The Antique Shop on Lambourn Street (Part 1)
Mother GooseI was running down the endless hallways... Who knew what would happen to me if I had listened to this... thing. I would have ended just like that poor, old Mrs.Knowles, dead. I kept running, running for my life which was hanging from a silk thread, ready to be cut anytime now. It reminded of the Moirai, these women in their cave cutting and spinning threads that represented people's lives. Atropos was grazing my string...
I woke up abruptly, it was already Saturday morning! That meant it was the first day of my Summer job. I stormed down the stairs in my pants and Pink Floyd shirt and swallowed my bacon like a glutton. I barely had time to brush my hair and look clean and collected when I received a call from an unknown caller. This was strange and unusual... I normally never received calls like that. I picked up and said:
-"Y-yes?"
A cranky, rough voice on the other side said:
-"Is this Amanda Miller?"
-"Umm... Yeah", I answered.
-"This is Mrs.Knowles from Knowles' Antique Shop. You're late."
-"What? It's only... Ohhh", I said when checking my clock. "I'm sorry ma'am, daylight savings got me well here and I forgot to get the right time."
-"Daylight savings or not, you better be here in less than 10 minutes otherwise you can wave goodbye to that job," Mrs.Knowles said, in a cold, strict tone.
-"I'll be right there!"
I ran to my car and sped off to the shop.
She said it was at 365 Lambourn street! I can't see any 365 Lambourn street anywhere! Suddenly a cold hand touched my shoulder. I shrieked in fear and turned around only to see an old lady folded on herself like an origami. She said:
-"Follow me, Amanda..."
I followed her into an alley between two buildings, 363 Lambourn and 367. I realized it was in that street crevice that the Antique Shop hid. We entered the boutique and the door creaked. It was very hot outside but as soon as I stepped in a gust of cold, ghostly air ran against me. I finally saw this old woman clearly. She had a cat on her shoulder, bugs, and cobwebs running in her hair, she was sipping tea that made the whole shop smell like exotic herbs. She grabbed me by the hand and drew me in a corner, passed me a mop, and said in a cold stone voice, "clean the corner".
I started mopping the floor. It was very dirty, but the mop couldn't get rid of one blemish, one great red blemish. I called over the lady and showed her the big red stain... Her eyes opened wide and she said:
-"Oh that, don't bother about it, dear..."
-"Sure, but it's untimely, what is it? Wine, paint, or...?"
I was cut straight by Mrs.Knowles.
-"I said do not worry about it! Now keep mopping..."
I kept mopping and after one hour of intensive cleaning I went over to Mrs.Knowles and asked her if she had anything else to do.
The old lady let me explore the shop but told me to never go through the doll aisle. I shrugged the advice thinking about how dolls could harm me. I explored all of the shop, the jewels, the toys, the clothing, etc... And then there was a little gloomy room, it wasn't filled with dolls, only old hats, and clothing from the nineteen hundredths. I flipped the switch, the light turned on and old-timey music started playing. I stepped in and tried on different bonnets and apparels.
As soon as I put the last object on the rack, I heard Mrs.Knowles little heels approaching. The old lady turned around right before the little chamber, ignoring the tune. I promptly flipped off the switch and continued strolling in the store.
I was walking around when I saw the doll aisle on the other side of the room. I ignored the old woman's advice and continued my path through the doll aisle. I walked slowly through the marble corridor, strolling when I heard a thump behind me. I turned around and a Raggedy Annie doll was sitting behind me.
I got a little frightened, but I continued in the hallway. It seemed endless... I kept walking, and walking, and walking. The more I wandered, the more I seemed exhausted, it felt like gravity was preventing me from going any further. I started hallucinating as if all the dolls were starting to come alive and out of the displays. I finally collapsed of exhaustion.
The old woman was looking around for me when she saw me on the ground in the doll aisle. She wasn't surprised and she dragged me across the room and sat me in an old, squeaky rocking chair. She woke me up and gave me a cup of her exotic tea.
I spat it right out and screamed. The old lady started screaming at me, asking me why I was in the doll aisle. I stammered my words and said:
-"It attracted me! Like a magnet... It's like it called my name in a soft voice. I stepped in and it never ended! And then..."
-"And then what?! Oh no, oh no, no, no! Did you see him?"
-"The Raggedy An..."
-"Shhhh! You careless child! Never say his name, never!"
-"Why is he so evil? It's just a doll after all."
-"Oh, oh, oh... You have no idea what happened here with this piece of crap! I almost closed this place after all those accidents.."
-"What happe..."
I was cut straight by a clanging noise as if someone was dragging a knife against the floor. We heard a high pitch and evil voice saying:
-"Let's play a game... I hope you don't mind I brought some friends over."
We both stood paralyzed and Mrs.Knowles turned around. I saw a look of horror shape on her face. I then myself turned around. I couldn't believe my eyes, we both looked at each other, terrified.
Author Notes: Hope you enjoyed guys! :) (don't forget to check out 'Till Death Do us Part, another one of my stories).
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