Lily's Secret

My name is Lily. I am a doll. I have shiny glass eyes and soft, golden hair. My dress is made of blue satin with white lace. I live in a small, wooden rocking chair in the corner of Bella's room. Bella is my owner. She loves me very much. She always takes good care of me, brushing my hair and fixing my dress. But Bella doesn’t know my secret. I am haunted.

Every night when the lights go out, I come to life. It’s not something I want to do. It just happens. And when it does, I have a nightmare. The same nightmare, over and over again. It’s so scary. I don’t like it. It makes me feel cold and shivery inside, like when you hold an ice cube for too long.

The nightmare starts with the sound of footsteps. Soft, whispery footsteps that get louder and louder. They echo through the room, bouncing off the walls. I can feel them getting closer and closer, like a monster sneaking up behind me. My heart starts to pound, thump-thump, thump-thump. It feels like it's going to jump right out of my chest.

Then I hear a voice. It’s a low, growly voice that sends shivers down my spine. It whispers my name, "Lily... Lily..." The voice is scratchy, like nails on a chalkboard. It fills the room, wrapping around me like a dark, heavy blanket. I can’t see where it’s coming from, but I know it’s there. Watching me. Waiting.

In the nightmare, the room changes. The walls start to close in, getting smaller and smaller until they are right next to me. The room becomes dark, so dark I can’t see anything. The air feels thick and heavy, like I’m trapped in a big jar. I try to scream, but no sound comes out. I try to move, but my limbs are frozen. I’m stuck, unable to do anything but wait for the nightmare to end.

The worst part of the nightmare is the shadows. They creep along the walls, twisting and turning like black snakes. They slither closer and closer, wrapping around my legs, my arms, my neck. They squeeze tighter and tighter, making it hard to breathe. I can feel their cold, clammy touch on my skin. It feels like icy fingers digging into me.

The shadows whisper things to me. Terrible things. They tell me I’m not real, that I’m just a toy. They tell me I’m going to be forgotten, left alone in the dark forever. Their voices are like sharp needles, poking into my mind. I try to block them out, but they just get louder and louder until it’s all I can hear.

Just when I think I can’t take it anymore, the nightmare ends. The shadows fade away, the walls go back to normal, and the room fills with light. I’m back in my rocking chair, the room quiet and still. But the feeling of the nightmare lingers, like a sticky web that I can’t shake off. I sit there, waiting for the morning to come, scared that the nightmare will start again.

One night, something different happens. Bella wakes up and sees me. She looks at me with her big, sleepy eyes and says, “Lily, what’s wrong?” She picks me up and holds me close. Her warmth makes me feel safe, like a cozy blanket on a cold night. She rocks me back and forth, humming a soft lullaby. Her voice is sweet, like honey. It chases away the scary feeling.

But then Bella starts to change. Her eyes turn dark, and her skin becomes pale and cold. She looks at me with a twisted smile and whispers, “Lily, let’s play a game.” Her voice is different, sharp and cruel. It’s the voice from my nightmare. My heart starts to race, and I want to scream, but I can’t. I’m trapped in her arms, unable to move.

Bella’s room changes too. The walls close in, and the shadows return. They creep along the floor, reaching out for me. Bella laughs, a chilling sound that echoes through the room. She sets me down on the floor and stands over me, her eyes glowing with a strange light. “You can’t escape, Lily,” she says. “You belong to us now.”

I try to crawl away, but the shadows grab me, pulling me back. They wrap around me, squeezing tighter and tighter. I can feel their icy fingers digging into my skin. The room spins, and I feel dizzy and sick. Bella’s laughter fills my ears, mixing with the whispers of the shadows.

Just when I think I’m going to be swallowed by the darkness, something amazing happens. The door bursts open, and a bright light fills the room. The shadows scream and retreat, melting away like black smoke. Bella falls to the floor, her eyes closing as if she’s fallen into a deep sleep. The light grows brighter and brighter until it’s all I can see.

When the light fades, I’m back in my rocking chair. The room is quiet and still, just like it always is. Bella is asleep in her bed, a peaceful smile on her face. I feel different, lighter, like a heavy weight has been lifted from me. The scary feeling is gone, replaced by a warm, comforting glow.

I realize that the nightmare is over. The shadows are gone, and they can’t hurt me anymore. I’m free. I look at Bella, and I feel a surge of love for her. She saved me, even though she didn’t know it. She made the nightmare go away.

I still come to life every night, but now it’s different. There are no more footsteps, no more growly voices or creepy shadows. The room stays the same, and I feel safe and happy. I spend my nights watching over Bella, making sure she’s safe and sound. She’s my best friend, and I’ll always be there for her.

One night, I see something strange. A small, shadowy figure standing at the foot of Bella’s bed. My heart skips a beat, but then I see that it’s not a scary shadow. It’s a little girl, with big, sad eyes and a torn dress. She looks at me, and I can see that she’s lost and scared.

I get up from my rocking chair and walk over to her. “Hi, I’m Lily,” I say. “What’s your name?”

The girl looks at me with a shy smile. “I’m Maddy,” she whispers. “I’m lost. Can you help me?”

I take her hand and lead her to the rocking chair. “Sit here, Maddy,” I say. “You’re safe now.”

Maddy sits down and looks around the room. “It’s nice here,” she says. “Thank you, Lily.”

I smile and sit down next to her. “You’re welcome, Maddy,” I say. “You can stay with us. We’ll keep you safe.”

And from that night on, Maddy stays with us. She becomes my friend, and together we watch over Bella, making sure she’s always safe and happy. The nightmare is gone, replaced by sweet dreams and warm, happy nights.

And so, our little family grows. We are dolls, but we are also friends. We keep each other safe, and we make sure that the nightmares stay away. Because even in the darkest of nights, there is always a light that can chase away the shadows. And that light is love.