Okay so this post is gonna be a few things. An experience I need to share, so I can make some family confessions, and hopefully find some help on making things right, and it all revolves around a possessed doll. If that sounds cliché to you, congratulations you get a cookie, but it’s the simplest way I can describe it. I guess I should supply a bit more detail about this all so hopefully that you might understand my situation a bit more, and hopefully help me out
It all started with my grandma. She was a huge collector of old fashioned porcelain dolls, the real uncanny ones that made me dread going over the river and through the woods. They all had unnerving details, and the fact they’re all nearly centuries older than me, made them even more unsettling. It’s strange how something as simple as age can cause things to seem more unsettling. There was one doll, however, that always stood out among the rest, Shelly. Shelly was an old Victorian era doll, dressed as a dutchess from France, who had her own room, completely decked out in furniture and toys. Shelly herself was kept in a glass case lined in velvet. You’d be well within your right to believe this would have something to do with grandma having some sort of favoritism towards the doll. The case however, was quite the contrary. She never said it out right, but it was clear she hated that doll. I don’t think I remember seeing her even go near the room once, in fact she kept it tightly under lock and key…well, a few locks and keys. The point is granny was not very fond of the thing.
I never really had a problem with her keeping it under the carpet, that doll always gave me a strange sense of sadness that I couldn’t explain, and even in my younger years, I knew there was something…something very different with the doll, and I didn’t want to upset it. “Curiosity killed the cat” and all that, but much like death and taxes, having to deal with the thing myself was inevitable. See my grandma has recently passed, and the oh so depressing job of cleaning out her home fell on to yours truly. I mean I wasn’t alone, as my little brother Stephen tagged along too, however he was more focused on reminiscing over the place rather than helping me clear it. It didn’t take long for us to reach the main doll room. “wow…you know they somehow look creepier seeing them with more refined eyes.” Stephen said bumping my shoulder, and he was 100% right. In our younger years I never took any real time to study any details, or maybe I just couldn’t notice, but now I was able to clearly see down the uncanny valley they sat at the bottom of, especially the eyes. There was something so real about them, yet at the same time absolutely cartoonish, like real human eyes bulging unnaturally far out of their sockets.
After carefully packing away the old dolls and bringing them out to the car, it was time for the big one, Shelly’s room. “Oh absolutely fuck that, i’m not going in there” Stephen began as we reached the door. I sighed and looked at him. “Dude you and I both know how much stuffs in there to pack away. it’s just a doll.” I said sternly, but he was quick to retort. “Yeah, and you and I also both know that doll is some straight up Conjuring shit, I’m good.” he said. “I’ll pay for lunch on the way back if you do it yourself.” he added with a sly grin. After a few moments I let out a long sigh. “Better be a real damn lunch then” I said before revolving around grandmas key chain until I was finally able to open the room, and it i’d be lying if I said I didn’t jump a bit seeing the doll, something about how clean and shiny her case was sent a chill down my spine I couldn’t understand. Once I was able to recollect myself and observe my surroundings closer I was…underwhelmed. This was my first time fully stepping foot in the room, I was expecting either a murder scene or a bedroom fit for the Grady twins, but that wasn’t the case. Just an average suburban house bedroom fit for a young girl. I mean sure it was definitely a little unsettling that it was all for a doll, but it wasn’t anything too alarming, so I began to pack up
While I was filling up my second box I heard something that put me in a brief state of paralysis. Ever so soft and faint, yet the ever so recognizable sound…of someone tapping against glass. I managed to swallow my fear and turn to face the doll to see it exactly as it was when I entered the room. “ah man I must be losing it” I whispered to myself as I walked closer to the glass case to inspect the doll more. The first thing I noticed was her eyes were far more realistic, if it weren’t for the slight glassy gleam that came off them, the second thing I noticed was when her eyes…blinked. I quickly stumbled onto my ass before looking up at the case. It was just for the briefest of seconds, but enough for me to see it clearly. I slowly brought myself back to my feet and looked at the doll, staring deep into its glassy eyes, as they blinked once more. I was about to just run out of the room and say fuck the rest of granny’s stuff we got most of it, until I heard something that froze me where I stood.
“My, you’ve certainly grown into a handsome young man Logan.” I heard in a soft, woman’s voice, a tone filled with a strange mix of joy and melancholy if that makes any sense. Something that sounded comforting and soothing, yet ominous and saddening. I turned back to the case and could only stare at the small porcelain girl as my head ran laps trying to figure everything out. “Yes that was me” I heard again, but the dolls mouth didn’t move, and it’s not like I was hearing it as some telepathic conversation bullshit, no I was very much hearing it with my ears. I went to speak but no words could come out, I was too in shock, so Shelly pushed the conversation forward herself. “You’re probably wondering who I am huh?” She asked. I slowly nodded, trying to ignore the fact I was talking to a living toy. “Just say my name, and I can show you.” She whispered softly. I was hesitant at first, before taking a deep breath. “Shelly.” I said, almost in a whisper, and as I did the room went dark, only for the briefest of moments, but when the lights returned, the room was far from the same.
I quickly began looking all around as I suddenly found myself in a large, luxurious ballroom. Even I had been given a bit of a makeover, as I suddenly found myself wearing a nobleman party coat from the mid 1800s. I even aged down a few years. “I suppose this would be the best place to start.” I heard shelly from behind me, but when I turned around I wasn’t met with a doll. No, I was met with a young woman, and quite an attractive one at that. an extravagant dress cut to show an hourglass figure, long Black hair, fair pale skin, and a pair of baby blue eyes that were almost hypnotizing. Before I could speak she had suddenly grabbed my hand and we began to dance. It was the strangest thing, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing or how to dance, yet it was just happening so naturally, as if I’ve done it 1000 times. She soon began to explain exactly where we were. “Philadelphia Pennsylvania, july 7th, 1839. I had just arrived in America with my father to meet a proper suitor. I was brought to the traders guild ball where I met Liam, son of a noble merchant, and clergyman” she said. Something about that name sounded so familiar.
