Maddie

“Mommy, can I go out and play?”

“Yes, baby. Put on your jacket and make sure you stay where I can see you, OK?”

“I will.”

Maddie went over and hugged her mother before heading out to play.

Erica was working in the kitchen and could see Maddie on the swing set out in the backyard. She paused, smiling, admiring sweet seven-year-old Maddie. She and Henry had tried for so long to have a child.

After several miscarriages and three unsuccessful attempts with in-vitro, they decided they would try one more time before giving up the thoughts of having children—their fourth, and final time, with in-vitro, blessed them with Madison. Erica loved Maddie more than life itself.

**********

The phone rang, bringing Erica out of her trance. She laughed at herself for jumping.

She spoke to her mom, while continuously checking on Maddie.

She hung up the phone and walked over to look out the window. Maddie was playing in the sandbox. Erica couldn’t hear her, but she looked as though she was singing or talking.

Smiling, Erica went over to the door. “What are you singing, Maddie?”

Maddie looked up, smiling, “I’m not singing, Mommy, I’m talking to my friend.”

“Oh. Who’s your friend?”

“Her name is Laurie.”

“Well, you two have fun,” Erica said as she closed the door. I’ve never heard or seen Maddie play with an imaginary friend.

Erica went back to working in the kitchen. It dawned on her; there’s a girl named Laurie in Maddie’s class. Maybe she’s just pretending she’s playing with her.

**********

She looked out the window to check on Maddie.

Maddie was nearing the edge of the woods. She had her arm up, hand cupped as if she were holding someone’s hand, and her head turned up towards the right, as though she were talking to someone, but no one was there. She knows the woods are off-limits.

Erica knocked on the window to try and get Maddie’s attention, but she either couldn’t hear her or ignoring her mother. Erica quickly went over to the door to tell her it was time to come inside. She had an uneasy feeling.

When she opened the door, Maddie wasn’t there. In a split second, she had vanished.

Fear and panic took over almost instantly.

Erica frantically began yelling for Maddie.

There was no response.

She yelled for Maddie a few more times as she neared the woods where she had last seen her. She listened for any sign of her, and then she heard Maddie’s laughter in the woods.

Erica’s heart sank. The woods backed up to their property. Erica had been on Henry to build a fence ever since they moved in four years ago. He kept telling her he’d get to it, but never did.

**********

She ran to the edge of the woods and called Maddie’s name again. Maddie’s laughter filled the dense air once again.

Erica ran in the direction the laughter seemed to come from as she kept calling for Maddie. She strained to hear anything from her daughter as she battled the low hanging branches. Erica was so focused on the branches; she didn’t see a tree root sticking up and tripped over it. She caught herself with her hands, stood back up, and yelled Maddie’s name in desperation.

This time there was no laughter. A shrill scream filled the air.

“Oh, God!” Erica shouted.

She yelled out for Maddie again.

“Mommy!”

“Hang on, Maddie! Mommy’s coming!”

“Help me!”

“Where are you, honey?” Erica asked as she stopped to ensure she was heading in the right direction.

Erica heard Maddie crying.

“Mommy’s almost there, sweetie. Keep making noises so I can find you faster.”

“Hurry, Mommy, please!”

**********

Erica stopped and listened. There was an eerie silence. The only sounds she could hear where her rapid breathing and her heartbeat.

“Maddie?” Erica said in a normal tone.

“Mommy, I’m here.”

“Where, baby? I can tell you’re close, but I can’t see you.”

“I’m over here, behind the big tree.”

Erica felt a bit uneasy. Maddie’s voice was calm.

Erica approached the tree. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She went around the tree, and there was Maddie, sitting on the ground, clutching a doll.

Erica let out a sigh of relief, “Maddie!”

Maddie stood, “Mommy!”

Erica picked her up and squeezed her.

“Oh, baby! You know you’re not supposed to go into the woods.”

“Laurie said it’d be OK.”

“It’s not. Don’t ever do that again. There is a lot of danger in the woods.”

“I’m sorry, Mommy.”

Erica gave her another hug.

“Where’d you get the doll?”

“It’s Laurie.”

