Vicky’s blood congealed in her veins. She wanted to leap back into bed with her mother but could not move. All she could do was stand there and scream.

11

Gia awoke on her feet. There was a moment of complete disorientation during which she had no idea where she was or what she was doing. The room was dark, a child was screaming, and she could hear her own terror-filled voice shouting a garbled version of Vicky’s name.

Frantic thoughts raced through her slowly awakening mind.

Where’s Vicky… the bed’s empty... where’s Vicky? She could hear her but couldn’t see her. Where in God’s name is Vicky?

She stumbled to the switch by the door and turned on the light. The sudden glare blinded Gia for an instant, and then she saw Vicky standing by the window, still screaming. She ran over and lifted the child against her.

“It’s all right, Vicky! It’s all right!”

The screaming stopped but not the trembling. Gia held her tighter, trying to absorb Vicky’s shudders into her own body. Finally the child was calm, only an occasional sob escaping from where she had her face buried between Gia’s breasts.

Night horrors. Vicky had had them frequently during her fifth year, but only rarely since. Gia knew how to handle them: Wait until Vicky was fully awake and then talk to her quietly and reassuringly.

“Just a dream, honey. That’s all. Just a dream.”

“No! It wasn’t a dream!” Vicky lifted her tear-streaked face. “It was Mr. Grape-grabber! I saw him!”

“Just a dream, Vicky.”

“He was stealing Ms. Jelliroll!”

“No, he wasn’t. They’re both right behind you.” She turned Vicky around and faced her toward the night table. “See?”

“But he was outside by the playhouse! I saw him!”

Gia didn’t like the sound of that. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone in the backyard.

“Let’s take a look. I’ll turn out the light so we can see better.”

Vicky’s face twisted in sudden panic. “Don’t turn out the lights! Please don’t!”

“Okay. I’ll leave them on. But there’s nothing to worry about. I’m right here.”

They both pressed their faces against the glass and cupped their hands around their eyes to shut off the glare from the room light. Gia quickly scanned the yard, praying she wouldn’t see anything.

Everything was as they had left it. Nothing moved. The backyard was empty. Gia sighed with relief and put her arm around Vicky.

“See? Everything’s fine. It was a dream. You just thought you saw Mr. Grape-grabber.”

“But I did!”

“Dreams can be very real, honey. And you know Mr. Grape-grabber is just a doll. He can only do what you want him to. He can’t do a single thing on his own.”

Vicky said no more but Gia sensed that she remained unconvinced.

That settles it, she thought. Vicky’s been here long enough.

The child needed her friends—real, live, flesh and blood friends. With nothing else to occupy her time, she had been getting too involved with these dolls. Now they were even in her dreams.