Denise checked her looks in her rearview mirror one more time, and then got out of her car as she walked towards the front door of the huge house. She was in her early thirties, and was going to be babysitting for the first time since high school. The woman she was babysitting for she also hadnÕt seen since they had been classmates in high school.
Michelle and Denise hadnÕt exactly been friends when they were in school; they ran in totally different circles. Michelle was a brain, a quiet, petite, geeky-looking girl with glasses, while Denise was one of the popular girls: pretty, athletic, and a cheerleader. Denise had been a bit surprised to get the call from her former classmate, wanting to know if she would be available to watch MichelleÕs 10-year-old daughter, Alyssa, while Michelle and her husband went out for the evening. It was summertime, and Denise could use the extra money to supplement her teaching income, so she said yes.
The house was impressive, Denise thought, as she got to the doorbell and rang it – Michelle must be doing really well for herself! The door opened, and Denise gasped a bit, as she saw Michelle open it. She was the same size as Denise remembered, but the glasses were gone, improving her look, and she was dressed in an impressively fashionable skirt outfit that Denise knew must have cost a fortune. Her hair was now long but done up beautifully.
ÒUmm,Ó Denise said as the door opened, ÒHi MichelleÉ itÕs been ages! You look soÉ different!Ó
ÒWhy thank you, and you, you look, well pretty much the same!Ó Denise blushed a bit and looked down at her pink top and jean shorts and mules with 3Ó heels, and realized she probably was dressed and looked about the same as she had been in high schoolÉ which she took as a compliment.
ÒThanks!Ó Denise smiled as Michelle opened the door fully, allowing her former classmate to walk in. DeniseÕs eyes stayed wide as she took in the beautiful interior. ÒWow, your house is so beautifulÉ!Ó
ÒThanks, this is just one room; wait till you see the rest!Ó Michelle chuckled as a young girl ran into the room, and then upon seeing the two women there, slowed down and composed herself. ÒThis is my daughter, Alyssa. Alyssa, this is-Ó
ÒWow, youÕre really pretty!Ó the girl gushed as she stood before Denise. Alyssa was already taller than her mother, and dressed like a typical 10-year old, in a seersucker dress, and pretty brown pigtails, and no shoes.
Denise blushed again. ÒThanks!Ó
Michelle looked at her watch. ÒI gotta run, IÕm meeting Brian at a fancy place and I canÕt be lateÉ IÕll be back in a few hours, make sure sheÕs asleep by 9...Ó And without another word, Michelle turned to leave.
ÒOkay, see you later! Bye,Ó replied both Denise and Alyssa, not quite simultaneously. As the door shut, Alyssa grabbed DeniseÕs hand suddenly. ÒCome, come! I just made some teaÉ do you like tea?Ó
ÒYes-yes of course,Ó Denise answered, a bit taken aback, as the ten-year-old dragged her into the kitchen and handed her a cup filled with tea. Denise took a sip; it was hot, but quite delicious.
ÒI-I havenÕt babysat in a long time,Ó Denise said as she sipped some more of the tea. ÒMmm, this is really goodÉÓ
ÒYou really are pretty!Ó Alyssa repeated. ÒAre you sure you went to school with Mommy?Ó
ÒIÕm sure,Ó Denise laughed, Òwe werenÕt really friends thoughÉÓ
ÒOh no, thatÕs too bad. I know we will be the best of friends though!Ó Alyssa turned towards the stairway. ÒDo you like dolls? Mommy just got me three of the best dolls EVER and sheÕs getting me one more! Do you want to come up and see my dolls?Ó
ÒUmm, sure, of course I like dolls...Ó Denise replied as she sipped some more of her tea and followed the delighted girl up the stairs, curious about what kind of dolls she had. From the look of her house, Michelle could afford most anything – including the most expensive toys for her daughter, Denise thought, as they finally made it to the top of the stairs.
Alyssa opened the door to her room and let Denise walk in first. Her eyes widened once again, as she took in the room. It was probably the largest bedroom she had ever seenÉ and decorated to the nines for a princess. The bed was queen size with tall corner posts, something right out of a fairy-tale, Denise thought. The walls were decorated with very girly prints, but very expensive-looking ones. On either sidewall of the bedroom were long dressers, and facing the bed, on that wall, was a large curtain. Denise instantly wondered what was behind it. She also realized she hadnÕt seen any dolls yet.
ÒWow, I love your room!Ó she gushed. ÒI would have loved to have a room like this when I was your age.Ó Denise patted the bed softly, as Alyssa reached over and took the empty teacup from her hand.
