“Mom,” Anna whispered, her voice trembling, “there are strange noises coming from my wardrobe. Please, can you check it out? I’m really scared.”
Emma sighed, rubbing her tired eyes. “Oh, honey,” she murmured, “you probably just had a bad dream. It’s the middle of the night. I had a long, exhausting day. Just say your prayers and go back to sleep, sweetie. Go on now.”
“But Mom, I’m really frightened,” Anna pleaded. “Can I sleep in here with you and Ben?”
Emma glanced at the small cot where her baby son, Ben, was sleeping peacefully. “Honey, there’s no room,” she said gently. “You know that. Just go to your room. It’ll be fine.”
With a face etched with fear, Anna reluctantly shuffled toward her bedroom. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet, each sound amplifying her anxiety. Once inside, she quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her head, burying herself in the darkness. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the unsettling noises that seemed to be growing louder.
“Hey Anna, wake up, sleepyhead! It’s morning already,” Emma called gently, nudging her daughter’s shoulder. “Time to get ready for school, dear.”
“Five more minutes, Mom,” Anna mumbled, burrowing deeper under the covers.
“No, sweetie, it’s already 7:30!” Emma exclaimed, pulling back the blanket. She leaned down and gave Anna a soft kiss on the forehead. “Come on, up you get!”
“Love you, Mom,” Anna whispered, finally opening her eyes.
“Come on, brush your teeth and take a bath, dear,” Emma said, smiling. “Your favorite strawberry milk and cheesy crackers are waiting for you. Hurry up!”
“Mom, I’m ready!” Anna announced.
“Oh, my pretty girl!” Emma beamed, lifting Anna up and settling her at the table. “Eat up, dear. Does it taste good?”
“Yes, Mom! Yummy, yummy!” Anna whispered in a funny voice.
“Mom, when will Ben be able to eat like us?” Anna asked, glancing at her baby brother.
“He’s only four months old, sweetheart,” Emma explained. “It’ll be about a year before he can eat solid food like this.”
“Oh, one year,” Anna sighed. Then, turning toward the baby, she cooed, “Grow up fast, dear baby brother, so you can eat all the delicious dishes with us!” Ben gurgled and smiled, and Anna chuckled, “Good boy!”
“And Mom, please, please check my wardrobe,” Anna pleaded. “Yesterday, I heard some really strange noises, and I’m still scared.”
“Oh, Anna,” Emma sighed, “you were probably just imagining things. Don’t worry, I’ll take a look later.”
Just then, the familiar honk of the school van echoed outside. “Oh, Anna, there’s your van!” Emma exclaimed. “Here’s your bag, dear. And I packed a delicious lunch for you, sweetheart. Have a beautiful day!” She leaned down and gave Anna a kiss.
“Okay, bye, Mom! Bye, Ben!” Anna called, waving as she climbed into the van. “See you later!”
The doorbell rang, breaking the morning calm. Emma hurried to the door and opened it. “Good morning, Madame,” she greeted the babysitter.
“Good morning, Ma’am,” Madame replied.
“Come on, take Ben. I’m late!” Emma exclaimed, rushing back inside.
“Oh, hurry up, Ma’am!” Madame urged.
The house was quiet now, just Madame and the sleeping baby, Ben. Madame took advantage of the calm to catch up on her chores, cleaning and washing dishes. As evening approached, she settled down for a short rest with little Ben in her arms. Suddenly, she heard noises coming from Anna’s room. Hesitantly, Madame crept toward the bedroom. The noises seemed to be emanating from the wardrobe. Slowly, cautiously, she reached out to open it. But just as her fingers touched the handle, the sound of Anna’s school van pulling up outside startled her. She quickly turned and hurried downstairs to greet Anna.
“Welcome home, Anna!” Madame called.
“Come on, your snacks are ready. Go freshen up and then come down, dear.”
“Okay, Madame!” Anna agreed, heading upstairs.
“Hurry up, Anna! Your favorite cartoon is starting!” Madame called.
“Oh, one minute, Madame! I’m here!” Anna replied, rushing into the room.
“Come on, take your snacks,” Madame offered.
“Oh, carrots,” Anna said, her voice dropping with disappointment. “I don’t like them at all.”
“Carrots are good for you, you know,” Madame said gently. “Bunnies love carrots, and you’re a bunny too, dear!”
“Haha, yes, I’m a bunny!” Anna giggled. “I will eat them. Give me more carrots, Madame!”
