Chapter 3:
Getting Spooked
Mom woke me up the next morning and told me to eat breakfast, take a shower and start doing chores before my uncle and Kyle came over. I asked her about Lindsey, and mom said that she's going to do chores also. I got up and stretched and looked at the Slappy doll; he was smiling evilly. I didn't really care what expressions he was making, so I went upstairs to eat breakfast.
When I walked into the kitchen, I saw Lindsey eating breakfast already. She looked up from her cereal and at me.
Lindsey: I didn't want you to scare me with Slappy again.
Me: I wasn't going to anyway...
Lindsey: (a little mad) But thanks to you, I have to do chores!
Me: (annoyed) Hey! You're not the only one who has to suffer!
I got out a bowl and poured some cereal for myself, and as we were eating quietly, I saw mom come into the kitchen to tell us that dad was home from his job. She said that he's sleeping right now, and that he needs rest before tonight.
Me: What's going to happen tonight?
Mom said that right after dinner time, our uncle, dad and herself are going to go out to some grown-up party, and that Kyle was going to spend the night here watching us; our older brother can't because he's staying with some friends for a couple of weeks (don't know why, though.)
Mom than left the kitchen to go take a shower. Lindsey looked at me worriedly.
Lindsey: (a little scared) Staying here alone with that creepy doll?...
Me: You're not going to be alone; Kyle and I are staying with you, too, you know!
Lindsey: That's not what I meant. I mean that there will be no grown-ups to watch and protect us from... that doll...
Me: (annoyed) Will you get off it, Linds! That doll is not real!
Lindsey groaned and started eating her cereal again. She, of course, was going to be done eating first, and when she was, mom came out from the bathroom and into the bedroom. The parents bedroom was right across from Lindsey's.
Lindsey put her bowl in the sink and she went into her bedroom to get her outfit she was going to wear after she got out from the shower. When I was finally done with my cereal, Lindsey was already in the shower, so I just went downstairs to my bedroom and got my outfit ready.
I looked over to the Slappy doll in the corner, but he didn't change expressions like he would do every time you would look at him.
Me: (to myself) Dolls can't be alive... or are they?
Before I had time to answer that question for myself, Lindsey came downstairs to tell me to go take a shower.
Me: You're not my boss, Lindsey!
Lindsey: I never said I was your boss!
I grabbed my outfit and went upstairs to go take a shower, but just before I did, I heard mom tell Lindsey to go clean all the windows upstairs (my chore will probably be even worse!)
When I got done with my shower and left the bathroom, I saw mom walk in front of me with a mop in her hand. She pointed to the kitchen and told me to mop the floors. I went into the kitchen and began my "cruel chore."
To tell you the truth, mopping is allot harder than it looks! You have to try to mop every corner there is; and when I was struggling with one corner, I saw Lindsey come in and go over to the large glass door (patio door) and began cleaning it.
Lindsey: (smiling at me) I see you have it worse than I do.
Me: (annoyed) Shut-up, Lindsey!
Lindsey: Hmph!
After about ten minutes of cleaning the kitchen, the phone rang. Our house had a phone in the kitchen, the parents room, the living room, my brother's room, and my room. We have ALLOT of phones.
Me and Lindsey didn't answer it, though, because mom answered it from the living room. We didn't know who she was talking too until after she got off. She came upstairs to tell us that our uncle and Kyle are going to be here shortly, and that we should hurry up with the chore.
We didn't have allot to finish up, so we got done quickly enough before the two came over.
When we got done, we put our cleaning supplies away and went downstairs to the living room and rested on the couch. Mom came down to tell us that while Kyle is here, we don't have to do any chores until she leaves to go home with our uncle.
I looked at the TV and than at Lindsey, who was sitting next to me.
Me: How about we watch some TV.
Lindsey: I don't want too. I want to wait until Kyle comes over.
Me: Kyle... oh, that's right!
Lindsey looked at me oddly, but I didn't care. I got up from the couch and went into my room to get the Slappy doll. I brought it out to the living room and set him on the lounge chair.
