The Doll Light Zone: LuTricia


Evelyn Gown by Katrina Marie

Love Never Fails The Doll Light Zone: LuTricia
by Keith Allen Cross
and
Edmund Sonador

      Scene : A well dressed middle aged man walks through his well appointed living room with a gift box tucked under his arm. By the large blue stone hearth, he pauses to gaze up at the portrait that commands the room’s attention.
      The camera focuses on the portrait of a young, beautiful African woman. The fine silks she wears, and the glistening diamond jewelry that adorns her perfectly compliments her dark chocolate skin. The look on her face is one of deep thought, perhaps saddened. In one hand by her waist is an upside down card with the simple inscription : ’I Cor 13:4 - 8a.’. A card is wedged into the bottom corner of the portrait frame. The inscription reads : ‘W.S. 116’. The gold nameplate under the portrait reads : "LuTricia Kwadena"
      Narrator : What you see is a painting of this man’s dream. This man being one Benton Myles. Benton and his friend Manfred Cotti met LuTricia on a business trip to buy diamonds. LuTricia’s beauty and grace had captivated both men. Though neither could posses her, their wanting resulted in these two friends parting ways. Their mutual desire for this young woman has also catapulted them into...

The Doll Light Zone

      Scene : Benton takes a deep breath, and sighs as he eyes the portrait. Going on his way, he stops at a small table to eye the porcelain vase atop it. He frowns, moves he vase slightly, then continues on to the polished oak staircase. Eyeing the other paintings on the wall for straightness as he ascends the stairs, he let his hand rest on the thick banister. He walk to one of the polished oak doors in the long hallway, and turns the ornate brass knob.
      The camera follows him into a bedroom where a life sized doll lays upon the bed. The doll is an exact replica of the woman in the portrait. Benton places the gift box upon the dressing table, and speaks to the doll.
      "Happy Birthday, my love. I must be going, but this afternoon we will celebrate properly, I assure you," he tells her. He then goes over and gives the doll a gentle kiss on her forehead.
      "Until I return," he says, and offers the doll another smile as he departs.

      Scene : The street of a posh neighborhood. The gates of an estate open to the right, Benton drives out in his light blue Mercedes. The gates on the left open. The dark blue Lexus coming out noses onto the curb and stops. The camera pans close to the Lexus, showing another middle aged man, glowering at Benton’s car as it drives away.
      Manfred Cotti tightens his hands on the steering wheel. "He had a doll made of LuTricia, I just know it! Why would a grown man waste money on such a contrivance?" he growls at the Mercedes.
      The man pulls out into the street, frowning at Benton’s estate again. Giving a huff he says, "And I bet he treats that doll like a Queen, she’s probably got her own bedroom and wardrobe!"
      Manfred drives along, stewing. "It’s not fair... it’s just not fair!" he complains. Taking a quick look at the traffic, Manfred wheels his car around. Tires squealing, he makes a U turn and heads back home.

      Scene : Manfred’s Lexus pulls into his estate. A moment later, Manfred slips out of the gates of his estate, and eyes the street. There is no traffic, and no one on the sidewalks. He goes back and gets his car, and drives over to Benton’s estate and punches in the code to open Benton’s gates.
      The camera watches Manfred as the gates open.
      "Never thought I’d ever come here again. At least he didn’t change his code," Manfred muses.
      Manfred goes up the driveway and around to the back door. He gets out and goes up to the back door. Feeling along the top ledge, his grimace grows into a smile, and he produces the key.
      "Ha! Benton, you old fool, I knew you kept a key here," he chortles.
      The camera follows Manfred into the house. Going through the living room, Manfred eyes the large portrait of LuTricia mournfully, and accidentally bumps a small table. He recoils, and quickly arranges the crystal pitcher and goblets.
      "He’ll notice if these are one millimeter out of place," Manfred whispers. He looks about, as if expecting Benton to suddenly arrive home. Eyeing the stairs, a grin spreads over his face.

