Lucy nestled under her covers, her favorite teddy bear tucked beside her. Her mother’s soothing voice filled the room, reading the final lines of a bedtime story. As she turned to leave, Lucy noticed the closet door, slightly ajar, creaking softly.
Lucy felt a chill run down her spine as she heard a faint whisper, almost as if the darkness was calling her name. "Who's there?" she asked, voice trembling with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
Summoning her courage, Lucy slipped out of bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She approached the closet cautiously, the whispers growing louder. Inside, a small figure emerged—a girl with glowing eyes and an old-fashioned dress, clutching a doll.
"Will you play with me?" the girl asked, her voice a soft echo in the night. Lucy hesitated, her mind racing. "Who are you?" she finally managed to ask.
"I used to live here... before," the girl replied, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "Before they locked me in the closet."
Lucy frantically tried to open the door, her tiny hands pulling at the handle. Just as her fear reached its peak, a warmth spread over her shoulder. "Lucy, wake up!" her mother’s voice cut through the haze.
Lucy took a deep breath, relieved it had been just a nightmare. Yet, as she glanced at the closet, the door remained slightly open, and inside sat a doll she had never seen before, its eyes gleaming in the morning sun.