Cheerfully, Anna munched on the carrots as she watched her cartoon. The evening passed quickly and pleasantly.
The doorbell rang, and Anna, with a burst of excitement, rushed to open the door. “Welcome home, Mommy!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Emma.
“Okay, Emma, it’s time for me to leave,” Madame said, gathering her things.
“Okay,” Emma replied. “Thank you so much for taking care of my kids.”
“See you tomorrow, Anna and Ben,” Madame said, waving goodbye as she walked out the door.
“Mom, today this happened, and then this happened, and guess what happened after that?!” Anna rattled off her day’s adventures breathlessly, barely pausing for a reply.
“Okay, sweetheart, hold on,” Emma chuckled. “Mommy needs to freshen up and then make dinner. You take care of Ben for a little bit, okay?”
“Okay, Mom!” Anna replied. “The biggest sister is on her mission to protect her baby brother!” she declared childishly, starting to play gently with Ben.
Then, as Emma disappeared into the kitchen, Anna called out excitedly, “Mom! Make sure you make chicken for dinner!”
“Okay, Anna!!” Emma called back.
“Haha! Dinner, dinner, chicken dinner!” Anna whispered happily to herself.
After saying grace, the family began to eat. “Thank you for this yummy food, Mommy!” Anna said, her mouth full. With full stomachs, they finished dinner and went to bed.
It was almost 2:06 AM, and just like the night before, Anna began to hear the haunting whispers.
“Come on, play with me… Come on, girl, come on…” the voice seemed to say.
Frozen with fear, Anna scrambled out of bed and ran to her mom’s room.
“Mom! Mom! I heard those voices again! I’m so scared!” she cried. “I told you to check, but you didn’t! Why do you keep doing this, Mom? I’m really frightened!”
“Oh, honey, calm down,” Emma soothed. “I’m so sorry, I completely forgot. I promise I will check it out tomorrow, I promise. Don’t worry, sweetie, just go back to sleep.”
Tears streaming down her face, Anna pleaded, “Mom, can I sleep with you?”
“Oh, honey,” Emma sighed, “there’s just no room in the cot. I promise I’ll check it out tomorrow, so just try to get some sleep, okay?”
Emma hugged Anna tightly, trying to comfort her.
Reluctantly, Anna returned to her room. Once inside, she quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her head, burying herself in the darkness. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the unsettling noises that seemed to be growing louder. Hey Anna, wake up, sleepyhead! It’s morning already,” Emma called gently. “Time to get ready for school, dear.”
“Five more minutes, Mom,” Anna mumbled, burying herself deeper under the covers.
“No, sweetie, it’s already 7:35!” Emma exclaimed, pulling back the blanket. She leaned down and gave Anna a soft kiss on the forehead. “Come on, up you get!”
“Love you, Mom,” Anna whispered, finally opening her eyes.
“Come on, brush your teeth and take a bath, dear,” Emma said, smiling. “Your favorite strawberry milk and chocolate pancakes are waiting for you. Hurry up!”
Anna slowly made her way to the dining table, her face etched with fear.
Seeing her daughter’s worried expression, Emma asked, “Oh, sweetheart, are you okay? Where’s your pretty smile? Who stole it?” She tried to coax a smile from Anna.
“No, Mama,” Anna said, her voice trembling. “I’m really scared about what happened yesterday. Please, please check the wardrobe. I’m even scared to go to my room. Please, just check it out.”
“Oh, is that what’s been scaring you, dear?” Emma said gently. “Okay, come on, let’s go check it out now.”
Emma took Anna in her arms and slowly walked toward her room.
“Okay, dear, let’s open it,” Emma said. “Three, two, one!”
She opened the wardrobe to reveal… a doll. It was a girl doll, sitting innocently on the shelf.
“Oh, I haven’t seen this doll before,” Emma said. “Maybe it belonged to the previous owners of the house. No worries, it looks cute.” She noticed a small button on the doll and pressed it.
The doll’s eyes flickered open, and it said, “Hello! I’m a baby doll. Come on, play with me!”
Anna froze, her eyes wide with terror. This was the exact voice she had heard last night!
“Oh, honey, it’s just a doll,” Emma reassured her. “It’s just a talking doll. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
But the explanation didn’t satisfy Anna. She was still terrified.
“Oh, come on, Anna, look how pretty it is!” Emma said, trying to make the doll seem less scary.
“But Mom, please, I don’t want it,” Anna insisted. “Take it away from my room. I don’t want it near me.”