      Scene : Manfred opens the door to the LuTricia doll’s bedroom. The canopy bed and furnishings were as opulent as any queen’s chambers. He grins in victory at his find, then his face takes on awe as he studies the doll. Her face and clothing were an exact copy of the woman in the portrait downstairs. Even her jewelry was an exact copy.
      Moving slowly towards the doll, Manfred sits on the bed beside her. "My god, you’re beautiful", he whispers. "Such a lovely thing, almost as lovely as LuTricia herself. I had forgotten how strikingly beautiful you are." Manfred thought that there was just a hint of sadness in the doll’s eyes. Her mouth was slightly open, as though she were about to speak.
      Manfred goes to stand up, then looks at the door. He eyes the doll again, then the door. He then scoops the doll up into a bride’s carry. Upon lifting her, he lets out a grunt.
      "Damn, you’re heavy!" he groans. In picking her up, he stumbles back into the nightstand. The lamp tips over, but stays on the nightstand. "You’re mine now, my sweet LuTricia," he says in grunts.
      The doll's hair gets in his eyes and he accidentally bangs his face hard on the canopy rail. As he struggles with the doll, his tie tack becomes tangled in her hair and comes apart. One the way out the door, her foot catches it and pulls it part way closed. He manages to get the heavy doll down the stairs.
      On his way through the living room, LuTricia’s foot trips an expensive vase. Manfred has his hands full of doll, and cannot catch the vase before it crashes to the floor. He grimaces as he carries LuTricia out to his car. Relieved to have finally buckled her in on the passenger seat, he drove home.



      Scene : Benton’s living room. A pair of security guards are walking around, eyeing the broken vase on the floor. The form of a policeman comes into the open doorway.
      "Morning, I’m Officer Hudson, and this is Officer LaSalle," the policeman says, indicating his female companion as they enter. "What happened here?"
      One of the security guards motions to the vase. "Kids, we think. Whoever it was, they left in a hurry."
      Hudson walked in, scanned the room, then asks, "Anything missing?"
      "Not that we can tell, Officer." Hudson and LaSalle are both drawn to the magnificent portrait.
      "What do you make of these?" LaSalle asks, pointing out the two cards. Hudson thinks for a moment, then replies,
      "The card in her hand is a bible verse. This card stuck in the frame is one of Shakespeare's sonnets."
      "You sure about that?" LaSalle asks.
      "My Aunt was real big on Shakespeare. This sonnet is another way of saying that bible verse."
      "Be careful," LaSalle warned, "here comes the owner!"
      Benton comes striding in behind the policeman. He eyes the broken vase with a frown, and asks, "What is the meaning of this?"
      Patrolman LaSalle turns to Benton. "You had a break-in, Mr. Myles. You should take a look around. Let us know if you are missing anything."
      Benton eyes the vase, then notes the last picture on the stairway is tipped. He scans the stairs, and says, "That picture, and that one are tilted. So is the one at the top... LuTricia!" He bolts up the stairs.
      Officer Hudson takes the stairs in twos to keep up with Benton. They run to LuTricia’s room. Benton throws the door open. He immediately sees that a lamp has been tipped over, and that the bed is empty.
      "Oh, no, LuTricia!" he cries.
      "Who’s LuTricia?" Officer Hudson asks.
      "The woman in the portrait down in the living room," Benton says weakly. "Why would someone take her?"
      Officer Hudson calls back down the hallway. "Gwen! We have a possible kidnapping, call it in!"
      Benton shakes his head. "LuTricia is a RealDoll," he says weakly.
      Officer Benton smiles, thinking of the portrtait downstairs, and says, "She sure is. Don’t worry, sir. We know how to handle these things."
      "You don’t understand, I mean she IS a doll, a silicone RealDoll. This is not a kidnapping, but it is grand larceny!" Benton explains.
      "Oh," Officer Hudson says, then yells down the hallway again. "Gwen! It’s a theft, NOT a kidnapping." Returning his attention to Benton, Officer Hudson says, "OK, sir. Let’s go downstairs. We’ll file a report, and you can contact your insurance company. Do you have any idea who might have taken her?"
      Benton‘s jaw tightens as he glares at the empty bed with rumpled covers. "I think I know," he growls.



