Short Horror Stories

Forgotten Doll

In a dusty attic of an old Victorian house, a forgotten doll lay hidden beneath a tattered sheet. Its porcelain face stared blankly, its eyes devoid of life. The air was heavy with an inexplicable presence as if the doll itself held a dark secret. Late one night, as a storm raged outside, a young girl named Emily found herself drawn to the attic. The creaking stairs echoed with her hesitant footsteps, each one filled with both curiosity and trepidation. She removed the sheet, revealing the forgotten doll. Its delicate features seemed frozen in an eternal state of longing. Emily couldn't resist the urge to pick it up, despite a chill that swept through the room. From that moment, peculiar occurrences plagued the house. Emily would wake in the middle of the night, finding the doll perched at the edge of her bed, its eyes fixed upon her. Strange whispers echoed in her dreams, filling her mind with haunting melodies that refused to fade.

As days turned to weeks, Emily's once vibrant spirit withered. Shadows danced along the walls, and whispers grew louder, now audible even in the daylight. The doll seemed to move on its own accord, its porcelain fingers reaching out as if yearning to be held. Emily's parents, worried for their daughter's well-being, decided to dispose of the doll. They packed it away in a box, intending to discard it. Yet, each time they attempted to throw it away, a strange force compelled them to keep it instead.

The nights grew longer, and Emily's sanity began to unravel. She awoke one midnight to find herself surrounded by an army of dolls, their glassy eyes fixated on her. They sang a haunting lullaby that chilled her to the bone, their voices a cacophony of despair. As Emily's mind teetered on the precipice of madness, a realization struck her. The dolls craved companionship, their tormented souls seeking solace within the living. They yearned to share their unending sorrow, spreading their misery to unsuspecting souls.

Driven by a newfound determination, Emily devised a plan to break free from the dolls' clutches. Armed with a box of matches and her wavering resolve, she returned to the attic. With trembling hands, she set the dolls ablaze, watching as their twisted forms turned to ash. The flames consumed their sorrow, their chilling melodies silenced forever. Yet, the doll that had first captivated Emily remained unscathed, its porcelain unblemished by the inferno. As the fire subsided, a sense of peace settled over the house. The dark presence dissipated, and the nightmares that haunted Emily's sleep gradually faded away. However, on moonlit nights, if you listen carefully, you might hear a faint lullaby in the wind. It serves as a reminder of the dolls' eternal yearning for companionship and the horrors that lie hidden within the forgotten corners of the world.