The cries grew fainter as Ivy hurried through the streets. So, they had barely made it out. If they had waited just a little bit longer, Mia would have been shattered. This was a harsh reminder that even if Mary created a game that was softer and safer, it would end in blood one way or another. It was only the games that they played amongst themselves that would really be games. But Mia was safe and that was the important thing. Ivy and her friends would live to see another day. That was a good thing. Besides, every night that Ruby and Ivy spent in the tunnels they spent growing towards freedom. A sigh escaped Mia.
"We're almost there," whispered Ivy. "You alright? Are you scared?"
"No. I'm just a little sad for the dolls that didn't win," Mia whispered. Hm, normally Mia didn’t seem to notice. Maybe she always had noticed but kept her sadness to herself.
"Me too."
"D-do you think you'll ever find a way to help them?" asked Mia. Ivy wasn't sure what she meant by that. So, she just nodded.
"I hope so, Mia."
"You can put me down now. I'm strong enough to walk on my own," Mia added.
"Alright. But I don't mind carrying you. It's easy to lift you because you're so tiny!" Ivy laughed. Mia glared up at her and then turned away. Ivy could see the child's shoulders slump. Had she said something wrong? Did Mia suddenly not like being called tiny? "Here we are!" Ivy said brightly, trying to inject as much cheer into her tone as she possibly could.
The two slipped inside as quietly as they could, so as not to wake the dolls who were already asleep. Ruby was nowhere to be seen.
"I can tuck you in if you want," whispered Ivy.
"A-alright..." Mia hesitated. "But only if you want to. I-I don't need you to."
"But I do want to, Mia. It would make me feel much better," Ivy said honestly. Mia smiled up at her.
"Alright then," the child whispered. It never took Mia too long to fall asleep. She was snoring within a matter of minutes. Ivy watched as a look of peace washed over Mia's face. It wiped away any trace of stress or fear. Someday, things would be better and then Mia would always look like this. How precious Mia was. That was the perfect word to describe her. She was a little treasure. Ivy had known it from that first day when she had met Mia.
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As they had gone through the games together, Ivy understood exactly what Mia was. Mia was someone who couldn't ever hurt her. Mia was small and soft and needed to be protected. Mia was someone whom Ivy could love without fear of betrayal. She had also known that Mia would love her back. There was so much warmth and affection in Mia's little soul. Where would Ivy be without her? Who would she be without her? Every single day, Ivy woke up feeling happy that she wouldn't ever have to find out. A few minutes passed as Ivy watched Mia snore and grunt and stir and wriggle. She needed to stay focused on the future that Mia deserved.
"Don't worry, someday all the pain will go away. You'll be free and we'll be able to play all day," Ivy whispered into her ear. Was it Ivy's imagination, or did a small smile appear on Mia's face when she said that? This was where Ivy felt happiest. She could have spent all night listening to the steady sound of Mia's snores. But Ivy knew that she couldn't afford to waste any more time. Reluctantly, she got to her feet and headed into the hall. On her way out, she planted a small kiss on Mia's cheek. Ruby was already waiting by the door downstairs.
"There you are. I was wondering where you had gone," Ivy said to her.
"I was taking the world's shortest nap," Ruby laughed. "I'm glad to see you made it to the end. Is Mia doing okay?"
"Yeah. We left just before the end of the day. I think that she's feeling alright. But it can be really hard to tell with Mia sometimes. I guess I'll just have to wait and see." Together, the two dolls slipped out the door and into the shadows. A soft sigh escaped Ruby.
"Are you alright?" Ivy asked.
"Yeah, I'm just really tired."
"I understand. But according to Lu, we are making progress and that's the important thing," Ivy reminded her. There was a long pause.
"Right," was all that Ruby said. She quickened her pace. Ivy followed close behind her. They both had the route to Lu's apartment memorized now. Ivy was confident that she could find it with a blindfold on. Each street felt distinct, and the sounds of their footsteps changed depending on what street they were on.
"Hold up!" Ruby whispered sharply. Ivy froze. She strained her ears and was just barely able to make out a soft sound coming from behind them. She spun around. There stood Mia. Somehow, Ivy had been half expecting to see her standing there. Anger was quick to replace her relief.
"No! You can't come with us, and you can't keep doing this!" Ivy said sharply. The little girl ignored her and rushed over to her side. It was only then that Ivy noticed the fear on her face.
"I-I saw someone follow you! I woke up after you left and went to the window! I-I saw someone following you! B-but I don't know who," Mia gasped out.
"What?" Ivy grabbed Mia's hand. "Do you mean it? This isn't a joke, right?"
"No! I wouldn't ever joke about something like this!" Mia shook her head. "I swear I saw someone."
"We should head back," Ruby whispered. Mia was already sprinting back towards their apartment.
"Mia! Wait up!" Ivy's call was cut short by a sharp scream from Mia. That sound pierced Ivy to her core. For a moment she lost all control and launched herself into the shadows after Mia. A figure emerged out of the darkness, a familiar figure, Rosy. She was holding the terrified Mia firmly.