Random short stories

Lost

The sun was setting down and the forest was slowly becoming darker and darker. Mark and Jessica had been looking for their little girl for hours now with no sign of her anywhere. Jessica remembers telling Emma to stay clear of woods. ''There might be wolves in the woods, dear. Keep close to the house.'' Of course, Emma did not listen to her. Daddy had always been her favourite and she never listened to what mommy told her.

''We should head home.'' Jessica mutters with defeat in her voice.

''You can go home if you want. I'm not coming back until I find her.'' Mark answers, emphasizing on each I.

Jessica starts heading back slowly, her head heavy as she looks to the ground, miserable. The father is still looking panickly at every bit of grass he can find, his eyes wide open to let in the most light as possible. If anyone were to find him they would run away screaming in terror at the possible sight of a ghost or a demon.

After a few more interminable minutes of searching, on the brink of loosing the last bit of hope he still has, he hears something. A faint plaintive cry. This could not be his wife, she should almost be home by now. It could... no, it had to be her.

''Emma! Emma where are you?'' He screams as loudly as he can, hurting his throat in the process. ''Daddy's coming for you Emma! Don't move from where you are!''

The forest is now pitch black and no matter how wide open his eyes are, he sees nothing. He tries the best he can to navigate with the cries which are becoming louder as he walks forward. His hands touch everything around to feel something familiar but the sensations are becoming alien as he approaches the cries. What felt like rough bark and soft gross earlier were now slimy, wet and almost burning to his cold hands.

The cries are now so loud that the eery noises of the woods are gone. The man crumbles to the damp ground and covers his ears in panic. The slimy things he touched earlier must have been alive because it is now crawling slowly over his face. Right before his eardrums burst the cries stop suddenly. The night is completely silent now. Not a comfortable silence but a welcomed one still.

Mark removes his hands from his ears and feels at the ground helplessly, nothing. Was all of this in his head? He feels tears running down his face washing away whatever has been sticking on it.

In the distance, Mark finally sees a dim light. He approaches it slowly, not expecting anything anymore. The light is coming from small mushrooms forming a circle and in the middle a small doll is resting. He picks it up without a thought. The doll looks exactly like his daughter, blond hair, green eyes, even the dress she was wearing this morning with a stain of mustard.

''Emma? Is this you?'' He asks the doll calmly.

''Daddy? Daddy you found me! I was so scared!'' A voice identical to his daughter emerges from within the doll.

Mark hugs the doll tightly in relief.

''Where is mommy? Why isn't she here?'' The doll asks.

The father ponders over the question for a moment. Emma is right, isn't she? Why was his wife not here? ''She went home darling. She thought you might've come back home.'' He lies.

''Does mommy hate me, daddy? Did mommy want me to die alone in the forest?''

''No, of course not sweetheart. Mommy loves you.''

''Are you sure?''

''I am.'' He was not.

''Can we go home now, daddy? It's dark and I'm cold. I want to go home daddy.''

''Don't worry Emma, we're going home.''

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Jessica has been waiting in the house for hours now and is ready to call the police now. The phone in hand crying, she dials 911 for the first time today.

''911, what is your emergency.''

She is soon interrupted by the door opening and Mark happily entering the house. She ends the call without saying anything and runs to him.

Honey, you're back! It's okay if you didn't find her. We can try again tomorrow.''

''What do you mean? I found her!'' The husband tells her while showing the doll.

''What the fuck is this?'' Jessica answers angrily. ''Don't you dare joke about this! What is wrong with you?'' She accuses him.

''It's not a joke, love. I found her like this but it's really her. I swear.'' Mark lifts the doll closer to her convinced that she will understand once she takes a better look.

''You're sick, Mark!'' The woman says as she slaps the doll to the ground.

Upon contact the doll shrieks as if it were in pain. Jessica takes a few steps back in fear. Mark grabs back the doll and tries consoling it.

''What the hell, Jess?'' He exclaims. ''She looks a little different right now, but you shouldn't hit your kid for Christ's sake.''

''I... I don't believe it. Why is our daughter a doll? This doesn't make any sense.'' Jessica says while panicking.

''It's okay mommy. All that matters is that I'm back.'' The doll tells Jessica who cringes at the perfect imitation of her daughter's voice.

''You're right sweety.'' The father tells the doll. ''Isn't that right, Jess?'' Mark hands the doll to his wife who takes it reluctantly.

''Yes, of course.'' She lies, scared that this thing could read her mind.