His Perfect Lyra

Lyra's POV 

I sit at the table.

Eating my meal as usual.

Eyes locked on Ducky.

Watching.

Careful.

Waiting to see if he'll move or speak.

Nothing.

I sigh. Then a small chuckle slips out.

And before I know it, I'm laughing—sharp and empty.

Elbow on the table, fork in my right hand, head tilted toward the duck.

"Man… as if a doll could talk"

I roll my eyes.

But then—

"Please follow the rule."

Soft. Calm.

I freeze.

Fork still in hand.

Eyes back on Ducky.

The rule…

How badly has he damaged my mind, that I hear that now?

A voice… fake?

Did he put a microphone in Ducky this time?

Maybe new cameras, too.

My hand twitches. Should I cut Ducky open again?

But then—

I remember.

The lights.

Two days of darkness.

That punishment…

The first time in my life I actually held back.

I don't want to go through that again.

Not like last time.

So I leave it.

I go back to pretending everything is fine.

⸻—-

Later.

Same table.

Same duck.

It's lunchtime. I feel so exhausted.

And through the day…

Every time I walk past something

I destroyed before—

The couch, the bed, the wall—

I hear it again.

"Please follow the rule."

Again.

And again.

Building up in my head until I can't ignore it.

My fingers clench around the fork.

"When…" I mumble. 

Then louder—

Snapping.

"When will you stop telling me to follow his rules?!"

I slap the table. Hard.

Fork clattering.

I stand up.

Staring at Ducky like it's alive.

"He already broke me—what else do you want from me?!"

And then—

The memory hits me again.

His note. His voice. Even worse, I can still hear it echoing in my head:

"Only one time allowed."

One outburst. That's all I was given.

This… this is two.

Shit.

What do I do now?

I stand there. Frozen.

Then slowly, I sit back down.

Hands shaking.

Head down.

Long pause.

I close my eyes.

And I pray.

"I'm…sorry. For yelling just now," I whispered 

"It's just… I'm going crazy."

My whole body trembles.

I didn't realize until now how scared I really am.

"And this….Ducky keeps talking to me."

The words feel heavy. Like they hurt just saying them.

"Please don't punish me. I've thought about it…I won't do it again." 

When I open my eyes, Ducky's still there.

Still quiet.

Still watching.

I'm so tired.

I stand up.

Slow.

I crawl back to bed.

Curl up under the blanket.

Eyes on the only one wall.

Twenty-five tallies now.

Twenty-five days.