Halloween Tales

The Bald Dolls

"Nina! Daddy is on his way to find you!" Roger called out as he entered the woods behind their house.

A girl's giggle echoed from their right in the distance.

"It looks like Nina has discovered a good hiding spot," Alice whispered to Roger with a smile, though her voice quivered with unease rather than warmth.

The couple continued to move in the direction of their daughter's laughter. Alice pushed a baby stroller, and their infant daughter, Sarah, was engrossed in her toys, oblivious to what her parents were doing.

As they drew nearer to the voice, Roger's heart pounded faster. He noticed two rocks overlapped, creating a small crevice large enough for a child to hide in. Standing a few steps away, he gestured for Alice to be quiet and crept slowly toward the rocks. With a sudden jerk, he peered into the opening, attempting to startle Nina. However, disappointment washed over him as he found the tiny cave empty, and all he could find was a single pink shoe.

A chill ran down Roger's spine, an old fear gripping him as he picked up the abandoned shoe. Alice, seeing the shoe in his hand, panicked, released her grip on the stroller, and released an agonizing scream, her despair echoing through the ghastly woods.

"Nina!"

"Nina!"

"Where are you, sweetheart?"

Yet the unnerving giggles continued to emanate from a distance.

Beads of sweat trickled down Roger's forehead as he clutched the shoe and frantically scanned the area for his daughter.

"How could you let this happen?" Alice's voice trembled as she raged at Roger through her tears.

"Don't blame me; we both didn't see this coming."

"She was your responsibility."

"Alice, please, now is not the time", he pleaded, running ahead in search of Nina. As he scoured the ground for clues, he abruptly stopped and yelled, "Wait! Stop, Alice."

"What? What happened?" she called out from behind.

"I think I found some footprints. Maybe I can track her. Just stay put; I don't want us to destroy the tracks."

He ventured deeper into the forest, where the trees formed a thick canopy, casting eerie shadows even though it was midday. The dense branches swayed gently in the breeze, beckoning him further into the darkness.

"There are small footprints everywhere, Alice!" he shouted.

"Are you sure you're looking properly?"

"Of course I am. Just be quiet and follow me," he ordered, and Alice pushed the stroller a few yards behind him, continuing to call out for Nina.

It had been 30 minutes since their search began, and Roger's poor tracking skills had them going in circles, following random footprints.

"All these tracks look the same... Ugh," he grumbled, coming to an abrupt halt. "I think I've found something, Alice." He bent down to pick up two dolls lying hand in hand on the ground.

"Oh!" Alice cried in anguish. "That one was our daughter's doll," she said, pointing to the doll on his right. Alice sat down, covering her face. "She had it with her all week; she didn't let it go for a moment. Oh, lord! Please, make sure nothing happens to my daughter,", she prayed.

"Who gave these creepy dolls to Nina?" Roger wondered, examining the dolls in his hands. The one on his right had an oddly large head atop a small body, wearing a dusty black dress. Its face was covered in unsightly freckles, and its mouth was open to reveal missing teeth. The doll's head was completely bald, with not a single strand of hair.