The Gift that Wouldn’t Stop Smiling
Little Lily bounced with excitement, clutching a wrapped box adorned with garish cartoon flowers. Her birthday had been a washout, rain drowning the promised backyard party. But this surprise gift, delivered by a peculiar courier with eyes like chipped ice, promised to make up for it.
Tearing open the paper, Lily gasped. Inside, nestled in velvet, was a porcelain doll. Exquisitely crafted, with rosy cheeks and impossibly long lashes, it wore a dress the color of sunshine. Yet, the most striking feature was its smile. Wide, unnaturally wide, it stretched from ear to ear, revealing perfect, pearly teeth.
An unsettling feeling prickled down Lily’s spine. The smile seemed… permanent, etched onto the doll’s face. But her initial unease was quickly forgotten, replaced by the joy of a new toy.
That night, however, sleep wouldn’t come. Every time Lily glanced at the doll propped on her nightstand, the smile seemed impossibly wider. A sliver of moonlight cast an eerie shadow that stretched from the doll’s mouth, like a silent scream.
The following days were a blur of forced giggles and growing fear. The doll seemed to follow Lily everywhere, its gaze unwavering. Even in the darkness, that unnerving smile seemed to glow, a beacon of unsettling cheer.
One afternoon, Lily found the doll facing the wall. Relief washed over her, a sliver of normalcy in the bizarre situation. But as she reached to turn it back, a cold dread gripped her. The doll was already facing her, the smile wider than ever, tinged with a hint of malice.
A choked sob escaped Lily’s lips. This wasn’t a friendly gift. The doll’s smile wasn’t a sign of happiness, but a chilling promise of something far more sinister. Sleep became a terrifying prospect, the ever-present grin a constant reminder that the doll’s happiness wasn’t hers to share.
More Short Scary Stories
Campfire Scary Stories
Scary Stories For Kids