2023 Short Story & Essay Contest: Honorable Mention, Adult Short Story Contest
A piercing shriek broke the quiet calm of the summer afternoon. There in the terra-cotta-colored clay soil, the bony remains lay, freshly unearthed, relieved finally to be found.
It was a little girl named Francesca who first made the shocking discovery. But how did this little girl come upon this ghastly find?
Perhaps it would be best to go back to the week before. Francesca’s parents were attending a technology conference and had decided to leave Francesca and their dog at Francesca’s grandparents’ house.
Upon arriving at her grandparents’ home, Francesca ran to her grandparents, whom Francesca called Nana and Papi. Her light brown curly hair, tied together in pigtails with pale blue ribbons, bobbed as she reached up and spread her arms wide, giving Nana and Papi big hugs. Francesca was an only child and always looked forward to these get-togethers. Besides the family dog, a Basenji named Buddy, she did not have any other companions around her age at home.
After greeting their granddaughter, Nana and Papi led her to the living room, where they had prepared some presents. They always had some gifts ready for Francesca, and these presents were often reflections of their own interests and hobbies. They waited with anticipation to see her reaction.
“These are for you, Francie,” Nana said, handing a pink rectangular box with a large pink bow to Francesca.
“Thank you so much, Nana,” Francesca said as she opened the box. Inside was a book on making doll clothes, a set of “worry dolls,” and a unique foot-long doll with an oversize head and large marblelike eyes. This doll had come from an antique store. Its eyes could blink and the eye positions and colors could be changed with a pull string on the back of the doll’s head. Papi had told Nana that Francesca probably wouldn’t like the doll since it seemed a wee bit creepy to him, with its eye-changing mechanism and slightly mischievous smile. After all, Nana did find it in the back corner of the antique store, and the shopkeeper did seem eager to sell the doll quickly. Nevertheless, Nana found the doll charming, and the shopkeeper did mention that the doll was a specially made custom doll.
“Do you like them, Francie?” Nana asked as Francesca lined the tiny worry dolls in a row.
“I love them, Nana,” Francesca replied as she got up to give Nana a hug.
“I’m so glad,” Nana said as she hugged Francesca back.
“Aren’t you going to open your other presents, Francie?” Papi asked. He handed a box to Francesca.
“Oh, thank you so much, Papi,” Francesca replied. She opened a canary-colored box with a bright yellow ribbon. Francesca took out a book on dinosaurs, a set of miniature dinosaur figures, a plushie brontosaurus and a dinosaur excavation kit, complete with all the bells and whistles, including a brush, chisel, sponge brush, hammer with a pick tool and a replica of a dinosaur fossil in plaster rock.
“Wow, this looks so cool,” Francesca said, looking at the excavation kit. Given the choice of picking between the T-Rex, triceratops and stegosaurus set, Papi had decided on the stegosaurus set, as Nana had insisted he choose the most “docile” dinosaur of the three. If he had been given a custom choice of any dinosaur however, Papi would probably have chosen Fruitadens haagarorum, the smallest known plant eating dinosaur with a rare and unique set of teeth that made it an omnivore. It was first discovered in Colorado, where Nana and Papi lived. Actually, a miniature version of this special dinosaur would have been the perfect gift since there was to be an unveiling of a new exhibit at Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey Museum displaying none other than Fruitadens haagarorum. Papi planned to bring Francesca to the new exhibit’s unveiling since Papi’s friend, a fellow paleontologist, was actually involved in the discovery of Fruitadens haagarorum and was to give a special presentation at the opening of the exhibit.
“Thank you, Papi, thank you, Nana,” Francesca said as she held the antique store doll and brontosaurus plushie in her arms and the books in her hands. “I love you so much.” Then Francesca rushed to the pink kiddie table that Nana and Papi had in their house, gave the doll and dinosaur plushie a seat at the table, sat in her kiddie chair and eagerly flipped through the pages of her new books.
“Well, it looks like Francesca loves all her presents,” Nana said. She leaned her slender frame against the doorway. Her neatly permed silver hair shined in the sunlight pouring through the windows.
Papi turned to look at the doll with the big head. Francesca had started trying out the mechanism to change the doll’s eyes and seemed to be very amused. One moment the doll had brown eyes, the next moment, with the pull of the string, the doll had blinked its eyes and they had changed to purple eyes with a sideways glance.
“Indeed, she does,” Papi replied, scratching his balding head. “But that doll still gives me the creeps,” Papi said as he touched his mustache.
Nana gave Papi a slightly annoyed look. “At your age, you don’t really think that doll is…”
“What if Francesca hurts her finger when she’s playing with that string thing?” Papi interrupted, trying to change the conversation.
