The Doll’s Ghost by F. Marion Crawford, 1894
The magic trick:
Raising the stakes on a supernatural story by having a young child go missing
There’s something really creepy about dolls. Some might say that what’s even creepier is an old man who obsesses over dolls. Just a thought.
This story has both.
Anyway, in addition to the creepy doll, we also have a missing child. A human being child. Not a doll. So even while we’re scared by the supernatural, there are very real stakes too. And that’s quite a trick on Crawford’s part.
The selection:
“Pa-pa,” it said, with a break between the syllables.
Mr. Puckler stood up in a single jump, and his chair fell over backwards with a smashing noise upon the wooden floor. The candle had almost gone out.
It was Nina’s doll voice that had spoken, and he should have known it among the voices of a hundred other dolls. And yet there was something more in it, a little human ring, with a pitiful cry and a call for help, and the wail of a hurt child. Mr. Puckler stood up, stark and stiff, and tried to look round, but at first he could not, for he seemed to be frozen from head to foot.
As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.
Subscribe to the Short Story Magic Tricks Monthly Newsletter to get the latest short story news, contests and fun.
Short Story Magic Tricks 