Thomas Kingsley Troupe - Curse of the Dead-Eyed Doll

Curse of the Dead-Eyed Doll 2020 by North Star Editions, Mendota Heights, MN 55120. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including internet usage, without written permission from the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Book design by Sarah Taplin
Cover illustration by Maggie Ivy
Interior illustrations by Clonefront Entertainment (Beehive Illustration)

Published in the United States by Jolly Fish Press, an imprint of North Star Editions, Inc.

First Edition
First Printing, 2019

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Troupe, Thomas Kingsley, author.
Title: Curse of the dead-eyed doll / by Thomas Kingsley Troupe.
Description: First edition. | Mendota Heights, MN : Jolly Fish Press, [2020] |
Series: Haunted States of America | Summary: Strange things start to
happen to Al after visiting a Key West, Florida, museum and taking a
photograph of Robert the Doll Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018060106 (print) | LCCN 2019003419 (ebook) | ISBN
9781631633492 (ebook) | ISBN 9781631633478 (hardcover) | ISBN
9781631633485 (pbk.)
Subjects: | CYAC: Blessing and cursingFiction. | Haunted placesFiction. |
DollsFiction. | PhotographsFiction. | Horror stories. | Key West
(Fla.)Fiction. | LCGFT: Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.T7538 (ebook) | LCC PZ7.T7538 Cu 2019 (print) | DDC
[Fic]dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018060106

Jolly Fish Press
North Star Editions, Inc.
2297 Waters Drive
Mendota Heights, MN 55120
www.jollyfishpress.com

Printed in the United States of America

Thomas Kingsley Troupe

Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Chapt e r 1

Fi e ld Trip

S low down, son, Als dad cried. Youre going to choke!

Alejandro Padilla looked up from his bowl of cereal as a stream of milk dribbled down his chin. His dad was about to bite into a piece of toast with egg and ham on top. Marco, his older brother, shook his head.

You always eat like its your last meal, Al, Marco added.

Forry, Al replied.

Not with your mouth full, Dad said.

Al chewed, swallowed, and wiped the milk from his face.

Try that again? his dad asked. He took a slow sip of his coffee.

I said sorry, Al said, digging up another heaping spoonful of Honey Os. Im just hungry, I guess.

Well, when you choke to death, being hungry will cease to be a problem, Dad said.

Theres a nice thought to start out the day, Al grumbled, spooning up a much smaller portion of his breakfast.

Al had thought his brother and dad might ease up on him a bit once he became a teenager. But after turning thirteen over three months ago, he realized that wasnt going to happen.

Your history paper, Dad began. Is it finished?

No, Mrs. Crowley changed the due date to Friday, Al replied. She forgot weve got that field trip today. Ill work on it tonight after school, no sweat.

Marco brought his empty dish to the sink. He drank the last of his orange juice and rinsed the glass out.

Field trip? Marco asked. Where are you guys going?

Al shrugged. Some fort museum or something.

Marco nodded and smirked. The Fort East Martello Museum, he said. We went there when I was a kid too.

Al snorted then mumbled, Youre sixteen years old, not thirty.

Marco ignored him.

Al asked, Is it any good?

Marco shrugged. Its okay, I guess. They have a little bit of everything there. A bunch of Civil War antiques and some guys art he made out of junk.

Well, that sounds great, Al said, failing to muster up excitement.

Actually, Al didnt care where they were going. The museum could be filled with pencil shavings for all he cared. He was just happy to get out of school for a good chunk of the day.

Oh, theres one other thing, Marco said, leaning against the kitchen counter. Theyve got this weird-looking doll there. Its supposed to be haunted or cursed.

Cursed?

Yeah, Marco replied. They make a pretty big deal about it. I bet its the only reason people go there.

Thats absurd, their dad said, waving his hand at Marco. Complete nonsense!

Al couldnt help but smile. He liked seeing his dad get worked up.

You dont believe in that stuff, Dad? Al asked.

Ghosts and haunted toys? Thats for the movies, he responded, finishing his toast. The idiots who believe in that stuff are as empty-headed as those dolls.

Al couldnt agree more. There were tons of TV shows about people running around in the dark, looking for ghosts. Those shows seemed totally fake to him, yet they were pretty popular among his friends at school.

Guess theyre idiots too, Al thought. According to my dad, at least.

Like I said, Marco replied. Theyve got a little bit of everything.

After stealing one more handful of cereal from the box still sitting on the table, Al grabbed his backpack and skateboard.

Have a good time at the doll museum, Dad said, waving Al over for a hug.

Al let his dad wrap his arms around him and clap him on the back.

Thanks, Dad, he said, his voice muffled by the hug.

And as soon as you get home tonight?

History paper, Al said. I know, I know.

__________________

A little before 9:30 a.m., a school bus packed with sixty eighth-graders pulled into the parking lot of the Fort East Martello Museum. Al studied the brick building as the bus slowed down in front of it. Next to him, Als friend Selma peered over his shoulder.

Als family had passed the fort countless times driving on Highway A1A, but hed never paid much attention to it. There was an old bell in front of the building, along with a giant, black boat anchor that was partially buried in the rocks. Next to the sidewalk leading into the museum was a flagpole with an American flag hoisted to the top.

A sign to the right of the building announced what the eighth-grade students of Gulf View Middle School could expect inside:

Wow, Al said. The doll got second billing.

The doll? Selma asked. What are you talking about?

He pointed at the sign. Marco said theres a doll in there thats supposed to be super creepy and haunted, Al said. But really, how scary can a doll named Robert be?

Selma shivered a bit. Dolls creep me out, she admitted. I never even had any growing up. My parents said I would cry anytime my sisters played with them.