شبی با عروسک زنده فصل 21

Night of the Living Dummy - Chapter 21

Both sisters stared at the dummy, waiting for him to collapse.

But he gripped the banister and tossed his head back in an amused, scornful laugh. “Those are the words of the ancient sorcerer to bring me to life!” he proclaimed. “Those aren’t the words to kill me!” Kill him?

Yes, Kris thought frantically. She tossed down the yellow paper disgustedly.

We have no choice.

“We have to kill him, Lindy.”

“Huh?” Her sister’s face filled with surprise.

Kris grabbed the dummy by the shoulders and held on tightly. “I’ll hold him. You pull his head off.” Lindy was beside her now. She had to duck away from Mr. Wood’s thrashing feet.

“I’ll hold him still,” Kris repeated. “Grab his head. Pull it off.”

“You—you’re sure?” Lindy hesitated, her features tight with fear.

“Just do it!” Kris screamed.

She let her hands slide down around Mr. Wood’s waist.

Lindy grabbed his head in both hands.

“Let go of me!” the dummy rasped.

“Pull!” Kris cried to her terrified sister.

Holding the dummy tightly around the waist, she leaned back, pulling him away from her sister.

Lindy’s hands were wrapped tightly around the dummy’s head. With a loud groan, she pulled hard.

The head didn’t come off.

Mr. Wood uttered a high-pitched giggle. “Stop. You’re tickling me!” he rasped.

“Pull harder!” Kris ordered her sister.

Lindy’s face was bright red. She tightened her grip on the head and pulled again, tugging with all her strength.

The dummy giggled his shrill, unpleasant giggle.

“It—it won’t come off,” Lindy said, sighing in defeat.

“Twist it off!” Kris suggested frantically.

The dummy thrashed out with his feet, kicking Kris in the stomach. But she held on. “Twist the head off!” she cried.

Lindy tried to turn the head.

The dummy giggled.

“It won’t twist!” Lindy cried in frustration. She let go of the head and took a step back.

Mr. Wood raised his head, stared up at Lindy, and grinned. “You can’t kill me. I have powers.” “What do we do?” Lindy cried, raising her eyes to Kris.

“This is my house now,” the dummy rasped, grinning at Lindy as it struggled to wriggle out of Kris’ arms. “You will do as I say now. Put me down.” “What do we do?” Lindy repeated.

“Take him upstairs. We’ll cut his head off,” Kris replied.

Mr. Wood swung his head around, his eyes stretched open in an evil glare.

“Ow!” Kris cried out in surprise as the dummy snapped his jaws over her arm, biting her. She pulled her arm away and, without thinking, slapped the dummy’s wooden head with the palm of her hand.

The dummy giggled in response. “Violence! Violence!” he said in a mock scolding tone.

“Get those sharp scissors. In your drawer,” Kris instructed her sister. “I’ll carry him up to our room.” Her arm throbbed where he had bitten her. But she held onto him tightly and carried him up to their bedroom.

Lindy had already pulled the long metal scissors from the drawer. Her hand trembled as she opened and closed the blades.

“Below the neck,” Kris said, holding Mr. Wood tightly by the shoulders.

He hissed furiously at her. She dodged as he tried to kick her with both sneakered feet.

Holding the scissors with two hands, Lindy tried cutting the head off at the neck. The scissors didn’t cut, so she tried a sawing motion.

Mr. Wood giggled. “I told you. You can’t kill me.”

“It isn’t going to work,” Lindy cried, tears of frustration running down her cheeks. “Now what?” “We’ll put him in the closet. Then we can think,” Kris replied.

“You have no need to think. You are my slaves,” the dummy rasped. “You will do whatever I ask. I will be in charge from now on.” “No way,” Kris muttered, shaking her head.

“What if we won’t help you?” Lindy demanded.

The dummy turned to her, casting her a hard, angry stare. “Then I’ll start hurting the ones you love,” he said casually. “Your parents. Your friends. Or maybe that disgusting dog that’s always yapping at me.” He tossed back his head and a dry, evil laugh escaped his wooden lips.

“Lock him in the closet,” Lindy suggested. “Till we figure out how to get rid of him.” “You can’t get rid of me,” Mr. Wood insisted. “Don’t make me angry. I have powers. I’m warning you. I’m starting to get tired of your stupid attempts to harm me.” “The closet doesn’t lock—remember?” Kris cried, struggling to hold onto the wriggling dummy.

“Oh. Wait. How about this?” Lindy hurried to the closet. She pulled out an old suitcase from the back.

“Perfect,” Kris said.

“I’m warning you—” Mr. Wood threatened. “You are becoming very tiresome.” With a hard tug, he pulled himself free of Kris.

She dove to tackle him, but he darted out from under her. She fell facedown onto her bed.

The dummy ran to the center of the room, then turned his eyes to the doorway, as if trying to decide where to go. “You must do as I tell you,” he said darkly, raising a wooden hand toward Lindy. “I will not run from you two. You are to be my slaves.” “No!” Kris cried, pushing herself up.

She and her sister both dove at the dummy. Lindy grabbed his arms. Kris ducked to grab his ankles.

Working together, they stuffed him into the open suitcase.

“You will regret this,” he threatened, kicking his legs, struggling to hit them. “You will pay dearly for this. Now someone will die!” He continued screaming after Kris latched the suitcase and shoved it into the closet. She quickly closed the closet door, then leaned her back against it, sighing wearily.

“Now what?” she asked Lindy.