I'm Here . . .

A Story by Maura Ansley

In Jade’s mirror, it was sitting on the bed, knife in hand. The blade was also red. Whether from rust or blood, she didn’t know.

I’m Here . . .

“Remember, Jade. No friends allowed over while we are away,” her mom said, running a brush through her dark hair one last time. Jade rolled her eyes.

“I know, I know,” she said for the third time. Her mother pulled on her coat, and her dad opened the door. Wind whipped through it, flipping Jade’s midnight black bangs back up over her forehead. Before they left, her mom turned to her only daughter, her eyes narrowed seriously.

“And whatever you do, don’t go in the attic.” When Jade nodded distractedly, her mother placed her hand on her shoulder, firmly grasping Jade’s attention. Jade looked up, knowing her mother would never leave if she didn’t listen. “Jade, I’m serious. Stay out of the attic.” She closed the door behind her, and ran to the car so the light December snow that was falling wouldn’t ruin her hair for the wedding she was going to, for Jade’s cousin. But was Jade allowed to go? Nope. ‘Adults only,’ her Mom had said. Back inside, Jade watched them pull away in the dark family minivan and drive down the street. Once they were gone, she pulled out her phone and called her two best friends, seething with anger at her parents.

“Hey, you guys want to sleep over tonight?”

When they both arrived, about an hour later, they all ran up to Jade’s room.

“Hey, Jade, how come your parents let us come over? They don’t usually do that while they’re gone,” Ruby asked curiously. Jade grinned maliciously.

“They didn’t. Actually, they very specifically told me not to have anyone over,” Jade said. Crystal laughed.

“Girl, you are so sneaky!”

“Thank you!” Jade grinned. “Did you bring what I asked?”

“Yep. I brought two scary movies, The Conjuring, and Insidious.” Crystal replied. “Also against parent’s orders.”

“And I brought my glittery nail polish kit.” Ruby said.

“Awesome.” Jade said. Just then, Ruby smiled evilly.

“You know what would be better than some old horror movie? Let’s go into the attic.”

The trapdoor creaked open, and the three girls climbed up the ladder. The beam from Jade’s flashlight illuminated every speck of dust. The attic was full of strange things, draped in white sheets. Ruby’s flashlight beam flickered on as she hit it against an old table. Crystal clambered up the ladder. Jade’s light landed on an old doll. It was porcelain, with curly black hair and deep, hauntingly familiar blue eyes. . . the same shade as her own. It had rosy cheeks, and wore old fashioned clothes. She picked the doll up. It felt warm, almost alive. She dropped it, surprised. But the doll didn’t break. It lay there, on the ground, smiling up at her. She shivered, then looked at the spot where the doll had been sitting. There was a page, most likely from a notebook, laying there. She picked it up, squinting to read it in the dim light from her dying flashlight. The writing was scribbled and messy, and looked as though it and been written hastily.

Woe is the unfortunate soul who has encountered this evil creation of a doll! Bewarned, this is not an ordinary doll. It has dark powers, far beyond the likes you have seen before. It will exact its revenge on whoever dares to disturb it’s slumber. You shall not sleep soundly tonight. This doll will be looking for revenge, and will not rest again until it’s thirst for murder is satiated. Lock your door tonight . . . not that it will do you any good.

Jade shivered. In the dim, near darkness light of the attic, she could have sworn that she saw the dolls eyes gleam red.

No. Impossible. It’s just a prank. No stupid doll is going to kill you, or anyone else for that matter. She glanced around the attic. Was it her imagination, or had the attic gotten darker? No, it’s just your fear playing tricks on your mind. You’re just being stupid now. Just then, a cold hand grabbed her shoulder. She screamed and turned around. It was just Ruby.

“God, you scared me to death!” Jade muttered, glaring at the floor. Ruby giggled. Then she caught sight of the doll, laying on the creaky wooden floor.

“What’s that?” She asked, elbowing past Jade to pick up the doll. “Wow, this looks like it belonged to some little girl in the nineteenth century.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jade said.

“Hey, guys! Guess what I found!” Crystal called out.

“Is that what I think it is?” Jade asked.

“Yep... Its a Ouija board!” Crystal replied. They gathered around. Jade and Crystal sat on the floor, knees touching, with the Ouija board in their laps, while Jade lit some old candles from a box marked “Living room.” They both placed their hands lightly on the Ouija board.

“Oh, spirit! I summon you from another world!” Crystal cried ominously, her pale green eyes glinting in the darkness as she switched off her flashlight. The other two girls did the same, trying not to laugh. A cold wind gusted through the attic. The candles around them flickered and went out. Ruby hurriedly lit them again.

“Is somebody here?” Jade called. The planchette spun, moved by invisible hands. Y-E-S

“Are you a boy?” Crystal called. Ruby stifled a giggle behind her hand. Y-E-S

“How old are you?” Ruby asked curiously.

“Really, Ruby?” Jade asked, laughing. S-i-x-t-y-t-h-r-e-e. Ruby sighed, disappointed. The planchette moved again. B-e-w-a-r-e-t-h-e-d-o-l-l .

