Dolls and Shadows
In a peaceful mountain village, streams of water flowed between the rocks, making a soft sound like the gentle footsteps of a toddler. Colorful birds glided through the air, refreshed by the crisp spring atmosphere. Among these delicate birds, a small one perched on a tree branch inside the yard of one of the village houses—it was Rahaf’s home.
Rahaf was a fair-skinned, blonde girl with soft features, pampered by her parents. She spent most of her time playing or scrolling through virtual social media networks. Next door lived Lubna; a brown-skinned girl with beautiful, captivating features from a humble family. Lubna was a diligent student who spent her remaining free time reading or writing stories. Being neighbors and classmates, a close friendship had blossomed between them.
One day, as the two girls were walking home from school, Rahaf asked her friend, "Why didn't you accept my invitation yesterday, even though I told you Zeina was coming?"
Lubna replied, "I like Zeina, but I don't like playing with her." She paused for a moment, then declared, "Because she is a bully.
Rahaf stared at her friend’s face for a long time without saying a word. Trying to change the subject, Lubna spoke up, "I want to share a beautiful dream I had last night."
"Go ahead!"
"I was with my parents in the city. My mother was holding my hand, leading me into a huge toy store. We went inside, and I started choosing a large number of dolls, and my mother bought them all for me."
Caressing her blonde hair, Rahaf replied, "That’s beautiful!"
Ten minutes later, the two girls reached their homes and agreed to meet after finishing their homework.
In the late afternoon, Lubna went to play at her friend's house, carrying a sky-blue bag on her shoulders. As they began to play, Lubna said, "I want to show you something."/
"Alright," Rahaf replied./
Lubna opened her bag, then carefully and slowly pulled something out. It was a handmade cloth doll; its eyes were two blue buttons, its hair was a ball of black wool, and it wore an olive-green dress. A sweet smile lit up Lubna's face, and she spoke with pride, "This is my beloved doll."
Rahaf looked at the doll, examined it for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing. She said mockingly, "What a simple, handmade doll! So that’s why you dream of buying toys, right?" Rahaf suddenly stopped laughing and drifted into thought for a minute, then burst into laughter again, "If Zeina saw this doll, she would die laughing at it. You’re afraid of that, aren't you?"
After those words, the cold truth hovered near Lubna. She looked at her laughing friend without getting upset; she merely smiled with her lips, while her eyes remained still and unblinking.
Rahaf walked toward her coffee-and-milk-colored wardrobe. She opened it boastfully, revealing a large collection of beautiful toys neatly arranged on the shelves. She selected one and pulled it out. The doll was made of synthetic materials, with thick hair, wearing jewelry along with a pink dress like a princess's gown. Rahaf strutted like a proud peacock until she reached the play area with her friend. She waved the doll around, trying to tease Lubna as much as she could, then said with clear arrogance, "What do you think of my new toy?" She sat down, cradling the luxurious doll, and continued, "I have always gotten whatever I want.".
Lubna maintained the same dry smile. Silence lingered for a few seconds before she finally spoke, "Your doll is beautiful; in fact, it is exceptionally beautiful!" She paused for a moment, then added, "While my doll is simple, and I might be afraid of Zeina’s mockery... but that doesn’t matter." She turned her head from side to side and continued, "What matters now is that you answer my question."
Rahaf nodded, agreeing to hear the question. Looking steadily into her friend's eyes, Lubna asked, "What is so funny about my fear?
Rahaf put the doll down from her lap and began touching the silver chain around her neck. Lubna kept staring at her friend and insisted, "I want an answer."
Rahaf’s face contorted into a slight frown. She swallowed hard, then tried to speak, but she stuttered and mumbled unclear words. Finally, gathering her strength, she managed a coherent sentence, "Oh, what... what are you saying! You... you're making me look evil."
Lubna replied, "I didn't say you were evil, I just asked you a question."
Rahaf’s face turned bright red, and she touched her silver chain with even greater anxiety. Lubna kept her smile, gathered her toys, and placed them back into her sky-blue bag. Hugging her cloth doll tightly, she walked away from her friend with exceptionally strong, firm steps. Deep down, she knew these were no ordinary steps—they were her final footsteps walking out of this friendship forever.
(The End)