creds; theyareback
Hey reddit, let me start off by saying I'm not crazy, or at least I don't think I am. I suppose I'll leave it up to the reader. I couldn't tell you if I'm dealing with a ghost, a demon, or something else beyond my grasp. Any light you could shed on the subject would be great.
My story starts out innocently enough. Two months ago I was in WalMart, when I saw a life size doll that looked just like my daughter, Abbie. Again, WalMart. Not at an estate sale, not in an abandoned building, and not even some creepy, one off clearance item without a box or price tag. There were dozens of them; I'll even add the link to the doll at the end if I remember. Anyway, I texted my wife a picture of the doll, and she admitted they looked similar, so I bought it on a whim.
When I first showed Abbie the doll, I asked her who it looked like. "It's Baby Shrek!" She squealed, clearly not on the same page as me. "Don't you think it looks just like you? It could be your twin sister!" I asked feeling foolish, hoping to convince her to side with me. "Twin sister, twin sister" she yells, grabbing the doll and dancing around the room. Mission accomplished!
I take Abbie out for ice cream, and ask if she wants to bring her sister along. "Yes daddy! What's my sister's name?" I'm not very quick witted, so I'm surprised when I instantly blurt out: "Tabitha". "Tabby!" she says with delight. She's smart for a 3 year old, but struggles with bigger words. Actually, Abbie and Tabby would be perfect names for twins; twin names always have that corny and awkward ring to them, like my twin friends Donnie and Danny.
A couple days later, Abbie and Tabby were inseparable. Abbie has never had an imaginary friend, so I was surprised to see her get so attached to Tabitha. We live in a small town and so far the only neighborhood kid even close to her age is 7 and he's a brat, so I'm happy to see her bonding with someone until she starts preschool. I start to play along and begin to share my daughter's enthusiasm for Tabby, talking and playing with her just like I would my actual daughter.
My wife tells me she needs to take Abbie to finish her immunizations. She knows I won't go because she's stronger than me. I can't bear to see my baby girl cry when they poke her with a needle. I load Abbie in the car seat, and kiss her forehead. "Sit here sweetie while I go get Tabby!"
"Tabby doesn't need her shots daddy, she's a doll."
Surprised at her change in perception about her sister, I ask: "Don't you want her to keep you company?" "No, daddy, you take care of her while I go to the doctor."
The car pulls away and I wave goodbye and blow kisses as I always do. As soon as they're around the corner, I sprint up to the attic. I have a mini fridge up there to keep my beer out of Abbie's hands. I couldn't remember the last time I had a cold beer to myself, and with a couple hours to spare, I might as well take some 'me time'. I crack one open and bring the rest of the six pack downstairs. I haven't seen adult TV shows in so long I've forgotten how to swear effectively. Always Sunny in Philadelphia is on, and I'm in the zone.
I'm only a few minutes in, when I feel the stare. There's Tabitha on the other end of the couch looking right at me. As a rational man I try to shrug it off and laugh. I taunt her with: "Eat shit, you porcelain bitch!" The show is rubbing off on me already, and I can't stop giggling. Time for a pee break. My bathroom is on the other side of the room, so I freeze when I emerge to Tabitha once again looking directly into my eyes. Spooked, I move all around my living room trying to escape her icy lifeless stare. This doll is like the fucking Mona Lisa, and I'm not about to let it ruin my daddy time. I man up and toss it into Abbie's room. Although still weirded out, I enjoy a few more episodes of Always Sunny, and polish off the beers. It'll take a lot more than a creepy doll to keep me from enjoying these precious few moments alone.
Two days later I had entirely forgotten the whole thing. Abbie, Tabby, and I were back to our usual selves playing tea party, writing postcards to grandma, and living the American dream. We plan a picnic together and head out to the backyard to feast. Abbie and Tabby nibble on their snacks while I lay back in the hammock. I hear whispering and look over to see what they're up to. The first thing I see are those fucking doll eyes. Her head is twisted around behind her and she's looking directly at me, while Abigail is sitting on the opposite side of her. "What did you do to Tabby's neck, sweetie?", I stammer. My daughter looks at me with that same cold stare. "She's looking at you because she doesn't like you daddy".
