ARMOIRE
If the armoire had seemed menacing before, now it’s almost unspeakable. Its age seems to have hit it all at once, and the years have left it rotting and vicious. You half expect it to snarl at you as you approach the open doors. The unsettling dolls are also no less horrid, and you desperately try to ignore the sensation of derisive laughter from them as you continue your search. The Salesman’s briefcase sits unlocked on the top shelf. There is also a locked cabinet beneath the main compartment.
You level a stare at the dolls. You remind yourself that evil, haunted dolls are mostly a figment of pop culture’s imagination. Your eyes skip to the one on the far right, which may have just giggled. If any entity does attach itself to a doll, it’s usually due to a harmless sense of mischief. The tall one there, did it just lean towards you? You know that anything truly dangerous wouldn’t bother inhabiting something as harmless as a doll. Soft giggling, ominous in its lack of discretion, has you stepping away from the dolls, forcing your attention elsewhere.
You level a stare at the dolls. You remind yourself that evil, haunted dolls are mostly a figment of pop culture’s imagination. Your eyes skip to the one on the far right, which may have just giggled. If any entity does attach itself to a doll, it’s usually due to a harmless sense of mischief. The tall one there, did it just lean towards you? You know that anything truly dangerous wouldn’t bother inhabiting something as harmless as a doll. Soft giggling, ominous in its lack of discretion, has you stepping away from the dolls, forcing your attention elsewhere.
You remove the briefcase from the shelf and unlatch it, revealing its contents. All that remains inside is this torn poster:
The smell of old leather is almost comforting after the other sensations around the armoire, and in the blink of an eye the Salesman appears in front of you.
“Anything I can do to help, friend. I’m here.”
“I have no idea, I swear on our graves! That night and tonight, the years in between, I have no clue who could hold such a grudge against that little girl. That would take a real vicious-type, right? That lady, Vera, she seemed cold enough, pretty and cold like a viper.“
“Let’s see, after being invited inside, a bit of chaos ensued. There was hurried talk about what to do with the broken down car, and then the neighbor was there. I’m not sure when she entered the room, but she was insisting that something be done about the children. The next thing I know, I’m offered some hot cocoa from a tray, I think Mrs. McDermott was holding it. The cocoa must have been poisoned! I unknowingly take a few sips, then excuse myself to the bathroom. Admittedly, I was looking for Elsie’s room. I wanted her to see the dolls! Before I could find her, however, I heard a blood-curdling scream from the main room. Rushing back, I saw the neighbor, Birdie, hunched over in the hall in a most agonizing-looking fashion. I felt a great pain in my stomach, my vision started to blur, and an awful taste entered my mouth. Nevertheless, I made it back to the others in time to see the corpses of Mrs. McDermott on the floor and Aunt Jane slumped down in a chair. As my vision darkened and I fell to the ground, I saw the boy, standing in the doorway, watching! My goodness… was it the boy all along?“
“Oh, harhar, skeletons, ghosts. Hilarious, kid. Who doesn’t have some ghosts in their past they’d like to put to rest? Well, back when I was a younger fool, I didn’t sell dolls, but wheels. My specialty was pre-owned vehicles, ones that I’d repaired enough to make it off the lot. After that, they aren’t my responsibility, right? Turns out the cops don’t agree, especially when one of those cars is part of a fatal collision… I’m sure I could’ve gotten a judge to see my side of things, but… well I took off instead. Traveling sales kept me out on the road and from hanging around anywhere long enough to be recognized. Though, I think I may have picked up a tail, which is why I was rushing to leave town that day. My conscience got the best of me though when I saw the McDermotts on the side of the road with that storm rolling in. I should’ve ignored it like I always did…“
You remove the briefcase from the shelf and unlatch it, revealing its contents. All that remains inside is this torn poster:
The smell of old leather is almost comforting after the other sensations around the armoire, and in the blink of an eye the Salesman appears in front of you.
“Anything I can do to help, friend. I’m here.”
