Short Story

Okay, so a couple weeks ago I had an idea for a short story.  I wrote the beginning, but have not really decided where it is going.  This is what I have so far.  Tell me what you think and send me your ideas for what comes next!

          The last thing I remembered was watching Food Network with my younger brother Luke in his room.  I must have fallen asleep, because now I felt someone shaking me awake.  I groggily opened my eyes, only to find the biggest stuffed bear I have ever seen in my face.  Before I could scream, it put its paw to its lips and then pointed to Luke’s bed.  I could barely make out Luke’s sleeping figure stretched out on it in the dark room.

            “You all right, Chloe?” said the stuffed bear.

             Great.  The bear could talk.  I could feel the scream coming back, but I had seen Toy Story enough times not to be completely shocked by it.  Come to think of it, I recognized the bear as Buck, one of Ben’s Build-a-Bears… only bigger.

            “What are you doing in here?” it asked.  “It isn’t like Pepper to leave you – especially in Luke’s room.”

            I would have liked to ask him a couple questions, myself.  “I, uh…”

            “Come on, Chloe, I’ll take you back to your house.  The others will have been worrying.”

            Chloe.  It had called me that twice, now.  What was that supposed to mean?

            I followed the bear into the hall and into my bedroom.  At first I had not noticed in the dark, but now I did: everything – furniture, walls, doorways – was way bigger than me.  Which had to mean… uh oh.  It wasn’t the Build-a-Bear that was huge, but it was me that was small.

            By the time I had come to this realization, we were coming around the corner of my bed to the far side of the room where I kept my American Girl doll furniture.  Even at 16, I still loved my dolls – all ten of them!  I was especially proud of my “dollhouse”, as I called it.  It had a kitchen, dining room, parlor, two bedrooms, and even a stable, all lovingly and diligently decorated for my American Girl dolls.

            “Girls!” called the bear in a loud whisper.  “I found Chloe.  She is okay!”

             We were standing at the foot of my bed, which was to my right.  To the left was a bookcase where I kept my dolls when I was not playing with them, and ahead and to the right was the dollhouse, the beginning of which could just be seen.

            “What?” came a voice from up in the bookcase.  The head of a doll leaned out to look at us.  She swung herself down with the skill of an acrobat.  As she dropped to the floor beside us, I recognized her as Chloe, the doll that looked the most like me with her blonde, slightly wavy hair and brown eyes. 

“Hello, Buck,” she said to the bear.  Then she turned to me.  “Wow!  Pepper did not tell us about a new doll.”  She giggled.  “She usually is not good about secrets like that.  She’ll start out wanting to surprise us, but ends up telling us anyway.  It’s nice to meet you.  I’m Chloe.” She stuck her hand out.

“This isn’t you?” said the bear, which I had correctly guessed was Buck.  “Oh.  She looked so much like you.”  He studied me.  “Only she doesn’t have your freckles.”

“Yes, it is odd,” said the doll, taking a closer look at me.  “It is not like Pepper to get a new doll that looks so much like one she already has.  But won’t it be fun to have a twin?”

“What is going on down there?” said Natalie from the bookcase.

“New doll!” Buck called up to her.

She used the edge of the bookcase like a pole and slid down.  Tossing back her glossy black hair, she shook my hand.  “I’m Natalie.”

“Wouldn’t Pepper want to introduce us herself?  I’m sure she will in the morning,” said another voice with a slight English accent.

“It’s okay, Elizabeth,” said Natalie.  “I’m sure she won’t mind.  She won’t know anyway.  Come on down, everyone!”

The rest of the dolls climbed down.  The last one to hop to the ground I could tell was Kit by her short blonde hair.  She was my first and most special doll.

I looked around at all the faces in amazement.  I had often wished that my dolls could come to life or that I could become one of them, and here it was happening to me!  They introduced themselves as Kit, Emily, Devon, Chloe, Natalie, Felicity, Mia, Ruthie, Elizabeth, and Rebecca, but I already knew who they were.

“What is your name?” they asked.

Would they believe me if I told them I was Pepper?  Besides, it might be fun to be one of them or a day.  I could always tell them who I was later.  “I am,” I paused.  What could I call myself?  I thought of my favorite characters from books.  Looking at Kit, I decided to go with Meg, from her name Margaret Mildred. “Meg.  My name is Meg.”

            I was quickly enveloped in the biggest group hug ever as all ten dolls gathered around me.