The Doll

By Amanda Thompson

Maya James lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "I'm so bored!" she exclaimed.

Her cat Whiskers looked up at her. "Why don't you find something to do?" he asked. He was a special cat, because of his ability to talk. Whiskers was a gray tabby cat.

Maya looked at him. Her auburn hair hung over the edge of her bed. "I can't think of anything to do," she told him.

"Why don't you go for a walk outside?" Whiskers asked.

"That's boring!" she whined.

"You're sure finicky," Whiskers replied.

She stared at him with her pretty green eyes. "What's finicky mean?" she asked.

"You're fourteen and you didn't know that!" he exclaimed, "It means that you're picky."

She sat up. "I'm not picky!" she declared.

He laughed, which is quite odd for a cat to do. "Then why do you turn down all of my ideas?" he asked.

"Because they're all boring!" she yelled back to him.

"Fine then, you can think of something to keep yourself occupied." he told her. She was silent. She sat there thinking for a while. Whiskers yawned.

"Aha!" she yelled. She jumped up from her bed.

"Aha, what?" Whiskers asked.

"Let's go check out that old shop down the road!" she exclaimed. A huge grin swept across her face.

"And how is this not boring?" Whiskers asked.

"You know I love antiques!" she exclaimed.

Whiskers nodded his head. "I guess it might be fun. But, how will I get in? Surely, they don't allow animals!"

"You can stay in my backpack," she told him.

"Oh fun," he said sarcastically. She opened up her tan, cloth backpack. Whiskers jumped in. Maya put the backpack on and left.

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Maya stood outside the old shop. It was called "Peggy's Antiques." It looked like it was closed. Maya turned the rusty knob. The door popped open. She stepped into the dark, musty room. There was dust everywhere! Maya coughed.

Whiskers peeked out from the backpack. "Is it abandoned?" he asked.

"I don't know," Maya whispered. She cleared her throat and yelled, "Is anyone here?" There was no answer. All that was heard was the wind rustling against the windows.

A few moments later they heard the doorknob turn. Maya froze. They heard the door open and someone step inside. "W-who's there?" Maya asked. She was trembling. There was no answer. Suddenly someone touched her shoulders.

"Leave now!" said a voice. Maya jumped up and screamed. She turned around and saw a boy that she knew laughing very hard.

"Archie Smith, how dare you!" she screamed.

"You should have seen yourself," he said in-between his laughing. Maya glared at him. Archie stopped laughing.

"Oh, come on Maya," he said to her, "Have a sense of humor!"

Her eyes widened. "I have a sense of humor!" she yelled. Archie rolled his eyes.

"What kind of name is Archie Smith?" said a muffled voice.

"What was that?" Archie asked. Maya knew it was Whiskers, but Archie didn't know that Whiskers could talk. Even though she had known him since they were toddlers, Whiskers had never met him. He always was sleeping when Maya played with her friends.

"It's probably just the wind," she lied. Archie gave her a puzzled look. He said nothing. "So Archie, what are you doing here?" Maya asked.

"I need to tell you something and I saw you come in here," he answered, "I got a visit from five little fairies last night!"

Maya stared at him. "Fairies?" she asked. He nodded.

Whiskers jumped out of the backpack. "Well, if he believes in fairies, then he will certainly believe in talking cats," Whiskers said to Maya.

Archie’s mouth dropped. His eyes widened. "Wow, your cat talks!" he exclaimed. Before anyone could answer, they heard a different door open. Maya shushed them all. Everyone stood still.

"Who's there?" asked a voice. It sounded like a woman. The person turned on the light. It was a woman. An odd looking woman. She had bright auburn hair that was piled on the top of her head. She had lots of makeup on. She had blue, cat eye glasses that reflected her green eyes. She wore a long dress that was neon green with neon pink flamingos scattered all over it, and she wore white cowboy boots.

Archie and Whiskers snickered at the sight of the lady. Maya covered her mouth so she wouldn't laugh.

"'Scuse me," she said, "I'm Peggy, the owner of the store. Are you customers?"

Maya uncovered her mouth. "Yes, we are. Was the store closed?"

"No, I just had the lights off. I usually don't get many customers."

"We're probably the first," Whiskers mumbled. Maya glared at him. He kept quiet.

"You're welcome to look around. I'll be at the counter."

"What a freak!" Archie exclaimed, once she was gone. Whiskers agreed.

