The Doll of Porcelain

The bright morning rays of sunlight reflect through my window and reach me as I sit beside it, lost in thought. I had always hoped for love, ever since I was little, I had wanted nothing more. Now it seems that my prayers have been answered. “I’m certain that he loves me” I told myself, leaving no room for doubts in my mind.

Suddenly, I was brought back from my world of thought by a knock on the door.

“Come in!” I said cheerfully.

The door swung open to reveal my Adolf standing on the other side. He wished me a good morning, smiling as usual. His dark-brown eyes twinkled with joy and he welcomed me into his arms.

“How are you this morning, love?” I asked him.

“Wonderful, I’ve never been better! And you?” he replied.

“I’m happy because I am with you!” I said affectionately.

It was true. Every moment that I shared with the raven-haired artist was precious to me. I loved him for what he was; a loving, talented artist. He loved me for what I was, the girl with the dark-brown cascade of curls that would never leave his side. Our love was true, I was his princess and he was my prince.

Often, we would playfully dispute over who was the better artist, with him always declaring my talents as best. I was but a scribbler, I had no talent at art, yet he never stopped encouraging me.

For now, however, we remained in an adoring embrace behind the closed doors of my room.

“Sometimes, I would like to enter your mind, dear. You always seem to be thinking about something” he told me, smiling sweetly.

“I’m thinking about how much I love you” I responded to him.

He looked into my dark eyes as I gazed inside his ebony eyes. Everything that I felt at that moment seemed to be reflected in those dark eyes. All of my dreams were visible to me through those ebony eyes. I loved him more than I had ever loved anybody else.
“Do you ever wonder what I feel inside when I look into your eyes?” he said to me.

“What do you feel?” I whispered to him amorously.

He held my face in his warm, strong hands and planted on me a delicate kiss.

“You will never know how much I love you” he said to me passionately, smiling so sweetly that I couldn’t help but weep for joy.

“Do you want some tea and cookies?” I asked him as I began to walk towards the kitchen.

He followed me into the kitchen, where he eagerly awaited his breakfast.

“I have an art competition tonight at the town museum” he informed me. “Would you like to come with me?”

“Yes” I said tenderly, delivering the tea and cookies to him.

“By the way, how long has it been since you last…..you know” he said, flushing slightly.

“Hmm….let me think. I think it has been around three months. Why?” I said in a tone of mild curiosity.

“In that case, you might be….” He uttered, sweating significantly.

“Do you want some water for that sweating problem?” I asked him, flashing a grin of amusement.

We laughed about it as we finished our breakfast. The harmonious singing of the birds outside our window contributed to the blissful mood. Dazzling sunlight bore light upon our peaceful little kitchen.

“I will return shortly” Adolf said to me before leaving for our room.

I observed a radiantly orange butterfly flutter outside. Its wings spread majestically as it skimmed the skies in its enticing flight. Something about it seemed so strange, yet so familiar.

Its beautiful, yet frail appearance captivated me. I stood there, fascinated by its radiance, unaware of the passing time.

In time, however…..the butterfly flew so far from me that I could no longer gaze at it in the endearing way I had done a few seconds ago.
“What intrigues you, love?” Adolf said, waking me from my world of thought.

“Oh! Sorry! I was just watching a butterfly pass by” I answered him.

“Close your eyes, love” he told me.

I did as he had instructed, and felt him reach for my hands. In my hands, he placed what felt like a box. Afterwards, he told me to open my eyes.

My almond-shaped eyes opened to reveal to me what Adolf wished for me to see.

I opened the tiny square box, unknowing of what it contained within.

It was the most beautiful gift I had ever received. A tiny, delicate doll of porcelain lay in the palm of my hand. She was beautiful, her raven hair in tight braids, and her cheeks colored a rosy red.

“It reminded me of you, that’s why I bought it” Adolf said.

“Not even in my dreams I am that pretty!” I replied to him in a tone of purest disbelief.

“You’re absolutely right” he said. “You’re much prettier”.

My heart skipped a beat as I flung myself into Adolf’s arms, feeling nothing but love towards him.

After that, we decided to go out to town.

We spent the afternoon strolling through the streets in Vienna. Occasionally, we were greeted by admirers of his art. (It was natural, of course, since he had attended the Vienna School of Fine Arts) He took me out to eat and after that we returned to our home to prepare for the competition.

“I’ll try to be pretty tonight” I said to him as we got home.

“It’s no use trying, because you already are” he told me.

I went to my room and closed the door. The excitement within me was building up. I wanted nothing more than to look dramatically elegant for him on this most important night. I wore a bewitching little red dress and styled my hair in a comely up-do.

Prepared for the night ahead of me, I descended down the stairs. Dressed in a handsome black tuxedo, Adolf held my hand as we left for the museum.
“Don’t be so nervous” I said to him as we boarded the car.

“I’m trying…but….I…I can’t help it” he replied.

“I understand” I said. “Thank you for the doll. It’s beautiful” I told him, carrying the little trinket in my hands.

We arrived at the museum. The ebony night fell all around us as we made our way into the enormous building that stood before us.

The museum was adorned with breath-taking pictures from the participating artists. About forty chairs were placed in front of the stage, the front row seats reserved for the artists and their escorts. Crystalline bowls of glass held large amounts of sparkling red wine.

