The doll sat on Lily’s nightstand, its glassy eyes catching the moonlight. It had been two weeks since Thomas had brought Lily home, two weeks since he had realized the terrible truth—Elaine was gone. The Hollow Mother had taken her, and now her soul was trapped inside that brittle, lifeless thing.
Lily wouldn’t let it go.
Every night, Thomas would wake to find his daughter whispering to the doll, clutching it tightly as if she could will her mother back to life. At first, he had chalked it up to grief, to shock. But then—
Then the doll had started whispering back.
It had been faint, at first. A scratchy, distant sound in the dark. He had told himself it was the wind, the creak of old wood. But deep down, he knew better.
Tonight was worse.
Thomas lay awake in his bed, listening to the hushed voices coming from Lily’s room. Her soft murmurs, the occasional pause—like she was listening to something reply.
Then a third voice joined in.
Low. Hollow. Rustling like dead leaves.
He shot up.
Throwing off the covers, he rushed down the hall, heart pounding. He pushed open Lily’s door—
She was sitting up in bed, clutching the doll, her eyes wide and blank.
“Lily?” he whispered.
She didn’t react.
His pulse pounded. He stepped closer and gently touched her shoulder.
She gasped, sucking in air like she had been drowning.
Thomas dropped to his knees, gripping her arms. “Lily, what’s wrong? What were you saying?”
Her small fingers clutched the doll tighter.
“She’s calling me,” Lily whispered.
A chill crept up Thomas’ spine.
“Who?” he asked, though he already knew.
Lily’s gaze drifted past him, to the window. Outside, the trees stood still. No wind, no movement—just an unnatural stillness that sent a deep, instinctual fear into his bones.
Lily’s lip quivered.
“Mommy.”
Thomas’ stomach lurched.
He turned to the window, dreading what he might see.
And then—
A shadow moved among the trees.
Not walking. Gliding.
And just before it vanished into the darkness, Thomas swore he saw a face.
Not the Hollow Mother.
Not some nameless horror.
But Elaine.
Her skin pale, her eyes hollow.
Her lips moving in silent words he couldn’t hear.
Thomas grabbed Lily and pulled her close.
He had rescued their daughter. He had won.
But the game wasn’t over.
Elaine was still out there.
And she wanted to come home.
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