Slappy- Three-Year-Old

“This is Slappy,” I told the little girl. “Slappy, this is Alicia.”
“How do you do?” I made Slappy say.
Alicia and her mother both laughed. Alicia stared up at the dummy withher sparkling blue eyes.
“How old are you?” I made Slappy say.
Alicia held up three fingers. “I’m fffree,” she told him.
“Would you like to shake hands with Slappy?” I asked. Alicia nodded.
I lowered the dummy a little. I pushed forward Slappy’s right hand. “Go ahead,” I urged Alicia. “Take his hand.”
Alicia reached up and grabbed Slappy’s hand. She giggled.
“Happy Birthday,” Slappy said.
Alicia shook his hand gently. Then she started to back away.
“We can’t wait to see your show,” Alicia’s mother said to me. “I know the kids are going to love it.”
“I hope so!” I replied. My stomach fluttered again. I was still really nervous.
“Let go!” Alicia cried. She tugged at Slappy’s hand. She giggled. “He won’t let go!”
Alicia’s mom laughed. “What a funny dummy!” She grabbed Alicia’s other hand. “Let go of the dummy, honey. We have to get everyone in their seats for the show.”
Alicia tugged a little harder. “But he won’t let go of me, Mommy!” she cried. “He wants to shake hands!”
Alicia gave a hard tug. But her tiny hand was still wrapped up inside Slappy’s. She giggled. “He likes me. He won’t let go.”
“Oh, look,” her mother said, glancing to the door. “Phoebe and Jennifer just arrived. Let’s go say hi.”
Alicia tried to follow her mom, but Slappy held tight to her hand.
Alicia’s smile faded. “Let go!” she insisted.
I saw that several kids had gathered around. They watched Alicia tug at Slappy’s hand.
“Let go! Let me go!” Alicia cried angrily.
I leaned over to examine Slappy’s hand. To my surprise, it appeared that his hand had clenched tightly around hers.
Alicia gave a hard tug. “Ow! He’s hurting me, Mommy!”
More kids came over to watch. Some of them were laughing. Two little dark-haired boys exchanged frightened glances.
“Please—make him let go!” Alicia wailed. She tugged again and again.
I froze in panic. My mind whirred. I tried to think of what to do. Had Alicia gotten her hand caught somehow? Slappy’s hand couldn’t really close around hers—could it?
Alicia’s mother was staring at me angrily. “Please let Alicia’s hand out,” she said impatiently.
“He’s hurting me!” Alicia cried. “Ow! He’s squeezing my hand!”
The room grew very quiet. The other kids were all watching now. Their eyes wide. Their expressions confused.
I didn’t know what to do. I had no control for Slappy’s hands. My heart pounded in my chest. I tried to make a joke of it. “Slappy really likes you!” I told Alicia.
But the little girl was sobbing now. Little tears rolled down her cheeks. “Mommy—make him stop!”
I pulled my hand out from Slappy’s back. I grabbed his wooden hand between my hands. “Let go of her, Slappy!” I demanded. I tried pulling the fingers open. But I couldn’t budge them.
“What is wrong?” Alicia’s mother was screaming. “Is her hand caught? What are you doing to her?”
“He’s hurting me!” Alicia wailed. “Owwww! He’s squeezing me!”
Several kids were crying now. Mothers rushed across the room to comfort them.
Alicia’s sobs rose up over the frightened cries of the other three-yearolds. The harder she tugged, the tighter the wooden hand squeezed.
“Let go, Slappy!” I shrieked, pulling his fingers. “Let go! Let go!”
“I don’t understand!” Alicia’s mother cried. She began frantically tugging my arm. “What are you doing? Let her go! Let her go!”
“Owwwww!” Alicia uttered a high, heartbreaking wail. “Make him stop! It hurts! It hurts!”
And then Slappy suddenly tilted his head back. His eyes opened wide,and his mouth opened in a long, evil laugh.

- Night of the Living Dummy II, chapter 11