“What if Francesca hurts her finger when she’s playing with that excavation kit?” Nana replied sarcastically. “We both know she’ll be fine.”
In the days that followed, Francesca had excavated the dinosaur from the plaster rock and had made several dresses for her new companions. She had named the doll with the big head Bella and had placed some “worry dolls” around the house while carrying one in her pocket.
Francesca had also started having tea parties with her new friends. It was an unusual sight to see, with dinosaurs in tutus sitting beside the antique doll, which was holding a chisel and hammer. The miniature teacups were empty, but Francesca had placed dog biscuits on the plates since the cookies Nana were baking were not ready yet. Papi had returned from walking Buddy and, upon seeing Francesca’s party, took a seat at the kiddie table. He was a rotund man and had to scoot the small kiddie chair back a bit more to sit comfortably at the kiddie table. He placed the house keys and his sunglasses on the table and picked up a miniature teacup.
“Did you have fun walking Buddy, Papi?” Francesca asked as she poured imaginary tea from a miniature teapot into the miniature teacup Papi was holding.
“Yes, Buddy is such a good dog. He never barks, even when there are other dogs or even squirrels.”
“That’s because he sings,” Francesca added.
“Oh, he sings, I see. And what does he sing about?”
“Everything,” Francesca replied matter-of-factly as she picked up a miniature dinosaur. “Are we going to the museum this weekend, Papi?”
“Yes. There is a special exhibit on Fruitadens haagarorum.” Papi usually tried to explain things with the official terms, and did not try to “dumb things down” for kids.
“Oh yeah, it’s that dinosaur you were telling me about. The one that’s really small and was kind of like us.”
“You’re absolutely correct. And how were they like us humans?”
“Their teeth were kind of like ours and they could eat plants and meat. I think it’s called an omnivore.”
“And what is the name of the dinosaur that lived in the water with the really long neck?”
“Elasmosaurus,” Francesca replied without a second thought.
“And what about Aquilarhinus palimentus?”
“A duck-billed dinosaur, except that one is special since its nose is like an eagle’s beak.”
“You’re so smart,” Papi said proudly.
“Just like you, Papi.”
A couple days before the exhibition, strange things began to occur, and the strangeness of the happenings seemed to escalate as the exhibition date neared.
“Have you seen the house keys?” Papi asked. “I’m sure I left them on the table by the door.”
“Are you sure you did?” Nana asked.
“Yes, that is where I always leave them.”
“That’s what you always say when you misplace something.”
“Well, I haven’t lost things in…” Papi thought for a moment, “in a while.”
Nana sighed. “I guess we’ll have to use the spare one. It’s in the drawer upstairs.”
Another item went missing the next day.
“Have you seen my sunglasses?” Papi asked. “I could have sworn I left them on the coffee table.”
“You must have just misplaced them.”
Papi started pacing around with a frown on his face. “I’m sure I left them around here somewhere.”
“Did you look around the coffee table?”
“I’ve looked everywhere but they’re nowhere to be found.”
Francesca noticed how upset Papi was and tried to comfort him. She took out the worry doll she kept in her pocket, opened her small hand and offered it. “Here you go, Papi. Now all your problems will be solved. Just tell Princess Ixy your worries and leave her under your pillow.” Nana had told Francesca the story behind worry dolls. Francesca was particularly fascinated when she learned that worry dolls were based on a Mayan princess named Ixmucane, and that according to legend, she was granted special powers to solve any human’s troubles.
Papi picked up the tiny worry doll, only about 2 centimeters tall, from Francesca’s hand and put it in his pocket. “Thank you, Francie; I’ll try that tonight.” Then he continued looking for his sunglasses, opening drawers, checking under the sofa and eventually searching every room of the house.
That night, Papi started to hear unusual noises. He had gotten up to get a glass of water and was walking in the hallway towards the stairs when he heard a faint wailing sound. Papi froze. The noises stopped for a couple of moments but then started again, gradually getting louder. Papi ran back to his bedroom. The hallway was dimly lit, and as he hurried back, Papi tripped, fell and lost a slipper. He got to his knees and rushed to find his missing slipper, patting his hands frantically around the floor. He grabbed hold of an object and brought it closer to his eyes. He squinted to make out what it was, realizing that it was the antique store doll. Then he suddenly felt the object move slightly. Its closed eyes snapped open. The doll’s red eyes stared straight into his soul. He dropped the doll, got up and stumbled into his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
“There’s something weird going on,” Papi whispered into Nana’s ear. “Th-the d-d-doll….”
“What are you talking about?” Nana asked groggily.
“Did the antique store dealer mention anything odd about the doll? I think it might be possessed. I saw the doll move by itself.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, go back to sleep, dear.”
“But I heard something wailing and my hearing hasn’t gone out yet.”
“It’s probably the wind or something.”
