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I was so startled I dropped the handle I picked up the doll and gripped it tightly as I crept to the other side of the well

An old woainst the trunk of a date pal in on themselves Her black eyes were unfocused and watery She eak

And not alone

Someone was crouched over her, a man aves of black hair and perfect, beautiful skin He held a cup to the old woain, startlingflashed behind the I did not know or understand

The woaze and focused on round as her eyes widened, the whites showing around her irises Thehand on her shoulder, then stared back at me

I felt a roll of sickness deep in es of ulped for air and slowly, slowly rose

The woan to tremble and whisper The man--surprised, curious, but not afraid--leaned his head in to hear her Without realizing it, I took a step nearer too

She whispered louder and louder It was the saain Her frail arer pointed at ain and again And then she began to scream

25

MARA," A VOICE SAID, WARMING MY SKIN

My eyes opened, but the trees were gone The sunlight had vanished There was only darkness

And Noah, next to htmare I let out a slow breath and then smiled, relieved, until I realized eren’t in bed

We were standing by the guest room door I had opened it--?" Noah asked softly

The last thing I reh I shouldn’t have My house was tainted, but in Noah’s arht I left hi low in my mind, thick as smoke But they didn’t fade with consciousness I didn’t knohere I was going in my sleep or why, but now that I ake, I needed to see soot to look

"My bedroom," I answered him, my voice clear

I needed to see that doll

I pulled Noah along behind me and we crept silently to my room Noah helped me unpack the doll from the box I had ento as I looked it over, ht as I held it

Its black s, I didn’t know--and the dress it as newer, but still crude Definitely handmade Otherwise? Otherwise it was eerily similar to the doll inthen

There was a spot of red on the underside of its arm, where she held it

I lifted up the doll’s sleeve

"What is that red?" I had asked the older girl

"Oh," she said, and handed er "I prickedat the doll now, I saw a dark brownish red spot on the underside of its arm Where its wrist would have been