Fiction: Group 4
Dollhouse
Christian Alliance SC Chan Memorial College, Chan, Hui Tung - 15, Fiction: Group 4
mile for the picture! Be a good sister and pose with your brother, dear?” Mum chirped.
I pulled a few muscles and shuffled in my chair. My brother sat still, pulling
the exact same muscles I did. Dad came over and stood behind us. I couldn’t help noticing the
suffocating smell of perfume, something my mother never wore. Mum tugged the curtains so they were
completely open, letting sunshine inside and basically exposing the entire house. My eyes twitched from the
sudden brightness. She rushed over, her daggling jewelry with extra glamour.
The cameraman looked at us admiringly. “Picture in ten, nine, eight...”
Silence accompanied the unnecessarily long countdown. From the mirror, I saw us. Everyone
was dressed up nicely, grinning. The reflection was perfect.
“Three…two...”
I quickly looked back into the camera, trying to enjoy the very last bit of genuine family time.
“One!”
Light flashed. The only time our family actually got together and did something on our own
was over. This was our tradition ever since I was born. It had been enjoyable for the first few years, but now
it was just like a piece of compulsory chore that none of us liked doing. It showed how fake and weak our
family bond was. I never could get over the fact that we all changed. I didn’t talk much in the family. It
wouldn’t have any use. It could never go back to the way it was. My most prized possession was gone.
Almost immediately, everyone got out of their places. They left and so did their smiles. I
dragged myself out of my chair, glad and sad that this was over. Dad paid the cameraman at the front porch.
I could hear the cameraman complementing our family, how wonderful and perfect it was. I held the urge
to burst out laughing. I paced back to my room, grabbing my swimming bag and headed off to swimming
practice. I choked walking past my brother’s smoking room.
After my five-minute stroll, I stepped into the pool. With my swimming goggles on, I slipped into
the cool pool. Submerging myself into the cold liquid, I felt my goosebumps on my tanned skin. I bounced
off the side of the pool. I held my arms and legs straight for a few seconds. My stiff arms stretched forward,
feeling water passing around me, running down the curve of my back. I still wasn't accustomed to the
temperature. I shivered but continued.
I stared down at the bottom of the pool. Everything was in different shades of blue. Light blue
water, sky blue tiles, navy blue fringe of my swimsuit... I couldn't help noticing the blue in my mind as well.
My head bobbed up for a breath of fresh air. As I dived back down again, I found myself synchronize with
the movement of water. I didn't have to move at all. The water navigate my arms and lifted my head up
rhythmically. My tense body relaxed along every stroke. My eyes closed, and my mind drifted off. If it
wasn't for the moving fluid, I would not have felt myself at all. I could hear the sound of water pushed away
by my arms and my breath that quickened as I swam. However, it didn't feel like swimming, it was more
like floating, in a dream or an infinite space. That's when I realized my legs weren't moving at all. Water
carried me forward. The sense of cool liquid flowing down my thighs and cabs were additive. Everything
was peaceful. I spared no attention for my teammates trying to strike up conversations with me. I didn’t care
about any of them, except one.
I led out my arms as I arrived at the other side of the pool. After one last dive, I arched my back
as I reached up and grabbed the rim of the pool. Half of my torso was pulled out of the water that already
became warm, back remained arched. My shoulders shuddered from the fresh gentle breeze, water droplets
running down my neck. My somberness had left me, at least for a split second. I stared at the boys’ team on
the other side. I saw him amongst the crowd, but he never noticed me.
“Hey, Viola!” one of my teammates hit my shoulder hard while I walked home, staring at
the attractive back of my crush. She lived on the same street as my crush and I did. Cursing under my breath
as she had just interrupted my peaceful moment, I managed to drag my gaze for him to her.
“Doing good as usual, huh? Your life is so perfect.” She sighed dreamily. “A grand house, fabulously
rich parents, hot brother…You score all straight As and you’re a whiz kid! I will give everything up for your
life! You’re like…a doll! A perfect doll! Literally you…”
I gave her a beginning of a smile. I meant for it to be sarcastic. I’d give everything up to get
out of my life.“That’s really nice of you, but…”
“S
