The final bell had rung throughout the hallways of the place I dreaded, the place I thought resembled a smaller version of a prison: school. There I was known as the weird girl. I didn't have many friends and I never was really been able to fit in. But the worst was the day when a group of girls told me that I would never be good enough. After that day I didn't plan on trying to change myself, but I had noticed that a trend had started at school. I thought that if I followed that trend I could fit in better, even if I hated it.

All the girls at my school had started collecting dolls. I thought it was weird and creepy but I had to give it a shot.

When the weekend arrived, my mom had promised that we could go shopping. So I decided that a doll was what I wanted. It would be my chance.

We drove to an indoor strip mall where she could shop on one end while I shopped on the other. She gave me some money and I started to explore the group of stores. The further I strolled away from my mom the darker it got. The lights on the roof flickered and I started to get nervous. I continued to walk forward but I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around yet there was nothing. A strong yet horrible odor filled the air the closer I got to the end of the mall. I wanted to turn around and give up.

I took one final glance around and spotted the doll in one of the store windows.

I opened the store door and was met with silence. Nobody was inside except the cashier. And nothing was in the store except the doll. It had dark brown, almost black, hair that matched her eyes. It was wearing a dark red dress with black buttons. And only one hand. The package it was in said the doll could sing. I pushed its button, but nothing. I didn't mind at the time and there were no other dolls left. I smiled thinking of how cool I would be now that I finally had a doll for my collection. I paid for the doll but the cashier just said to be careful with it. I nodded and met up with my mom at the car.

By the time we got home I was barely awake. I sighed and got into my bed. I looked for my new doll and realized it was now on my desk. But the thing was, I knew I had left it in my bag. I let it slide because I thought my mom probably placed it there so I slowly drifted off to sleep. I was nearly out when I heard soft singing. Once I opened my eyes it got louder and I couldn't tell where it was coming from. The mysterious voice sang

“Five fingers. Five fingers. I'm in your mom’s bed. Five fingers, five fingers and now your mom's dead…”

I fully opened my eyes and looked around. Something was in my room. But I couldn't see anything.

“Wh-whose there?” I whispered..

Nobody responded. I started to panic. I tried to move but fear overpowered my body. That's when the singing repeated. And the singing was coming from what I least expected. It was the doll.

“Five Fingers. Five fingers. I'm in your mom’s bed. Five fingers, five fingers. OH look your mom’s dead…”

I couldn't take it anymore. So I ran out of my room to find my mom. I ran into her room but she wasn't anywhere. She had gone missing. My heart pounded out of my chest. There was light tapping sound behind me. It was the doll. I don't understand how it happened so quickly. One minute I'm a happy fourth grader, but the next minute my mother had gone missing, and a doll that I didn't even want in the first place was moving towards me as if it was a predator and I was to be its weak prey.

I was so distracted by my thoughts, I didn't realize that something grabbed my leg. It was followed by a sharp pain. I screamed. What had I done to deserve that? I felt something grab my other leg. So I kicked it trying to get loose and asked for this doll to leave me be. As soon as it was caught off guard I kicked it to the other side of the room. I gathered my strength and headed for the door. I could hear the pounding coming from the doll as it followed close behind. I couldn't let it get to me. I opened the the door and slammed it shut as soon as I left the room. The doorknob shook and I knew I didn't have much time. But where was my mom?

“Mom? Mom!” I practically screamed.

I needed to find her. I am no good on my own. But she can protect me. She was the one who could get me through anything and always DID get me through everything.She keeps me sane. I remember thinking.

I yelled for her again and the footsteps got louder. I turned around only to be face to face with the THING I wished I never thought about buying. I slowly stepped back. I knew that my days were over. But then I heard muffled sounds coming from my room. I didn't have time to second guess my inner thoughts so with all of my courage I ran to my room. And locked the door. The doll banged on the door. It got louder and louder but I had to find where the muffled noise was coming from.

I looked around trying to ignore the pounding, and saw my closet. When I was walking towards the closet the sounds got louder and the pounding got quieter. I shakily opened the door and saw my mom tied up. My eyes gleamed with a slight bit of hope. I untied and hugged her hoping she could stop it, until I noticed that the pounding had stopped.

My mom and I walked towards my room door and my mom slowly opened it and we saw nothing. The doll was gone. And all it left was a note with the words to the song I never want to hear again.

********************

I still don't understand what the song or doll was trying to tell me. And still don't know where it went. Or if there are more. But I do know that I never should have touched the doll be. I only got it to fit in. And I shouldn't have because now I can't go a day without wondering if it's still out there.