      Scene : The inside of Manfred Cotti’s front door. Through the large diamond shaped smoked glass panes, a figure appears. The doorbells chime. Manfred appears to peek out the door, then opens it.
      "May I help you?" Manfred asks.
      A man in a blue suit and overcoat shows Manfred his badge. "Lieutenant Robert Jacobson. Are you Mr. Manfred Cotti?"
      Manfred takes on a look of surprise. "Yes, what’s this about?"
      Gesturing across the street, Lieutenant Jacobson says, "Your neighbor, Mr. Myles, had a break in. I was hoping you could tell me something about it."
      Manfred shrugs and says, "I don’t know how I can be of any help."
      Officer Jacobson nods and looks past Manfred. "An unusual item was stolen from Mr. Myles. Quite a valuable one at that. I am sure there will be a reward for it’s safe return."
      Manfred makes a show of being taken-aback. "Poor Benton! It wasn’t any of his art or sculptures he got from Africa, was it? Dear lord, most of those cannot be replaced."
      Lieutenant Jacobson shakes his head. "No, Mr. Cotti, it was an item he bought here in the US. Tell me, what do you know about LuTricia Kwadena?" he asks.
     "Why do you ask about her?"
     "Could you please tell me what you know, sir."
      Manfred waves and speaks in an off-hand manner. "Nothing much to tell. We met her a few years ago on a business trip. We were buying diamonds for DeBeers, but since then we have each opened our own stores." Lieutenant Jacobson tips his head, and asks, "That’s it? You two didn’t have a fight over her?" Jacobson touches his face in the same place that Manfred's face is beginning to swell.
      "No," Manfred says, trying to sound sheepish, "I fell getting out of the shower!" He pouts a bit as though he is embarrassed.
      "LuTricia is a very beautiful woman, Officer. Yes, we both had designs on her, but it was all for naught." Manfred’s face suddenly takes on a lost look. He quietly adds, "We got the diamonds we sought, but the most valuable treasure in the land was not meant for either of us."
      "Then you two were smitten by her?"
      "Yes, as was any man who met her."
      Lieutenant Jacobson nods. Glancing past Manfred, he asks, "Sir, can I take a look around?"
      "Whatever for?" Manfred says indignantly.
      "Sir, we have a very short list of suspects on Mr. Myles’ break-in. Namely you, sir."
      Manfred scowls at the policeman. "That is outrageous! I would never steal from Benton, never mind taking such a trivial play toy as his doll!"
      "I never said it was a doll that was taken, sir," Lieutenant Jacobson says with a small grin.
      Manfred’s face reddens. "I shall not hear any more drivel about thieving from my neighbors. Good day, sir!"
      Lieutenant Jacobson offers another weak smile to Manfred. Evenly, he says, "You know I’ll be back with a search warrant. Let’s make this easy. Mr. Myles doesn’t care about the broken vase, he only wants his doll back. If it were to show up, say on his doorstep, I am sure he would forget all about the break-in."
      "Good day, Sir!"
      Lieutenant Jacobson steps out. Turning, he says, "It will take until tomorrow afternoon for the warrant. You have that long to think about it."
      Manfred shuts the door on him. He then casts a scowl up the stairs. In a soft voice, he says, "You’re mine now, my sweet LuTricia. I have many hiding places, they won’t find you."



