Random Short Stories

The lantern, the doll, and the house

She remembered the day the disappearances started. It was a blustery March morning when the other children noticed she was gone. At first they thought she was just late or sick, but nobody is late or sick for two weeks. Their parents don't care, why would they? We don't provide or work. They don't believe in these disappearances."A glowing lantern leading children away? Nonsense! Every child is safe and sound. It's not our problem where they choose to play."

It's midnight, he's sitting at the window waiting for the lantern to appear. Once a week when the clocks strike midnight all the lights go out. A glowing lantern emerges from the dark mist cloaking the town. A child follows it, why? No one knows...His eyes snap open as the light bobs down the freshly paved road. The familiar blonde braids of his sister erie, in the candle light. The panic he feels is dampened somehow. He feels a lethargic sense of urgency. His eyes close again, to a world of golden lamps and glimmering blonde braids.

Her sister is missing. How could her parents not notice! All they said was oh. Their youngest child is gone but do they care? No. She looks at her brother, Bleu. His jaw is clenched and she knows they have to find Daisy. Not just Daisy but all the children. The gaze they share seems to convey more than feeling. It shares trust they have for each other and the certainty of their actions.

The week seems to crawl by. Bleu can tell that May is anxious as well. Her nails are chewed raw every day. Finally the night. The apprehension that has been filling his stomach rushes up and fills every crack."We have to do this," He says trying to sound confident."Yeah we do." May sighs and grabs her cell phone and backpack. Together they slowly walk outside and waiting for the clock to chime. Suddenly all the lights go out. May's fingernails dig painfully into his arm but he doesn't say anything.

She felt her eyes droop, she was exhausted. Maybe they should just try again later. Just as she opened her mouth to say something a glowing lantern appeared, right in front of the mayor's house."Come with us, you'll be happy." A young girl, the mayor's daughter, was following the lantern as if in a trance. May gasped in horror as she watched the mayor slam the door behind her."Bleu!" She whispered grabbing his hand and together they followed the glowing lamp and and little girl.They walked hands clasped together for what seemed like hours. Step after step. Finally after climbing a steep hill they emerged in front of an old falling down house. Parts of it were in ruins whereas other parts looked as if the wind could blow it down. A small figure appeared and opened the door leading the the girl inside. The figure was too small to be a child but what else could it be?

"Stay here, I'll go inside." He whispers to May grasping her hand then turning to creep inside the house."Be careful!" She whisper shouts from behind him.

"I will if you do!" With a quiet laugh he steps inside.

"Azarath Metrion Zynthos!" A bright flash of light came from another room and a small person appeared. A walking doll.Trying to contain a gasp of horror, he walks inside the room.Dolls. They covered all the walls. Girls and boys, with red, brown, and black hair. One doll made his heart stop beating. A small girl with shockingly familiar blonde braids and blue eyes. There was a card in front of her:

Daisy

Received-June 2

Price-$95

"92 dollars? What does that mean?" He murmured to himself flipping the card over in his hands.

"That's our price," A small voice said from behind him making him jump,

"In two days we get shipped off to different department stores never to see our families again." The mayor's daughter slightly smaller was sitting behind him with a permanent smile etched on her face.

"What?!" He said loudly, "Why are they stuck like this?""Because the lantern said we would have a better life. We followed it, not realizing that the better life came with the price of being turned into dolls." She shrunk another couple of inches.

"How do I stop it?" He cried desperately running over to the door which was suddenly locked with a click."You can't. All the children of this town will get a better life and our parents won't notice. They will just continue with their daily lives until they die. Oh no! Here she comes! I'm sorry about your sisters." With that she shrunk down into an 18" doll smile now etched onto her plastic face.

"Sisters?!" He shouts getting to his feet and running to the door.

"May!"

The next morning the parents of Bleu, May, and Daisy woke up to find their children gone. Rather than being upset and calling the police their mother simply made the beds and went down to make coffee. Their father looked out of the window to see a truck driving down the highway away from the town and gave a sigh of relief. The parents of the town were relieved of their burdens and only when they were on their deathbeds did they realize what a terrible thing had happened and how terrible they had been.