Lindsey looked freaked.
Lindsey: Why did you bring him out here?
Me: I want Kyle to see what I got from that convention.
Lindsey: She's going to freak out from him.
Me: (rudely) How do you know?
Lindsey: Well... actually I don't know, but that doll scares mom and me, so it might scare Kyle, too -- (looking at Slappy) and that doll is looking at me again!
I looked towards the lounge chair to see that Slappy turned his head to look at Lindsey with an evil grin on his face.
Me: (confused) I don't remember him looking this way...
Lindsey: (worried) Me either...
Before we had time to think about it more, I and Lindsey heard the doorbell ring. We both ran upstairs and answered the door. Outside from the door was our uncle and right behind him was Kyle, who was holding a large bag.
Kyle is the ONLY cousin in our family. She is a 17-year old "part Goth," (which you already know) and she is a very artistic person, like me. Kyle also loves to play videogames, like me, but she isn't interested in anime at all. Kyle is a serious, fun, and a paranoid person all in one!
Kyle was dressed in black as usual: her shirt was slightly baggy with a pink skull on it, she wore jeans and black sandals, her eyes had black and even her hair was dyed black (and red.) On her neck was a large, black sword necklace with some diamonds inside (wish I can have one!)
Our Uncle came into the house and hugged me and Lindsey. Mom came downstairs and hugged our uncle and Kyle (she hates to be hugged, though.)
Kyle put her bag down to the ground and said hello to us.
Kyle: Hi.
Lindsey: Hi Kyle!
Me: Hey!
Kyle: So... I'm guessing Aunt Linda has told you that I'm going to be watching you for the night.
Lindsey: Yeah, she has.
(Linda was my mom's name) Than I just remembered Slappy.
Me: (excited) Hey Kyle! I got something from this Goosebumps convention that you gotta see!
Kyle: Really? That's awesome! So, what did you get?
Lindsey: (worried/ to me) No, Joey, don't show her. It's freaky!
Kyle: Freaky? Joey, what did you get that's freaky?
Me: Follow me, and I'll show you!
As the grown-ups went upstairs to talk and stuff, I went downstairs with Kyle and Lindsey following behind. As soon as I walked into the living room and pointed to Slappy, Kyle's face went from happy to suddenly shocked and freaked out.
I looked at Kyle; shocked too!
Me: (shocked) You're scared of him, too?!
Kyle: (nervously) Well... lets just say that creepy dolls freak me out, and that one freaks me out the most!
Lindsey: (to me) See, I told you!
Me: (shocked) I can't believe that you two are scared of a dummy!
Kyle: So what?! That doll looks EXACTLY like the one from the Goosebumps episodes.
Me: (happily) I know, isn't it cool?
Kyle: (nervously) Um... actually, no.
Lindsey slowly pointed to Slappy.
Lindsey: (worried) Joey... wasn't Slappy looking at the couch where we were sitting before?...
Me: (slowly) Yeah... so...
Lindsey: (worried) Than... why is that doll looking at us differently?... And he wasn't facing this way either.
Kyle: (shocked) What?
I looked at Slappy more carefully, and she was right: when we saw Slappy last, he was looking at us on the couch with the evil grin, but now he was looking at us FROM the couch with that "interested, but happy look" on his face!
I was actually starting to get freaked out from this.
Me: (slowly/ worried) You're right Linds...
Kyle: Wait a minute. You're telling me that... that dummy was not looking this way before?...
Lindsey: No...
Kyle: (nervously) Okay... I'm getting freaked out by this...
Kyle backed away and went to the stair steps to sit down on them. Me and Lindsey came by her and sat on them, too. While we were sitting, I explained to her what happened yesterday.
Kyle looked at me and Lindsey shocked.
Kyle: (shocked/ sarcastic) Whoa! That does not sound like something you two would do!
Me: (sarcastic) That's something I WOULDN'T do! Lindsey did all those things to torture me!