Suddenly the lights went out again, and once again upon their return the room had changed. This time in an immaculate living room, one that drowned me in a wave of complete euphoria and ease. I felt more comfortable in this unknown room than I ever have in my own home. I had been seated by the fireplace with a book in hand, one about the history of trade routes from America to the outside world. Next to me a small window to show a heavy snowfall. “ january 3rd, 1842 Liam and I would end up settling down on his family’s land. A ‘small’ log cabin he had built shortly after our fathers agreed Liam was a suitable choice to marry me off to.” I heard from my left, too see Shelly once more, it seems she had gotten older too. Upon further inspection I realized the same had happened to me. I was now roughly 20 again
I felt a few gears start turning in my head after hearing what she said and examining the room more, but before I could ask anything once again we had been transported again. I found myself standing in the middle of an outdoor market, however as I looked around I quickly realized this time…I was alone. Before I could question anything an intense wave of dread and panic filled my body and I began running. I didn’t know why or even where I was running but my head told me I needed to be there and my legs moved on there own as if they had the directions, and I arrived to see a log cabin…completely up in flames. I suddenly collapsed onto my knees and began crying for no known reason…until she came back.
“august 8th, 1850, While liam was at the market for the day, his family had come to visit. His mother began thanking me for this decades donation, then sliding a blade across my throat. As I bled out she told me many times that my doll would be much more prestigious then the rest for making their son so happy, before taking my body to their workshop, returned what was left of me to our home, setting the ablaze to cover up my murder once Liam had returned” I turned my head around slowly to see shelly once more…completely charred to a crisp, with a deep laceration across her neck, along with several larger once all around her body. Her beautiful baby blue eyes, completely gouged out. Suddenly I realized what I had been seeing weren’t Shelly’s memories, they were Liam’s. “Why are you showing me this?” I muttered, almost worried about receiving the answer, which was well justified once I did.
“Because you need to know what your family truly is. You’ve died once thinking the monsters around you were saints.” She said with a slight sting in her voice. “I did a slight double take, the fear in my body being completely replaced with confusion. “What do you mean I already died once?” I asked. She slowly raised her hand up to my cheek. It was rough, and burnt, yet it gave me an overwhelming feeling of comfort. “Don’t forget Logan, I watched you grow up from your voice to your face hasn’t changed a bit, the very same face as my husband’s all those years ago. centuries could go by, I’d never forget those eyes.” she said, and once she did for a brief moment, my past life flashed before my eyes. However, once that realization died down, the fear returned as I remembered the first half of her statement. “So then what was my family?” I asked cautiously. Her answer will haunt my dreams
“The Von Derbins are a clan of organ trafficking, human sacrificing cultists who do business with devils. Paying them with blood and bone, in exchange for gold and glory.” I felt a burning pool of stomach bile begin to climb my throat as my mind began processing her words. It only continued to rise once all of it was completely comprehended. “Are?” I asked, the worry and fear filling my voice. She got closer and lowered herself to meet me face to face, the smell of burning flesh all the more potent. “Come on Logan think. Do you honestly think a high school english teacher and a small county contractor make enough money to move their family of 5 into that luxurious three story home of yours.” I felt the world begin spin as a headache began to bash my brain like a hammer, as if it was struggling to take in everything I was being told. It rewinded back to what she said about her death. “What do you mean different from the rest”
She sighed slightly, and while her eyes and most of her lips have been either carved out or melted away, I could tell her face was filled with great sadness. “I’m able to talk to you.” She said softly. It took me a moment for what she said to truly settle in, and god damnit I wish it never did. “So, so that means…” I tried to ask through anxiety filled whimpers. Her response was a slow nod. The stomp bile that had been building up had finally decided to make its way out as I began to think of my childhood days spent at my grandmother’s house. All those days I’ve played with those dolls out of pure boredom. Every horrible thing I’ve said to them out of fear, All the accidental, and sometimes intentional cracks and tears I’ve inflicted out of young child ignorance and lack of care. All of it, everything I’ve done to them…all of it done on people. Living people trapped inside ceramic and sack stuffed prisons.
I completely began to break down. I began to vomit profusely, tears running down my face as thoughts of all the horrible things my parents could very well be a part of. I began to hug myself tightly as I completely collapsed to the ground, crying until I passed out. By the time I regained consciousness, I had been brought back to Shelly’s room, her glass case opened and empty. I looked down to see she had been clutched tightly around my arms. I looked at my phone to see I had gone through all of that…in 3 minutes. I didn’t bother packing the rest of her stuff, just her and her case before quickly running to the car. Stephen must’ve noticed the confusion and worry on my face, as once I got into the car he looked at me raising an eyebrow. “You alright man? you look like you just seen a ghost.” he said with a slight laugh. “Yeah…something like that” I mumbled as I looked out the window. “Um, alright then” He said with a slight shrug as we made our way home.
Now I’m home, writing this. I haven’t told Stephen what I saw. Partly because I don’t want him thinking I’m insane, but mostly because I don’t want him traumatized…at least not until I’m 100% sure my parents are involved with all the fucked up stuff I’ve been shown and told about. I currently have Shelly hidden away in a small stash compartment I made a while back. I’m worried about what they may do if they see her. Hell I don’t even know if they’re aware of Shelly’s sentience…but Grandma definitely did. I’m gonna try going through her old stuff and maybe dig up some information about my lineage. I pray Shelly is just messing with me…but I highly doubt that’s the case