The Doll

Sarah Beth always dreamed of having a doll of her own. She thought it was a dream that would never come true. “I've been living in this orphanage since I was a baby and no one has ever given me a doll. No one has hugged me to let me know I was loved. If only I had a doll of my own, I would love her and give her all the hugs and kisses I never got. I guess I'll just curl up in bed with my blanket and cry my eyes out like I always have for the past ten years. Maybe someday some nice person will bring a doll to the orphanage. That will be the greatest day of my life," said Sarah Beth to herself.

On a cold and dreary October afternoon, that day finally came. A little old lady brought fresh flowers to the orphanage every day. The old lady got tired of seeing Sarah Beth being teased by the other kids at the orphanage. The little old lady approached Sarah Beth with some good news. The old lady said, "You know, Sarah Beth, there comes a point in your life when you just get tired of all the teasing and humiliation. I'll tell you what? I'll get you your very own special doll that no one in this orphanage has. Would you like that Sarah Beth?"

"Yes! I would like that very much! More than anything in the whole world," said Sarah Beth with wide eyes.

"Well, tomorrow morning I'll bring you my special doll my grandmother passed down to me when I was a little girl,” said the old lady.

Sarah Beth was so happy. She ran back to her room for the night to dream about that special doll. Sarah Beth didn't get much sleep because her mind was on the doll all night long.

Morning came and just as the old lady promised, Sarah Beth got her doll. The old lady told Sarah Beth, "The doll I am giving you is no ordinary doll. She has special powers. You must be careful what you wish for."

The old lady turned around quickly. Headed out the front door of the orphanage before Sarah Beth had a chance to ask her why she had to be careful of what she wished for.

Sarah said to herself, "Oh well, I've finally got a doll that I can call my own.”

Sarah Beth went skipping through the halls of the orphanage letting everyone that came in her path know that she finally got a doll of her own. As Sarah Beth was about to approach the door to her bedroom a girl named Carly that lived in the room next to hers came up to Sarah Beth and asked curiously, "Sarah Beth what do you have there?"

Sarah Beth replied, "It's my doll and no one can have her."

Carly said, "Let me hold her. I'll give her right back."

Sarah Beth handed the doll to Carly and said, "You can hold her for a minute, but you have to give her back, ok?" "Don't worry, you can have her back. She's an ugly doll anyway," said Carly.

However, Carly had no intentions in giving the doll back to Sarah Beth. Carly just wanted to see her cry over the doll. Carly held the doll above Sarah Beth's head. Sarah Beth began to sob. Sarah Beth jumped up to try to grab the doll out of Carly's hand, but it was no use.

Sarah Beth warned Carly, "The old lady said the doll has special powers. All I have to do is wish for something and the doll will make it happen."

Carly started laughing hysterically at Sarah Beth and said, "That old lady is stupid. There is no doll that has special powers."

Sarah Beth cried and pleaded with Carly not to throw her doll in the trash. Carly held the doll over the trash can. Sarah Beth became angry, she wanted her dead. But Sarah Beth had never hurt anything in her whole life.