the professor. When he doesn’t flinch, she wipes her brow. “Phew! That took care of that! I’ve learned a lot from those Winchester brothers.”
“He wasn’t possessed, Aunt Sianne,” Gabby murmurs, placing me on the floor and examining the professor’s limp arms. “They deactivated him. He’s… he’s just a big dolly now.”
“Like me!” I poke his glass eyes. “But bigger. Much bigger.”
“But why does he want me to go to school?!” Gabby demands.
“The professor always has a motive,” I say, impressed by the lifelike cracks in his lips. “And do you know why I think he really made us go to the police station?”
Gabby shrugs. “To confirm suspicions?”
“Nope.” I grin proudly. “My old doll body stopped walking and talking right before their eyes. Basically, it dropped dead. How do you think that’s going to make them feel if they think at any moment a doll can wake up?”
Gabby gasps and raises her hand for me to high-five. I jump up and hit her in the center of her palm. “Of
course
! He’s freaked them out. It might put a halt on the kidnappings!”
“Not for long.”
“No. But we can’t listen to Grandpa. I’m not letting him rot away in a cell with my parents. We’re going after him. Whatever he has planned—”
“He doesn’t have anything planned. But I know someone who does.” Sianne licks the remaining salt from the bowl. “I’m going to bring the dead back to life.”
I hate when she says creepy stuff like that. “What?”
“The dead. I have experiments too, you know. I’ll bring you back to life, Ella.” She glances at the ceiling. “I… I’d best brush my hair. Go to school tomorrow. Don’t arouse suspicion. I have some things to do here before we go to New York City. That’s where we’ll find them. We’ll save the family.” Keeping her gaze skyward, she backs out of the lab, flicking the salt from her lips.
I can’t help but dart my eyes from the professor doll to my human form. Both are so lifeless, helpless… worthless.
I was told I made the choice to return to life as a doll, but seeing my real body wasting away in that tube, it seems like such a selfish decision. It only makes me grieve for the others who’ve never had that choice, all dormant in their own cramped tubes, out of society’s way and living for someone else’s jollies.
When we rescue everyone and put an end to this… this clusterwoof, I’m going to start living for myself.
I don’t know what time it is, but it’s dark. It could be close to morning, or it could be midnight. Either way, the phone shouldn’t be ringing right now.
Gabby sleeps through anything and I mean that literally. We had an earthquake two years ago, and she didn’t even stir. She even turns off her alarm clock in her sleep, which is a special talent. I can only wake her up by pulling the curtains open and exposing the natural light. Considering there
is
no natural light, there’s no hope.
Five rings. Sianne isn’t answering. Someone really should get it, especially after what we’ve been through tonight. It could be the professor. I jump off the bed and run into the hall where one of the telephones sits on a low table. I climb up the leg and kick the receiver off, bending over to listen.
“Hello, Ella May speaking. How may I help you?”
There’s a crackle.
“Hello?” I repeat. “If this is a prank call, we’re not interested. Thank you for your time.”
“Ella?” the voice is husky, like a wolf’s.
“Speaking. You do realize it’s very late?”
“That’s the least of our problems. Ella, how far would you go for your family?”
I want to hang up. That sounds way too ominous for my liking. “I… I have to go now.”
“Ella, listen to me, you selfish piece of crap. How far would you go to get your family back? The professor? Gabby’s parents? Is it money? I can give you money.”
“I… I don’t want money.”
“What? Speak up.”
“I don’t want money,” I
“He wasn’t possessed, Aunt Sianne,” Gabby murmurs, placing me on the floor and examining the professor’s limp arms. “They deactivated him. He’s… he’s just a big dolly now.”
“Like me!” I poke his glass eyes. “But bigger. Much bigger.”
“But why does he want me to go to school?!” Gabby demands.
“The professor always has a motive,” I say, impressed by the lifelike cracks in his lips. “And do you know why I think he really made us go to the police station?”
Gabby shrugs. “To confirm suspicions?”
“Nope.” I grin proudly. “My old doll body stopped walking and talking right before their eyes. Basically, it dropped dead. How do you think that’s going to make them feel if they think at any moment a doll can wake up?”
Gabby gasps and raises her hand for me to high-five. I jump up and hit her in the center of her palm. “Of
course
! He’s freaked them out. It might put a halt on the kidnappings!”
“Not for long.”
“No. But we can’t listen to Grandpa. I’m not letting him rot away in a cell with my parents. We’re going after him. Whatever he has planned—”
“He doesn’t have anything planned. But I know someone who does.” Sianne licks the remaining salt from the bowl. “I’m going to bring the dead back to life.”
I hate when she says creepy stuff like that. “What?”
“The dead. I have experiments too, you know. I’ll bring you back to life, Ella.” She glances at the ceiling. “I… I’d best brush my hair. Go to school tomorrow. Don’t arouse suspicion. I have some things to do here before we go to New York City. That’s where we’ll find them. We’ll save the family.” Keeping her gaze skyward, she backs out of the lab, flicking the salt from her lips.
I can’t help but dart my eyes from the professor doll to my human form. Both are so lifeless, helpless… worthless.
I was told I made the choice to return to life as a doll, but seeing my real body wasting away in that tube, it seems like such a selfish decision. It only makes me grieve for the others who’ve never had that choice, all dormant in their own cramped tubes, out of society’s way and living for someone else’s jollies.
When we rescue everyone and put an end to this… this clusterwoof, I’m going to start living for myself.
I don’t know what time it is, but it’s dark. It could be close to morning, or it could be midnight. Either way, the phone shouldn’t be ringing right now.
Gabby sleeps through anything and I mean that literally. We had an earthquake two years ago, and she didn’t even stir. She even turns off her alarm clock in her sleep, which is a special talent. I can only wake her up by pulling the curtains open and exposing the natural light. Considering there
is
no natural light, there’s no hope.
Five rings. Sianne isn’t answering. Someone really should get it, especially after what we’ve been through tonight. It could be the professor. I jump off the bed and run into the hall where one of the telephones sits on a low table. I climb up the leg and kick the receiver off, bending over to listen.
“Hello, Ella May speaking. How may I help you?”
There’s a crackle.
“Hello?” I repeat. “If this is a prank call, we’re not interested. Thank you for your time.”
“Ella?” the voice is husky, like a wolf’s.
“Speaking. You do realize it’s very late?”
“That’s the least of our problems. Ella, how far would you go for your family?”
I want to hang up. That sounds way too ominous for my liking. “I… I have to go now.”
“Ella, listen to me, you selfish piece of crap. How far would you go to get your family back? The professor? Gabby’s parents? Is it money? I can give you money.”
“I… I don’t want money.”
“What? Speak up.”
“I don’t want money,” I
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