      Scene : Manfred in his upstairs hallway pushing a wheelchair. He opens the door to a bedroom. Shortly after he backs the wheelchair in, the head and shoulders of Benton Myles appears directly in front of the camera. Benton stands still as Manfred, unaware of Myles' appearance, backs farther into the room with LuTricia Realdoll.
      Benton points an accusing finger at Manfred, and roars, "I knew it! You stole my LuTricia!"
      Manfred recoils in shock, bumping into the wall at Benton’s sudden appearance. Recovering, he jabs a finger back at Benton. "How DARE you sneak into my house!" he roars back.
      "I should ask you the same. If you wanted a LuTricia doll, all you needed to do was get one for yourself. She is mine, and I’m taking her back!"
      "No, you’re not!" Manfred snaps back at him. Scanning the walls, he eyes a coat of arms with two swords, halfway between him and Benton. He dives for it.
      Benton’s eyes grow wide. He bolts to the coat of arms.
      Both men reach it at the same time, and draw the swords. Each seeing the other armed, they back off a couple steps.
      "Give me my LuTricia back!" Benton roars.
      Pointing the sword at Benton, Manfred yells, "Never! She is mine now!"
      Benton takes a lunge, and knocks Manfred’s sword to the side with a clang of steel. Manfred jumps back, then swings at Benton. Benton meets the blade with his own, and scowls at Manfred.
      "So, it is to be a duel then?" Benton asks.
      "So be it!" Manfred snaps.
      Neither man a master at the sword, they take clumsy, arching chops at each other. Upon Benton taking a swing to meet Manfred’s, the swords bend. The end of Benton’s sword flies away.
      "Ha!" Manfred yells in victory with his severely bend sword. He hacks at Benton, who runs.
      Benton makes it to the stairway. Seeing a decorative sconce on the wall, he rips it down and brandishes it at Manfred. Manfred stops and screams, "That is an original iron sconce from Sterling castle in Scotland! Put it down!"
      "Give me back my LuTricia, or I’ll put it over your head!" Benton screams back.
      "Never!" Manfred cries, and throws his sword at Benton.
      Benton ducks, Manfred charges. They grapple with the sconce and stumble to lean heavily against the railing by the stairs. The railing cracks. Manfred knees Benton in the groin, doubling himover. The sconce falls to clatter and bounce down the stairs.
      Enraged, Benton knees Manfred in the groin. "How do you like it?" he rasps.
      Bent over in pain, both men keep grappling. The sound of tearing clothing accompanies their grunts. They wrestle to the top of stairs and once again go to lean on the railing that breaks away. Letting out cries of surprise, they fall off the stairs. When they finally reach the bottom, both men lay prone and still. The maid, hearing the noise, rushes up from the doing the wash in the basement.



      Scene : A dirt road in Rwanda, Africa. The camera looks down on Benton and Manfred lying motionless in the dirt. A shadow appears over them. A woman’s voice is heard.

     
      "Love is patient, love is kind.
      It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
      It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
      Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
      It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

      Love never fails.

      And now these three remain:
      faith, hope and love.

      But the greatest of these is love."

      The men’s eyes open at the sound of her voice. They stumble up in their tatter clothes, wearing wide grins on their faces.
      "LuTricia, my darling! Benton cries.
      "MY darling!" Manfred cries, with a quick glance at Benton.
      The camera pulls back to show the woman from the painting eyeing the men sadly. "Benton, Manfred, I had thought that you loved me," she says in a pout.
      "I do!," both men chorus.
      "Nonsense!" LuTricia barks. Hands on her hips, she scolds the men. "If either of you loved me, you would know that I abhor violence, especially between ones who I would consider friends!"
      Manfred motions to Benton, and says, "But! He had a doll made to look just like you!"
      "A very heartfelt tribute to me," LuTricia says, then adds, "And you hurt Benton badly when you stole my likeness from him."
      "Tribute?" Manfred asks in a lost tone.
      "Yes, a tribute, LuTricia says sternly. "He could not posses me. Most men of wealth would have come after me anyway, and made my life hell until I submitted. Benton knows my family would never permit our union, neither would my people. He did the honorable thing. He left me alone, and kept my memory alive the most vivid way he could. Only a lowly, selfish man would steal such a treasure from his friend."
      Benton smiles at LuTricia, then scowls at Manfred. "You see, even LuTricia herself knows you were wrong!" he says in triumph.
      "You are not innocent either, Benton Myles!" LuTricia says, furrowing her brows at him. "You knew Manfred loved me as much as you did, yet you flaunted my portrait at him! You also knew he wanted his own tribute to me, but would never get a doll for himself. If you had been the friend to him that you claimed to be, you would have discreetly bought a doll for him. I fail to see how you are any less guilty than he!"
      Benton gapes at LuTricia. "But... I never thought he would want... "
      "You thought wrong," Manfred growls quietly as he looks at his feet.
      In a softer tone, LuTricia says, "You are good men, and were good friends. You do not need to fight over me. It hurts me knowing that I have come between two great friends. If you truly hold respect and admiration of me, you will stop this senseless fighting. If not, then neither of you are the gentlemen I thought you were. Now... " she drew in her breath and screamed, "Wake up!"