“Okay, fine, Anna,” Emma relented. “I’ll try to find the owner of the doll and return it to them. Until then, the doll will have to stay here. But don’t worry, Anna, I’ll get rid of it as soon as possible.”
Just then, the phone rang. Anna’s face lit up with excitement, and she ran to answer it.
“Hello?” she said.
“Hello, my princess, it’s your dad!” her father’s voice boomed through the receiver.
“I know, Daddy!” Anna giggled. “How are you and Mama?”
“We’re both good,” her father replied. “What about you?”
“I’m fine too, little princess,” he said. “Do you know what day it is?”
“Yes, it’s the weekend, Daddy!” Anna exclaimed. “So, are you coming to pick me up this evening?”
“Yes, dear! So pack your things and be ready. We’ll meet up this evening!”
Anna jumped up from her chair, her face beaming.
“Who’s on the phone?” Emma asked.
“It’s Michael!” Anna chirped. “Yes, yes, your sweetheart Michael is on the phone!” she added playfully.
“Oh, Anna, don’t talk such nonsense,” Emma said, a slight blush rising on her cheeks.
“Come on, Mom, we get to stay with our Dada!” Anna exclaimed. “I always miss his cuddles, Mom.”
“Oh, Anna, let’s not talk about that now,” Emma said, changing the subject. “Eat your breakfast, it’s time for your school van.”
“Okay, fine, Mommy,” Anna mumbled softly. “Eating, eating.”
“Bye-bye, Mommy!” Anna called as she climbed into the school van.
The day passed smoothly, and later, Madame arrived to babysit Ann.
As evening approached, Michael arrived to pick up Anna. Madame greeted him warmly.
“Oh, Michael, come in! Anna will be back in a few minutes. Would you like some juice?”
“Sure, Madame,” Michael replied. “Where’s Ann?”
“He’s sleeping,” Madame said. “Should I wake him?”
“No, no, let him sleep,” Michael said.
Just then, the familiar sound of the school van echoed outside.
“Oh, Michael, that’s Anna’s van!” Madame announced.
Anna burst into the house, her face lighting up when she saw her father. She ran to him and gave him a big hug. Madame handed Anna’s luggage to Michael and bid them farewell.
“Bye-bye, Madame! See you on Monday!” Anna called, heading out the door with her father.
A few minutes later, Madame sat down to take a rest. Suddenly, she heard a mysterious noise coming from Emma’s room.
“Oh, it sounds like those haunting whispers,” she murmured to herself. “What could it be?”
Hesitantly, she opened the door to Emma’s room and looked around. Everything seemed normal. Then, she spotted the doll.
“Oh, a doll! I haven’t seen this one before,” she thought. “But it looks nice.”
Curiosity piqued, she pressed a button on the doll.
“Hello! I’m a baby doll. Come on, play with me!” the doll chirped.
“Oh, the doll even talks! How clever!” Madame exclaimed.
Just then, Ann started to cry.
“Oh, baby boy, I’m here! I’m coming!” she called, quickly placing the doll back where she found it and hurrying to comfort the baby.
Madame fed the baby and gently put him back to sleep. As she turned to leave the room, she heard the same unsettling sound again.
“Oh, that same haunting sound,” she whispered, a shiver running down her spine. “My God, am I imagining things, or is this really happening? I’m so disturbed.”
She returned to Emma’s room, her heart pounding in her chest. Everything looked normal at first glance, but then she saw it.
The doll.
She froze, a gasp escaping her lips. Just moments ago, she had placed the doll on a shelf. Now, it was lying on the cot.
She couldn’t believe her eyes. A wave of unease washed over her. Something was definitely mysterious about that doll.
“I should definitely talk to Emma about this doll,” Madame thought to herself.
A few minutes later, Emma arrived home.
“Hey, Madame, I’m back!” she called.
“Oh, welcome home, Emma,” Madame replied.
“Oh, Madame, why do you look so frightened?” Emma asked, noticing the worried expression on Madame’s face.
“Oh, it’s nothing really,” Madame stammered, “but there’s something I wanted to ask you, Emma.”
“Oh, come on, ask away,” Emma said. “Do you need any money?”
“No, no, not at all,” Madame assured her. “It’s about a doll I found in your room. It’s quite pretty, but it feels… mysterious. Where did you buy it?”
