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Everyone has a comfort item at some point in their life. It could be a blanket, a piece of clothing, or a book. Anything that brings you comfort.
Wednesday’s comfort item was a headless doll named Marie Antoinette. Wednesday’s had her since before she could remember.
She never went anywhere without her. Kind of like, how she never went anywhere without a knife or weapon on hand.
At one of her old schools, when she was teased by her peers for carrying the headless doll around.
Normally, Wednesday would've threatened or slightly maimed them and that would be the end of that, but this wasn't like other times.
It wasn't until three months later, when she turned twelve, that she realized Marie Antoinette was a weakness. A weakness she carried around with her.
Wednesday hated weaknesses, she despised them, more than she despised bright colors, smiles, or overly cheerful people.
Wednesday was an activity showing her weakness, for the whole world to see.
She hated it.
In order to stop herself from showing such weakness, she hid Marie Antoinette on a nightstand by her bed.
When she failed to kill the water polo team at her last school and was sent to Nevermore Academy, she took Marie Antoinette with her.
No matter how much she tried over the years she still can’t manage to let the headless doll go.
Wednesday was hoping she wouldn’t have to share a dorm with anyone, but no such luck.
Her roommate was a colorful werewolf with too much energy and a never fading smile, everything Wednesday hates.
Wednesday was too lost in thought to notice footsteps approaching. It was only when the doorknob was twisting did she register it.
The door opened.
Wednesday rushed to put Marie Antoinette on her nightstand, but she wasn’t quick enough.
When she turned around her annoying roommate was standing there, staring at her with a mixed look of confusion and curiosity.
“What’s that?” Enid motioned to the nightstand.
“Nothing,” Wednesday said, quicker than she would’ve liked.
She hid Marie Antoinette behind her back, away from the blonde werewolves prying eyes.
The blonde looked at her suspiciously before returning to her side of the room.
Wednesday moved her body to face Enid at all times to shield the disembodied figure from her.
She waited for Enid to look away before hiding her back on the bedside table.
She rummaged through the bedside table and picked out the book she was last reading, ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’.
She went on reading for ten minutes before her sense of hearing kicked in.
She knew Enid was beside her, the girl wasn’t as quiet as she believed. Wednesday could hear her footsteps a mile away.
Wednesday spun her chair around.
“What?” She snapped at the blonde.
“You know, I used to carry around a teddy bear until I was 11, and I still do.” Enid gestured to the shelf on the other side of the room and sure enough, a worn-out stuffed bear was sitting in the corner.
How had I not noticed that before?
“It took years for my parents to convince me to get rid of him, they still think I threw him out.”
“He’s…” Wednesday paused trying to find the right word, she didn’t want to offend Enid after all.
“Pretty,” she finally said, it sound more demonic than it should have.
Wednesday only realized when she said it, that she took too long to reply. Enid must've taken it as an insult.
Luckily, Enid didn't take it that way. She just smiled and continued to talk.
“Thank you, his name is Felix.” Her smile brightened even more if that was even possible.
“What’s their name?” Enid asked.
“Her name is Marie Antoinette.“ Wednesday answered skeptically.
“That’s a nice name.” She sat down on the bed, not close enough for their legs to touch, although still close enough for Wednesday to feel the body heat coming from her leg.
Wednesday waited for Enid to ask her why the doll is headless (most people do, it’s one of the first things they ask), but it never came.
“Can I see her?”
Wednesday hesitantly pulled Marie Antoinette out of the nightstand.
Enid stretched out her hand to further inspect the figure, never once touching Wednesday’s hand.
The door handle creaked, before opening. Ms. Thornhill walked with a smile on her face.
“I used to have one just like that.” Her smile faded when she realized the doll had no head.
“What happened to her head?”
“My brother, Pugsley sent her to the guillotine,” Wednesday said in the most stoic voice she could muster.
That seemed to get a reaction from her, she kept smiling, still, her eyes wore a concerned expression.
She opened up her mouth to talk, but Enid beat her to it.
“What are you going here?” It came out more harsh than expected.
“Ah right, the principal wishes to speak to Ms. Addams.”
Enid put her hands on the bed for balance and rose before being stopped by Ms, Thornhill’s voice.
“Alone.”
Enid sat back down again, she glanced at Wednesday, flashing her a worried look, before turning to face Ms. Thornhill again.
“What for?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say.” Ms. Thornhill said with a forced smile.
“Come on, Wednesday, let’s not keep Principal Weems waiting.”
Wednesday placed her Marie Antoinette doll on her bed before walking toward Enid.
Without missing a beat she pulls the taller girl into a hug. Enid hugs back without hesitation, squeezing the shorter girl.
“Tell anyone about this,” she whispers in her ear, not loud enough for Ms. Thornhill to hear. “I will kill you.” Wednesday made sure to emphasize each word.
When she pulls away Enid whispers back “Your secret is safe with me, I promise.”
The sincere look in Enid’s eyes tells her she’s not lying.
Wednesday chooses to believe the werewolf. For now at least.
Without giving it a second thought Wednesday turned her heel and followed Ms. Thornhill out the door.