The curious customer leaned in, picking up Annabelle’s limp arm, feeling it, squeezing it, as the doll smiled dazily into the distance. Tickling fingers traced a line of stitches, one of many, across the doll’s arm. Annabelle smiled and jumped.

“Boo!” She shouted with a laugh, startling the customer. The real woman shrieked and jumped back, looking wide-eyed at the suddenly living doll, with a bit too much fear for Annabelle’s liking.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it. I just…sometimes I get these ideas, and you know dolls, we don’t have any self-control.”

The fact that Annabelle spoke did little to make the customer less frightened. “You just…is that a costume?”

“Costume? Ha! A witch cursed me years ago with an enchanted needle and thread. She paralyzed me and stitched me together, filled me with stuffing. She made me…” Annabelle paused, tilting her head, her eyes going vacant for a moment as she remembered staring helplessly up while her Creator remade her. “She made me hers.”

“That’s…that’s awful!” The woman said, but she took one cautious step forward, intrigued.

Annabelle frowned. “Why? I’m a doll, not dead. I was cherished, I learned magic, and I helped bring justice to those who needed it.”

“So how did you end up here?” The customer asked asked, looking around the dimly lit, cluttered antique shop.

“I’m a doll, not some fancy heirloom. When my Creator had no more use of me, she sold me to the store owner. Though…” she tapped the sign beside her. “I’ve overstayed my welcome.”

The woman looked from the sign to the doll. “Magic Items Must Go?”

“I’ve grown bored sitting around her. The magic inside me has been leaking. Rattling shelves, animating bells, that sort of thing. I need purpose, I need an Owner.” Annabelle looked at the customer with big, hopeful eyes.

“Doesn’t the store own you?”

The doll rolled her eyes. “I’m owned, but I’m not Owned. It’s different, trust me.” She sat forward, lowering her voice. “So, do you want to buy me? Bring me home with you? I can help you get back at whoever’s wronged you…” She said enticingly.

“I don’t have that many enemies. And I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

“Oh, you don’t have to hurt someone. I can show you how to put a spell on them. Not necessarily major. A minor misfortune. A secret revealed. A lucky break undone.” Annabelle could tell she was getting somewhere.

The woman bit her lip. “What about…could you help me turn someone else into a doll?”

Annabelle’s eyes twinkled. “I would love to.”

“I mean, I’m not sure if she really deserves it.”

“Oh, I can waive that requirement for this. I’d love to have a new dolly friend, or friends, after all these years.”

The customer paused, considering before she nodded. She took Annabelle’s mitten hand, squeezing it, gently sliding her off the table until the doll stood on her own round, plush feet.

“Then, I think this will be the start of a beautiful Ownership.”