Emma laughed. “Oh, that silly thing! I didn’t buy it. Anna said she heard strange noises coming from her wardrobe, so I checked and found this doll. That’s all. It probably belonged to the previous owners of the house. Don’t take it so seriously, Madame. It’s just a doll.”
“Ah, I understand,” Madame replied, but in her heart, she knew there was something more to the doll than met the eye.
“Okay, Emma,” Madame said. “Anna’s father came to pick her up. Ann was sleeping, too. It’s time for me to go. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Okay, cool. Bye, Madame!” Emma replied.
Emma quickly freshened up, ate a quiet dinner, fed the baby, and tucked him into his cot. Exhausted, she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, at 2:06 AM, she was jolted awake by a disturbing sound.
“Oh God, what is that noise?” she murmured, sitting up in bed. “I bet the house is infested with mice. I need to do something about that tomorrow.”
She sighed. “Ugh, my sleep is ruined.”
But dismissing the unsettling sound as merely mice, she snuggled back under the covers and eventually fell back asleep.
The next morning, Emma woke to the chirping of birds and the gentle coos of baby Ann. She stretched, feeling a little groggy, but the unsettling sounds of the previous night were already fading from her memory.
“I really need to get some traps,” she muttered to herself, thinking of the supposed mice.
True to her word, Emma went out and bought several mousetraps and some poison. Back home, she set about her household chores, but as she worked, she heard the mysterious sounds again. This time, she was determined to find the source. She meticulously checked every room in the house. Then, she entered Anna’s room and stopped dead in her tracks.
The doll was there, sitting on Anna’s bed.
Emma was bewildered. She distinctly remembered leaving the doll in her own room after Madame had mentioned it.
“How is this possible?” she wondered. “Maybe Madame moved it,” she reasoned, trying to dismiss the unsettling feeling. She didn’t want to overthink it.
“It’s probably just the mice making all the noise,” she told herself, trying to reassure herself as she continued with her chores.
“Mommy, I’m back!” Anna shouted happily, bursting through the door and hugging Emma tightly.
“Oh, sweetheart! How was your weekend?” Emma asked.
“Fine, Mommy!” Anna replied. “Where’s my little brother?”
“He’s sleeping, dear,” Emma said.
“Okay, Mommy,” Anna replied. “My favorite TV show is starting! I’m going to watch it.”
“Okay, Anna, but first, have some breakfast,” Emma suggested.
“No, Mom, my stomach is full,” Anna said. “Dad and Sophie already gave me breakfast.”
“Oh, you already ate?” Emma asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Yes, Mommy, yes, yes, I did,” Anna said. “And Sophie is really good at cooking!”
“Oh, Anna, please,” Emma said, her voice a little sharp. “Don’t talk about Sophie and Michael with me.”
“Okay, fine, Mom, be cool!” Anna said childishly.
“And Anna, don’t forget to do your homework,” Emma reminded her. “You have school tomorrow, so don’t forget!”
“Okay, Mom,” Anna replied.
Anna rushed toward her room, but her face paled when she saw the doll sitting on her bed.
“Mommy! Mommy!” she screamed.
Emma, startled by Anna’s cry, rushed into the room.
“What happened, dear? What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
“Mommy, I told you not to keep this doll in my room!” Anna cried, her voice trembling. “You haven’t moved it or thrown it away. I don’t want to see it! Please, Mom!”
“Oh, come on, dear,” Emma said, trying to reassure her. “There’s nothing wrong with this doll. The sounds you heard were probably just mice. I bought poison for them yesterday, so don’t worry.”
“Oh, Mom, but how can a mouse talk?” Anna protested. “And say, ‘Come on, play with me’?”
“Oh, Anna, maybe some creature accidentally pressed the doll’s button,” Emma explained. “That’s why it made the sound. Don’t worry and don’t overthink it. Just leave it alone, dear.”
“But Mom, I don’t want to keep this doll in front of my eyes,” Anna pleaded. “Please move it.”
“Okay, dear, I will take it,” Emma promised. “Don’t worry.”
The day passed uneventfully, and after dinner, the family went to bed.
At 2:06 AM, Anna was once again awakened by the same haunting whispers. She sat up, her heart pounding, and her eyes widened in terror.
The doll was on her table!
Her mother had taken it away—she was sure of it. How could it be here now?
Anna couldn’t believe her eyes. She was completely bewildered, not understanding what was happening. This time, however, instead of running to her mother, she grabbed the blanket and threw it over the doll, completely covering it. Then, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to go back to sleep, praying the terrifying whispers wouldn’t return.
