Do you like scary stories? How about monsters and things that go bump in the night? If you do, then I have the collection for you. This is an anthology of short scary stories, all of which are original; with more being added as time goes on. If you...
Sometimes, people want to be forgotten. Sarah did. It seemed like everyone in her life--all the bad people--paid too much attention to her. If she wasn't being bullied in school, then her teachers would accuse her of doing something wrong. If it wasn't her teachers, it was her family.
"Sarah, not again! Why can't you do anything right?" They'd say.
"Sarah, you're such a loser." They'd tell her.
Well, one day, Sarah got tired of it all. But she didn't know what to do. Screaming wouldn't help and hurting herself wasn't going to do anyone any good.
That's when Sarah heard about a person called the Name Stealer. It was a goofy name, and she thought the story behind the Name Stealer was equally as silly. Apparently, if you gave him your name, he could make all your problems disappear. It sounded too good to be true. But by now, Sarah had too many problems. She needed his help.
So, during the weekend, she paid his shop a visit. There were lots and lots of masks all over the shop. Some looked eerily real. Others reminded her of porcelain dolls. Even the man who ran the shop wore a mask. It looked like one of those play masks with a frowning face.
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"Are you the... Name Stealer?" She asked.
The man nodded. His voice was deep and inviting. "Yes. Having problems are we?"
"Y-yes." Sarah said, shuffling her feet. "Lots of problems. Is it true, what they say?"
"You mean whether or not I can make your problems disappear?" The Name Stealer asked. He ran his hand over his mask. As he did, the mask's expression changed from a frown to a smile. "Yes. I can make everything go away."
"How do you do it?" Sarah asked.
The Name Stealer laughed softly, putting a few gloved fingers to his mouth. He said, "All I need is a name. I'll take care of the rest. I can't tell you how I do it, of course--that would be revealing trade secrets and such. But just know that I do my work very well."
"Does it cost me anything?" Sarah asked.
"No, no." The Name Stealer said, "Just your name. Now, would you like my help?"
Sarah thought back to all that she had been through. It didn't take her long to make a decision. "Yes." She said.
"What is your name, my dear?" The Name Stealer asked.
"Sarah." She said.
"Thank you, Sarah." He said her name in an odd way. "Now, go and see just how much things have changed."
"Just like that?" Sarah asked.
He nodded. "Just like that."
Sarah wanted to believe him, but as she left his creepy shop, she had a hard time thinking anything had changed. It was getting late. She'd promised that she would meet her friend Becca so the two of them could go out to a movie.
Sarah decided to go through the school yard, given that Becca was on the other side of the street. She was halfway across the field when she saw the neighborhood bullies coming down the sidewalk.
They were going to see her! Sarah froze in place. Worried, she waited to see what they would do. One of the bullies looked up, straight at her. But then they looked back down like they hadn't seen anyone at all.
Sarah smiled. Maybe the 'Name-Stealer' wasn't so crazy after all. She decided to call out to them.
"Hey! I'm over here!" She said.
They kept walking. If they heard her, they made no motion of going over to her. Sarah smiled so wide that her face hurt. If this was going to be the rest of her life, things were going to be good.
Sarah ran to Becca's. She rang the doorbell. Would her friend believe her? After a few minutes, Becca's mom came to the door.
"Hi! Is Becca--"
"Hello?" Becca's mom looked around, confused. "Hello?" She said again.
"Hey!" Sarah said, "I'm right here!"
But Becca's Mom didn't hear her. She didn't see her. She closed the door and left Sarah on the doorstep. Sarah swallowed. Why didn't she see me?
Sarah started home. She ran all the way there. When she got to the door, she opened it and called for her mother. There was no response. Sarah's heart began to race. Why weren't they hearing her?
Then, she noticed the pictures.
Sarah wasn't in any of them. How was that possible? She heard her mother coming down the stairs and Sarah said, "Mom!"
But her mother didn't pay any attention to her. She was looking over some mail. It was like Sarah didn't exist anymore. Her blood ran cold. It had to be the Name Stealer. He had to fix this!
Sarah ran to the Name Stealer's shop. Along the way, no one noticed her. Slowly, even she began to forget her name. When Sarah ran into the shop, she said, "Name Stealer! You have to help me!"
The Name Stealer was at the exact same spot she'd left him. He was wearing his sad mask again. Sarah ran up to him and said, "Please, you've got to help me! When you took my name, everyone forgot about me. My parents--no one sees me!"
"But isn't that what you wanted? For me to take away your problems?" The Name Stealer said in his deep, inviting voice. "Those people mistreated you. It was better that they just forget you than cause you more pain."
"This isn't what I wanted!" Sarah said.
"Fine." The Name Stealer said, "I'll take it all back. But, tell me, what is your name?"
Sarah opened her mouth to speak but... Nothing came out. She couldn't remember her name! She looked to the floor, startled and eyes wide.
The Name Stealer put a soft gloved hand on her shoulder. "My dear." He said. "I can't help you if you don't have a name. It's too bad, really. To be in a world where you don't belong."
He gently ushered her towards the back of the store, past the creepy masks that looked a little too human. Sarah didn't resist. Her mind was swimming.
"But don't worry." The Name Stealer said softly as they came to a door at the very back of the shop. "I do have somewhere you will belong."
The Name Stealer opened the door. On the other side were dozens of other children but none of them had faces. Sarah looked to the Name Stealer, very afraid. His mask was gone now. His face was now that of a young girl. Her face.
Sarah felt her face. It wasn't there.
"In you go now." He said. He threw her into the dark, where all the faceless children were. Sarah turned in time to see him remove her face as though it were a mask. Beneath was an empty hole where a face should have been. The Name Stealer said, "But don't you worry. I'll remember you."
