EONISM.net

I’ve made a living taking care of other people. I walk the dog, I pick up the dry-cleaning, I schedule the dinners and shop for the groceries. I balance the checkbook and make sure the fresh-brewed designer coffee is the correct balance of milk and sweetener. I refill prescriptions and sign holiday cards, and make sure Mother gets her birthday gifts on time. I make sure their lives are so well-lived, the tiniest of details taken care of, I don’t have the time to worry about my own.

I spent seven years living Mr. Cumming’s life for him. Now he’s gone. Without someone to take care of, I don’t know what to do.

You’re Kyle Dade, professional secretary and personal assistant. After seven years of faithful service to your employer, Mr. Cummings, he’s found dead on the outskirts of town of an apparent hit-and-run. Once he’s gone, you are left with nothing. Just a blank little apartment and a desk outside of his office, where the corporate vultures have already scraped his name from the door. Then you’re summoned to his will-reading, and a crate is dropped off at your apartment. Inside the crate is a Real Doll with a note pinned to her dress. Her name is Jocelyn with a perfect face, like a Barbie doll made real, and eyes that follow you and a scratching little voice that whispers bloody things to you at night.

And you know then that your life is about to take a very dark turn.

And to my personal assistant Kyle Dade, I leave you my most cherished possession, Jocelyn. May you love and care for her as you have for me all these years.

Because when you spend seven years cleaning up after someone else, you deserve to make your own messes for a change.

The Doll is a comic, written by me and illustrated by Anna Yoken. Expect one of your own later this year.