"You guys are the freaks!" Maya told them, "Quit being so rude!"

Archie stood up. "So," he began, "what are you looking for?"

Maya trailed her finger against the dust covered table. "I'm not sure." Archie picked up a wooden soldier and blew on it. Dust flew everywhere. Archie and Maya sneezed when the dust blew into their faces.

"This place is so dusty!" Archie complained.

Whiskers sneezed. "I think I'm allergic," he whined.

Maya turned around and saw a doll sitting alone on a dusty table. The doll looked very fragile and its skin was a very light peach color. It had on a blue dress with purple flowers on it, and a matching hat. The doll's hair was curly and a rusty color. The doll had pretty purple eyes and rosy cheeks. It looked as if it had on a light pink lipstick.

"It's so pretty!" Maya exclaimed.

"What's so pretty?" Whiskers asked.

Maya ran to the doll and picked it up. "This is what is so pretty," she told them.

"It is?" Archie asked.

Maya ignored him. "I'm going to get this," she said to herself. She slowly walked to the counter, staring into the doll's purple eyes.

"You're getting that?" Peggy asked. She seemed worried. "I must warn you, this doll is quite..." she paused for a moment, "...special. But, not in a good way."

Maya poured the money out of her coin purse. "I'm going to buy it," she told Peggy, "This should be enough." Peggy sighed and took the money in her hand. She handed Maya the receipt. Maya thanked her and headed home.

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"That thing gives me the willies," Archie said. They were in Maya's room. Maya sat on her bed, brushing the doll's hair. She noticed a necklace hidden under the dress. She observed the necklace. It was a flat piece of stone with a name engraved on it.

"Amelia," Maya read.

"What?" Whiskers and Archie asked.

"Her name's Amelia," she told them.

Archie looked at the watch on his wrist. "I better get home," he replied, "See you tomorrow!" He ran out the door.

"Bye!" Whiskers yelled.

Maya set the doll on her desk. She looked out of her window. The sun was setting. She yawned and stretched her arms out. "I think I'll go to bed early today," she said to Whiskers as she lay down on the bed.

"Good night," Whiskers said to her, but she had already fallen asleep.

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"Mommy!" yelled a voice. Whiskers looked up. "Mommy!" yelled the voice again. Whiskers looked around. His back began to arch. "Mommy?" Whiskers turned around. There stood Amelia, the doll. "You're not Mommy!" Amelia exclaimed. A frown replaced the smile that was supposed to be on her face. Her eyes narrowed.

"You stupid doll, go away!" Whiskers yelled.

"You're a mean kittycat!" Amelia yelled back. She lunged at him. Whiskers dodged her attack. She flew into a box. Whiskers pushed the nearest pillow into the box, so she couldn't get out.

Whiskers small body trembled with fear. He went over to Maya, and he pawed her frantically. She didn't budge. Whiskers began meowing helplessly.

Maya's little sister, Chelsey, entered the room. She rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?" she asked. Whiskers continued meowing and Maya continued sleeping. Chelsey walked over to Maya's bed and shook her. "Hey, wake up!" she yelled.

Maya's eyes opened. She looked at the clock on her wall. "It's 1:30 in the morning," she complained, "What do you want?"

"Your cat's having a spaz," she told her, jerking her thumb in Whiskers’ direction. "Do something about it, so we all can sleep!" Chelsey then stormed out of the room.

Maya turned to Whiskers. "What's with you?" she asked.

"Your d-doll tried to hurt me!" he yelled.

"Don't be so loud!" Maya scolded, "You probably were just dreaming." She yawned, "Now let everyone sleep."

Whiskers lay down and looked at the box. An uneasy feeling grew inside of him.

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"Whiskers, have you seen Amelia?" Maya asked.

"Amelia who?" Whiskers replied.

"My doll!"

"Oh, that Amelia."

"Yes, now where is she?"

Whiskers pointed his paw at the box. Maya could see fear in his eyes. She wondered why he would be so afraid of a doll. She lifted the doll from the box. "Why was she in a box?" Maya asked.

"She jumped in there herself," Whiskers replied, “I don't like that doll. Peggy was right, it is special in a bad way. The doll's insane!"

"What are you talking about?! Whiskers, it's just a doll!" Maya exclaimed.

"Fine, don't believe me!" Whiskers snapped, “But don't come crying to me if the doll attacks you!" Whiskers then ran out of the room, leaving Maya alone with Amelia.

