The Doll

by Rex Sparger

Cassie collects dolls, and she and her father go around to county fairs so she can exhibit her collection. Cassie's boyfriend Nick makes this circuit too, with his brother Brad and his brother's cutting horse. For the upcoming fair, things seem great: Cassie is sure she'll win a blue ribbon for her doll collection, and Nick is sure his brother will win the blue ribbon in the cutting horse competition. But then Cassie sees a wonderful doll she must have, and everything goes wrong.

The doll is a prize for a dart-game on the midway. Many people try to win the doll, but finally Nick does it, and Cassie has her new doll. Right away things start happening: Cassie is so obsessed with this doll that she carries her to Brad's competition. Brad's horse wins first prize, but when Nick and Cassie go to the stables to congratulate the winners, Brad's horse goes crazy, bucking wildly and finally breaking its leg! Then, when Cassie returns to her own doll display, she discovers that kids have sprayed strawberry soda on her collection. Another doll collector offers Cassie a can of acetone to clean off her dolls, but the acetone spills and ignites, and Cassie's doll collection is destroyed. Except for her new doll.

It doesn't take Nick long to realize that Cassie's new doll seems to affect Cassie's mood for the worse, but even Nick can hardly believe it when the doll starts to grow and seems alive! The doll houses a demon, who wants to possess Cassie. Can Nick, their friend Maria, and Maria's father (who is a pastor) prevent Cassie from being possessed by ... the doll?