Erica shivered. She knows Maddie wasn’t talking to a doll earlier when she said she was talking “to “Laurie:. Maybe she found it in the woods where I found her.

Erica carried Maddie back to the house.

**********

Erica decided she would keep a close eye on Maddie. Something felt a bit off about her, but Erica couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was.

“Why don’t you go play in your room, and I’ll make some lunch.”

Maddie grinned and went to her room to play.

Erica made lunch and started up to Maddie’s room. Once she made it to the door, she could hear Maddie talking. She paused and listened to the one-way conversation.

“Laurie, I don’t want to be a doll.”

There was a pause.

“I know.”

Another pause.

“No. I don’t want to share my mommy.”

Silence.

“Just for a day?”

Silence.

“I don’t know. I’ll think about it.”

Erica felt the need to interrupt by opening Maddie’s door.

“Who were you talking to, sweetie?”

“Laurie, Mommy,” she said with a sadness in her tone.

Erica set the tray down on Maddie’s play table.

She went over and pushed the hair out of Maddie’s face and put it behind her ear.

“Are you OK, honey?”

“Yeah.”

“Is there anything you want to talk about?”

“No. I’m just tired.”

“Alright. Are you ready to eat lunch? I thought we could sit here and eat. You can take a nap when we’re finished if you like.”

Maddie looked up at her and nodded.

“Are you sure you’re OK? You look sad.”

Maddie smiled and hugged Erica.

“I’m fine, Mommy. I love you.”

“I love you more than you’ll ever know, sweetie,” Erica replied.

She hugged Maddie a little tighter, “Let’s eat so you can get some rest.”

Maddie smiled and sat across from Erica.

As they ate their lunch, Erica kept getting creeped out by Maddie’s new doll. She felt a negative presence. She kept finding herself looking at what Maddie called Laurie.

When they finished eating, Maddie got up and laid down on her bed. Erica rose, went over, and covered Maddie with a blanket.

“Do you want me to stay in here until you go to sleep?”

“No. I’m OK. Will you hand me Laurie, please?”

Erica picked up the doll. Looking at her was creepy enough, but actually touching her sent a shiver down Erica’s spine. She felt as though the doll was staring at her and swore the doll’s smile grew wider when she picked her up.

She laid the doll next to Maddie. She kissed her on the forehead.

“Don’t forget to kiss Laurie’s forehead, too, Mommy.”

“What?”

“Laurie needs mommy kisses, too.”

Erica smiled, and kissed Laurie’s forehead. She was startled. Laurie’s forehead felt warm, not cold like porcelain.

“What is it, Mommy?”

“Nothing, sweetie,” Erica said as she feigned a smile and stood.

She walked over to the door, looked back at Maddie, and told her to have a good nap. She pulled the door to, but not before noticing Laurie one last time. I swear her face was parallel to the ceiling. Now, the doll was looking at Erica.

**********

Erica hung out upstairs until she knew Maddie was asleep and then went downstairs.

Erica was folding laundry when she heard a stair creak.

“Maddie?”

There was no answer.

Erica peaked her head around the corner. No one was there.

She brushed it off and went back to folding the laundry.

She heard another sound. This time, it came from the living room.

“Maddie, sweetie, are you in there?”

Silence.

Erica went into the living room to see if Maddie was in there. She wasn’t. Erica went upstairs to see if Maddie was still asleep.

Erica took a deep breath before opening her door. When she looked in, Maddie was still asleep. However, her doll wasn’t in the bed with her.

Erica walked in to see if the doll had fallen out of the bed. It was nowhere to be seen.

Erica felt another shiver come over her.

She went back downstairs. When she hit the landing at the bottom of the steps, she froze. Sitting on the couch looking at her was the doll.

Erica felt as though she had just been punched.

She went over to the doll and picked her up, “How did you get down here?”

“I love you!” Laurie said.

“What the…”

Erica looked for a pull string or anything that would cause the doll to speak. There wasn’t anything. It was a normal porcelain doll. The head, arms, and legs were porcelain, and the body was stuffing filled cloth.

She threw the doll down and went upstairs to Maddie’s room.