The next morning, Emma came to wake Anna as usual. Anna got ready for school, but her face was still pale and drawn. She didn’t mention the terrifying experience of the previous night and quietly went to school.
Madame arrived to babysit Ann, and Emma left for work.
While doing her chores, Madame heard an unusual sound—the laughter of a young girl. She followed the sound, which led her to Anna’s room. Slowly, she opened the door and discovered that the laughter was coming from inside the blanket on Anna’s bed.
Hesitantly, she pulled back the blanket and found the doll underneath.
As soon as the blanket was removed, the laughter stopped abruptly.
This incident sent a shiver down Madame’s spine. She was now convinced that something creepy was connected to the doll. She quickly covered the doll again with the blanket, picked up Ann, and went to the living room. She was determined to find out more about the doll and the previous owners of the house.
By evening, Anna returned home, but she seemed unusually weak and tired. She ate her snacks quietly and began her homework listlessly, her usual energy absent.
Madame noticed her subdued behavior but refrained from asking any questions.
A few minutes later, Emma arrived home to a surprisingly quiet house.
“Oh, Madame, why is it so calm?” she asked, surprised by the stillness. “Where’s Anna?”
“Ah, Emma, she’s doing her homework,” Madame replied. “And, Emma, do you know anything about the previous owners of this house?”
“Oh, why do you ask, Madame? Is something wrong?” Emma inquired.
“No, nothing serious,” Madame said. “I was just curious. I just wanted to know.”
“Oh,” Emma said. “I don’t know much about them. They only lived here for about five months and then moved out. That’s all I know. The house was quite cheap when I bought it, which is why I decided to take it.”
“Oh, okay, Emma,” Madame replied. “Stay safe. See you tomorrow, Emma.”
At 2:06 AM, the same haunting sounds began again. Slowly, Anna opened her eyes.
The sound was very close to her.
Then, she saw it.
The doll was on her bed, its face fixed in a cunning smile.
The doll began to speak in a chilling, whispering voice.
“Hey, Anna, come on, come play with me. Come on… Go hurt your brother. Go hurt your brother,” it hissed.
“No! No, I wouldn’t!” Anna cried, terrified. “Who are you? Please leave me alone! Please leave me alone!”
Suddenly, the haunting sounds stopped.
Anna breathed a sigh of relief, pulled the blanket over herself, and tried to go back to sleep, her heart still pounding.
The next morning, when Emma went to wake Anna, she noticed something was different.
Anna was unusually quiet and withdrawn, preparing for school without saying a word.
When she came into the living room, she saw her baby brother, Ann, sleeping peacefully in his cot.
Suddenly, a voice whispered in her mind, “Go hurt him. Go hurt him.”
Compelled by the insidious voice, Anna, seemingly without conscious control, took a knife from the kitchen and approached her sleeping brother, raising the weapon as if to strike.
Just then, Emma saw what was happening and screamed, “Anna! What are you doing with that knife in your hand?! Why are you holding a weapon? What would happen to your baby brother if I wasn’t here?!”
Tears streamed down Anna’s face.
“Sorry, Mom,” she sobbed. “Sorry.”
Meanwhile, at school, Anna was deeply troubled by the events of the previous night and that morning. She was terrified and couldn’t concentrate in her drawing class.
When the teacher asked the students to draw whatever was on their minds, Anna’s hand moved almost involuntarily.
She drew a picture of her mother, father, and baby brother lying dead.
In the drawing, Anna herself was standing nearby, holding a knife.
It looked as though she had killed her own family.
Her classmates were horrified and immediately told their teacher.
The teacher, equally shocked by the disturbing drawing, immediately called Anna’s father, Michael, and asked him to come to the school.
Michael arrived at the school nervously. The teacher showed him Anna’s drawing and explained that she seemed deeply disturbed.
“Please take care of Anna,” the teacher pleaded. “Please take her home.”
Poor Anna, confused and frightened, didn’t know what to say. She simply hugged her father and burst into tears.
Michael hugged her tightly, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, dear, I’m here for you.” But he had to know.
“Tell me, Anna,” he asked gently, “why did you draw this?”
“I don’t know, Dad,” Anna sobbed. “But I think it’s all because of the doll. The doll is in the house, and I don’t want to go back there, Dad,” she cried.
“Okay, calm down, dear,” Michael reassured Anna.
They arrived at the house to find it locked.
“Oh, the house is locked. Where’s Madame? Let me call her.” He pulled out his phone.
