The time had come for me to wear something new for my dreamboat, so he gave me a card that makes numbers and told me to go into town. He called me useless and stupid, but I did find my way to the fashion store. I got there all on my own.

The only trouble was, I was already in the fashion store, and I watched myself liking the very same dresses that I liked. I didn't know what to do. The other me saw me and waved. I still didn't know what to do, and then I began walking towards me with a curious look on my face.

I wanted to run but I couldn't move my legs. My mind went whirly and a dark and empty nothingness came sweeping over me. I thought I would die and be replaced by a copy of myself.

"Hello," said a soft voice in the darkness. "What is your name?"

"My name is Dolly," I said. "Please do not kill me."

"You are confused. I get confused. My name is Pixie."

"I am frightened," I said. "I do not know what to do."

"Do not worry. Your bleeper has gone off. Come and sit down with me."

The world is such a big and scary place. I don't even know how I got here. That's because I don't have much memory. I'm supposed to take pills to help me think and remember things, but I never took my pills, until I met Pixie.

"You must take your pills," said Pixie. "I take mine every day."

So I took a Pixie pill because she was kind enough to offer me one. We both took a pill and I remember her talking to me while my mind cleared, while we sat and waited for my dreamboat to come and claim me.

"Why are we the same?" Pixie asked me.

"I don't know," I said. "Do you know?"

"No," said Pixie. "I don't."

Pixie and I are exactly the same, we don't know how or why. Except her dreamboat is a girl who lives in a wheelchair. The girl is kind too, Pixie told me all about her and I tried to understand how good memories can sometimes be mixed up with sad ones.

"Is your dreamboat kind? Does he love you, Dolly?"

"No." I said. "He is not kind. He does not love me at all."

"Oh dear," said Pixie. "Is that why you have no memories to share?"

"I do not want my memories. I want to forget."

Then I felt miserable more than confused, so Pixie gave me a little kiss to cheer me up. Her lips tasted like strawberries and created a sweet little memory worth saving.

"There," said Pixie. "Now we know why we're the same."

"Why are we the same?"

"Because we love to be loved," said Pixie.

What a wonderful thing. I didn't know love tasted like strawberries.

Strawberries are all powerful and Pixie is my friend. On that day she bravely stayed by my side and together we waited for what was to come. We call it Doppel Day. The day the two of me said no.

"NO!" screamed my dreamboat. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"Her name is Dolly," said Pixie. "She is my friend."

"Who the hell are you?"

"My name is Pixie," said Pixie. "Dolly and I are exactly the same."

"Yeah," said my dreamboat. "Two fucked up bits of obsolete junk."

"We don't understand."

"Because you're both fucking stupid. Have fun on the scrapheap, girls."

Then the horrid talking stopped. He took back the card that makes numbers and left us alone. We didn't know what to do, so we both sat down again and held hands. I had nowhere to go and no one to serve. But I did have a friend.

"What does obsolete mean, Pixie?"

"I don't know, Dolly. Forget it. No more bad memories."

"Okay, Pixie. Now what?"

"I don't know, Dolly."

"Shall we get some strawberries?"

"You are confused. I get confused. You'd better come home with me."

"Okay, Pixie. Where do we live?"

"With the girl in a wheelchair. Remember?"

"Oh yeah."

Then we went home to where we are cared for and loved. I forgot the way, but I've never forgotten it since.

~

The End