Doris wondered if her doll would travel with her to Dreamland. Dreamland was a special place Doris visited every night in her dreams. In Dreamland, she was a red-and-black butterfly, a butterfly that for a short time watched other children go about their daily lives. In Dreamland children’s lives were as they should be, filled with love, truth and beauty. Children did not need a doll for pretend play in order to escape the ugly reality of their lives.
Doris loved escaping her real world ever since the day truth and beauty were replaced with lies and ugliness. It was the day a grownup touched her and changed her life forever. It was the day she learned some people are not what they seem. It was the day she learned nice looking people can be ugly on the inside. Most importantly, it was the day she learned people sometimes touch little girls where they shouldn’t and make them carry the ugly secret daily. Doris fell asleep holding Barbie tightly against her and looking at her long, blond hair.
