The Alive Doll

By Laura Marie Wingate

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Rebecca. She was a lonely little ten-year-old who lived in an orphanage.

Every day she was allowed to go for a walk in the park near the orphanage. One day she saw a doll lying on the grass near a tree. She picked it up and put it on the seat. Before she had time to sit down the doll moved.  Rebecca was very surprised, how could the doll have moved, she was only a doll. "How did you do that?" Rebecca said to the doll. Could you imagine Rebecca's surprise when the doll answered, "because I'm alive, I'm alive."

Rebecca thought she was imagining things. "You can't be," said Rebecca, still shocked.  

"You brought me to life," said the doll.

"How?" Replied Rebecca.

"Because you need a friend, and I'm going to be your friend."

"What is your name?" Said Rebecca.

"Raggedy Anne," replied the doll.

"That's a nice name," said Rebecca. "Do you like your name?"

"It's all right," said the doll. "But I've always wanted to be called Aliza."

"All right," said Rebecca, "I'll call you Aliza."

Aliza and Rebecca played for hours. Rebecca was so happy playing with her new friend that she completely lost track of time. Soon Miss Smith from the orphanage came looking for her. Rebecca was soon back at the orphanage. She lay on the bed awake for hours thinking about the lovely day she'd had. It was the happiest day of her life.

The next day she saw Aliza again and played together until it was time for Rebecca to return to the orphanage. This time Rebecca helped Aliza sneak into the orphanage, and she stayed all night. The orphanage owner never found out.

The next day Rebecca and Aliza were playing happily together in the park, when Aliza saw her owner, a little girl named Laura. "She must be looking for me," said Aliza. "I had better hide." Aliza hid behind the tree. Rebecca waited for Laura to walk past. "She's gone, you can come out now, Aliza." Rebecca laughed.  But there was no answer.

"Come on, you can come out now I said," but still no reply. There was no sign of Aliza.  Rebecca called her again, but still no Aliza. Rebecca walked behind the tree and much to her horror she found that Aliza had turned back into a doll. Rebecca was very upset, she picked up the doll and hugged it, and tears ran down her face.

Just then Laura came up and grabbed the doll off Rebecca. "That's my Raggedy Anne doll," she said and walked off with it.

Rebecca sat on the seat, until it was time to return to the orphanage. She walked back slowly, still very upset. She had lost the only friend she ever had.

Rebecca never saw Aliza again.

By Laura Marie Wingate