شبی با عروسک زنده فصل 20

Night of the Living Dummy - Chapter 20

“Look at what?” Mr. Powell cried, adjusting his pajama top.

Kris pointed down to the dummy under her foot. “He—he’s trying to get away,” she stammered.

But Mr. Wood lay lifeless on his stomach.

“Is this supposed to be a joke?” Mrs. Powell demanded angrily, hands at the waist of her cotton nightgown.

“I don’t get it,” Mr. Powell said, shaking his head.

“Mr. Wood—he ran down the stairs,” Kris said frantically. “He’s been doing everything. He—” “This isn’t funny,” Mrs. Powell said wearily, running a hand back through her blonde hair. “It isn’t funny at all, Kris. Waking everyone up in the middle of the night.” “I really think you’ve lost your mind. I’m very worried about you,” Mr. Powell added. “I mean, after what happened at school tonight—” “Listen to me!” Kris shrieked. She bent down and pulled Mr. Wood up from the floor. Holding him by the shoulders, she shook him hard. “He moves! He runs! He talks! He—he’s alive!” She stopped shaking the dummy and let go. He slumped lifelessly to the floor, falling in an unmoving heap at her feet.

“I think maybe you need to see a doctor,” Mr. Powell said, his face tightening with concern.

“No. I saw him, too!” Lindy said, coming to Kris’ aid. “Kris is right. The dummy did move.” But then she added, “I mean, I think it moved!” You’re a big help, Lindy, Kris thought, suddenly feeling weak, drained.

“Is this just another stupid prank?” Mrs. Powell asked angrily. “After what happened at school tonight, I’d think that would be enough.” “But, Mom—” Kris started, staring down at the lifeless heap at her feet.

“Back to bed,” Mrs. Powell ordered. “There’s no school tomorrow. We’ll have plenty of time to discuss punishments for you two.” “Me?” Lindy cried, outraged. “What did I do?”

“Mom, we’re telling the truth!” Kris insisted.

“I still don’t get the joke,” Mr. Powell said, shaking his head. He turned to his wife. “Were we supposed to believe her or something?” “Get to bed. Both of you. Now!” their mother snapped. She and their father disappeared from the upstairs landing, heading angrily back down the hall to their room.

Lindy remained, one hand on the top of the banister, staring down regretfully at Kris.

“You believe me, don’t you?” Kris called up to her.

“Yeah. I guess,” Lindy replied doubtfully, lowering her eyes to the dummy at Kris’ feet.

Kris looked down, too. She saw Mr. Wood blink. He started to straighten up.

“Whoa!” She uttered an alarmed cry and grabbed him by the neck. “Lindy—hurry!” she called. “He’s moving again!” “Wh-what should we do?” Lindy stammered, making her way hesitantly down the stairs.

“I don’t know,” Kris replied as the dummy thrashed his arms and legs against the carpet, trying desperately to free himself from her two-handed grip on his neck. “We’ve got to—” “There’s nothing you can do,” Mr. Wood snarled. “You will be my slaves now. I’m alive once again! Alive!” “But—how?” Kris demanded, staring at him in disbelief. “I mean, you’re a dummy. How—?” The dummy snickered. “You brought me back to life,” he told her in his raspy voice. “You read the ancient words.” The ancient words? What was he talking about?

And then Kris remembered. She had read the strange-sounding words from the sheet of paper in the dummy’s shirt pocket.

“I am back, thanks to you,” the dummy growled. “And now you and your sister will serve me.” As she stared in horror at the grinning dummy, an idea popped into Kris’ mind.

The paper. She had tucked it back into his pocket.

If I read the words again, Kris thought, it will put him back to sleep.

She reached out and grabbed him. He tried to jerk away, but she was too quick.

The folded sheet of yellow paper was in her hand.

“Give me that!” he cried. He swiped at it, but Kris swung it out of his reach.

She unfolded it quickly. And before the dummy could grab the paper out of her hands, she read the strange words aloud: “Karru marri odonna loma molonu karrano.”