Kelly sat cross-legged on the bed staring at her phone, scrolling through the photos from the party. She tried posting them online once again, but the reception at the mansion was bad, and her grandparents didn’t even have WiFi.
“This place is like a time capsule,” she murmured to herself. She was surrounded by dusty antique furniture and paintings that looked like they hadn’t been moved in decades. The grandiose four-story mansion had been in her family for generations, and while it was a perfect venue for a party, it was also extremely old fashioned.
Still, it was very generous of her grandparents to let her use the place while they were gone for the weekend. The party was a blast. The faint smell of pizza still lingered in the air, mixing with the scent of candles from the birthday cake. Empty bottles and plastic cups were scattered in the grand ballroom, and confetti glittered on the hardwood floors.
But now, as the night grew darker, the big house felt colder and more ominous. The old floorboards creaked with every step she took, and the occasional gust of wind made the curtains flutter, sending shadows dancing across the walls.
Kelly yawned, feeling the weight of the day’s excitement start to take its toll. She had been running on adrenaline for hours, but now her eyes were heavy and her body begged for rest. She knew that cleaning up the party mess would be a daunting task, but it was one she could face in the morning with fresh eyes and energy. For now, she needed to sleep.
As she crushed into the pillow, she heard a faint whisper, “Goodnight, Kelly.” The words were so soft and muffled that she wasn’t sure if it was real or just the echo of her own thoughts. She froze, her heart thumping in her chest. The room was silent except for the ticking of an old grandfather clock down the hall. “Did someone stay behind?” she wondered aloud.
Her eyes darted around the darkened space, searching for any sign of movement. The moon cast eerie shadows through the lace curtains, creating patterns that looked like twisted fingers reaching in from the night. She sat up slowly, clutching the blanket tightly around her. The house was still, almost too still. The silence was so profound it was as if the very walls were holding their breath.
“It’s just my imagination,” she whispered to herself, trying to convince her racing heart that there was nothing to fear. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the headboard, her eyes scanning the room once more before she closed them tightly.
Then, it came again, a little louder this time, “You look good, Kelly. I haven’t seen you in a long time.” The voice was child-like, almost innocent, yet it sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t place where it was coming from, but it seemed to be all around her, a chilling presence that filled the very air she breathed.
Her hand trembled as she reached for the lamp on the nightstand and flicked the switch. The warm glow of the light washed over the room, chasing the shadows into the corners. She scanned the space again. Nothing seemed out of place, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t alone.
Then she noticed it, the doll. It sat on a chair in the corner of the room, its glass eyes reflecting the soft light of the moon. She used to play with it when she was just a kid, when she would spend her summers in the mansion. The doll had been a gift from her great-grandmother, an heirloom that had been passed down through the generations. Its porcelain skin was now chipped and faded, and the clothes it wore looked as if it hadn’t been touched in years.
“Edgar? No, this can’t be real,” she said out loud, her voice cracking. “You’re just a doll.” But the voice had come from the doll’s direction, and she couldn’t ignore the unsettling feeling that grew inside her. She slid off the bed, her bare feet touching the cold floor. The doll’s eyes seemed to follow her as she approached, its head tilting slightly to the side as if it was listening intently.
“I’ve missed you, Kelly,” Edgar whispered. The doll’s painted smile never wavered, and its glass eyes remained fixed on her. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, but it was quickly drowned by a cold, creeping fear.
“What’s going on?” Kelly whispered, her voice trembling. The doll didn’t respond, but the room grew colder, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She could feel something unnatural in the air, a presence that seemed to pulse with malice. The whisper grew louder, more insistent, “Come closer, Kelly. Let’s play. Like we used to do.”