      Scene : Benton and Manfred lying on the oak floor at the bottom of Manfred’s stairway. Over them, a maid is wringing her hands, beside herself in concern.
      "Oh Mr. Cotti, Mr. Myles, please wake up!" she cries.
      The men’s eyes pop open. They groan in unison and try to move. The maid quickly kneels down and tries to get them to lay still.
      "Please don’t try to move, I’ll call an ambulance," the maid says in a sob.
      Benton, winces and glances at Manfred. "You threw me down the stairs, you scoundrel!"
      "It was you who threw me," Manfred retorts. He lies back and gives a huff. "At least I got to dream about LuTricia," he says softly.
      "Yes", Benton agrees with a smile. "Too bad she was mad at us," he muses.
      "I would have never considered a doll as a tribute, but I suppose it is, in a way," Manfred recalls.
      The men look at each other.
      "I dreamt we were back in Rwanda... " Benton says.
      "On a country road, where we met LuTricia," Manfred says with a confused look.
      "She scolded us for fighting... " Benton says.
      Manfred’s jaw drops. "We had the same dream?"
      "It appears so," Benton says. He looks up the stairs. "I wonder if... "
      "Couldn’t have been!" Manfred says quickly. "We both just had LuTricia on our minds, that’s all."
      "Yes, I suppose so," Benton agrees.
      Benton goes to get up and the maid tries to get him to lay down. He waves her away and stumbles up. Seeing Manfred struggling to rise, Benton offers him a hand. Manfred takes it and gets to his feet. The men look at each other.
      Benton glances at the stairs, then the maid before returning his gaze to Manfred. He takes a deep breath and says, "You know, I have the details of that 'sculpture' in my study. If you would like a duplicate, I could commission the artist to make another one. He is highly skilled!"
      Manfred nods slowly, a wry grin crosses his face. "That would be very kind of you, Benton. I must say that having such a work of art would enhance my collection. Shall we retrieve your copy? The stairs may prove difficult for one man."
      "Thank you, Manfred," Benton says.
      "But, you are hurt... " the maid says, eyeing the men.
      Manfred waves her concern away. "We are fine, dear. Please attend to your chores."
      "Yes, Mr. Cotti," the maid says, and departs, giving both men a worried look.
      Limping up the stairs, Benton looks back to be sure the maid is gone. "If there are any modifications to the doll you would like, please inform me. The artist will make the appropriate changes," he says formally.
      "I do believe you have captured the essence of the subject perfectly," Manfred replies.



      The camera scene changes to Myles' front door as the two men wheel LuTricia inside. Officers Hudson and LaSalle are in the area and see the men with wheelchair. They stop to investigate. LaSalle calls Lt. Jacobson to the scene.
      The two men put LuTricia on her display stand and Myles gives Cotti all the details he needs to order his own doll.

      "Thank you, Benton. You have always tried to be my friend." He looks at LuTricia. "Thank you, my dear. You have restored our friendship." Manfred Cotti leaves just as the officers and Lt. Jacobson arrive at Benton Myles' estate. They talk briefly, then Cotti returns to his home.

      Back upstairs Myles cleans LuTricia's face with a tissue and pulls her hair back to reveal her earrings. Something catches his eye, but the doorbell rings and he leaves to answer it.