"It's just a doll," Maya mumbled as she set Amelia on her desk. Maya sat down and started to doodle on her notepad. Amelia's head turned down to look at Maya. Her smile grew and eyes narrowed.

"Just a doll, huh?" asked the doll in her sweet and innocent voice. Maya looked up at the doll in horror. Had the doll actually talked to her or was she just dreaming? She went back to her doodling, hoping she had just imagined the doll speaking. "Don't ignore me, Maya James," the doll said in a calm voice, “I won't hurt you.....yet." Maya's heart started to pound rapidly in her chest as horror filled up inside of her. Why was the doll threatening her? It's just a doll, she told herself over and over. She peered up at the doll and noticed an evil grin that had replaced the once sweet smile.

"H-how can you talk?" Maya asked, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"I'm not a normal doll," she replied, her grin grew wider, “You should have believed that mean kittycat and that woman at the store, but it's too late now!" Amelia giggled, “Soon your body will be mine and I can finally leave this doll form!" The doll began to glow a blood red as black globs that shaped as huge hands burst out from the ground and pulled Maya down to the floor. Maya screamed in horror and pain as the globs tightened around her body. Amelia looked at the sky that was now a blood red. "It's almost time," she whispered in a harsh voice, “Soon this will all be mine. No one can stop me!" She giggled, the most creepy and evil giggle ever heard as she shut the blinds on Maya's window.

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Whiskers was heading to Archie's house when the sky changed color. All he could hear was faint screaming coming from the direction that he had just come from. He looked back and noticed his home glowing the color that the sky was now: a blood red. Whiskers gasped. He ran as fast as he could to Archie's house and jumped through an open window. When he got there he rushed up to Archie's room and pounced onto Archie, who was resting in his bed. "Whiskers?!" Archie exclaimed, “What are you doing here?"

"The d-doll it t-talks and......."

"Where's Maya?"

"W-with the d-doll, the d-doll tr-tried to hurt m-me!” Whiskers stuttered. His whole body was trembling with fear.

"What?!" Archie yelled, “We must make sure Maya's ok!" He jumped out of his bed and rushed outside.

Whiskers stopped shaking and hurried after Archie. "You forgot your shirt," he informed Archie.

Archie shrugged. "I'm fine in just my jeans," he replied. He stopped running when Maya's home came in sight. "What in the world is going on?! Why's your house glowing and why's the sky red?!"

"I think it has something to do with the doll," Whiskers answered.

"It is the doll."

Archie and Whiskers turned around to see who had spoken. It was Peggy from the antique shop. "What's going on?!" Archie yelled.

"I warned her not to buy it, but does anyone listen to Peggy? NO!!"

"Peggy, please!" Whiskers begged, “Tell us what's going on?!"

"Fine," she cleared her throat, “It all started about a century ago. There was a lady named Clarissa Riso. She was a brave woman who always stood up for herself and her rights. She also was a woman with magic!"

"Magic?!" Whiskers and Archie exclaimed at once.

"Yes, magic! She was one of the few that had magic in this world. Her daughter also had magic. She was extremely close to her daughter and always protected her from magic haters, until one day. The King had sent out soldiers to kill all the magic users that they could find. Clarissa heard this and hid her daughter in a nearby vase when the soldiers came by. Her daughter could see all that was happening through a hole on the side of the vase. She witnessed the soldiers beating her mother to death. The child was five and did not understand death. She did not understand what was happening. She jumped out of the vase and ran over to her mother, who lay lifeless and bloody on the rocky ground. The girl begged her mother to get up, but she did not. The girl dropped her doll..."

"Doll?" Archie interrupted.