Lindsey: (annoyed) I did not! You did it!
Me: (angry) No, you!
Lindsey: (angry) YOU!
Me: (angry) YOU!
Me and Lindsey: YOU!!
I than heard someone come downstairs; it was our dad. He yelled at us to stop arguing, and just before he went back up, he said hi to Kyle.
Kyle said hi back and than turned back to us.
Kyle: He is right, you two should stop arguing now...
Me: Yeah... we should... (happily) Did you bring any cool games or movies with you?
Kyle: (happily) Yes I did! Well... mostly movies though. I brought a whole bunch of SpongeBob DVD's and a Samurai Jack DVD; my personal favorite!
Me: (sarcastic) You only like Samurai Jack because of Aku.
Kyle: (excited) I know, he's SO COOL!
Lindsey: Did you bring any games, or anything else?
Kyle: Well... I was going to play one of my spooky games, but after seeing that Slappy doll, I'm probably not gonna play games like that for a whole month! I DID bring a Samurai Jack game though...
Me: (sarcastic) I rather watch SpongeBob.
Lindsey: (excited) Yeah, lets watch SpongeBob!
Kyle: Okay, just hold on for a couple of minutes.
Kyle than went to the next stair level and got her bag, but she didn't come back down, though, she went to the top of the stairs to the family room.
Me and Lindsey went to the couch to sit down, but Lindsey sat on the floor away from Slappy. I rolled my eyes and got OFF from the couch to take the doll back to my room. When I got out from the bedroom, Kyle came back down with a SpongeBob DVD in her hands.
Me: Why didn't you bring the bag down here?
Kyle: (sarcastic) Well, I'm DEFINETLEY NOT sleeping down here, so... since I'm going to be sleeping on the couch in the family room, I thought I should bring my bag upstairs.
Me: Because of Slappy, right?
Kyle: (sarcastic) Oh yeah!
Kyle handed the DVD to Lindsey for her to put in. Lindsey popped in the DVD and than we all sat on the couch together and watched SpongeBob. Kyle and Lindsey seemed more happy to watch SpongeBob than I was.
Lindsey: (to Kyle/ excited) Isn't SpongeBob the best?!
Kyle: (happily) PATRICK is the best, Linds!
Lindsey: Oh yeah, you're right!
Me: (thinking) (How boring...)
Through the whole afternoon, the grown-ups talked upstairs, while the three of us watched SpongeBob, after SpongeBob, after SpongeBob.
When it was close to dinner time, our parents called us up to eat dinner they fixed for us before they left to go to the party.
While the parents talked in the family room, the three of us talked at the table.
Kyle: So... a whole month of chores, huh?
Me: Yeah...
Kyle: (sarcastic) Wow... that must really suck!
Me: (sarcastic) It does!
Lindsey: (quietly) It was Joey's fault, though...
I shot Lindsey a dirty look.
Kyle: Don't you think it's weird though?
Me: About what?
Kyle: That ever since you brought home Slappy, all these "accidents" have suddenly come up.
Me: Um... I really haven't thought much of it.
Lindsey: (worried) I see that doll stare at me funny allot!
Kyle: Really?
Lindsey: The first time I saw that thing, he would always stare at me... very weird, too...
Me: (annoyed) Oh, come on! Are you saying that a dummy did all this? That he's the one ruining our lives?
Lindsey: Yes!
Me: Well, I don't believe it! Things like this don't happen in real life; they happen in TV shows!
Kyle: (quietly) That is true...
Lindsey: All I'm saying is that ever since you brought him home, our lives have turned upside down! Have you ever thought about that?
I opened my mouth to say something defensive, but I couldn't. I hate to admit it (but not out loud) that Lindsey was right! I'm actually starting to get scared of Slappy, especially tonight, since our parents are leaving us here home alone with a weirdo "Goth girl!"
When we were almost done eating, our parents came into the kitchen dressed in fancy outfits (mom was wearing a dress, and my uncle and dad were wearing black suits.)
