The Puppet

Part One

With a loud crash, Bella hastily entered the house, looking extremely flustered. Her emerald green eyes shifted from left to right, up and down. Directly in front of her, a grand staircase stood proud, yet looking worn and dirty.
She stepped backwards to take in the mansion she had just discovered. It looked as if it had been abandoned for years, maybe decades. The room was gloomy, dull and caked in dirt. Above her head, a cracked lightbulb hung and was gently swinging back and forth.

Scanning the room, she noticed a minuscule table beside the grand staircase. A puppet sat on top of the table surrounded by a thick layer of dust. She strolled towards the puppet. Smiling, she gazed into its glassy eyes. Bella didn't know how, but she recognised the doll so much. Picking up the doll, she remembered his black hair slicked back on his head, his freckles dotted around his nose and cheeks and his gaping smile.
However, the more she stared at the doll, the more evil he started to look. His deep brown eyes seemed to appear more red than brown and he seemed to be staring right at her, and into her soul. The doll no longer looked so innocent.

Bella's expression dramatically changed as she dropped the puppet on the floor. Steadily, she trudged backwards towards the front door, without taking her eyes off the puppet. Bang! Bella's back slammed into something hard and cold. She swiftly spun around to see that she had backed into the door. The door she was certain she had left open. A bewildered look spread across the girl's face.

Still facing the door, Bella slowly looked over her shoulder. At a slow pace, she sauntered* into the centre of the room. Bella scanned the room with her eyes. Something was missing. But what?

It was the puppet.

The puppet had completely vanished.

Speedily, Bella sprinted towards the entrance. She twisted the doorknob with all her might. It didn't move an inch. Again, she tried, but the door stayed put. Bang! She kicked the door. Bang! Bang! It stayed dead still.

Bella paused for a moment, pondering at what to do now. She raced through the nearest doorway at full speed, then skidded to a halt. The doll was stood proudly in the middle of the room Bella had just entered. A gust of wind blew through the room, pushing a white tag over the doll's shoulder. It read Dylan. 

"Hi Dylan," Bella stuttered, "good doll."

Dylan stood as still as a statue. As the clouds uncovered the gleaming moon, a long silver blade, which the doll clasped in his right hand, shimmered brightly.

Bella opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Her body was completely paralyzed. It was only a few seconds before she could move again, but it felt like an eternity. Once her legs were capable of moving, she darted up the grand staircase. She didn't dare look back.

Once she had reached the top, she panicked. Her mind went blank. Where should I go? What should I do? Just hide, she thought to herself.

Through a random doorway, she ran. It was a bedroom. There was only a bed and a wardrobe inside the room, both were broken but the bed seemed to be a black, hairy spider's habitat.

Without thinking, the scuttled into the wardrobe and slammed the door behind her. The whole house fell silent. All she could hear was her breath and her heart thumping loudly.
Just as she thought she was safe, she heard something. Tap. Tap. Tap.
At first, the taps were faint and quiet but they began to get louder and faster.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

What was it? The noise seemed to be getting closer, and closer. Bella just managed to crouch down to peer through a crack just bug enough for her to see through..

Creaak!