“What do you mean?” Jade cried. The planchette moved. Goodbye.

“Wait!” Crystal called. But the spirit was gone. Jade sighed, and folded the board back up. Ruby was already looking around again as Crystal put the board back.

“Wow, look at these!” Ruby called. She pointed her flashlight at an open steamer trunk, overflowing with old fashioned gowns and dresses. There was an old fashioned wall mirror next to it. Jade picked up a deep blue dress that matched her haunting eyes. With a giggle, she slipped it over her head and looked in the mirror. She spun around . . . but her reflection didn’t. It just stared at her, with a malevolent grin on its face. With a shiver, Jade looked away and saw that Ruby and Crystal had both selected gowns as well. They both slipped theirs on too, and posed in front of the mirror, not seeing anything wrong with their reflections.

“Hey, guys, why don’t we go watch those movies now?” Jade asked, eager to get out of the attic. They nodded reluctantly, and took the dresses off, putting them inside the trunk. Then they all raced back downstairs. Jade won, entering her room half a second before the others. She flopped onto her bed, gasping for breath. Crystal disappeared to shut the attic door. When she came back, she flopped back down next to Jade and Ruby. They spent the next few hours in silence, except for the occasional scream, watching the movies.

In the attic, the back of her dress was wet with crimson blood. She smiled, exposing pearly white teeth. And, for an instant, had anyone been there to see, they would have sworn that the doll’s eyes turned bright red. Red as the blood that stained her hands and dress.

The doll’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, redder and redder, as she gazed around the attic. Downstairs, she could hear the girls giggling as they clung to each other in fear while they watched those “horror” movies.

Horror, the doll thought. They’d never experienced a horror like they were about to. Revenge was very, very near.

By the time the movies were over, it was almost midnight. Jade was ravenous, so they snuck downstairs. She grabbed a carton of ice cream and a spoon, eating it right from the container. Crystal, ever the health fanatic, chose a handful of grapes. Ruby grabbed a bag of all dressed chips.

“Hey, Jade?” said Ruby, through a full mouth.

“What?” Jade asked, lifting her spoon to her mouth.

“Why is your hand red?” Jade glanced down at her hand in alarm. It was red. Bright, blood red. As if it had been stained. But the only thing she had touched had been the dress, and the ouija board . . . and the doll. Jade shivered.

“On second thought . . . I’m not so hungry after all.” Jade said, setting down her ice cream carton. Ruby rolled up her bag of chips.

“You’re right. Let’s go upstairs.” The stairs creaked as they climbed up. Jade swore she could sense things in the shadows. Dark, evil things, arms outstretched to grab her. Needless to say, the girls sprinted all the way. The wind howled outside as Jade slammed her door, making sure it was locked. Here in her brightly lit room, the world didn’t seem as scary, as threatening. Here in her room, she was safe. She giggled nervously. Ruby joined in. Crystal did too.

“We probably overreacted.” Jade said.

“Probably.” Ruby agreed, yawning. She sat down on Jade’s bed. “Hey are you guys tired? I’m kinda . . .” She never finished her sentence, falling backwards and hitting the pillow snoring. Crystal sat down next to her.

“Me too.” She curled up right next to Ruby. Her eyes shut, and her breathing slowly evened out.

Tired, Jade thought. I am too . . . . Jade lay down next to Crystal and Ruby, letting her sudden fatigue overtake her and transport her to dark and distant dreamworlds . . . .

The doll. It sat up. It had blood on its hands and back. It smiled. Then it’s eyes began to glow red, brighter and brighter every minute. It walked slowly toward the attic door . . . .

The doll had only two thoughts on it’s mind. Revenge. Murder, and revenge. She slowly turned the handle of Jade’s door. . . .

The doll came to her in sleep, smiling a malevolent smile. A smile as red as her eyes. She waved her hand, and everything went black.

Jade stretched and yawned, sitting up. What a weird dream. Where were Ruby and Crystal? They had probably gone down to get some breakfast . With a sigh, she stood up. Then she caught sight of her wall. On it, in what looked like blood, two words were written:

I’m Here . . .

In Jade’s mirror, it was sitting on the bed, knife in hand. The blade was also red. Whether from rust or blood, she didn’t know. It was only then that Jade noticed that outside was pitch black, and when she glanced at the clock it read 1:00 AM. It got up, slowly, and started walking toward Jade. She slowly turned around to face the doll. . .

10:43 AM

The key clicked in the lock. Jade’s mother walked in.

“We’re home!” She called. Jade didn’t answer. She was probably still mad that she hadn’t been allowed to come to the wedding. She set her bag down, and walked up the stairs. “Jade? Honey, I know you wanted to come, but you would have been bored. And wait until you see what we brought you!” She reached the hallway at the top of the stairs, and stopped cold. “BOB!” The attic door was open. She sprinted the rest of the way down the hall to Jade’s room.

“Jade?” She opened the door slowly. Jade’s room was empty . . . Except for the doll sitting on her daughter’s bed.

“Oh, no. Not you. Not again!”

The doll laughed. Her pale lips curled up in an eerie smile, revealing a row of teeth stained with the littlest bit of red.

Maura Ansley