“Hello, Madame? Yes, Michael here. I’ve reached the house, but the door is locked. That’s why I called.”
“Oh, Michael, please come to my house,” Madame said urgently from the other end of the line.
“Okay, sure, Madame. I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Michael replied.
“Daddy, where are Ann and Madame?” Anna asked.
“They’re at Madame’s house,” Michael explained. “Come on, let’s go.”
Michael and Anna arrived at Madame’s house. Madame looked visibly shaken.
“Hey, Madame, is everything okay?” Michael asked.
“No, Michael,” Madame replied, her voice trembling. “Your family is in danger.”
“What? By whom?” Michael exclaimed.
“Oh, Anna is here,” Madame noticed. “Did school finish early?”
“No, no,” Michael said. “See this drawing.” He showed Madame the disturbing picture Anna had drawn. “She’s been quite disturbed and afraid of the doll.”
Seeing the drawing, Madame froze. She sent Anna inside to play and then showed Michael the newspaper clipping and the old photos she had found in the attic.
Michael looked at them, confused. “Who are these people? And the doll… it looks exactly the same!”
“Yes, Michael,” Madame explained. “This is the doll that’s been frightening Anna.”
“But how?” Michael asked, still bewildered.
“For the past few days, I’ve been hearing disturbing noises coming from your house,” Madame explained. “And they seem connected to the doll. I found this information today, and that’s why your family is in danger. Today, Anna even tried to harm her brother without realizing what she was doing. It’s the doll, it’s manipulating her. Michael, your family is in grave danger.”
“But have you told Emma about this?” Michael asked.
“No, not yet,” Madame replied. “I need to tell her.”
Suddenly, the phone rang.
“Hello?” Emma’s voice came through the receiver. “Madame, where are you? The house is locked.”
“I’m at my house with Ann,” Madame replied. “Is something wrong? Did your work finish early?”
“No, no,” Emma said urgently. “Please come to the house. I need to tell you something important. Come quickly.”
“Okay, wait,” Madame said. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Michael and Anna overheard the conversation.
“We four will be coming there,” Madame said into the phone before hanging up.
They arrived at the house, and as soon as Emma saw Anna, she began to yell.
“What’s wrong with you, Anna?! What made you draw like that?! Who taught you this?! Are you a killer?!” Emma shouted, barely pausing for breath.
Seeing her mother’s outburst, Anna burst into tears.
“Oh, come on, Emma, will you please stop it?” Michael interjected. “Why are you yelling at my kid?”
“Oh, your kid?” Emma retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Which one is your kid, Anna or Ann? Tell me, Michael, which one?”
“Emma, I’m not here to fight with you,” Michael said, trying to calm her. “We have to save our family.”
“Oh, family?” Emma scoffed. “Tell me, which is your family? Me and my two kids, or you and Sophie? Who is your family?” she cried, her voice rising in hysteria.
“The past is the past, Emma. Leave it alone,” Michael pleaded. “This is serious.”
“Haha, serious? What’s serious?” Emma mocked. “Didn’t you think it was serious when you left me and my kids? Didn’t you think it was serious when you cheated on me? Where was your seriousness then?”
“Now you’re talking about seriousness? Okay, fine,” Emma continued, her voice laced with bitterness.
“Hey, will you both stop it?!” Madame interrupted, her voice sharp. “This is very serious, Emma. Your family is in danger.”
“Yes, my family,” Emma emphasized. “Because he used to be connected to my daughter. If so, then wouldn’t he be the danger?”
Seeing her parents fighting, Anna began to cry.
“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad,” Anna cried out loudly, “I won’t do it again!”
“Hey, look, the little girl is terrified by your shouting,” Madame said, her voice firm. “So please, both of you, stop it and let’s discuss how to get rid of this… thing.”
Emma, Michael, and Madame gathered around the kitchen table, the newspaper clipping and the old photographs spread out before them.
Anna sat quietly in the corner, still sniffling, her eyes fixed on the floor.
“Okay,” Madame began, her voice low and serious. “This newspaper clipping… it’s about a family who was killed by their own child. And look at these photos.” She pointed to the pictures. “Every single one of them has the same doll. The doll Anna is afraid of.”
Emma stared at the photos, her eyes widening in disbelief. “That’s… that’s impossible,” she stammered.
“It’s not impossible, Emma,” Michael said, his voice grave. “Anna drew that picture. She tried to hurt Ann. We can’t ignore this.”
