Delving Part 2

Rose's body tensed as she revealed what lay beneath the cap.

They weren't asleep, or unconscious or dead. They weren't even alive.

It was... a doll? A blank, lifeless face stared back at her

Rose tensed her jaw, her brow furrowed. What the hell was this? Why was it dressed like her? The girl could feel her anger rising.

As if in response, the voice returned; louder than ever before. So loud, so pronounced, that the blonde jumped back in fear.

"Like I said, I missed you so much, Rose."

The girl was at the edge of her patience. "Who is that?! Show yourself!"

At last, the voice responded. "Why are you angry, you don't like playing with dolls, Rose?"

"No! Just tell me who you are! Why am I here?"

The voice seemed to consider that. "All in good time." It paused. "And are you sure about that? Rose loves playing with dolls..."

The blonde shrieked through clenched teeth. "Answer my question!"

"I'll think about it... for now..."

The house seemed to lurch; Rose nearly lost her balance as the world shuddered. A severe vertigo washed over the blonde; her eyes snapped down to see the world rushing up towards her. The torch in her hand felt suddenly heavy, it slipped from her grasp. She screamed, and then the world went dark.

No, not entirely dark. Her flashlight... where had it gone?

Her eyes adjusted slowly, and she took a step towards where she thought it must have dropped. Yet there was a sudden resistance in her stride, she felt a stiffness in her motion. There was a coolness against her forearms and... a tightness at her waist?

As her foot connected with the floor, the sound of her shoe was... loud. Pronounced. It didn't sound like the step of a sneaker at all...

At last, her eyes were adjusting. 

The room seemed far away. Her eyes focused on her surroundings. The roof... why was it so high?! The torch! She needed the torch and yet... it was nowhere! Where had it gone? She hadn't heard it roll away!

Again, she tried to move and there was a rustling of stiff fabric... It was then her eyes looked upon her body...

Gone was her zip-up hoodie, her jacket, her jeans, her shoes, and everything else! In their place was some freakish attire! She stepped back from herself in horror. She had been donned in some stiff petticoat, she could feel itchy bloomers beneath the dress, wrist cuffs, socks, a bonnet and mary janes adorned her feet!

"No fucking way..." she said, barely more than a whisper.

Then, she heard something dragging against the surface of the wood, and the stiff rickety movements. It sounded like her sneakers... Her eyes looked ahead into the gloom and saw the legs of the mannequin that was dressed like her.

Its legs... they were... moving?!

Not just that. It was enormous!

"W-what?! No! No way!" Shrieked the girl.

Rose barely had time to comprehend it. Somehow the world had gotten much bigger, and the previously lifeless mannequin was moving. Sitting up in the chair, regarding her with those lifeless eyes - fingers connected wooden joints grasped the edges of the chair, pulling itself forward.

"Like I said, Rose loves playing with dolls..."

The young woman finally understood. The world wasn't bigger, she had gotten smaller! The stiffness and itchiness of her attire - it was made for a doll!

"S-stay back!" The shrunken woman roared at the now much larger wooden creature.

"If you want any answers, you'll have to play first. Rose loves to play hide and seek... Fair warning though: I wouldn't let her find you..."

Sweat beaded on her skin as terror swept over her. The horrific mannequin of herself lifted out of her chair, towering over her diminished size. Rose realized this thing wouldn't respond to her, and so had only one option! She had to run - she had to run and hide and hope this wooden terror was both slow and dumb!

The dwindled Rose turned on her heels and shrieked as she fled, deeper into Crescentwood Manor...

The End...?