"Let me finish the story and you'll soon find out about the doll!" Peggy snapped, “The girl dropped her doll to the ground as she wrapped her arms around her mothers body and cried for her mother to wake up. The soldiers headed for the girl, but then they all suddenly disappeared. A pale woman stood above the girl. The woman's rusty hair bounced about in the wind. Her purple eyes stared down at the girl as a grin spread across her face, almost to her rosy cheeks. The woman rested her slender hand on the girl's shoulder. 'I am sorry about your mother' she told the girl, ‘Humans can be cruel.' The girl looked up at her, not noticing that her doll was glowing a blood red. 'But aren't I...' the girl began to ask. 'Human? No, you and your mother are much better than humans. You are special!' the woman declared. She took the girl's hand then. 'You and I can get back at those nasty human's for what they did to your mother,' she told the girl, ‘If you wish to that is.' The girl looked once more at her deceased mother. 'Anything,' she whispered, ‘As long as it will make Mommy better!' The woman giggled, ‘Of course.' The woman took both of the girl's hands. The doll lay between their feet. The woman began to chant something in another language. The wind began to grow stronger and the doll's glowing intensified. The little girl's soul was sucked out of her body and into the doll. The girl's body stood there, lifeless and eyes wider than ever. The woman let go of the girl's pale hands and the girl's lifeless body dropped to the ground. The woman laughed as she picked up the doll. She looked down at the girl and noticed the necklace around the girl's neck. The necklace looked like a flat piece of stone with a name engraved on it. The woman picked up the necklace and put it around the doll's porcelain neck. The woman giggled as she looked at the doll. The sky turned black as charcoal and the wind even stronger than before. The only thing the woman could see was the doll, which glowed brighter than ever. 'Kamilah!' yelled a deep, low voice, ‘What is the meaning of this?!' 'I did nothing wrong!' she shouted, ‘The girl is young and would surely be killed by those soldiers! I, for once, did a good thing!' 'Kamilah,' the voice said sadly, ’You have not learned a thing. You have to return to the doll and think about what you have done for the next hundred years.' A flash of red light appeared and when it was gone, so was Kamilah. The doll lay on the ground and had stopped glowing. The sky returned to it's normal sky blue and the guards reappeared, only to find that the girl was gone. One of them noticed the doll and decided to bring it home to his daughter."

"What happened to the doll during those hundred years?" Whiskers asked.

"It was passed on to different people and finally to my antique store," Peggy answered.

"You mean the girl's name is....." Archie began.

"Amelia," Peggy said, finishing Archie's sentence.

"What about that woman, Kamilah, and the person with the low voice?" Whiskers asked.

"The person with the low voice is Kamilah's father and Kamilah is an evil sorceress who had a doll made to look like her when she was little. When she got in trouble with her father her soul was put into the doll. Kamilah and Amelia's souls are both in there now," Peggy replied.

"How do you know what they said and everything?!" Archie asked.

"I saw it...."

"How could you have seen it?!" Archie exclaimed, “It was a hundred years ago!"

"Let's just say I'm special like Amelia and Kamilah."

"You?!" Whiskers and Archie exclaimed.

"I know I may not look like some mystical person to you, but I really am."

"Didn't everyone around there disappear?" Whiskers asked.

"Only the non-magic users."

"I think I understand what's going on," Archie said, “Kamilah has awaken from her hundred year punishment and is now going to help Amelia by destroying everyone. Am I right?"

"Yes, Amelia and Kamilah's souls are now joined and Kamilah must fulfill Amelia's needs and wants so they can finally separate."

"Are they going to possess Maya?" Archie asked. Peggy nodded. "We must stop them! I won't let them do that to Maya!!" Archie yelled.

"You must really care about her," Peggy commented.

Archie blushed. "As a friend, yeah, as a friend. We've been friends since we were two and I'm sure she'd help me if I was in trouble."

"Of course," Peggy replied, she smiled gently at Archie. "You help her Archie. You must save the planet!"

"Him, save the planet?! He can't even save himself from detention, let alone save the planet!" Whiskers exclaimed, his voice filled with worry.

"What should I do?" Archie asked,he ignored Whiskers comment.

"You must stop Kamilah from finishing her task."

"But, how?"

"You must figure that out yourself," Peggy said as she faded away.

"Peggy! Wait!" Archie yelled, “Oh man, what am I going to do?"

"Don't look at me," Whiskers said as he curled up on the ground, “Well, Prince Charming you got yourself a Damsel in distress to rescue, so you better hurry or it'll be the end of the planet and your chance of ever getting a date with Maya." Archie blushed when Whiskers said this. "Hope that's not too much pressure for you."

Archie smiled meekly. "No," he squeaked.

"Good luck!" Whiskers yelled as Archie walked into the glowing house. The house was dark and there wasn't a sign of anyone in the house. The only sign of life seemed to be coming from upstairs. He headed up the stair case, the railings covered in slime. He pondered ways to stop Kamilah as he headed down the hallway to Maya's room. Her door was missing and so was the ceiling of her room. Standing at the edge of the room was Maya.

