Dollhouse: Duke Upton Ellis’s Quest for the Ultimate Wave

Mitchell's dollhouse serves as a vibrant canvas for his imaginative essays, with each essay reflecting a different scene from his adventures.

Hello Friend,

Lying here in this super cool Malibu mansion, the ocean breeze is tickling my face through the open windows, and I can’t help but think about all the fun stuff I left behind.

Duke Upton Ellis—just turned twenty, fresh from the salon with a haircut that’s totally ready for the spotlight! This place? It’s like a giant sandcastle worth over twenty million dollars, but guess what? I’m just lying in bed, taking a break after graduation, dreaming about all the adventures!

But I’m not dreaming about the big waves or the wild parties or the endless summer fun around me.

Nope!

My mind zooms way down the road to that university campus where my imaginary friends are still working hard.

They’re from all over the place, some from towns where saving up for school is like trying to catch a slippery fish!

I can see them in my head—laughing, joking, and having a blast with their cool slang and that raw energy that makes everything feel exciting.

I’ve been trying to get that school shut down, pushing really hard because I don’t get what’s happening over there. It’s like a big mess, and I want to fix it, like a superhero! But here’s my little secret:

I’m kinda jealous.

Deep down, I wish I could be free like them—laughing without a care, belonging without trying so hard. I choose to keep my distance, but sometimes, just sometimes, I let myself imagine what it would be like to grab lunch with them, toss a ball around on a sunny field, and be part of something that feels real and fun.

That’s the funny thing about this life—surrounded by all the shiny stuff money can buy, yet craving something simple and genuine. So I lie here in this mansion, with the ocean just outside, and I wonder if I’ll ever jump over that big divide.

For now, dreaming about it is just enough fun!

-Mitchell