The Talking Doll

Twenty-one year old Ginger and her mum visited a house to be sold. They were pleased with the house. However, something strange about a talking doll haunts the place.

I looked my new bathroom, it was a splendid white. The white sink and white ceramic walls were perfect. There was also a bathtub with a yellowish coloured curtain around. I looked at the sink, it was surprisingly clean. There was also an old plastic cup with a white and green yellowing used toothbrush in it. I even saw a new clipper that looks brand new on the small mini cabinet attached below the bathroom mirror.

The house was old. However, mum decided to rent it because it was all that we could currently afford. My name is Ginger and I'm her only daughter. I turn twenty one this year. I tied my auburn hair up and walked out of the bathroom. The beautiful illuminated wooden tiles creaked slightly as I walked to my dressing table. The dressing table was black and it had a huge mirror. Specks of dust filled the mirror. I also realised that there was something huge covered by a cloth with soft thin carpeted material. I slowly stepped towards it. There was dust everywhere but my eyes were deeply focused on the shadows created by the huge item.

I didn't move. Mum had told me not to touch the things in here since we haven't really bought over and get the keys in our possession. Mum had came here to inspect the house. There was a full moon tonight and the moonlight was creeping into the bedroom window. The bright pale light shining through the closed window gave me a mysterious feeling. The tree outside in the yard was leafless, as if it was barren and cursed not to have a foliage anymore.

I heard the floorboards creaked again and this time, it was mum who came up with the vendor of the house, Mr. Sacken. "Hi Ginger, this is Mr. Sacken, the house vendor." Mum introduced me to the bald young man in his thirties. He had a smiling face, beautiful round eyes and a small moustache, which somewhere made him look really friendly. "I'm glad we made a deal, Samantha! This house was worth millions before but now I've decided to sell it cheaply to you, very cheap." I saw the sincerity in Sacken's face as he encouraged my mum to accept the deal.  

My mum smiled, her brown hair appearing ebony brown in the dimly lit room. She was around her fifties and had dimples and beautiful teeth. "Okay, Mr. Sacken! I'll accept this offer gladly and I'm sure Ginger will be pleased too!" She gave me a reassuring glance and I nodded, feeling pleased for her that she had finally been able to buy a dream home. The house was full of essential equipments, furniture and even an old black piano which I would enjoy playing it everyday. There was also an old rag doll with brown woolen hair. It was lying on top of a bookshelf with some old dusty books.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside the window. I turned to look and realised that there was a broken twig, a small black figure of a beaver liked creature was crawling and picking up twigs. I was startled. Suddenly, mum and Sacken seemed to have froze. Mum's face was still grinning, her dimples noticable under the moonlight while Sacken was still holding on to his cup of coffee while the other hand, he was gently reassuring mum to take the deal while trying to pat her on the shoulder.

The beaver creature seemed to have noticed me. I immediately ducked down to avoid from being seen. I was shaking, the creature was making a noise like a cricket, a shrill ear piercing noise suddenly filled the air. It sounded like an extra large cricket outside near the window that was extra mad. I covered my ears with my hands and suddenly, the lights went out.

I slowly took off my hands from my ears and started to slowly slide myself towards the light bulb switch further up the room. My denim jeans was the only sound frictioning against the wooden tiles. However, I saw a black shadow coming through the room's doorway, I froze. It was getting near the fridge and it opened it! However, the shadow immediately let itself in and never came out.

I slowly got up, mum and Sacken were still frozen. I heard footsteps thudding in the fridge, I was scared, confused and puzzled. I braven myself to get closer to the fridge, the pounding suddenly stopped. Suddenly, I heard laughter from behind me. I turned around and noticed that the nice doll on the bookshelf was now on the floor. It was lying there silently. I immediately took it and threw it aside. I tried to avoid the evil glare the doll was giving me, as if I was a trespasser in the story. Suddenly, the black shadow came out from the sides of the fridge, it engulfed me. I smelled something like smoke and started to choke. I felt as if there was a pair of invisible strong arms around my neck, squeezing the breath out of me. Instantly, I started to struggle. However, when you're trying to struggle against the force of something paranormal, as I would state it, it was useless.

I felt my body being lifted higher above the ground. Finally, as I slowly felt my body became limp, there was a beam of light. It was a torch! Someone has found me. Immediately, the thing dropped me unto the floor and disappeared. I was exhausted and lied still on the floor, the person didn't move. The being came slidding slowly on the floor, finally my eyes were wide open, it was the same black shadow that was coming towards me. I gasped, there was an eerie sound coming from the shadow and I heard a muffled voice saying, "Leave while you can!"

Soon, the shadow started closing in on me. This time, I smelt the pungent smell of smoke, its waft making me choke and cough. Suddenly, the lights were back on! I started to cough and realised that the choking sensation and black smoke were gone. Mum and Sacken were back! Mum was holding her red sweater in her arms and Sacken was smoking a pipe. I heaved a sigh of relief! However, the scene was slightly familiar but I couldn't remember where. Was I dreaming all the while?

"Hi, sweetie!" Mum gave me a hug and kiss. "I told you to wait in the jeep, why did you come in so quickly?" I hugged and kissed mum on the cheek, "Love you, mum. I erm.. was just wanting to take a look at the house earlier so I couldn't wait." I tried to sound casual although, I was trying hard to calm the nagging thought at the back of mind that something was about to happen.

Suddenly, i realised that Sacken was leading mum upstairs to check the bedroom. I happened to walked to the bathroom. Wait a minute, isn't this scene familiar? Didn't I just visited the bathroom earlier? I tried not to panic as my eyes glanced to the old used toothbrush and the familiar scenes of the white sink and walls. I couldn't control myself but walk out to my room again, this time looking at the cute doll sitting on the bookshelf and the huge figure of a piano being covered my a cloth with carpet-liked material.

Mum and Sacken came in beaming at me. "Well, what do you think? This house is supposed to be sold for a few million. I decided to sell it to you for a cheaper price." Sacken smiled graciously. Mum smiled back, "Oh sweetie, by the way, this is Sacken!" The scenes replayed themselves again. Suddenly, I started to scream. Mum and Sacken looked at me puzzled while Sacken grinned, "Your daughter doesn't seem to like me though!"

"Mum, get out!" I tried to push mum out of the door when suddenly, a black figure carrying a talking doll appeared behind me saying, "I warned you to get out!"