Rona Vaselaar

“I don’t like this box. It’s pink and it’s creepy.” She held it up in her left hand, her right poking at the ballerina on top. “And why is she so SKINNY?” she huffed. “She looks dead!”

My breath hitched in my throat because somewhere in the back of my mind I had seen enough to know what it was. But the rest of me was still clueless. Fighting this internal battle, I turned slowly towards the table.

I took a deep breath before I spoke, praying that this would work, please, God, let this work.

I liked Ben, I really did. I mean, he was a nice guy. We had some fun times together in college, messing around the dorm, going to parties, all the dumb shit that college guys do. He was cool and all, but he was a little… pretentious. Well, I guess the word he used was “artistic.”

“Hey, Charlie, how about we play hide ‘n’ seek? I’ll even count first.”

I’ve been working for our town’s little one-room for over 20 years now. You know what’s difficult about being a small town librarian? There are no children’s librarians, no reference librarians.

Oh, God, please help me. I think I’m going to be sick…

Stephanie’s parents were hysterical when they brought her in.

But I still wasn’t prepared for it when it happened.

Nothing made sense.

But in the winter, all the rules changed.

Jessica. Sorry, it’s still hard to even write her name. It feels like the weight on my chest gets heavier every time.

If someone invites you do it, don’t.

It was sitting beside the curb outside my apartment. A white iPhone 4S in surprisingly good condition.

Nothing happens to me. I’m normal. This kind of stuff only happens to other people. No one will be behind me…. Except, someone was.

I was drinking my usual when something out-of-the-ordinary happened.