Curse of the Dead-Eyed Doll by Thomas Kingsley Troupe

Author:Thomas Kingsley Troupe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUVENILE FICTION / Ghost Stories / Toys, Dolls & Puppets / Historical / United States / General
Publisher: North Star Editions
Published: 2020-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Selma held a chip in her fingers and turned it over a few times, like she was thinking really hard. “But the writing wasn’t there after all.”

“Nope,” Al said. “So, it just means my mind is playing tricks on me.”

“How were you not nice?” Selma asked, as if not wanting to let it go. “Because you didn’t ask Robert’s permission before taking his photo?”

The words Al said at the Fort East Martello Museum replayed in his head as if from a recording.

Smile, you creepy-looking thing.

“I might’ve said something not so nice,” Al admitted. “Right before I took the picture.”

Selma dropped her chip onto the lunchroom table.

“What did you say?” Selma whispered.

Al poked at his spaghetti a little more. Suddenly, he wasn’t very hungry, but he knew he should eat. He also knew Selma was waiting to hear what he’d said.

“I might’ve called the doll creepy looking,” Al said slowly.

Selma leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. She cradled her temples with her fingers as if the new information had given her an instant headache.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Selma said. “You not only broke the one rule they gave you, but you threw an insult on top of it?”

The way Selma looked at him, Al felt like he’d taken a big bite from an idiot sandwich.

“Yeah,” he said. “I guess I did.”

Selma threw the rest of her uneaten lunch into her bag.

“It’s a doll, Selma,” Al said, sensing she was angry with him. “I wanted to prove that the whole curse thing was just a far-fetched lie!”

Some of the other students at the table began glancing at them.

“Yeah?” Selma said, turning to look at Al. “And how’s that going for you, so far?”

Al thought about all the bad luck he’d had in the past day.

“People have bad days,” Al said. “I refuse to believe that some old dead-eyed doll sitting on display in a museum is making all these awful things happen to me. It’s just coincidence. Or maybe people are messing with me, thinking it’s funny.”

Selma folded her arms and gave him a dirty look.

“So, someone here at school is making you see words that aren’t really there?”

“No,” Al said. “Don’t be ridiculous. That’s just because I’m exhausted and I’ve got this dumb doll on my mind.”

“Yeah, keep insulting him,” Selma said. “So what did the nurse say?”

“He said I’m probably dehydrated and short on sleep,” Al said. “I drank a bottle of water and took a little nap. I’m fine, now. Really.”

Selma shook her head. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“Nothing else is going to happen,” Al said. “Making a scene in Mrs. Crowley’s class was probably the last of it.”

Al thought about the stuff he didn’t tell Selma, like the face he’d seen in the janitor’s closet or even the noises he’d heard the night before. Considering his friend was already scared of dolls, he thought it best to leave some of the creepier stuff he’d imagined out of the conversation.

“I think you know what you need to do,” Selma said, standing up from her spot at the table.

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