From her lap, his shiny black eyes stared up at her as she admired his permanent red smile. Fingering his
tiny overalls, she pictured the little ones' faces, pressed against the icy windowpanes, waiting for her to arrive
with another basket of her lifelike, homemade gifts.
The last strand of hair was finally in place. As she gently inserted the needle to tie a knot, he lurched in her
hand and a high-pitched voice said...Ouch!
Amanda dropped the doll now adorned with the clothes of a little farmer boy. His red smile remained but his
mouth was parted. Still in shock she could only look down at her latest creation. Instinctively she looked
around toward the icy windowpanes. No children were there and for that she was grateful. Turning her
attention back to her doll she screamed. He was now sitting in an upright position; that permanent red smile
haunting her.
Then he spoke. “Hi, I’m Nathan.”
Amanda’s head, cocked, moved to one side and then another. Her fear had since said goodbye and curiosity
introduced itself. She continued to stare and Nathan too becomes uncomfortable. “Hi, I’m Nathan.”
Her voice shaking she replied, “Yes, I know, you said that. How......?”
“How am I talking?”
Amanda rubbed her eyes hoping this was a dream. Perhaps she had been working so hard that she had
dozed. She tried to refocus her vision. Her composure was a long way behind. Nathan was still sitting on the
floor. His head was now cocked as hers had been, awaiting a response.
“This can’t be happening!”
“But it is and I owe it all to you.”
“What are you talking about, you owe it all to me?”
“For many years you have created dolls. During that time haven’t you ever asked yourself what if these
creations could come to life?”
It was an interesting question because many times she had wondered what it would be like if that happened?
She always had a very vivid imagination.
“I suppose”, she said and as she began to laugh, she continued, “What are you a mind reader?”
“Cute. He said as the smile grew wider.
“This is insane!”
“Perhaps, but none-the-less I am here because of you. To state the obvious that you made me with your own
to hands is just the beginning.”
“Continue”, Amanda said after a slight pause.
“I can speak because it is your will.”
“My will?” she said in a burst of laughter.
“Yes.”
“Why would I will a doll to come to life? You nearly gave me a heart attack and I certainly don’t have a death
wish.”
“You willed me to life with your mind.”
“Yeah, right......”
“Allow me to finish. For many years you have made dolls. It gives you piece of mind. You also derive a lot of
pleasure watching the children’s eyes light up every time you place a new one in your window or place them in
a basket to be delivered to the Averill Children’s Hospital.”
“I’m not following you.”
“I’m not finished.”
“Sorry.”
“One day last summer you meet a special child. For reasons unknown you became much attached to this
child. He was special. Unfortunately he passed away. It left you scarred for life.”
"Wait, wait, how do you know all this?”
“Do you remember his name?”
Amanda thought for a moment. She had seen, talked with and befriended so many children through the years.
And the she remembered.
“Oh my God! His name was Nathan!” She was shaking more than she ever had. She thought she would faint.
In fact she almost did. She was leaning forward in her chair hoping her elbows would keep her from toppling.
Her eyes began to close and Nathan’s image, on the floor and in her mind began to get blurry. She swears
this Nathan’s expression had actually changed from a smile to one of concern. And then he spoke.
“Are you Okay Amanda?”
She sat back up slowly in her chair and wiped her eyes. Tears were beginning to form. As she wiped the
moisture from her eyes she was not surprised to see that Nathan was no longer sitting on the floor. Instead
she was comforted to see that he was now on her lap, leaning against her like a newborn child. Outside the
frost had completely covered the windows. She was alone in body but not in spirit.
As she began to rock in her chair she began to sing. It was tune she used to sing at the Hospital. No longer
afraid of the events that had just unfolded she was now at peace once again. As if on cue her's and Nathan’s
eyes closed. He would be the last doll she ever made.
tiny overalls, she pictured the little ones' faces, pressed against the icy windowpanes, waiting for her to arrive
with another basket of her lifelike, homemade gifts.
The last strand of hair was finally in place. As she gently inserted the needle to tie a knot, he lurched in her
hand and a high-pitched voice said...Ouch!
Amanda dropped the doll now adorned with the clothes of a little farmer boy. His red smile remained but his
mouth was parted. Still in shock she could only look down at her latest creation. Instinctively she looked
around toward the icy windowpanes. No children were there and for that she was grateful. Turning her
attention back to her doll she screamed. He was now sitting in an upright position; that permanent red smile
haunting her.
Then he spoke. “Hi, I’m Nathan.”
Amanda’s head, cocked, moved to one side and then another. Her fear had since said goodbye and curiosity
introduced itself. She continued to stare and Nathan too becomes uncomfortable. “Hi, I’m Nathan.”
Her voice shaking she replied, “Yes, I know, you said that. How......?”
“How am I talking?”
Amanda rubbed her eyes hoping this was a dream. Perhaps she had been working so hard that she had
dozed. She tried to refocus her vision. Her composure was a long way behind. Nathan was still sitting on the
floor. His head was now cocked as hers had been, awaiting a response.
“This can’t be happening!”
“But it is and I owe it all to you.”
“What are you talking about, you owe it all to me?”
“For many years you have created dolls. During that time haven’t you ever asked yourself what if these
creations could come to life?”
It was an interesting question because many times she had wondered what it would be like if that happened?
She always had a very vivid imagination.
“I suppose”, she said and as she began to laugh, she continued, “What are you a mind reader?”
“Cute. He said as the smile grew wider.
“This is insane!”
“Perhaps, but none-the-less I am here because of you. To state the obvious that you made me with your own
to hands is just the beginning.”
“Continue”, Amanda said after a slight pause.
“I can speak because it is your will.”
“My will?” she said in a burst of laughter.
“Yes.”
“Why would I will a doll to come to life? You nearly gave me a heart attack and I certainly don’t have a death
wish.”
“You willed me to life with your mind.”
“Yeah, right......”
“Allow me to finish. For many years you have made dolls. It gives you piece of mind. You also derive a lot of
pleasure watching the children’s eyes light up every time you place a new one in your window or place them in
a basket to be delivered to the Averill Children’s Hospital.”
“I’m not following you.”
“I’m not finished.”
“Sorry.”
“One day last summer you meet a special child. For reasons unknown you became much attached to this
child. He was special. Unfortunately he passed away. It left you scarred for life.”
"Wait, wait, how do you know all this?”
“Do you remember his name?”
Amanda thought for a moment. She had seen, talked with and befriended so many children through the years.
And the she remembered.
“Oh my God! His name was Nathan!” She was shaking more than she ever had. She thought she would faint.
In fact she almost did. She was leaning forward in her chair hoping her elbows would keep her from toppling.
Her eyes began to close and Nathan’s image, on the floor and in her mind began to get blurry. She swears
this Nathan’s expression had actually changed from a smile to one of concern. And then he spoke.
“Are you Okay Amanda?”
She sat back up slowly in her chair and wiped her eyes. Tears were beginning to form. As she wiped the
moisture from her eyes she was not surprised to see that Nathan was no longer sitting on the floor. Instead
she was comforted to see that he was now on her lap, leaning against her like a newborn child. Outside the
frost had completely covered the windows. She was alone in body but not in spirit.
As she began to rock in her chair she began to sing. It was tune she used to sing at the Hospital. No longer
afraid of the events that had just unfolded she was now at peace once again. As if on cue her's and Nathan’s
eyes closed. He would be the last doll she ever made.
 |
 |
 |
| New Hampshire Writers |
| Nathan by: Stephen Signor |