“But it’s not windy.”
“I’m sure there’s an explanation. We can check around the house tomorrow,” Nana said yawning. “Just go back to sleep.”
Papi climbed in bed but couldn’t fall asleep. That doll is cursed. I have to find a way to get rid of it before things get out of hand!
The next morning, Nana and Papi awoke to the sound of “Bella says ‘Good morninggg!’ ” Francesca was holding the doll with the big head. As Papi opened his eyes, what appeared in front of his face was the doll staring straight at him. Then its eyes started to blink and change colors and eye positions. One moment it had blue eyes staring straight at Papi. The next moment the doll’s eyes blinked and changed to pink with a sideways glance.
Francesca lowered the doll and smiled at Papi. “Aren’t you going to wish Bella a ‘good morning?’ ”
“Good morning,” Papi mumbled. Then he got up and hurriedly went downstairs. Francesca followed.
“What happened to your mouth, Papi?”
“My dentures are missing.”
“Don’t worry Papi, I’m sure you’ll find them.”
“Francie’s right. And you’ll be fine without them for now,” Nana added.
“Without my dentures, how am I going to go to the exhibition tomorrow?” Papi asked exasperatedly.
Papi looked for his dentures for hours before finally deciding to give up. He lay on the couch looking dejected. His hands were over his eyes. His worries exhausted him. Now I won’t be able to go to the exhibition tomorrow. I look like a blobfish. And it’s all because of that doll. I swear it’s out to get me.
Then haunting music began to emanate through the house. Someone was playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
“Francie, I don’t think it’s the best time to practice on the piano now,” Nana said quietly. She had seen Papi on the couch. “I think it’s best to give Papi some peace and quiet. Let’s go out and garden a bit, shall we?” Francesca promptly stopped playing on the piano and went out into the garden with Nana.
Papi fell asleep, but slept uneasily as his dreams were riddled with images of the antique store doll.
About an hour later, Papi was awakened by a loud piercing shriek that filled the air. Francesca ran back into the house to inform Papi of an unexpected discovery. “Papi, Papi!” Francesca exclaimed. “You’ve got to come look at this!”
Nana stumbled in from the back door looking pallid. “I think you better come out and take a look. I think Francie has found something odd.”
All three of them went outside through the back door and looked at the small hole that Francesca had begun to dig. There in the soil, the bony structure lay. “Look what I found, Papi,” Francesca said excitedly as she knelt down near the hole, holding a hand shovel.
“We better leave it alone,” Papi said, gently pulling Francesca back from the hole.
“But it might be that dinosaur…” Francesca pleaded.
“No, I don’t think it’s a dinosaur.” Then Papi turned to Nana and whispered, “We better call someone. I think this might be a crime scene.”
Just then, a low wailing sound emanated from the house. Papi froze. Buddy rushed out from the back door and began to dig rapidly at the hole. Before anyone could stop him, several objects emerged.
“Well, look what we have here,” said Nana.
There in the soil, now uncovered, were the house keys, Papi’s sunglasses and Papi’s dentures. Papi knelt down and picked up the objects one by one, trying to dust off the dirt with his hands. Then the low wailing sound appeared again and seemed to be coming from Buddy. Papi looked confused.
“Is anything wrong?” Nana asked.
“That’s the sound I heard last night. You know. That weird sound I told you about.”
“Oh, you didn’t know? That’s the sound Buddy makes, Nana said chuckling. “He’s a Basenji, and he doesn’t bark like most dogs. His breed makes a unique yodeling sound instead.”
Papi thought for a moment and realized that he had lost his keys and sunglasses after he had walked Buddy. He then remembered that he had left them on the kiddie table where there were dog biscuits nearby. Papi realized that Buddy must have taken them after he had snacked on the biscuits. Then Buddy must have gotten hold of his dentures.
“So, it was you all along,” Papi said as he bent down to scratch Buddy behind his ears. As if in reply, Buddy looked back at Papi, turned his head sideways, furrowed his eyebrows, and almost seemed to ask, “Did I do that?”
“You see, Papi, you didn’t have to worry at all,” Francesca said. “Just like Nana says, things do work out in the end. It looks like the worry dolls were helping you all along.”
“Well maybe the worry dolls did help a little, but I have to admit, I didn’t put them under my pillow.”
“You didn’t, but I did,” Francesca said smiling proudly.
Nana, Papi and Francesca walked back into the house, with Buddy following close behind. As the sun set, its rays trickled through the blinds of the house. Papi sat on the sofa, breathed a deep sigh of relief, and chuckled, glad that everything had turned out fine. He glanced over at the kiddie table. There sat Bella. Perhaps it was only the sun playing tricks on his eyes but Papi could have sworn he saw the doll wink.
