and she could see him dressed a slicker of his own. Even with his hood up she could see his disgustingly bleach blonde hair and twisted collar polo shirt. Karl was out heir to meet him of course, giving him a quick kiss before turning towards the tree house.

“Chloe” he called. “I’m going out for bit, don’t leave the house okay.”

She closed the window. She just wants to sew. In and out in and out she’s frantic with the needle. She doesn’t hear him drive away, she doesn’t want too. She looks down at her and raggedy face.

“Whatever. I still need to fix ya up girl,” she says prodding the little doll’s dangling checkerboard eye.

Boom! A rock hit the door. She drops her and flings the window open; it’s creaking silenced as it hit the back of wall. They were here again. The girls from across the street were here again and this time they had rocks. They couldn’t even see her from down there and they still wanted to throw rocks, amazing.

Reluctantly she got up and poked her head out the window. Staring down at them as she would ants on a kitchen table she folded her arms and with a smirk on her face listened to what they had to say this time.

“Where’s your brother Chloe” one of them says coldly.

“Not here” she says with an annoyed huff. “Can I take a message?”

“He’s probably off with his boyfriend,” another of them muttered creating a torrent of expected laughter.

“Not again, don’t you girls have any other hobbies”

Chloe rubbed her temples. Hook in her mouth she breathed noisily through her nose, trying to fight back the urge to go down and brain them against Mr. Lewinski’s Sedan. She’d pick up the cleaning up bill of course; Chloe wasn’t a brute.

“What are ya doing Chloe, playing with dolls?” they all sneered

“We’re eight girls. We still play with dolls last time I checked,” Chloe sneered back. “Besides, this little gal needed my help.”

“Ya brother needs help. My Daddy says he’s a freak. Didn’t ya Daddy say he was a freak?”

Chloe smiles. “Yeah and your Daddy sucks off the doughy boobs of Ms. Martin but you don’t hear me saying he needs help.”

The rocks came again. Banging against her door, chipping away at the wood while they in turn chipped away at Chloe’s patience. She sat up rock in her hand, doll at her feet and screamed out the window. She tried to look scary, she was failing miserably of course but she kept screaming which was admirable in a way.

“Hey what are you doing?” Karl’s thick Brooklyn accent echoed from the backyard. “Get the hell outta here you little shits.”

The rocks stopped and for a split second everything was quiet.

“Chloe, are you okay” Karl had come up the latter. “They didn’t hurt you did they.”

“No” she puffs out her chest. “I would’ve sent the running.”

She looks over at her brother. Sitting on the edge of the tree house looking like a knight come to save the day. Karl’s a handsome 26 year old. Cut jaw line and everything. Chloe hates the fact that he never brushes his hair. He says that it adds to his charm, Chloe disagreed.

“I’m sure you would Chlo,” he smirks back at her.

“I thought you said you were going out” Chloe spit back.

“I did, we finished up early and I came home.”

“I don’t need to hear that.”

Karl can't hide the blush on his face. “Uh… not like that you little.”

Chloe let out a stifled giggle.

“You little brat,” he says with a smirk. “How’s your doll coming along?”

“Badly” she says. “I can’t get the knots right.”

“I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon.”

They smile at each other. Their matching blue eyes trying to figure out what to do next.

“Well come on and get dressed,” he says. “Josh is coming over for dinner.”

“Okay” she mutters after a sigh.

“Something wrong Chlo?” he asks

“No its just… he comes over every night.”

“He’s my boyfriend, of course he comes over a lot.”

“Maybe they wouldn’t tease me so much if he didn’t.”

Karl stands up a look of shock and disgust plastered on his face.

“Chloe I thought you of all people should… I care about him,” he says.

“You say that a lot,” she says. “The others say you do a lot too.”

“Others? You mean the neighbors? Those kids? Chloe c'mon, I'm not a freak!”

“Dad said you were a freak, I didn’t.”

“Chloe please, I just want to be happy with out everyone second guessing me every two fucking steps!”

Chloe stands up, her doll in one hand and her tear stained shirtsleeve in the other.

“Don’t swear at me,” she cries.

“I’m sorry Chlo, but I’ve done everything for you since Dad died,” he says. “Hell, I wanted to move out of here when he did.”

“I was five Karl.”

“And now you’re ten Chloe. I stayed for you don’t you get it? I stayed where my neighbors are bigots all for you and look how I’m rewarded. My sister looses her friends and I get laughed out of the room, lovely. Chlo, don’t you get it? It’s my generation’s turn to decide the rules. I worked for that gasbag of a senator all those years ago just to be where I am now. I’m sorry if Josh comes over a lot but he’s the only one helping me. We’re leading the charge Chlo.”

Chloe flops back down. Her slicker seeping on the dried up floor boards. She smiles. “I know, and I’m happy for you. Really.”

“I… Chloe,” Karl sighs.

He looks over to Chloe. She wasn’t trying to be charming now. She wasn’t trying to be sarcastic, crude, or tough. She was just a little girl whose dolls stitches had just come undone.

She’s trying desperately to put that flimsy string back on the hook’s flaking glue. He knows what he’s done. He see’s his sister choke up a little as she hums again. He knows what he’s done, and he remembers what to do.

“I got you something,” he says renewed smile on his face.

Chloe stops. She watches as Karl pulls out a real sewing kit from inside his jacket.

“I got it while I was out,” he says. “I thought you might need it.”

Chloe smiles as her brother sits down next to her. The floor was wet and he didn’t have a slicker on, he didn’t care. Opening the kit they both went to work, overlapping each rag over the next before sewing it up. After a while a face was revealed. It had a meager smile, and its brow was still stitched and loose. That little doll though lit up like the sun, her smile the proud staple of the Mona Lisa.

Chloe looked around. The rain had stopped, the sun shown brightly through a clear water tree house. Birds of rainbow colors surrounded her as the doll began to dance. Music started to play as she rose to join it. They both danced in this torrent of light, forest dew, and shimmering feathers. The music played around them, caressing them, and Chloe smiled like never before. The doll grasped her hand and in a flash jumped up into her arms. The music stopped, and the birds had vanished. She just stood there in the light of the forest, her raggedy friend refusing to let go.

“Thank you," it says.

“Thank you Chloe” Karl says.

Chloe opened her eyes. She saw rain swept wood and broken down latches offset by the bending tree branches melded to the roof. She saw her brother, tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. She looked down and saw one more rag draped over their hands. They sewed it back on and the dolls face was revealed. It had no face, no eyes, and no mouth.

Three hours later Josh comes by. He sees Karl carrying his sleepy sister down from the tree, a little raggedy doll in her lap.

“Rough day,” Josh asks?

“Not really” Karl answers, lightly brushing the dolls hand with his thumb. “Just needed to find a use for these rags.”

© 2013 Jared "I.J" Steinberg. All Rights Reserved.

#fiction