One Step Closer... - By Giselle

                                            One Step Closer...

Alma breathing heavily, her eyes moving side to side making a sound “clunk” “clunk”. Alma stops breathing to think about what has happened then a voice of innocence and despair says “what's done is done it’s over.” Alma screams “WHO ARE YOU!!!” As loud as she can but all she can hear is the slight soft voice coming from her mouth. Once again the innocent voice comes back “ I'm right next to you.”  Alma with all her might tries to move her head  “a- a doll “ Alma stutters “ you’re a doll? “ And you are too, says the doll. 

”I’m Felice Alcott.” says the doll.  Alma says, “you are the young girl who went missing a month ago... aren't you?“ Falice says, “ yes... yes I am. A month ago I was walking back home, I saw a black board with names on it. I was tempted and wrote my name on there too. But then I heard a noise, it sounded like a squeaky door. I turned around and there was a doll with milky brown hair like me and  had a black dress with pearls on it, just like mine, I was intrigued but … I wasn't willing so I left...Alma says “then why are you here... HOW ARE YOU A DOLL?” 

Felice says '' Let me finish. I left the store but then... the door opened and A- A woman came out she had cracks in her face. I tried to run but She grabbed and pulled me back into her shop, forcing me to touch the doll and I….did, next thing I know I'm on a shelf.  Alma said “ do you know who this woman is?”  “Yes, yes I do” said Felice. She goes by the name of Malvada Muñeca. It’s Spanish for evil doll. In 1865 she was hit by a car at the age of 23. Her father Ambrose, did not bear to see her die so he  did all he could to bring her back. His wife Adelaide had had enough of his behavior and she begged him to stop. She said  “its over, she's gone, she's NEVER..EVER.. COMING BACK! Ambrose was furious he stormed out slamming the door behind him … BAM.“ Ambrose packed his bags to get away from Adelaide when suddenly something dropped onto his bed, a doll. 

That day Ambrose traveled to the south woods with his daughter in his arms  to find the man called Alatar, he's a sorcerer. Ambrose explained what had happened to his daughter. Alatar put a curse on the child, He said “ she will survive. But she will have to steal souls and youth from children to survive.” Ambrose loved his daughter so he agreed Malvada was brought back to life and her father taught her great evil . 

Alma asked “how do you know all of this?” “ I've been here for a month. I know all the history of what happened.  Malvada knows what she has done…..”

“OKAY, NO MORE!” Alma said.  “ What do you mean” asked Felice. “We have to escape” Alma replied. ”How, HOW in the world are we going to leave this place” asks Felice with a feeling of helplessness. Alma stutters “break ourselves.” Alma continues  “BREAK THE DOLLS, we have to try to land on the floor so we can break and maybe we will restore to our normal selves. '' 

“ WHAT IF WE DIE”  Felice asks. Alma responded “what do we have to lose or would you rather spend an eternity  standing on a shelf knowing what could have been done” Felice finally agrees. Moving slowly Alma and Felice finally make it to the edge of  the shelf. Looking scared but still confident Felice and Alma lean forward and topple over shattering onto the ground, their souls evaporate out of each doll and slowly reform back into their human bodies. 

A woman came in from the storage room, immediately Felice recognized who it was. Felice, softly whispers to Alma saying “its her.. .the Monster...The most horrible human being living on earth..It- it’s Malvada Muñeca.”  So much anger and rage was on  Malvadas face when she saw the girls and the shattered pieces  she was furious. Moving backwards out of fright Alma bumped into a doll, it fell onto the floor and broke. Another person was set free. Malvadas said “that's not going to work for every doll, naturally in real world it's a circle of life you’re born, you live your life, you have a kid, then you DIE but not when you’re a doll. If you break a doll that’s has been here for more than one year they will die, want me to prove it?  ”Alma screamed NO!” 

Alma notices a match on the floor; she quickly lights it up by scratching it  on the wooden floor “screee.” Before Malvada could notice. Alma threw the match at Malvada.

As she burned cracks appeared on Malvadas face. Malvada saw a flash of a vision of her past...who her mother and father were but most of all….who she was before she was possessed by evil. There was acceptance on Malvada’s face as she burned into ashes. 

Quickly Alma and Felice put out the fire, after an hour of looking they found a file of the dates when the dolls were brought to the store Alma and Felice freed all the early comers but had to leave the children who had been taken earlier behind. Leaving the store Alma noticed a doll who looked familiar and had an amulet just like her. Alma took out a picture of her sister who went missing  6 years ago when Alma was 5…”It's my sister Avangiline” she thought. Alma wanted to set her free but she knew if she broke the doll Avangiline would die. Allma sat down next to here sister and thought of all their good memories. Finally Alma left the store saying “Happy 20th Birthday Avangiline....you will never be forgotten.”

After all the commotion Alma and Felice reported  to the police all the paranormal happenings within the shop. Luckily they had 90 kids who could back them up. The doll shop was closed down and was turned into a shrine for people to put pictures of their lost loved ones. 

Later, Alma and Felice were called heroes of Spain and the gratitude was never forgotten. The children went back to their families and Alma and Felice started a magical friendship that lasted forever.

THE END…………..