Oh My Darling: It’s Time To Die (Nightmares on Lull Lane #3)

Prologue

“It was such a lovely shower, Sarah! Not too much longer and the precious bundle of joy will be here!” Rachel says, her hand on my stomach, waiting for the baby to kick.

“It really was! Thank you Rachel and Kent so much for stopping by and the gifts you brought, I just adore that little pink dress!”

Rachel finally removes her hand, moving in to give me a hug.

“Call if you need anything,” she insists, before letting me go and walking out the door with her husband.

An exasperated sigh leaves me as I shut the door and make my way back into the kitchen to straighten things up. I hear footsteps coming from behind and before I can turn around to see who it is, two strong arms wrap around my belly. Lips instantly attack my cheek, then neck, giving me kisses.

“Michael!” I giggle, turning around and throwing my arms around his neck. “Shouldn’t you be entertaining the rest of the guests?” I tease.

His lips move against my neck, his hands rubbing up and down my back.

“Rachel and Kent were the last to leave. It’s just you and me now.” His voice rumbles against my skin, causing goosebumps to be left in his wake.

“Well, let me finish cleaning in here, you put up the last bit of gifts, and then you and I can have some much needed one on one time,” I tease, pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

He jokingly salutes me while I get back to cleaning the last bit of mess up and put the leftover food away. I had just begun wiping down the counters when I hear Michael call me from the room.

“Sar,” he shouts.

“Yes, dear?” I say, following his voice into the living room.

He’s standing in the middle of the room with a glossy black rectangular box in his hand. A deep red ribbon is wrapped around it, tied into the most gorgeous bow. He glances up and stretches the box towards me to take.

“Seems like you missed one.”

“Who’s it from?” I ask, taking the box from him and looking all over it for a card.

“I have no idea. Maybe it came with another gift and someone forgot they brought it?” he suggests.

“Hmmm. Maybe. Quite weird though,” I laugh.

“Open it! Let's see what it is,” he says excitedly.

I can’t help but laugh, then take the ribbon, pulling one side until it falls off the box. Slowly opening it, I come face to face with black tissue paper. Digging it out, I finally get to the object inside and can’t control the gasp I let loose when I see it.

“What is it?” Michael asks, trying to look around me.

A porcelain doll with bright green eyes stares back at me.

Her long, curly, red hair reaches down to her waist and she has the creepiest smile spread across her porcelain face.

Maybe it’s not creepy and it’s just me, but I’ve never been a fan of porcelain dolls, especially with all the movies they’ve made about horror dolls.

I physically shiver and thrust the doll into Michael’s arms.

“Here. Take it. Throw it in the trash. Put it in the attic. I don’t care, I just don’t want to look at it,” I say, putting at least six feet between me and the doll.

“You can’t seriously be scared by a doll, Sarah?” Michael deadpans.

“They just creep me out, okay? So, please just do something with it.”

“Okay. Okay. I’ll take care of it.”

I follow and watch as Michael pulls the ladder to the attic down, climbing up and disappearing into the dark. He’s gone for several minutes and I begin to worry.

“Michael? Is everything ok up there?” I ask, but no answer comes.

“Babe!” I shout, grabbing the ladder with one hand.

I don’t have time to step onto it.

“Boo!” Michael screams from the opening and a loud scream leaves my throat.

“You fucking asshole…you almost gave me a heart attack,” I say breathless, hand on my chest, bent over trying to catch my breath.

Michael laughs as he makes his way down, reaching the bottom and pulling me into his arms.

“I was just playing, baby.”

“Well, play something else,” I scoff.

I watch as he puts the ladder back up and then we make our way to our bedroom. Something feels off. Like something bad is going to happen.

“You okay, babe?” Michael asks, coming up to hold me from behind.

“I’m not sure. Something feels off,” I admit.

“I’m sure you’re just overthinking.”

“But Mich–”

I stop talking when I feel liquid pouring down my legs and hear the sound of it hitting our wooden bedroom floor. I look down, eyes wide, then look up at Michael.

“It’s time,” I whisper.

He looks down then back up at me.

“Shit! I’ll get the bags.”

Everything is chaos and has been ever since that night.