A few hours had passed, and Meg and her friends are going downstairs for a late-night snack. As Meg opened up the pantry, she jumped back and screamed. 

“Meg?” Bob questioned. 

“I’m going to kill Bart,” Meg threatened. 

“Why?” Sydney asked. 

“That jerk retrieved the doll from outside and shoved it in the pantry,” Meg explained. 

“What’s going on?” Ben yelled from the living room. 

“Your friend is going to die!” Meg screamed. 

“What did I do?” Aadarsh asked. 

“Not you. My brother,” Meg said. 

“What did he do?” Ben asked rubbing his eyes as he entered the kitchen. 

“He scared me with this stupid doll that he bought,” Meg explained. 

“What? He was with us all night. He started sleeping before us and is still sleeping,” Ben defended. 

“Well, when y’all sort this out, I’m going to pee,” Sydney said as she left. 

“Yawn,” Bart announced as he walked into the kitchen. “Why are we up so, so late?” 

“You hid your stupid doll in the pantry to scare me,” Meg shouted. 

“No, I didn’t,” Bart protested. 

“Yeah, well, why is it right… here?” Meg paused as she looked at the empty shelf. “I swear it was just right here.” 

“You’re going crazy,” Bart shrugged. 

“No. You guys are playing a stupid prank,” Meg disagreed. 

“Well, obviously the doll isn’t there,” Ben stated. “How do we know you’re not trying to play a prank on us?” 

“Meg is right. We just saw the doll there,” Bob sided. “If it’s not here, then where did it go?” 

“AHH!!” Sydney cried from the bathroom. 

Everyone ran to the bathroom. The door was locked. They could hear Sydney screaming from the other side. 

“I got this,” Bart said as he got a head start. 

Bart ran into the door, but the door wouldn’t break. Bart got up, and he tried again. 

“Bart, you’re stupid,” Meg said as she got the bathroom key and unlocked it. 

The screaming stopped. Meg slowly opened the door. Every inch the door moved made an even louder creek. When the door was finally halfway opened, Meg slowly stuck her head in. She saw Emily holding a bloody straight razor. 

“Well, well, well, well, well, let me get a look at the menagerie!” Emily laughed. 

“RUN!” Meg screamed as she ran from the bathroom.

Everyone roared into a panic. Meg, Bart, Ben, and Bob ran outside into the garden. Aadarsh and Emma ran upstairs. 

“Ooo, I see what we’re doing!” Emily chuckled. “We’re playing a little game of hide-and-seek!”

Aadarsh and Emma hid in the closet. Aadarsh was trembling on the floor. Emma was covering her mouth to try to contain her breathing. 

“We’ll be fine, right?” Aadarsh quivered. 

“I hope so,” Emma said. “There’s a bat in here. If we try, we can take it on.” 

“Are you crazy?” Aadarsh whispered. 

“It’s going to find us anyways. Why not have some fun?” Emma persuaded as she grabbed the bat. 

Emma started to slowly open the closet door. After a few inches of opening the door, she stopped. There was something walking outside the hallway. It didn’t sound like a doll. It sounded like a normal person. But Emma knew it was the doll. There was some gut feeling in her. 

“I think that’s Bart’s parents,” Aadarsh said. 

“No, it’s the doll. We can’t risk being seen until we’re ready to fight,” Emma denied. 

“Do what you must,” Aadarsh said. “I’m going to get them.” 

“Aadarsh!” Emma quietly yelled as she grabbed his shoulder. “I love you, and I’m not letting you go kill yourself.” 

Emma leaned over and kissed Aadarsh. 

“I’m sorry,” Aadarsh apologized. “But I have to trust my gut on this.” 

Aadarsh forcefully opened the closet door, making a loud bang. The footsteps came to a quick halt and turned around. 

“Excuse me,” Aadarsh hesitated as he started walking towards the door. “Bart’s mom or dad, can you help us?” 

“Aadarsh!!” Emma dramatically whispered as she hid back in the closet. 

The footsteps stopped at the bedroom door. The doorknob slowly turned clockwise until the door opened. 

“He he he, ha ha ha! Found you!” Emily wickedly laughed as she bolted into the room. 

Emily tackled Aadarsh onto the ground. 

“You lose!” Emily grinned as she pulled out the straight razor. 

“No, you!” Emma yelled as she smashed Emily out the window with the bat. 

Emily’s body shattered the window as she fell into the pool. 

“That was so cool!” Aadarsh exclaimed as he got up. “She was like ‘die!’ and you were like ‘nope!’” 

“Next time, listen to me,” Emma suggested as she helped Aadarsh get back up. 

“That was fun!” Emily said as she appeared in front of the doorway. 

“What the heck!” Aadarsh screamed. 

“I got it!” Emma shouted as she picked up the bat. 

“No,” Emily laughed as she slid underneath Emma and slit Emma’s heel. 

“OW!” Emma yelled as she fell on the floor. 

“Let’s play another game!” Emily chuckled as she jumped up and slit Aadarsh’s throat. 

“Aadarsh!” Emma cried. 

“Aww, miss your friend already? Well, you’re right behind him!” Emily maliciously giggled as she slit Emma’s stomach opened. 

In the garden, Meg, Bart, Ben, and Bob hid near a tall shrub. 

“I’m getting worried,” Ben said. “Emma and Aadarsh are still in there with the doll.” 

“I’m sure they’ll be fine,” Bob shrugged as she drank her latte. 

“How can you be drinking your latte at a time like this?” Bart asked. 

“Because… it’s a good stress reliever,” Bob answered. 

“He he, hahaha!” Emily quietly laughed as she entered the front of the garden. 