ÒThatÕs awesome. Do you like my bed?Ó Alyssa asked, as Denise nodded. ÒWell come on up and sit on it then!Ó
Denise climbed up on the bed and sat down, against the headboard, her tan, athletic legs crossed Indian style, facing the wall with the large curtain. As she turned to look at Alyssa, she felt a sudden wave of dizziness come over her. She went to raise her left hand, and suddenly felt very mentally exhausted. ÒIÉ where areÉ the dollsÉÓ
ÒWow, Dee-Dee, you look really tired... Do you need a little napÉ?Ó Alyssa asked suggestively.
ÒIÉ DeeDee? NapÉÓ Denise let her head rock back against the headboard, and then, suddenly, she was out.
* * *
Her eyes opened slowly. She knew she had dozed off, she didnÕt know for how long, she could still feel that she was sitting on the bed. She slowly moved her head forward as her eyes opened, to see Michelle now standing at the foot of the bed. The mere effort of moving her head forward made her dizzy, and mentally exhausted once again. ÒWhatÉhappenedÉÓ
ÒWhat happened? You fell asleep, when you were supposed to be watching Alyssa, thatÕs what happened. Not much of a babysitter, are you, Dee-Dee?Ó
ÒDee-DeeÉÓ Denise mumbled, as she sat there, her arms dangling down by her still-crossed ankles as she sat there, looking lost.
ÒYes, I remember a couple of the boys used to call you that in high school. They really liked you, didnÕt they, you and your little cheerleader friends?Ó
ÒUmmÉÓ Denise mumbled, as her mind tried to get a grip on things. What was wrong with her? Why did even the smallest movement wear her mind out so quickly? She sat there, staring ahead, something felt totally wrongÉ
ÒWondering why itÕs so hard for you to move?Ó Alyssa chuckled as Denise mumbled an affirmative ÔyesÕ. ÒMight have something to do with a cup of tea you drank a while agoÉÓ
DeniseÕs eyes widened slightly. ÒThe teaÉ you... drugged meÉ? WhyÉÓ
ÒOh, youÕll see soon enough, honey,Ó Michelle teased. ÒMade a couple other changes while you were asleep tooÉ want to see, Dee-Dee?Ó
ÒChangesÉ?Ó Denise mumbled as Michelle walked around the side of the bed, and slowly helped her stunned former classmate turn sideways to look at herself in the dresser mirror to her left. Her eyes widened again as she saw what Michelle had meant!
The clothes she had been wearing when she arrived were gone. There was a dark blonde wig covering her short brown hair, the fall of it cascading down past her shoulders and onto her chest. Her chest was barely covered by a pink and blue colored bra-like top, with ribbon-like straps down around her arms and a large ribbon hanging down the front, to her navel. She had a pair of little girl panties where her shorts had been, long striped knee socks, and striped heels.
ÒWh-whatÉ did youÉ do to meÉÓ Denise breathed as she stared at herself in the mirror. Michelle chuckled as she allowed the dazed high school teacher to linger a bit longer on her appearance, then she silently turned Denise back around to face the curtain.
ÒYou wanted to know where AlyssaÕs dolls were, Dee-Dee?Ó Denise mumbled a soft ÔyesÕ as Alyssa moved to the wall with the curtain, slowly pulling it open.
The curtainÕs opening revealed a large window. On the other side of the window was what looked like a large toy-room. In the room were four large wooden toy boxes, each with their lids open. Slumped inside three of the boxes, eyes closed, and dressed very similarly to Denise, figures she recognized as her three cheerleading friends from high school: Candace, Barbara, and Alexis, or, as the lettering on the front of the boxes read, ÒCandy, Barbie, and Lexie,Ó the nicknames they had had in high school. The fourth box, empty, had lettering on the front of it, too:
ÒDee-Dee.Ó
Denise stared at it in blank disbelief. She tried to move, but the effort exhausted her immediately, and she rocked back into place.
ÒCareful, youÕll fall asleep again, Dee-Dee,Ó Michelle laughed, as Alyssa came marching into her bedroom. She ran over to where Denise was sitting.
ÒIs this my fourth doll, Mommy? ItÕs so prettyÉ!Ó Alyssa reached up and began playing with DeniseÕs wig.
ÒWhy yes it is, sweetheart,Ó Michelle smiled as she brought a cart over to the side of the bed, and helped Alyssa load Denise on it.
ÒUhh,Ó she mumbled, as the cart she was on slowly rolled towards the door, towards the toy room, towards the box, which would be her new home.
ÒYouÕll get a little booster shot every twelve hours, Dee-Dee Doll,Ó Michelle whispered into the shocked womanÕs ear, Òenough to keep you passive, just like you are now. Before long, youÕll forget about anything except how wonderful it is to be played with, to be dressed up, to have your hair brushed, to be my little girlÕs big dollÉÓ As she said the last words, they had arrived in the toy room, and Denise felt herself being slid off of the cart, gently down inside a boxÉ her box.
The lights went out a moment later, and Denise tried one more time to move, to somehow get herself up and out of the boxÉ not ten seconds later she was again fast asleep, just like her friends.
End