Welcome to My Entry And Beware!



You know, most of my home is sort of an Ikea meets a Celtic garden, contemporary feel. You really wouldn't know a horror-writing ghost-hunter lives here.

The other day, when moving my son out to his apartment, I was left with two huge aged steamer trunks left in the desert to age for who knows how long. I love them to death! I thought they'd be appropriate near the entryway as kind of a nod to travel since it's near the exit. My son was in such a rush to get the last things out of the house, he had this ventriloquist doll I gave him years ago (WC Fields supposedly). We used it for the Halloween party but mostly the guy was kept hidden. Admittely, he didn't want the thing staring at him while he slept.

Somehow, Mr. Doll-face ended up atop of the steamer trunks and I walked into the room and saw that and said, "I'm going to keep it." The only nod to my dark spooky stuff is in my personal office in the house, but nowhere else do you get that I'm a horror writer. I love the imagery. One of these trunks could be his own trunk for travel. Actually, inside the larger one, I stored those creepy dolls from the Halloween party because it was lined inside for a ventriloquist doll setup. Creepy, huh?

My friends were over one night when my son had moved out and hubby was away on an ATV ride to the dunes. We watched horror movies and had a nice takeout Chinese supper and when we were done and they were leaving, they said, "you're not keeping him like that, are you? You won't sleep. You did see Dead Silence, right?"

I had to admit he is creepy and dolls do freak me out, but I'm counterphobic. When something scares me, I poke at that sore spot until it's numb. I decided that night to sleep alone in the house on the sofa near the doll. In fact, my friends kidded that I should see if he would move during the night, so I humored them and took a picture of him.

I went to bed on the couch and had the TV on the timer. The glow from the TV lit up his face and he smiled at me. I turned over and fell asleep. During the night, I woke up to the sound of something tapping the wall. I sat up and noted the turned off TV, the clock on the wall, and then squinted into the darkness. The sound had stopped. I went back to sleep.

The next morning, I remembered to grab my camera and get a shot of him. I left it in the camera because just glancing at him, he seemed the same. Today, I went through the pictures and realized that, yeah, he did move. I took the shot at slightly different angles, but look at his left hand--it went from his lap to up against the wall. That must be the sound that woke me up!

I have to admit that it really does creep me out. I'm going to keep my eye on that little booger from now on! I don't know how I'll ever see "Dead Silence" with him staring at me! Being a true debunker; however, I put his arm back to where it was originally to see if perhaps there's a bad shoulder joint or some mechanism that makes it want to swing back. Nope. So far, he's staying in his pose. Crafty little demon! Guess I'll have to see what he does tonight!

Comments

  1. Interesting blog. Glad I found you.

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  2. Hey Merricat;
    Glad to have you visit. You'll have to look at my listings of posts and see what catches your fancy.

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  3. You should keep a video camera on the little creepy beast like they do on the Haunted Dolls website. If he moves, you will get him! He is very creepy and I would probably have hime stored in the trunk. You are much braver than I, lol.
    ~Julie~

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  4. Julie;
    Yeah, because he creeps me out, I need to keep him out. Sometimes, because I have a high level of creepy tolerance, I forget what it's like to be uneasy and he keeps me unsettled enough to keep my writing more authentic. It would be pretty cool to keep a camera on him, but I so hate reviewing video!!! My son came by today and tested him out and was shocked, but his arm does not move easily at all! He really couldn't explain it. Neither can I which makes it "unsolved."

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  5. HA! Love it! Creepy pics to go with a good tale! BTW...HAPPY NEW YEAR! Also, CONGRATS! There is no way I could do a "Best of" 2009 Awards and not have you on it! Thanks for sharing you with us and all the awesome theories, stories, musings, and comments you leave. It has been my absolute honor and delight to get to know you this year! I look forward to growing the connection in 2010!!!!!

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  6. Hey Courtney;
    Thanks! When I'm done with work in a few minutes, I'll have to check out everyone's blogs and see whazzup! I love to see what people are up to. I have fun sharing my quirky world with ya'all too. I'm not your normal bird, but everyone makes me feel normal just the way I am.

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  7. i say you are a brave woman! no way i'm gonna sleep with any freaky doll near me.
    and as i'm reading, i'm thinking, oh no, don't tell it moved and you did. but i admit, hee hee, i am curious to know if it moved on it's own. like julie said keep a video camera on it and see what happens. i'll live vicariously through you ;)
    hope you have a great new year and thanks for sharing all of your insights and talents, i truly enjoy reading your blog!

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  8. Hey Sandra;
    I wouldn't be much of a ghost hunter if I let it spook me. Having lived in a very spooky old house, nothing much phases me anymore, but dolls are still very unsettling. I had my mind all worked into the concept that it was just a piece of plastic and fabric and not to think of it as having a "soul," but after reviewing the pictures today and testing the arm on the doll, I truly know there are unexplained things in the world. Perhaps he heard us laughing about him moving. Perhaps he does have a "doll soul." Creepy thought, huh? (wink)

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  9. Keep on eye on that one :)

    Ventriloquist dummies always bring to mind the movie Magic, which creeped me out as a child.

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  10. Pangs;
    That was my very favorite ventriloquist doll movie ever. I do adore "Dead Silence" too which took it to a new level including lots of dolls and mannequins. If you don't like dolls, try "Tourist Trap" which was a very unsettling mannequin movie. Yikes! I have my eye on the little booger right now and he's smiling and sitting there with his hands in the same position they've been in since this morning when I found the repositioning on the photo. I'll have to give him a name and perhaps a little column of his own on my blog--now that would spook folks out. Maybe I could call it "how to scare humans" and have a little picture of him for the column. In a strange serendipitious way, you inspired me. Now, I have a few free minutes to write his first post for him (wink)

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  11. Wow!!
    Very Creepy to say the least
    Autumnforest!!
    I also in addition to enjoying this story and also your humor plus the scares "Ikea meets Celtic garden" wanted to wish you and your family a beautiful 2010-with many more great years down the road-all the best!!

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  12. Hey Dev;
    Thanks! Hope 2010 is amazingly smooth and rewarding for you! You should check out my short story "Killing Season." I think you might enjoy it.

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