Maddie was still asleep. Erica laid down and held her. Erica must’ve fallen asleep for a few minutes. She woke when she felt Maddie begin to stir.

Erica opened her eyes and Laurie was laying between her and Maddie.

“Maddie, did you go downstairs and get Laurie?”

“Don’t be silly, Mommy. I was asleep.”

“How did she get here?” Erica asked.

“Mommy, remember? You gave her to me before I took my nap.”

“Yes, I did,” Erica responded. “I guess I forgot.”

Maddie laughed, “You’re silly.”

Erica feigned another smile, “What do you want to do now?”

“Can I play outside?”

“I don’t know.”

“Please, Mommy? I promise, I won’t go to the woods.”

Maddie turned to Laurie, “Do you promise not to go to the woods?”

Erica was taken aback that Maddie was asking her doll.

“Mommy, Laurie said we won’t go to the woods. She has a home now and not leaving.”

Erica felt her heart drop.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?”

“Nothing, honey. You can go outside, but stay where I can see you and Laurie, OK?”

“YAY!” Maddie shouted as she jumped up and down with excitement.

Erica smiled, stood, and reached for Maddie’s hand, “C’mon and I’ll give you a cookie before you go out.”

“Does Laurie get one, too?”

“Sure.”

**********

Erica didn’t take her eyes off Maddie. She continuously caught herself staring at Laurie, too.

Why is she fascinated with that damn doll? Why does she treat it like it’s human? And how in the hell did it speak to me?

She looked down at her watch. It was 3:00 PM. It was still two more hours before Henry would get off work and another thirty minutes after that before he’d be home.

Maddie was interacting with Laurie just like she would one of her friends. She was laughing, nodding, and shaking her head, and playing with her.

Something isn’t right with that doll. I need to get it away from Maddie. And I need to do it quickly.

**********

“Maddie, it’s time to come in, honey. It’s dinner time.”

“Aww!”

Erica chuckled and closed the door after Maddie came in.

“Daddy!” She shouted as she ran up and hugged Henry.

“Well, hello there, baby girl. Who’s this you got here?”

“Her name is Laurie.”

Henry looked up at Erica. She was biting her fingernails. She looked nervous, almost distraught.

“Go upstairs and wash your hands. Leave Laurie in your room, OK?”

“She’s hungry, too.”

“She can stay in your room for dinner,” Henry replied.

“Fine,” she said as she stomped away.

**********

Henry went over to Erica and gave her hug.

“Are you OK? You seem out of sorts.”

“No, I’m not. Maddie scared the shit out of me this morning.”

“What happened?”

“She was playing outside. She looked like she was talking to someone and I asked her who she was talking to. She said ‘Laurie’. Henry, no one was out there. I chucked it off as an imaginary friend. Then, I was keeping an eye on her, she was playing when my mom called. I kept an eye on her while I was on the phone, but after I hung up the phone and looked out, she was standing at the edge of the woods, about to walk in. She looked like she was holding someone’s hand, but no one was there. I went to the door to tell her to get away from the woods and she was gone. She just vanished. I finally found her deep in the woods. She was behind a tree holding the doll. She told me the doll’s name was Laurie.”

“Kids have imaginary friends and name their dolls, Erica.”

“Henry, WE didn’t give her that doll. She said she found it in the woods. I HEARD her have a conversation with that damn doll.”

“You heard the doll speak?”

“Well, no. At least not at that point. But I HEARD Maddie talking and it was as though she was responding to the doll.”

“What do you mean not at that point” He asked.

“Well, before that, she told the doll, “I don’t want to be a doll for a day” and then told the doll she’d think about it.”

She paused, “Then, later, Maddie laid down for a nap. She wanted to sleep with the doll. I was downstairs doing laundry and I heard, what sounded like, someone coming down the stairs. Then, I heard another noise come from the living room. I went up to check on Maddie and she was still asleep, but the doll wasn’t with her. Then, I came back downstairs, and the damn thing was on the couch.”

“Maybe you just thought it was with Maddie.”

“No, Henry, I didn’t imagine it. Maddie fell asleep with the doll. I gave her the doll when she laid down. She even had me kiss it on the forehead. Then, when I came downstairs, it was on the couch. I picked it up and it told me it loved me.”