“Here in the garden, let’s play a game!!” Emily sang. 

“She’s here,” Ben whispered. 

“Gee, thanks Captain Obvious!” Bart sarcastically said. 

“Found you!” Emily yelled as she popped out from behind the shrub. 

Meg, Bart, Ben, and Bob scattered across the garden. While running, Bob tripped over a rootstock. 

“Darn!” Bob screamed as she spilled her latte. 

“Here comes your new best friend!” Emily said as she skipped towards Bob with the straight razor. 

“A straight razor?” Bob questioned. “You’ve killed multiple people with that. Aren’t you going to be a little bit more creative? Especially for your best friend.” 

“Hmm,” Emily pondered. “I haven’t thought about that before. You’re right. You deserve something better.” 

“You’re dang right I do,” Bob said as she got up. 

“Bingo!” Emily cheered as her tiny glass eyeball caught a glimpse of a rock. “That’ll do!” 

“I should run,” Bob said as she started to sprint away. 

Bob sprinted towards the house and made a left at a hedge. When she made the left, she saw Emily sitting right in front of her. 

“Aww, leaving so soon?” Emily asked as she held a butcher knife. 

“Where did you get that from?” Bob asked. 

“The house,” Emily replied as she started to laugh. 

Bart and Meg were both huddling close together on the other side of the garden. 

“Meg, I’m so sorry. I should have been a better brother,” Bart apologized. “And now, we’re going to die because I screwed up.” 

“I forgive you,” Meg cried. 

“Meg, if we make it out alive, I swear I’ll be the best older brother that you can ask for,” Bart promised. 

“Okay,” Meg smiled as she stopped crying. 

The two of them hugged as they heard Ben screaming in pain from not far away. 

“Last two before I win!” Emily gleed as she slowly walked in the direction of Meg and Bart. 

“Let’s go!” Bart commanded. 

“Okay,” Meg nodded as they both bolted for the door back inside. 

Bart and Meg both made it in the house before Emily could catch them. Bart slammed the door shut and locked it. Meg leaned over from exhaustion. 

“Well, hello there!” Emily grinned as she kicked her legs back and forth on the countertop. 

Meg ran into the garage as Emily picked up a small knife. 

“Let’s go!” Bart taunted. “I bought you, and I’m going to return you.” 

“Yeah, sure!” Emily laughed in disbelief. 

Emily sprang from the countertop and tackled Bart. Bart slammed hard against the ground. 

“Time to end this game!” Emily finished as she raised the knife. 

“Agreed!” Meg said as she kicked Emily against the countertop. “Pasta la vesta!” 

Meg swung a sledgehammer over her head and into Emily. Emily shattered into a million pieces. 

“You know that’s not how the saying goes, right?” Bart criticized. 

“You’re really going to correct me after I’ve just saved your life?” Meg asked. 

“Nah,” Bart laughed. 

A few more hours have passed, and it was 12:00 a.m. Bart and Meg were spending sibling time watching television. At 12:01, the doorbell rang. Bart and Meg stared at each other and thought it was their parents arriving home early. 

“How was it?” Bart asked as he opened up the door. 

The store clerk, Alex, was standing outside the door. His hair was combed, and he looked like he had just woken up. 

“So, I decided to clean up aisle three, and I found this,” Alex said as he held out another doll. “Her name is Alexis; I’m sure Emily and her will have a swell time together.” 

“No!” Bart shouted as he slammed the door. 

“Bart?” Meg questioned as she ran to the door. 

“Is that a new friend?” Emily asked. 

“Wait, what?!” Bart shouted as he jumped back with fear. 

“I smashed you,” Meg yelled as she backed up into the door. 

“It’s not nice to slam the door on people!” Alex chided as a bright yellow light came through from under the door. 

The door broke down, and Meg and Bart fell right in front of Emily. They were both pinned down by the door. The door was so heavy that one more pound would break their rib cages. 

“You two have fun!” Alex smiled as he tossed Alexis next to Emily. 

“NOO!” Meg and Bart both screamed as they tried to get out from under the door. 

A few days later, a man walked into the antique shop. 

“How may I help you today?” Alex asked. 

“I’m sorry, but it’s my daughter’s birthday today, and I totally didn’t forget,” the man replied. 

“Don’t worry, we’ve had a lot of those recently,” Alex chuckled. “What is she interested in?” 

“Oh, she loves dolls,” the man responded. “I don’t know why, but I guess it’s better than wanting some new phone or tablet.” 

“Yeah, Generation Z kids are interesting. You better love her before she grows up to be a snotty teenager,” Alex advised. “I know I’m also Gen Z, but I can’t stand most of my peers.” 

“I guess,” the man shrugged. “I have a teenage son. All he does is play fournote or something in his room all day. And I think he’s doing it as well.” 

“With himself…?” Alex asked. 

“Yeah. Sorry, I don’t know why I’m telling you this stuff,” the man said. 

“Nah,” Alex shrugged. “I need someone to talk to. It’s all lonely in this antique shop by myself.” 

“I can see. Oh, yeah. Do you have a doll?” the man remembered. 

“This is an antique shop,” Alex stated. “Of course we do!” 

“Great!” the man exclaimed. “Where are they?” 

“They’re on aisle three; however, I have the perfect one right here!” Alex said as he pulled out a doll. “Her name Emily. She has luxurious blond hair and a cute pink bowtie.” 

“Okay, how much is she?” the man asked as he pulled out his wallet. 

“Three dollars,” Alex stated. 

“I’ll take her!” the man smiled as he slammed down three dollars on the counter. 

“Swell!” Alex grinned.