“I have no idea, I swear on our graves! That night and tonight, the years in between, I have no clue who could hold such a grudge against that little girl. That would take a real vicious-type, right? That lady, Vera, she seemed cold enough, pretty and cold like a viper.“
“Let’s see, after being invited inside, a bit of chaos ensued. There was hurried talk about what to do with the broken down car, and then the neighbor was there. I’m not sure when she entered the room, but she was insisting that something be done about the children. The next thing I know, I’m offered some hot cocoa from a tray, I think Mrs. McDermott was holding it. The cocoa must have been poisoned! I unknowingly take a few sips, then excuse myself to the bathroom. Admittedly, I was looking for Elsie’s room. I wanted her to see the dolls! Before I could find her, however, I heard a blood-curdling scream from the main room. Rushing back, I saw the neighbor, Birdie, hunched over in the hall in a most agonizing-looking fashion. I felt a great pain in my stomach, my vision started to blur, and an awful taste entered my mouth. Nevertheless, I made it back to the others in time to see the corpses of Mrs. McDermott on the floor and Aunt Jane slumped down in a chair. As my vision darkened and I fell to the ground, I saw the boy, standing in the doorway, watching! My goodness… was it the boy all along?“
“Oh, harhar, skeletons, ghosts. Hilarious, kid. Who doesn’t have some ghosts in their past they’d like to put to rest? Well, back when I was a younger fool, I didn’t sell dolls, but wheels. My specialty was pre-owned vehicles, ones that I’d repaired enough to make it off the lot. After that, they aren’t my responsibility, right? Turns out the cops don’t agree, especially when one of those cars is part of a fatal collision… I’m sure I could’ve gotten a judge to see my side of things, but… well I took off instead. Traveling sales kept me out on the road and from hanging around anywhere long enough to be recognized. Though, I think I may have picked up a tail, which is why I was rushing to leave town that day. My conscience got the best of me though when I saw the McDermotts on the side of the road with that storm rolling in. I should’ve ignored it like I always did…“
“I have no idea, I swear on our graves! That night and tonight, the years in between, I have no clue who could hold such a grudge against that little girl. That would take a real vicious-type, right? That lady, Vera, she seemed cold enough, pretty and cold like a viper.“
“Let’s see, after being invited inside, a bit of chaos ensued. There was hurried talk about what to do with the broken down car, and then the neighbor was there. I’m not sure when she entered the room, but she was insisting that something be done about the children. The next thing I know, I’m offered some hot cocoa from a tray, I think Mrs. McDermott was holding it. The cocoa must have been poisoned! I unknowingly take a few sips, then excuse myself to the bathroom. Admittedly, I was looking for Elsie’s room. I wanted her to see the dolls! Before I could find her, however, I heard a blood-curdling scream from the main room. Rushing back, I saw the neighbor, Birdie, hunched over in the hall in a most agonizing-looking fashion. I felt a great pain in my stomach, my vision started to blur, and an awful taste entered my mouth. Nevertheless, I made it back to the others in time to see the corpses of Mrs. McDermott on the floor and Aunt Jane slumped down in a chair. As my vision darkened and I fell to the ground, I saw the boy, standing in the doorway, watching! My goodness… was it the boy all along?“
“Oh, harhar, skeletons, ghosts. Hilarious, kid. Who doesn’t have some ghosts in their past they’d like to put to rest? Well, back when I was a younger fool, I didn’t sell dolls, but wheels. My specialty was pre-owned vehicles, ones that I’d repaired enough to make it off the lot. After that, they aren’t my responsibility, right? Turns out the cops don’t agree, especially when one of those cars is part of a fatal collision… I’m sure I could’ve gotten a judge to see my side of things, but… well I took off instead. Traveling sales kept me out on the road and from hanging around anywhere long enough to be recognized. Though, I think I may have picked up a tail, which is why I was rushing to leave town that day. My conscience got the best of me though when I saw the McDermotts on the side of the road with that storm rolling in. I should’ve ignored it like I always did…“
