The Doll

The Corner of the Room

For as long as I've known...there's been a doll in my room, standing all alone in the corner. Now, it wasn't a creepy doll, but...it wasn't the best sight to see in the middle of the night. It happened to be 5' 7", a bit taller that myself, me being 5' 2". The doll had curly, black hair, pale skin, and pale blue eyes. A normal everyday description of a everyday childhood doll... right?

I could barely remember getting the doll, I must have been when I was six or seven at the time. The few things I did remember was that my uncle had come in, with a large colorful box, and my mother scolding him with a laugh, saying I was already spoiled enough.

Looking up at the doll now I can see that a few of the joint have rusted due to the cruel fate of time. I squint my eyes at the doll, noticing a rusted necklace around it neck, a name carved into the metal. Diana. Was that the dolls name? The more I think about it, the more I realize I had never noticed the necklace. I shrug it off slightly, I must have been too short at the time to have noticed it.

I look outside my window only to see that its gotten pretty dark. I guess time flies when you think about the past. I curl up underneath the covers on my bed before glancing at the doll. A sigh makes its way past my lips before I fall into a dreamless sleep.

thump...

The quiet noise starts off sudden from the darkness, with long periods of silence in-between. The noise going unnoticed by my sleeping form.

thump...thump...

I grunt quietly before turning over onto my back. The noise has grown louder, and the pace steadier, almost like a heartbeat.

thump..thump...thump..thump....

I finally wake up, the noise interrupting my sleep, but I keep my eyes closed. Whatever is making that noise is close, and I don't have the feeling that it's friendly. I use my sense of hearing to try and locate where the sound is coming from. It's...coming...from the window?

I look over at the window soundlessly, only to see the doll standing in front of it. Its hands trying to tap at the window gently, only to fail and make the thumping noise that had woke me up. My eyes widen slightly, how did the doll move over to the window? There's no way it walked over there by its own.

Lightning flashes outside, illuminating the room, and the doll. The doll no longer looks like the happy one that watched over me when I used to play in my room. It looks like it had just walked out of a horror movies my friend would watch.

Blood is dripping down from all of the dolls joints, the light colored dress it was wearing now torn and ragged. Her hair tangled in bloodied clumps. The doll, or Diana...whatever it is, lets out a sob, blood dripping down her mouth as she does.

I slowly lift myself up into a sitting position. The doll doesn't turn from where it stands, so I assume it doesn't hear me. I get up slowly, being weary of any lose boards on the floor. Slowly, I creep towards the door. I try to open it as softly as I can, but the door squeaks eerily as I do.

I freeze in my spot. I can feel my heart beat loudly in my chest. I can't move! It's almost like my fear has froze my feet to the floor. I can hear the doll turn from the window, its joints letting out small noises of protest from the movement.

Her fingers grab tightly onto my shoulder, I'm sure that bruises have already started to form. Slowly turning my head, I look up at the doll. I look into those eyes and my god, those eyes! They're so full of fear and hurt! I feel some pity for her.

The the pity fades.

The fear takes over again.

The doll wraps its fingers around my neck slowly, not quiet cutting off my air supply, then it leans in close to my ear. Its breath is soft, fluttery, like leaves in the fall. I inhale sharply when I hear it start to speak.

"I.....I....," she could barely talk. Blood spilled over her lips and dripped onto my clothes.

"I...I can...set you free...from the pain...." she started slowly, her voice hoarse from being underused. My face morphed into confusion. Set me free? Pain?

Her hands slowly started to tighten their grip around my neck. My hands shot up to pry her off of me, but I couldn't. I tried to gasp for air, so that I could scream from help, for something! My vision started to fade as I looked up at the doll once more.

"...Don't fight...Kate." Diana whispered softly, her voice sounding so far away. My eyes shut for a final time.

A loud snap echoed throughout the room. Diana snapping the girls neck easily before sweeping her up into her arms and gently tucking her into bed, almost like a mother would. Diana looked over Kate before sighing softly, tears welling in her eyes. Her tears dripped down her face and mixed with her blood before finally falling onto Kate's peaceful face.

Diana turned and walked to her stand in her spot, the corner of the room. Watching. Waiting.