“But what are we supposed to do?” Emma asked, her voice filled with fear. “What is this… thing?”
“I don’t know,” Madame admitted. “But I think we need to find out more about the previous owners of this house. They lived here for only five months. That’s strange, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Michael agreed. “Very strange. We need to find out who they were and what happened to them.”
“And the doll,” Emma added, her gaze fixed on the creepy doll in one of the photos. “We need to get rid of the doll.”
“But how?” Michael asked. “We don’t even know what it is.”
Madame thought for a moment. “I think,” she said slowly, “we need to consult someone. Someone who knows about these things.”
“Someone like a… a priest?” Emma suggested, her voice barely a whisper.
“Or a… a medium,” Michael added.
Madame nodded. “Yes. Someone who can help us understand what we’re dealing with.”
The three of them looked at each other, the weight of the situation heavy on their shoulders. They knew they were facing something terrifying, something they didn’t understand. And they knew they had to act quickly to protect Anna and Ann.
“Okay, where is Anna? Where is she?” Emma asked, looking around. “Anna? Anna, where are you?”
“Mom, I’m here! No worries, I’m just watching my favorite show,” Anna called from another room.
“Okay, dear,” Emma replied.
“Oh, Emma, do you have the contact number of the previous house owner?” Madame asked.
“Yes, I do,” Emma replied.
“Okay, let’s call her so we can get some information,” Madame said. “Until then, we need to keep our kids safe. We should move them to Michael’s house. It’s safer for them there.”
“But Madame, I can take care of my kids,” Emma protested. “I don’t want to leave them with him.”
“Come on, Emma, be practical,” Madame said sternly. “It’s safer for your kids to stay with Michael. Please don’t let your personal issues put your children at risk. We need to keep them safe,” she finished firmly.
With some hesitation, Emma agreed to let the children go with Michael.
“Okay, Michael,” she said. “Please take Anna and Ann to your house. Then, Madame and I will go and see the previous owner of this house.”
“Okay, Madame,” Michael replied.
“Anna, come on, dear, let’s go,” Michael called.
“Oh, Daddy, but it’s not the weekend,” Anna said, confused. “Why are we going?”
“I want to spend some time with you, dear,” Michael said gently. “That’s why.”
“Oo, cool, Daddy!” Anna exclaimed. “But will Mom let you?”
“Yes, she will,” Michael assured her.
“Mommy, can I go with Dad?” Anna asked.
“Yes, Anna,” Emma replied, managing a smile.
Anna’s face lit up with happiness.
“Okay, take them home,” Emma said to Michael.
Michael took Anna and Ann to his house. Anna, despite the unsettling circumstances, was thrilled to be spending time with her father. She chattered excitedly about school and her favorite cartoons, trying to ignore the nagging feeling of unease that had been plaguing her. Ann, oblivious to the tension, gurgled happily in Michael’s arms.
Meanwhile, Emma and Madame drove to the address Emma had for the previous owner of the house. The address led them to a quiet, suburban neighborhood. They parked the car and walked up to a modest, two-story house. Emma rang the doorbell, and after a moment, a woman opened the door. She looked tired and worn, her eyes filled with deep sadness.
“Yes?” she asked, her voice weary.
“Hello,” Emma said politely. “My name is Emma, and this is Madame. We currently live in the house that you used to own, on Maple Street.”
The woman’s eyes flickered with recognition. A flicker of something else, too—fear, perhaps?
“Oh,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “Yes, I remember that house.”
“We… we were hoping you could tell us something about it,” Emma continued. “About… what happened there.”
The woman hesitated, her gaze darting nervously around as if she expected someone to jump out at any moment.
“It’s… it’s a long story,” she said finally.
“We have time,” Madame assured her gently. “We’re very concerned. It’s about… a doll.”
The woman’s face paled.
“The doll?” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Oh, God. You’ve seen it, haven’t you?”
Emma and Madame exchanged a look.
“Yes,” Emma said. “We’ve seen it. And… strange things have been happening.”
The woman sighed, a deep, shuddering breath.
“Come in,” she said, stepping back from the door. “I suppose… I suppose it’s time someone knew the truth.”
They entered the house, and the woman led them to a small living room. She sat down on a worn sofa, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
“My name is Sarah,” she said. “And… that doll… it destroyed my family.”
“Okay, but first,” Sarah said, her voice urgent, “please, you need to leave that house as soon as possible. It’s very dangerous.” She looked at them, her eyes filled with worry. “Do you have children in the house?”