He rubbed his chin and shook his head.

“That isn’t even all of it. I went back upstairs and fell asleep holding Maddie. Maddie started to wake, which woke me. The doll was in between us.”

They heard Maddie come down the steps.

“We’ll talk about this more, later,” he said to Erica.

She nodded in agreement.

**********

“You ready to eat, sweet pea?”

“Yes, daddy,” she said smiling.

He smiled back at her and they sat down to eat.

“Your mother tells me you and your new friend talk to each other a lot.”

If looks could kill, the look Erica just shot to Henry would have done the job.

“We do. She wants to be me for a day.”

The comment took Henry by surprise, “What do you mean?”

“Laurie told me her family died when she was young and wanted to feel loved again.”

Henry looked at Erica.

Erica spoke up, “Does she know how much you love her?”

“Yeah, but she wants parents that love her.”

“What if showed her love, too?” Erica asked.

Maddie looked up at her, “Mommy, she wants you to love her like you love me. She said she can tell she scares you.”

Maddie looked down at her plate, “She doesn’t want you to be scared of her. She loves you.”

They sat silently, eating the rest of their dinner.

“Babe, would you give Maddie her bath while I do dishes and get the kitchen cleaned up?”

He went over and kissed her on the forehead, squeezing her shoulder, “Absolutely.”

“C’mon pumpkin, it’s bath time.”

**********

While Henry was tending to Maddie, Erica sat there for a few moments thinking about the day’s events, and their conversation at dinner.

She got up from her chair and started scraping the uneaten remnants off their plates before rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher.

Erica heard a noise behind her. When she turned, Laurie was sitting in the chair.

“I love you, Mommy!”

Erica screamed.

Henry came running down the steps, “Are you OK?”

He could see terror written all over her face.

She lifted her hand and pointed to Laurie.

“How did she get down here?” He asked.

“You tell me. She also just said, ‘I love you, Mommy!’ to me.”

Laurie turned her head to Henry, “I love you, Daddy!”

“What the fuck?” He said as he jumped back and turned to look at Erica. “Did you make it do that?”

“Are you fucking serious? No! I didn’t do that. Do you think I’d make it do that to myself, too?”

**********

He grabbed Laurie and took her back upstairs. He put Maddie to bed and placed the doll next to her.

He sat down next to Maddie and kissed her on the forehead.

“Sweetie?”

“Yes, Daddy?”

“Tell me about Laurie.”

“What do you mean?”

“Where did you find her?

“I found her in the woods.”

“Why did you go to the woods?”

“She led me to her body.”

“She led you to her body?” Henry asked in a disturbed tone.

“Yes. I was playing with her, but Mommy couldn’t see her.”

“So, you could see her?”

“Sort of. I could see through her, but I could talk to her.”

“Hmm.”

“Then, she told me to take her hand and she led me to her body in the woods.”

“Mommy said you screamed. Why did you scream and yell for Mommy?”

Maddie looked down at Laurie, pulled her to her mouth, and whispered, “It’s alright.”

“What’s alright, Maddie? Why did you say that to the doll?”

“Daddy, her name is Laurie. She doesn’t like when you and Mommy call her ‘the doll’.”

He sat up a bit more.

“I’m sorry. Please continue with your story.”

“I screamed because I was excited we found her body and I got a new baby. But then I got scared because I wasn’t sure if we would find our way out.”

“I see. Anything else?”

She looked back at Laurie, then at Henry, and nodded.

“What is it sweetie?”

She squeezed Laurie again. “She wants to be me for a day so you and Mommy will love her like you do me.”

The hairs stood at attention all over his body.

“What did you say?”

“Laurie said she wants me to be her and she be me for a day.”

She pulled Laurie in so she could whisper in Laurie’s ear.

“What are you telling her, honey?

She held the doll out towards him.

“I told her you would hug her.”

Henry tried not to show fear. He didn’t want any of them touching that doll and he sure as hell didn’t want to hug it.

He smiled, took the doll from Maddie, and gave it a hug.

“Tell her you love her, Daddy.”

