The Doll

I gave her the doll on her birthday.

She loved it at first, and told me it was so beautiful. That its hair was so soft and the dress was so pretty. She wouldn't let it out of her sight for days. Through the daylight hours she set it on the table, so she could see it while cleaning the house, and at nighttime it sat next to the bed, watching us sleep with big blue unmoving eyes.

But my daughter's love for the doll soon changed. Soon I noticed something was bothering her. I asked, of course, but she wouldn't tell me at first. Said she was just being silly. I could notice that day after day she became more reserved towards me until I couldn't take it anymore. I pressed her, told her she would tell me what was going on right now or I would drag her to a doctor.

She finally broke and crying, the words came spilling out.

She then told me it was the doll. It scared her. She told me she had the feeling it was constantly watching her. Sometimes it even seemed like it moved.

This worried me and I went to take a look at the doll.

It sat motionless on the little table in the bedroom. The big blue eyes unchanged. I couldn't help but sigh from relief a bit. Of course she's not moving, she couldn't have been.

I went to turn away, but then saw a tiny movement from the corner of my eye.

I turned back to the doll, picking it up from the table. I held my face close to the doll's, staring into the eyes.

Something was moving.

I tried to concentrate, tried to look closer.

Yes, there it definitely was, movement. But not from the eye itself, it was behind the eye.

Before I could register this the eye burst and out of it spilled at least ten wriggling maggots.

I dropped the doll in shock, backing away instinctively.

My daughter yelled from the other room, asking me what was going on. I yelled back at her not to worry. I picked up the doll again, using a tissue to wipe away the maggots. Inside I saw more, pressing against the skin and plastic outer layer.

So soon already. I had hoped she would have lasted longer.

I will have to get a new one for her, maybe keep it alive at first. That way it'll last longer for sure.

While I throw away the old doll, I think about how my daughter always says she loves the thick blonde curls of little Katie down the block.

Doesn't she also have blue eyes?