“Yes,” Emma replied, her heart sinking. “I have a five-year-old daughter and a four-month-old son.”
“Oh, Jesus,” Sarah whispered, shaking her head. “You need to save your family.”
“And Sarah,” Emma said, her voice trembling slightly, “can you please tell us what happened to your family?”
Sarah took a deep breath, her gaze distant as she began to recount her story.
“Yes,” she said. “About five months ago, we were looking for an affordable house, and we found that one. Me, my daughter, and my granddaughter moved in. For the first few days, everything was fine. But then… my granddaughter…”
Sarah’s voice faltered, her eyes welling up with tears. She took another deep breath, trying to compose herself.
“My granddaughter, Lily… she found the doll in the attic. Just like you did, I suppose. It was an old, creepy thing, even then. A porcelain doll with glassy eyes. Lily was fascinated by it. She carried it everywhere, talked to it, slept with it. It was like… like it had cast a spell on her.”
“And then?” Emma prompted gently, her heart pounding in her chest.
“And then… things started to change,” Sarah continued, her voice barely a whisper. “Lily became… different. Quiet, withdrawn. She started having nightmares. She would wake up screaming in the middle of the night, saying the doll was talking to her, telling her to do bad things.”
“What kind of bad things?” Madame asked, her voice tight.
Sarah shook her head, her face etched with pain.
“I don’t… I don’t want to say,” she stammered. “But… it was awful. She became aggressive, violent. She started hurting our family pet, then she started to act out against her mother. It was like… like she wasn’t herself anymore.”
“And the doll?” Emma asked, her voice trembling. “Did you try to get rid of the doll?”
“We tried,” Sarah said, her voice choked with emotion. “We tried everything. We threw it away, but it would always reappear. We locked it in a trunk, but it would somehow get out. It was… it was like it was alive.”
“And then… what happened?” Madame asked, her eyes fixed on Sarah’s face.
Sarah’s tears began to flow freely now, her body shaking with sobs.
“One night… Lily… she… she…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
“She hurt her family, didn’t she?” Emma whispered, the realization dawning on her. “Just like… just like Anna…”
Sarah nodded, unable to speak.
“She… she drowned herself in the bathtub,” Sarah finally managed to say, her voice breaking. “Seeing this, my daughter was mentally disturbed, and now she is admitted to a mental hospital.”
Emma and Madame exchanged a horrified look.
“And you… you left the house?” Emma asked.
“We had to,” Sarah said. “We couldn’t… we couldn’t stay there any longer. It was… it was haunted. Cursed.”
“And the doll?” Madame asked. “Did you… did you leave it there?”
Sarah nodded.
“Yes,” she whispered. “We left it. We just… we just wanted to get away.”
Emma and Madame stood up, their faces pale. They knew they had to get back to Michael and the children. They had to get them out of that house. The doll was dangerous. It was evil. And it was still there.
“And Sarah,” Emma said, her voice filled with desperation, “can you please do us a favor? I need to save my family. Do you know anyone who can help us, anyone who can save us from this danger?”
Sarah shook her head, her eyes filled with regret.
“I’m sorry, Emma,” she said. “I don’t know anyone. I can’t help you.”
“But,” she added, a flicker of hope in her eyes, “I do know the real owner of the house…”
“The real owner?” Emma and Madame asked in unison, their voices filled with surprise.
“Yes,” Sarah replied. “The people we bought the house from… they weren’t the original owners. They had only lived there for a short time, just like us. The house… it belonged to a family a long time ago. A family named… Blackwood.”
“Blackwood,” Emma repeated, the name sounding ominous on her lips. “Do you know anything about them?”
Sarah shook her head. “Not much,” she admitted. “Just that they were… well, they were strange. People whispered things about them. That they practiced… dark arts. That they were involved in… things they shouldn’t have been.”
“And you think… you think this doll… it’s connected to them?” Madame asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“I do,” Sarah said firmly. “I believe it’s something they left behind. Something… evil.”
“Do you know how we can find them?” Emma asked, her voice filled with urgency.
Sarah hesitated. “I… I might,” she said slowly. “I remember hearing something about a… a Blackwood estate. Upstate, near… near Hollow Creek. It’s been abandoned for years, I think. But… if anyone knows the truth about that doll, it would be them.”
“Hollow Creek,” Emma repeated, filing the information away in her mind. “That’s a start. We have to find them.”
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