“Would you like something to drink?” Adolf asked me.

“Yes please” I said to him in a flirty tone, taking hold of his hand.

He gave me some punch and we seated ourselves in our assigned seats at the front row.

I noticed that he was sweating again.

“Do you feel alright, love? You’re sweating once more” I said.

“It’s just the excitement, that’s all” he assured me.

Our attention was directed to the announcer at the stage.

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen! We thank you for attending tonight to support the artists! We have judged their pieces and have decided on the first, second and third place winners!” he announced to his audience.

Formal applause followed after he had finished speaking, and he then straightened his tie. “On third place we have Christof Strasser for his piece titled A Spring Morning!” he said.

The audience clapped politely as Christof Strasser rose from his seat to receive his prize.

“All the pieces of art are being sold to help support the museum! We will auction them after the end of the event!” the announcer exclaimed.

The audience’s clapping subsided as they awaited the announcer’s next words.
“On second place we have…Isidor Levy for his piece titled Midsummer Night Screaming!” the announcer spoke.

The audience applauded in praise for Isidor as he approached the stage to receive his prize.

“And for the first-place prize of $5,000 marks we have…..Adolf Hitler for his piece titled Church at Dawn!” the announcer said.

I screamed at the top of my lungs from the excitement and gave Adolf a hug. Together, we walked up to the stage and he received his prize.

“Congratulations!! You deserve it!” the announcer told Adolf.

While the rest of the audience was busy celebrating Adolf’s victory, my attention was directed to the back exit.

I saw as Isidor exited the building, apparently carrying something in his hands. Thinking that he must have left early to attend business of some sort, I disregarded what I had witnessed and went back to celebrate with Adolf.

“I can’t believe I won!!” Adolf exclaimed.

I could see the happiness inside of his deep brown eyes. At that moment, I held him and I let him know how proud I was of him.

He reached for my face, and I reached for his. Slowly, our lips met in a tender and amorous kiss.

Lovingly, I stroked his hair, and he smiled contently at me.

Moments later, what sounded like a gunshot rang throughout the entire building.

The air was tense as the crowd began to panic. Shamelessly, one pushed against another in attempts to depart from the building.

I felt the weight of another push against me as I fell forward. The doll that Adolf had given to me escaped from my hands.

In astonishment, I saw as the cherished doll fell. From the ground, I helplessly watched as my beloved little doll hit ground. In one second, it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

“Don’t worry, I will buy you another” Adolf said in an attempt to console me.
Although I knew that it could never be restored, I insisted on keeping the little shards of doll. Adolf descended to the ground to help me gather the pieces. Together, we recovered all of them.

I placed them in my pocket and we rose from the floor.

“Hold on! If the shot was heard outside, then wouldn’t it make more sense to remain here?” the announcer said, trying to restore order into the chaotic scene.

The struggle to depart the building subsided after he spoke, and everyone went back to celebrating and drinking wine.

A while had passed without any memorable events occurring. The auctions were to take place 30 minutes from now. It was never our intention to remain for the auctions, so we decided to leave.

We bid the announcer and the attendants goodbye before leaving, and we exited the building from the front door.

Hand-in-hand, we walked away from the gigantic structure towards the crisp-aired darkness of the night.

There was no one in sight save the two of us. Everything was quiet save for the rumbling of some nearby bushes.

I reached for his face in order to deliver a gentle kiss unto him. Suddenly, he pushed me aside, and I fell to the ground. A second shot was then fired.

I gazed in horror as a bullet pierced through the heart of my beloved. Through tearful eyes I watched as his dark brown eyes widened in shock. Helplessly I watched as he fell to the ground from the enormous impact, blood gushing from his wound.

He now lay motionless on the ground, no longer moved by the flow of time. I ran to him, bewildered. My hands reached for his as I gazed into his face.

Those deep brown eyes that always seemed to enchant me now remained painfully blank. The mouth that spoke sweetness to me now hung open and bloodstained.

The tears that fell from my eyes were impossible to stop, and I gazed, dumbfounded, at the body of the man that I had loved the most.

The doors from the museum flew open as a mass of strangers gathered around me to observe the scene and somehow piece together the events of what had just happened.

Their faces, although some expressed shock, seemed to me so cold. The announcer then made his way past the people to see what had just taken place. His eyes stared in awe, and he then said “Church at Dawn has now gone on auction at the starting bid of $9,000!”

Excitement touched the soul of the entire crowd. They followed the announcer back to the museum with their wallets in hand, leaving me alone outside their door.

Outside in the cold of night I stood, gazing into the darkness that seemed to continue eternally. Heartbroken, I reached for Adolf’s hand, which I held tight against my heart. I looked into those familiar dark-brown eyes. I kissed his beautiful mouth for the last time. With tears in my eyes, I gazed at his face, hoping in vain that he would somehow awaken.

I had lost all I had ever loved. I knew that those warm, deep, dark brown eyes would never fill my soul with light again. I knew that those strong arms would hold me no more. I knew that I would never see that beautiful face. I knew that the man whose soul I had adored with all of my heart had fluttered far beyond my reach in an instant that would last forever.

Time went by as the ebony sky became darker still. The cold night air became more frigid as I stood there, grieving for my broken doll of porcelain…..