Can I tell you that the week that followed I couldn’t sleep? I couldn’t because of the crying. Sarah can hear them too. She always put the doll on the floor and, bless her, she can sleep through it. But I could not. And every day it’s louder and louder. At this point I was sure I was loosing my mind. I asked John where he bought that doll. He told me that it was a local store in town but didn’t remember exactly. And of course, every time I mention the crying, he look at me like I’m crazy. See, he doesn’t hear them.
But I cannot be crazy if Sarah hears them too. To what he replied that I must have put this in her head because, and I quote « children mimic their parents ». We had a huge fight, I told him that since he thinks this way, he can sleep on the couch, away from the crazy mother who put horrible things in her child’s head.
I cried like a baby that night. The lack of sleep, the fight with my husband, the doll…
I took a long shower and went to Sarah’s room. She was asleep. The doll was on the floor and I decided to take it with me to bed. The crying stopped as soon as I picked her up. Sarah turned on her bed. I froze. She doesn’t like when I take Edith. She thinks I’m gonna throw it out and be done with it. As much as I want to, I could never hurt Sarah that way. I just wanted some quiet moment. I put the doll on John’s side of the bed and fell asleep.
I woke up in a freshly made grave. I could see the sky above but my arms were bound in front of me. My feet too. I tried to scream but my mouth was covered by tape. I tried to move, put myself up when I heard something. Someone. A masked man appeared above me, a shovel in his hand. « You can wiggle all you want » he said in a creepy deep voice, « there’s nothing you can do now ». I was terrified. I tried to scream. I could hear the man shoveling and soon dirt started falling down on my body, my face. Soon I was completely covered. And I started to suffocate. I woke up searching for air.
To my relief, I was back in my bed. I looked at the doll and screamed. It was covered in worms. I feel from the bed, backing as far away as I could. John burst in the room. « Lynn! What happened!! » I just pointed at the doll. At this moment, Sarah screamed. She was in the doorway. « THE WORMS!! » she screamed pointing at the doll. My husband grabbed her in his arms and got her out.
I was still on the floor sobbing when John came back. He was angry. « This has to stop Lynn. You scared Sarah to death » « It’s not me! » I said through my tears « it’s the doll! You have to believe me John, you have to ». He leaned towards me and took me in his arms. « I know, there, I’m gonna help you. » I cried so much. John took the doll away. Of course, he couldn’t see the worms. As soon as he touched it, the worms disappeared. This was something else. Something beyond this world. I’m not religious but the thought of bringing in a priest passed my mind. « John! Are you still in contact with that priest? » « You mean Robert? Robert Wagram? » « Yes! Yes, that’s him! Does he still work at the church? » « I think so, he said, but this is crazy, we’re not calling a priest! » « You said you would help me! » « Yeah! By getting you a doctor, not a priest!! » I pushed him away. « Fine! I’ll do it myself! You can go back to your couch! » I grabbed the doll and threw it on the bed. It laughed.