Each piece of art will be paired with a short story of 200-1000 words. The art will be at the bottom of the chapter.
The prompt list I'm using can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/p/CUSzT18LbFp/?utm_medium=share_sheet
Kimberly had insisted on keeping it when she found it in her new room's closet, and despite my protests, my wife had agreed. Now I have to see it every night as I tuck my own daughter into bed. It sits just above her bed on a shelf with all her other toys, occupying just the right space for it to watch me through the crack between Kimberly's door and the doorframe.
When I walk past her room in the middle of the night, no water which way I look, I can feel the thing looking at me. At one side, my daughter's cracked open door, and on the other, the hallway mirror.
I think the thing I hate most about it are its eyes. Despite being painted on to its porcelain face, they seem to shine at night.
The reason Kimberly loves that doll so damn much is because it looks like her. But I disagree. Kimberly's eyes have never known true malice, while that... thing's icy blue eyes make me feel like it's planning something. I hate it so much.
I cannot wait until Kimberly outgrows dolls. Then I'll finally have the pleasure of tossing that thing in the garbage can.
Maybe I'm letting it get to me too much? I've been having weird dreams lately. In them, I see the thing watching me. But instead of the neutral face it had in real life, it smiles. And then I wake up.
It was like that tonight. I had the dream, woke up, and decided to go to the kitchen for some water. As I walked down the hallway, I accidentally caught a glimpse of the damn thing in the mirror.
But this time, it was different. I wasn't scared.
I was angry.
The next thing I knew, the mirror was shattered. My hand stung, glass sticking out of my still clenched fist.
I pulled it back slowly. Why had I...?
Behind me I heard a voice. My daughter's voice, sleepy, but full of concern. "Dad?" I whirled around, seeing Kimberly rubbing her tried eyes in the doorway of her room.
I hesitated for a second, trying to think of something to say.
But then Kimberly opened her eyes. No...they weren't hers.
They were an icy bright blue.
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