"Maya!" he yelled as he entered the room.

"She can't answer you," came Kamilah's gentle voice from Maya's mouth. "You shouldn't interfere!" Kamilah hissed.

"I'll do whatever I please!" Archie yelled bravely.

Kamilah giggled, “Cute. But do you think words can save your friend?"

"Maybe," he said as he stared into Maya's eyes, her pretty green eyes. "Amelia, I know you're there too. What good is it to cause more deaths just because of one death? I know this may be hard for you to understand, but you too were killed the same day your mother died, just not as gruesome of death. If you stop this you can join your mother and live with her for eternity!"

"Be with Mommy?" asked a little girl's voice, which was Amelia.

"Yes, forever!"

"Forever," Amelia said slowly.

"If you wish to separate from Kamilah then you can go and see your Mommy."

"Really?!" Amelia exclaimed. Archie nodded. "I wish to separate from you, Kamilah! I wish to be with Mommy!"

Maya glowed brightly as Amelia's soul left her body. Whiskers entered the room when this happened. With him, a ghost of a very beautiful woman. "Amelia," the woman whispered in pleasure.

"Mommy!!" Amelia yelled as she jumped into her mother's arms.

"NO!!" Kamilah yelled, still inside of Maya's body.

Archie walked up to Maya/Kamilah. "Leave her, NOW!" he yelled, his eyes stared at her coldly.

"Fine," she whispered. Her soul left the body. Maya collapsed into Archie's arms. Whiskers gasped when he saw Kamilah.

"You do look a lot like the doll!" he exclaimed.

Kamilah ignored him. Amelia stroked Whiskers back. "I'm sorry I called you a mean kittycat. You're a good kittycat!"

"Thanks," Whiskers purred.

Kamilah stared at them in disgust, and then turned to Archie and Maya. "You stupid boy," she hissed, “You had to interfere, didn't you! I'll have to teach you to interfere with me!" A dagger appeared in her right hand. She held it above Archie, who was kneeled on the ground with Maya cradled in his arms. Archie held Maya as tight as possible and kept his eyes shut, not wanting to see all the blood that will soon be there. She flung the dagger at his back, but it stopped an inch behind Archie.

"KAMILAH!!!" yelled a voice that shook the ground.

"Yes, Daddy?" Kamilah asked in her sweet, innocent voice.

"Haven't you learned a thing!" he yelled at her.

"But Daddy......"

"Don't 'but Daddy' me, young lady! You know that killing is wrong!"

"I wasn't going to kill him..."

"Then why throw a dagger at him?" Kamilah did not answer. "You are going back in that doll and will stay in there till the end of time!!" Before Kamilah could say anything, she was already sucked into the doll. The sky turned back to normal and Maya's room returned to how it was before. Clarissa and Amelia were gone, but the doll still lay in Maya's room.

"Well, everything's back to normal," Whiskers stated.

Archie nodded. Maya opened her eyes and looked up at Archie. Her eyes widened. "What happened?!" she exclaimed, “Why are you here Archie, and without your shirt?! Did the doll really talk and did those...."

Archie put his finger on her mouth and shushed her. "It's all over now," he reassured her.

"Then all that wasn't a dream?"

"Certainly not!" Whiskers exclaimed, “But Archie's right, it's all over now."

"Do you remember much?" Archie asked.

"Last thing I remember is hearing your voice saying: 'leave her now!' I can't believe that all wasn't a dream!" she smiled at him, “Thank you Archie. That was really brave of you." Archie blushed.

Whiskers shuddered. "I don't know what you see in him," he mumbled.

"What?" Maya asked.

"Never-mind."

"What should we do with the doll?" Archie asked. They all stared at the possessed doll.

"I say we throw it into the river, so we'll never have to see it again!" Whiskers suggested. Maya and Archie agreed.

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The three of them stood by the river, now fully dressed, with the doll buried in a cardboard box. "Bye!" Whiskers yelled as Maya threw the box into the river. Whiskers ran alongside the river, laughing, as the box floated downstream. Archie and Maya followed him, their hands clasped together and eyes locked on each others gaze. Soon the box drifted out of sight, and Whiskers stopped to catch his breath. Maya and Archie sat down by a tree and watched the sunset.

Maya gave Archie a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, again," she whispered.

Archie put his arm around her and whispered into her ear, “Anytime, Maya, anytime."

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