“Leonora”

Leonora by Cathrin Hagey

Leonora by Cathrin HageyWe all know that clowns, ventriloquists’ dummies, and scarecrows are some of the creepiest things in creation. But there’s something far worse.

According to tvtropes.org in “Creepy Doll“:

Dolls are perceived as harmless, and they can be gorgeous and/or adorable, but there’s still something scary about dolls. It’s probably because many of them fit squarely in Uncanny Valley territory. The blank gaze and unmoving stare reminds us too viscerally of corpses, perhaps. This goes even more when the doll is damaged in some way, such as missing limbs or eyes, or having holes in its head.

But what if the doll is perfect, beautiful, and more beloved than the daughter of the house?

Read my latest short story at Bewildering Stories to find out.