Alice and Her Doll

Chapter 15

*****

"I love you so much, Sally!"

Alice and Sally were having a tea party in Alice's room. They were both wearing tiaras and jewelry, and they were both sitting at a little pink and purple table, with teapots and cups on it.

"As I you, my dear," Sally said, as she raised her empty cup and pretended to drink from it.

They sat for a few minutes in silence. Next, Alice noticed she had a real drink in her cup, unlike Sally Sue's.

"Sally, what did you pour into my cup?"

"I made special tea, just for you, sweetie," The doll grinned and waited for Alice to take a sip of the poison drink she had created.

"Cheers!" The two clanked their cups together and were about to take a sip when Megan came in. Sally went frozen and Alice looked up at her mother.

Megan's facial expression was confused and concerned. "Honey, who were you talking to?"

"Sally. We are having a tea party!"

Megan nodded and went along with it. That's when she noticed the liquid in Alice's cup.

"Alice, I told you not to bring real drinks up here,"

"But, mommy! Sally made it for me!"

Megan reached down and took the cup from Alice. She looked into it and immediately smelled a strong scent. It was poison.

"Alice, I don't know where you got this from, but never, ever drink this again. Do you understand me?"

Alice nodded and looked down.

Alice's mother took the cup downstairs and washed it thoroughly. After she left, Sally Sue came alive again.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to drink the stuff you made for me,"

"It's okay," Sally responded. But she was frustrated with Megan and would have to punish her.

*****

It was now Monday, and the three best friends, Carrie, Fiona and Ben, were at school.

As Carrie sat in fourth period physics, she thought about how Fiona and Ben were doing in art. The bell rang for lunch, interrupting Carrie's thoughts.

She gathered her books and book bag and shot out of the classroom to the lunchroom. On her way, images of Ben popped in Carrie's head. Curiosity and anticipation filled her as she wondered what he was going to ask her.

Carrie stood in line to get her food when someone scared her from behind. "Boo!"

Carrie jumped and turned around only to see Fiona giggling.

"Hey, my devilish best friend."

"Hey, my little lovebird,"

"What are you talking about?" Carrie said, even though she knew.

Fiona gave her a knowing look as the line moved ahead. "Ben. All he talks about is you! He asks me for advice and mushy stuff like that,"

"Really?" Carrie was a little shocked.

"Come on, you know you like him."

Carrie looked down and smiled at the kiss Ben gave her and all of his warm hugs.

When she looked back at Fiona, Carrie noticed a boy in the corner of the lunchroom. He was wearing a black shirt and jeans. His hair was even black, giving him a dark appearance. The boy was staring right at Carrie.

"Why is that guy staring at me?" Carrie was a little nervous.

"Uh oh. Looks like Ben has some competition...."

Carrie gave her an "I'm serious" look and said, "Oh yeah! He was in my second period math. He sat in the back and just stared at me the whole time,"

"Ooo," Fiona said. "Kinda creepy."

After lunch, the bell rang and everyone made their way out of the lunchroom. Carrie was outside, going to her fifth period class, when someone grabbed her arm and swung her behind the school. It happened so fast, that Carrie didn't have time to think who it was.

Surprisingly, it was Ben. Carrie gave him an angry look and swatted his arm.

"What was that for?" Ben asked.

"What was that for-- here's a better question: Why did you give me a heart attack? I thought I was being kidnapped or something!"

A few moments of silence and a "Sorry," from Ben let Carrie cool off.

"I'm sorry, Ben. I really didn't mean to snap at you like that."

She gave him a hug and she immediately smelled his pleasant fragrance.

When they pulled away Ben said, "Carrie, this isn't easy to say, but-"

He held Carrie's hands.

She loved the warm feel of Ben's hands. Her heart was racing inside her chest and she felt those familiar butterflies again in her stomach.

"Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

Carrie squealed with delight. "Yes! Yes, yes, a million times yes!" She beamed with joy.

That's when they kissed for the second time. Carrie wrapped her arms around his back and Ben pulled her body against his. To the couple, it seemed like time had frozen and all that mattered in the world was each other.

But what they didn't know was that someone was watching them. Someone in a black shirt and jeans. Someone who had been watching Carrie's every move.

*****

That night, Ray was in bed watching TV, and Megan had just entered the room. She closed the door behind her and lay down next to her husband. Megan sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"What's bothering you?" Ray said, rubbing Megan's hand.

"Nothing, it's just, it's.....I can't. I don't know where she even got it from!"

"What? What are you talking about, Megan?"

"Alice. Today I heard her talking to someone in her room and when I came in, Alice and her doll were having a tea party."

"I'm confused. What's so stressing about that?"

"I though I saw her doll move or something, but then I saw that Alice had a real drink in her room. Now, you know we've told her not to bring real drinks in her room, but she said her doll made it. And when I smelled it, it was poison!"

Ray's eyes widened and he said, "Honey, why didn't you call me and tell me? We need to tell someone about this. We need to-"

Megan put her hand up and silenced him. "You were at the doctor, and I didn't think much if it then, but now I do. I'm just as concerned as you are, sweetie. What should we do?"

"We need to monitor Alice. We need to tell Carrie and make sure she is carefully watching our daughter. I am not going to let ANYTHING happen to my baby,"

Megan nodded in understanding. "Me too, me too."

Ray switched off the lamps and continued watching TV, while Megan fell asleep.

.......

Megan woke up sweating. She was breathing heavily and looked at her surroundings. Ray was asleep, the TV was off, and it was completely silent. Her gaze wandered to her pitch black bathroom and heard soft laughter. Megan squinted and tried to see if anything was really there.

She thought that it was nothing and laid back down. Not but a few minutes later, Megan felt tiny, smooth hands wrap around her neck and she tried to breath, but she couldn't; the hands were forcing her neck farther into the bed. She tried to shake Ray awake, but her whole body was numb and she couldn't move anything. It was like Megan was paralyzed.

Everything around her went black, and she didn't wake up until hours and hours later.

*****