Alice and Her Doll

Chapter 11

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Carrie was over at Alice's house, again. She was babysitting her, since her week of mid-term exams were over.

As she helped Alice change from her pajamas to day clothes, Carrie talked to Alice about her doll.

"Well, her name is Sally Sue, and she is the bestest doll in the whole world!" Alice's eyes lit up when she talked about Sally Sue.

"That's nice," Carrie commented, pulling Alice's purple shirt over her head. "Do you play with her?"

"All the time. Sometimes, she even talks to me!"

"Silly girl, dolls don't talk," Carrie tickled Alice. Her bubbly laughter filled Carrie's ears.

"Sally Sue does! Really! She really talks to me!"

Carrie gave Alice a confused look. "What does she say?"

"Hum," Alice tapped her chin thoughtfully. "She tells me that I'm all hers and nobody can take me away from her! She also says that I'm beautiful and she loves me."

Carrie thought about this while she pulled up Alice's green pants. Does the doll really talk? No, Alice is just four. Who knows what goes on in her head.

But something else in Carrie's mind told her otherwise. She shrugged it off.

"I have to go potty!" With that, Alice shot down the hallway, into the guest bathroom and closed the door.

Carrie smiled to herself and glanced around Alice's room. Something caught her eye. Something moving.

She curiously walked toward Sally Sue, who was sitting up on her own! Carrie's eyes widened in shock.

The doll turned her dainty little head and stared at Carrie. Her lips curled up into a wicked grin.

"Um, hello."

The doll laughed. "Hello, mortal." She said in her squeaky voice.

"Are you....I mean, how are you, I-"

"Shut up, puss head!" Sally Sue stood up. "Let me cut to the chase. Alice thinks I'm the best thing in the world. You make sure she ALWAYS believes that, okay?"

Carrie narrowed her eyes. "You don't tell me to shut up. After all, you are just a worthless piece of junk. I thought you were actually kind of cute, until you opened your big mouth a second ago. You touch Alice again, and-"

"Again?" The doll's eyebrows raised. "I didn't touch her to begin with! You think I picked her up on the wall? Think again, sweetie."

"Just put on your little act and don't say anything to her you will regret."

Suddenly, Alice came out of the bathroom. Sally's eyes got big. She put a smile on her face and went limp. She lay on the bed as if nothing had happened.

Carrie put a smile on her face, too.

Alice skipped over to where her precious doll lay. She picked her up and hugged her. Alice's back was to Carrie, and Carrie could see the doll's face. Sally narrowed her eyes and gave an evil grin. She took her finger and slid it across her plastic neck as if to indicate death.

Carrie let out an angry breath.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Carrie jogged downstairs and opened it. It was Megan and Raymond!

"Hey there, Carrie," Ray started. "We took off work to just stay home with our child."

Megan said, "I got to work and I just had this urge to come home and protect my baby,"

"So, can I have the rest of the day off?"

"Yes, sure."

Carrie gathered her stuff and went home, wishing the Cooks a Merry Christmas.

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