Mom told us that there going to be gone all night and that she didn't want us eating junk, and staying up to late. She also added (to me) that she didn't want Lindsey to be teased or scared.
The parents said their good-bye's and left us. Our uncle told Kyle that he's going to be calling her cell phone around every hour (until midnight) to make sure that everything is going okay.
Then they left the house. The three of us just starred at each other silently.
Kyle: I hate to say this, but since I'm the boss, I say that Slappy must sleep in the laundry room.
Me: (disappointed) Ah, why?!
Kyle: Because Slappy's creepy, and that he's going to freak me out the whole night!
Me: Slappy's in my room though!
Kyle: (worried) I don't think it's good to keep him in ANY bedroom...
Lindsey: Come on, Joey, please?...
Kyle: (rudely) I hate to be rude, but I'm not asking, I'm ORDERING. Now, go downstairs and put Slappy in the laundry room. Me and Lindsey will take care of the dishes.
I rolled my eyes and got up from the table and slowly made my way downstairs. When I got to the living room, I can still hear a SpongeBob episode playing on the TV, but I paid no attention to it.
I walked up to my bedroom door and opened it. I went inside and got Slappy from my bed.
I looked at him oddly.
Me: (confused) The bed? When did that happen? I thought I put him on the floor...
Slappy's expression changed; he looked angry, but had that grin on his face. I got a little spooked from this.
I left my room and went over to the laundry room. I opened the door and set Slappy down on top of the dryer. I glanced at him one last time before I closed the door.
When I was about to go back upstairs, I saw Kyle and Lindsey coming downstairs to the living room. They looked at me when they almost reached the bottom.
Kyle: Did you put Slappy in the laundry room?
Me: (sarcastic) Yes, your Highness. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Kyle: (slowly) ... Very funny... but no, there's nothing else, so lets sit back down on the couch and watch SpongeBob.
Lindsey: (happily) Yeah!
Me: (sarcastic) Whopee-doo.
Lindsey: Hey, wait! Kyle, do you want to see the ring that dad got for mom for their anniversary?
Kyle: Cool, we can actually see it?
Lindsey: Well, since everyone's gone, I don't see nothing wrong not to look at it.
Me: (don't care) Fine with me, and besides that, I haven't seen it yet.
We all went back upstairs and into my parents bedroom. Inside their bedroom, Lindsey went through the closet to look for the ring.
Me: (confused) Dad hid the ring in the closet?
Lindsey: He doesn't want mom to find it so easily.
Me: True...
Kyle: Did you find it yet?
Lindsey: Um... (getting out of closet) Yeah, here it is!
Lindsey had in her hand a small velvet box, which was supposed to have the ring inside.
Lindsey: (excited) I can't wait until you two see the ring; it's really pretty!...
Unfortunately, when she opened the box, there was no ring in it. Lindsey started to panic.
Lindsey: (shocked) Wha -- it's gone!
Me: Maybe dad took it with him.
Lindsey: (worried) But... dad told me that he wasn't going to give the ring to mom until the anniversary!
Kyle: Maybe he's going to surprise her with it.
Lindsey: (worried) I don't know...
Me: Well... since there is no ring, lets just go back downstairs and watch more boring SpongeBob.
Kyle: (angry) SpongeBob is NOT boring!
Me: (sarcastic) Whatever you say...
We left the parents bedroom and made our way downstairs, and sat on the couch to watch MORE SpongeBob. Even though Kyle and Lindsey liked this show more than I did, they looked kind of scared; and at some points, Kyle and Lindsey would glance towards the laundry room, like Slappy was going to come out and get us.
After about an hour of SpongeBob, we were starting to get really sleepy... very sleepy. I saw Kyle yawn as she started to lay down on the couch, while Lindsey went onto the love seat (next to the couch) to lay down. I slowly got up from the couch and rested on the lounge chair.
We soon all fell asleep, but before I went to sleep, I heard a faint laughter coming from the laundry room. I couldn't do anything about it, because I was already asleep...