“I love you, Laurie,” he said as he patted the doll.

He heard a whisper that said, “I love you, Daddy.”

He quickly pulled the doll away and looked at her.

He laid the doll back down next to Maddie, smiled at her, and said, “I love you, both.”

Maddie smiled at him, “We love you, too, Daddy.”

He leaned in and kissed Maddie and Laurie on the forehead.

He got up, walked over to the door, turned the light off, and looked back at Maddie. He could swear he saw Laurie’s head turn towards him. He felt a lump in his throat and a pit in his stomach.

**********

He closed the door and headed back downstairs. When he reached the landing, he saw Erica sitting on the couch. She was sitting on the edge, sipping a big glass of wine.

She looked over at Henry. “Do you think I’m crazy?”

He stood there for a moment and then went over and sat next to Erica.

Whispering, “I swear that fucking doll told me she loved me and called me ‘daddy’.”

“Did you already forget the doll did that in the kitchen after you heard me scream? You asked me if I made it do that.”

He looked down at his hands, “I guess I’m a bit overwhelmed. This definitely isn’t how I anticipated our evening to go. Maddie had me hug the doll and that’s when it whispered in my ear.”

“We need to figure out how to get rid of it. That thing lured our daughter into the woods and told her she wanted to be her for a day.”

Henry pulled Erica in and hugged her. “How are we going to do this?”

“We need to destroy the doll,” she responded.

“How?”

“I don’t know. Burn her or something. Whatever we’re going to do needs to be done tonight. This can’t wait. Somehow the doll has become an instant influence on Maddie and I’m afraid Maddie may give in to her. Maddie’s only 7. She’s vulnerable and trusting. We can’t let that thing take our daughter.”

**********

They heard a rustle and looked towards the steps. Laurie was sitting there looking at them.

Henry went over and got her.

“I love you, Daddy!”

“I am not your father!” He shouted at the doll.

She turned her head and looked at Erica, “I love you, too, Mommy!”

“I am not your mother!”

Laurie started to make crying sounds. “Mommy! Daddy!”

“SHUT UP!” Henry shouted.

He walked over to the fireplace.

Erica had built a fire before dinner. It was supposed to be a cooler night and she thought a fire would be nice.

He looked over at Erica. She looked at him and gave a single nod. Silently consenting for him to do it.

Henry grabbed the doll.

Laurie turned her head towards Erica, “Mommy! Help me! It’s me!”

“FUCK YOU!” Henry shouted as he threw the doll into the fire.

Erica stood up.

“I’m Maddie!”

“Henry! Wait!” Erica screamed.

“It’s just trying to trick us,” Henry said.

He turned to face Erica. He put his arms around her. They hugged and turned to face the fire. They watched as the doll’s body burn.

Her porcelain head, hands, and feet remained. Henry picked those parts out and smashed them with the fireplace shovel.

He stood, looking at Erica, “She’s not coming back.”

“Let’s go to bed.”

**********

They laid in bed. Erica couldn’t sleep.

“Are you awake?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“I can’t stop hearing her say she was Maddie.”

“She was just trying to trick us, Erica.”

She sighed. Erica wanted to believe him, but something was nagging at her. Something didn’t feel right.

“Our baby girl is in there sleeping without a care in the world,” he replied. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Erica or himself.

She rolled towards him, laying her head on his chest.

Just then, there was a faint knock on their bedroom door.

Erica felt her heart skip a beat and Henry jumped. The knock had startled him.

“Mommy? Daddy?”

“Come in, sweetie,” Erica responded.

Erica reached her arms out for Maddie. She picked her up and put her between them.

“What is it, honey?” Henry asked.

“I can’t find Maddie.”

Erica looked at Henry.

He quickly sat up. “What did you say?”

“I can’t find Maddie.”

“You mean you can’t find Laurie, don’t you?”

She smiled an evil grin, “No, Daddy.”

He quickly turned to look at Erica. All the blood had left his face.

“What do you mean, no, sweetie?” He asked trying not to sound alarmed.

“Maddie said she’d let me be her for a day. We switched bodies before bed.”

Erica screamed, “OH MY GOD! What have we done?”