Doll...

Marcia wanted her own space. Her grandma's house was certainly big enough for everybody. Besides if her little brother Nate took one more item out of her room she was gonna scream. She was sixteen now and she needed her privacy. What was the big deal about moving to the attic anyway? There was nothing up there. Grandma Ethel could be so honory at times. Actually she was quite bossy. 

But maybe if she just talked to her she could some how convince her to let her stay up stairs. After all, she was always complaining about everybody leaving their things around anyway. Therefore, her moving into the attic seemed to be the perfect solution. 

One day, she was trying to read, but the noise just became unbearable. How was she going to get through the latest issue of Tandie Drew if Nate and her cousin Olivia kept fighting. Without saying a word to anybody, she grabbed her book and crept up the stairwell. 



The attic was white and seemed to glow all the more with the sunlight shining in through the window. Marcia sat on the stairwell and started to read. Occasionally she'd look up because she kept hearing a creaking sound echo across the floor.  Her brow wrinkled as she looked up the long flight of steps that bent around the corner. 

She knew her grandmother didn't want her to go up there. But what was the big deal? All she wanted to do was investigate the minor distraction and get back to her reading. Surely, that would be ok. Laying her book down she peeped down the steps. Grandma was nowhere in sight. 


She peered up the long flight of steps again. Curiosity got the best of her. Slowly she made her way up the stairwell; pausing here and there making sure no one saw her especially her nosey little brother. The creaking floor crackled again. Marcia's heart raced. What the heck was making that sound? Was it a mouse? A possum? A raccoon? 

After reaching the top of the steps she peered around the corner into the empty room. The sun beamed brightly through the curtain less window as dust particles illuminated in the air. With narrow eyes she peered through the dusty mist. 

To her surprise in the far corner of the room there was a doll lying on the window seal. 



The doll was a funny looking rag doll with a shoulder length bob. She had beady eyes and no eyebrows with ball joints. Marcia picked it up and inspected it. Running her fingers through her plastic mane she tried to tame any stray hairs. 

"Hmm...I wonder whose doll this is? Is it Grans?" 

After looking it over. She laid it back down and swiftly turned on her heels. With slow silent steps she slipped back down the stairwell; trying not to make the floor creak. After all, she wasn't suppose to be up there anyway. 

She'd almost reached the step she was sitting on, when she felt a little guilty. Why didn't she bring the doll back down stairs with her? She was sure grans wouldn't mind. Besides it made her feel weird leaving the little rag doll up stairs all by herself. After peeping around the corner to see if anyone was watching. She quietly tipped back up the steps to retrieve the toy. 

When Marcia reached the empty room. She gasped in surprise. The doll was not laying where she'd left it. The doll was sitting upright!



Marcia stared blankly for a moment as an icy chill crept up her spine. When she left, did she lay the doll down? Or did she sit her up straight? She scratched her temples. "Don't be silly!" her thoughts said. "She's a doll. She can't move. She can't think. She's not real!"

With hesitation, Marcia picked up the doll again and examined it. Her heart raced. The doll felt warm this time; and not cold or inanimate. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

"Marcia! Marcia! Where are you? What are you doing?" a voice called from bellow. 

Marcia spun around staring out the door. She didn't want anyone to know she'd gone up stairs so she didn't answer. Placing the doll back on the window sill. She crept back down the stairs. "Yes Grans I'm here! Did you need me?"

"Come'ere and help me with these groceries. I have a lot of bags in the car!"

Marcia bit her bottom lip as her brows crinkled slightly. She backed away from the doll. "I'm coming grans!"

Letting out a frustrated sigh she slowly descended the stairwell. Her thoughts raced a mile a minute. Her mind was troubled with questions. 'What just happened back there? The doll was not where I left it? How did that happen?'

When she reached the step she was sitting on she grabbed her book. A rumbling noise at the top of the stairs distracted her. Marcia looked up. She heard something giggle and run across the floor. She gasped drawing her book to her chest. Could it be what she thought it was? Could the rag doll be real???