Dark December [A Holiday Filled Horror Anthology]

Mr. Doll by: AlisonDeluca

Mr. Doll by AlisonDeluca

"Reason for the return?"

Rosie nearly dropped her over-sized purse when the man behind the counter spoke. You're a mess, Stephanie would say, eyeing up her stepsister's messy chestnut braid, baggy tweed coat, and stammered response to the clerk's question.

But how could Rosie explain the return of such a large gift? It was one of those expensive, massive eye-shadow palettes Stephanie collected like stamps.

"My sister won't be in town for the holidays after all. Her plans changed, she has a big date, and a party, and she can't come to my flat after all," Rosie gabbled. The bored clerk just nodded, scribbled something on the receipt with a pen shaped like a candy cane, and tapped on the counter with one finger.

"I'll add it to the others." The man gestured to a long hall filled with bright objects, an adult version of Misfit Toys. There were exercisers and smoothie makers beside discarded holiday sweaters, droopy Christmas trees, and one gilt-framed mirror staring blankly at...

"What is that?" Rosie interrupted the clerk as he handed over the stapled receipt. "There, in the huge box?"

The man swiveled, and his featured folded into a leer. "Newest product. Interested?" He gestured towards the glass box, large as a coffin. Inside a life-sized male stood, dark lashes shocking against pale skin, straight black hair long enough to brush his shoulders. A large banner over the front of the glass box proclaimed a salacious promise in garish capitals:

MR. DOLL

WILL WARM YOUR HEART

AND EVERYTHING ELSE

Mr. Doll cost the price of the rejected palette and everything else Rosie had in her purse. It had been an unpopular model, the man explained as he rang up the purchase.

Rosie was getting a real bargain, though, he assured her. "It'll learn the way you think. Figure out everything you want before you do, or so I hear. And if you get sick of it, the whole thing is designed to do a self-burial. That's what I hear, anyway. So no commitment, you know? Works for me, ha ha. Want me to call you an Uber?"

Rosie mumbled No, she didn't. In the snow-dusted parking lot, her old truck waited. She would find a way to get the huge thing home, all by herself.

#

The glass coffin rattled inside her truck. When she arrived at her apartment building, Rosie found an old dolly. How fitting, she thought as she wheeled the squeaky thing out and slid her new purchase onto the ground.

A small readout panel appeared on one side and flashed at her. SELF-DESTRUCT MODE? 1 FOR YES / 2 FOR NO

Her hands shivered with cold and effort as she jabbed the 2 button.