The Sweetest Repentance Chapter 2

The Lennox House for the Mentally Insane contained only two inhabitants, not including the souls of the dancers that had died in vain. One inhabitant was as beautiful as she was mysterious. Her hair, the color of the finest corn silk, was secured by two hair ties. Her large doe-like eyes remained consistently affixed on what seemed like nothing. Her name was Baby Doll. The second inhabitant seemed like a composed woman. Her stern, yet beautiful gaze could unnerve even the most strong-willed of people. Her dark hair was pulled into an immensely tight bun. Yet, underneath the façade was a frightened woman full of despair. She spent most of her nights restraining herself from letting the tears slip out of her eyes.  Her name was Madam Gorski.
Since the destruction of the asylum, Madam Gorski had appointed herself the caretaker for Baby Doll, and had made a home for them in the sole untouched room. It was a pitifully small room, with two hospital beds on either corner (both of which Madam Gorski had painstakingly dragged from the ruins of other rooms) and bright fluorescent lights that flickered throughout the night, but never turned off.
These poor conditions were not a bother to Baby Doll. She rested in silence on one of the hospital beds, only being moved when Madam Gorski took the task of attempting to feed her upon herself. During the short time they had to become acquainted, Madam Gorski had come to love the young Baby Doll as a mother. She spent her free time lovingly brushing Baby Doll's hair, and reading to her from her few books that had not perished in the fire. Baby Doll could not comprehend the words Madam Gorski said, yet Madam Gorski liked to believe that she could. She liked to believe that Baby Doll was happy.
One evening, Madam Gorski lay silent on her side of the room, gazing into Baby Doll's eyes. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks. Despite the painful fact that Baby Doll could not hear her, she spoke to the girl in her thick accent. "I'm so sorry," She whispered, her voice shaky. "I should've known; I should've done more." She reached across the small space between her bed and Baby Doll's, and took the girl's hand in her own. "I'll make it all better for you…Baby Doll. I promise."
She watched Baby Doll for a few seconds longer, searching desperately for a sign of consciousness, but all she found was lifelessness. She sighed sadly, letting Baby Doll's hand fall back on to the side of the bed. Standing, Madam Gorski crossed the room to stand before a small wooden end table with a record player placed atop it. Beside it rested the charred remains of the records that had been used for the shows; only a few had survived unharmed. She lifted one of the unharmed records, and used the sleeve of her dress to wipe away the dust. She gently placed the record on the record player, and adjusted the machine until the pleasant sound of music was emitted.
…And if you complain once more, you'll meet an army of me…
A jolt of surprise overtook Madam Gorski, and her eyes automatically went to Baby Doll. It was the very song that she had played for Baby Doll for the girl's first dance. It had been there that they had discovered her raw, beautiful talent for dance. As the familiar song continued to play, Madam Gorski could have sworn she had seen Baby Doll stir from her place on the bed. A soft creak was emitted from the charred joints of the bed.
"Please," Madam Gorski whispered just barely, turning the volume up by small increments every few seconds. The room seemed to pulse with the beats of the song, and Madam Gorski began to sway to the music.
And then, it happened. Baby Doll opened her eyes.
Madam Gorski dove to the girl's side, watching her intently as Baby Doll groaned and smacked her dry lips together. "Where am I…? What happened….?" She moaned, rolling onto her side. Madam Gorski's eyes began to tear up, and she grabbed Baby Doll's hand once again and held it tight.
"Is this a dream?" Madam Gorski whispered in disbelief. After so long of wishing and hoping, her prayers were finally being answered.
Baby Doll had finally woken up.