It gets worse. It gets so much worse. 3 weeks go by and that doll always seems to be somewhere she shouldn't be. Every time I wake up, Tabitha's eyes are the first thing I see. No matter who is in the room, her eyes are always focused on me. I'm not about to admit to anyone what is going on, so after 2 sleepless nights I'm relieved to have to go out of town on a work trip. I hit Sacramento and call my wife from my room's phone to let her know I made it there safely. I'm halfway through telling her goodnight as I'm sleepily opening my luggage for my pajamas. I scream when I see Tabby glaring at me. My wife is laughing as the people next door pound on the wall to get me quiet down.
"Abbie wanted you to have company on your trip"
I don't have a chance to compose myself when I hear my daughter in the background begging for the phone. "Daddy, did you find Tabby? I sent her with you so you guys could learn to be friends. I miss her so much, please take good care of her." My instincts are to chuck the fucking thing right then and there, but I'm a grown ass man and my daughter deserves better. I take the doll down to the parking lot and shove her into the trunk. I get back up to my room and can scarcely sleep. I finally pass out about 6 AM and wake up with a start, one hour later. I open my eyes, expecting to see the doll in bed next to me, but I'm alone. After a miserable continental breakfast I pop the trunk and there she is. I'm shocked that she stayed put, but after a month of torture and a few sleepless nights, I'm at my wits end. I decide to just buy my daughter a new toy. Hell, I'll buy her a dozen new toys to get rid of this thing.
There's a dumpster at the other end of the lot and I take great joy in marching over there to end this nightmare. I open the lid and just as I'm about to drop her, I get that same feeling I got when I first saw the doll. This looks just like my daughter, I can't do this.
I somehow finish my meetings in northern California and decide to just tough it out and drive back home tonight. I was a psychological wreck, and needed my wife and my daughter. I put Tabby in the front seat, and talk to her the whole drive home. I think I see her turn her head to me out of the corner of my eye, but I choose to ignore it this time.
Somehow I make it back in one piece; my daughter gives me a kiss and yanks Tabitha out of my arms. "Tabby I missed you so much". I was happy to see my daughter smile and dance around the room with Tabby; they really do look so much alike! As Abbie carries her twin sister down the hall into her room for bed, the doll's head twists around and glares daggers right through me. "I can't believe I fell for that", I think to myself. "She conned her way out of the dumpster this morning, but this ends tomorrow. "
So here we are, today is the day. I haven't slept a wink last night, and my wife is taking my daughter to her sister's house for brunch. My two little girls sit hand in hand on the couch and I scoop Abigail up and carry her to the driveway. My wife rushes past and sits in the front seat. "Sorry you're not feeling well" she says. "We'll see you in a few hours". I hurriedly buckle Abbie into her car seat and tell her that Tabby and I will be here when she gets back. I shut the door before she can protest, and I excitedly wave goodbye and blow kisses. I sprint back to the house as soon as they turn the corner.
I probably took a little too much pleasure in disposing of that evil fucking doll. Even though she never actually hurt me, I knew what she was capable of, and I had to strike first. The first thing I did was pop those ghastly little eyes out. "No more ghoulish stares from you." I ripped all of her hair out, shredded her clothes and swung her into the coffee table by her feet. I couldn't believe how much better I felt. It only took 15 minutes to finish Tabby off. I put her in my neighbor's garbage can so my wife and daughter wouldn't stumble across her.
I come around the corner and am surprised to see my wife pulling into the driveway, she must have forgotten something. She angrily rolls down her window and yells, "What is wrong with you? Get this doll out of the car seat, and go get Abigail!" I look down to my blood soaked hands and wish I had never bought that cursed doll.