      Myles answers the door and greets the officers. He tells them the whole story and says that he will not press charges. Seeing the swelling on Myles' face, Lt. Jacobson asks,
      "Did you fall getting out of the shower?"
      "Now how would you know that?" Myles asks with a grin.
      "Do you mind if we see LuTricia," Jacobson asks, "just to confirm that she has been returned?"
      "Please do!" Myles said excitedly. He was eager to show off his prized beauty.

      The camera moves upstairs as the group enters LuTricia's room. Lt. Jacobson entered first, followed by Hudson, Myles, and LaSalle.

      "Is this LuTricia?" Jacobson asked. "The dress is the same as that one in the portrait, but the face looks different, and the earrings are missing." Hudson saw the difference, too. They wondered if something happened while she was being moved back and forth. Stepping into the room, Myles' eyes grew very wide.
      "LuTrishh--!" Myles began, and promptly collapsed, falling backward into Lasalle. It took her and Hudson to get the big man safely to the floor. Myles woke up half in LaSalle's lap with her patting his cheek.
      "What happened?" he asked, still stunned. LaSalle continued to hold him and explained that he passed out. She helped him to one of the two chairs at the dressing table. He was still a bit woosy when Jacobson asked him,
      "What scared you so? You looked like you saw a ghost!"
      "I cannot tell you, I can only show you." Turning to Hudson he asked, "Would you please open this? It is a birthday present for LuTricia."
      "For the doll?" Hudson queried. "You gotta be kidding me!"
      "Oh! She is much more than just a doll!" He handed the present to Hudson. "If you open that, you will see what I mean!"
      Benton stood up and moved by LuTricia next to Lt. Jacobson. He still could not believe his eyes. Hudson and Lasalle sat in the two chairs at the dressing table. As Hudson placed the gaily wrapped package on his lap, Brenton Myles began to recite:

      "Let me not to the marriage of true minds
       Admit impediments. Love is not love
       Which alters when it alteration finds,
       Or bends with the remover to remove."

      Hudson carefully removed the bow and gave it to LaSalle, who placed it in the center of a mirrored tray on the dresser. If he were at home, Hudson would have torn the bow and ribbon off and shredded the paper, but he was conscious of Myles' penchant for neatness. He gingerly removed the ribbon and also handed that to LaSalle. Hudson worried the paper loose and LaSalle wound the ribbon around her finger as Myles continued:

           "O, no! It is an ever fixed mark,
           That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
           It is the star to every wandering bark,
           Whose worth's unknown, although its height be taken,"

      LaSalle put the carefully wound ribbon next to the bow on the mirrored tray and took the paper from Hudson. The box was still factory sealed and Hudson had to slice through the packing tape to get it open. He gently opened the box and carefully folded back the protective covering. He immediately raised his hands from the box as though it had been very hot, and stared at the contents in silent wonder. Myles finished his recitation:

           "Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
            Within its bending sickle's compass come;
            Love alters not with its brief hours and weeks,
            But bears it out - even to the edge of doom.

                  If this be error and upon me proved
                  I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

      Leiutenant Jacobson walked over to see what was in the box. As a cop on the beat, he had seen many gruesome sights and was prepared for the worst, but nothing could have prepared him for this.
      The camera shows an overhead view of the box, framed by Hudosn's hands. Inside the box is the exact same face as in the portrait downstairs, complete with makeup and the missing earrings. Cotti's tie tack is in the hair next to an earring. As we pull back our viewpoint changes to the figure on the doll stand, we see the doll wearing the beautiful smiling face that should have been in the box.



      Scene : The portrait of LuTricia in Benton’s living room. The camera focuses in on the card the woman is holding.

      Narrator:

           "Love is patient, love is kind.
           It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
           It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
           Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
           It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

           Love never fails.

           And now these three remain:
           faith, hope and love.

           But the greatest of these is love."

      Benton and Manfred have finally found these truths with a little help from...

The Doll Light Zone



This story is a collaboration by
Keith Allen Cross
and
Edmund Sonador





For more information, e-mail:
noquiexis@toast.net

Edmund Sonador's Home Page