The Girl, The Witch and The Living Doll

A girl goes missing in the woods and her parents find only a decrepit and scary doll left behind. They soon learn that the doll is actually their daughter. And she's alive. Prompt courtesy of  @screen_craft.

EXT. BACKYARD - DAY

Crunchy leaves blow in the wind. MILA (7) with her bouncy, brown hair laughs as she tosses and catches her American Doll.

A gust of wind swirls the leaves around in the open, woodsy backyard. Fighting to see, Mila drops her doll. The wind calms.

A small terrier dog sits in front of Mila, attentively.
Her eyes smile big.

MILA
Hello.

She pets the dog. The terrier snatches her doll, running away with it.

MILA (CONT'D)
Hey, come back!

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Mila chases after the terrier through the woods.

MILA (CONT'D)
Dog, stop!

Purple converses stomp through the foliage. The dog dashes over broken branches.

The terrier stops at the feet of a young, Bohemian-dressed witch named GERALDINE (30's).

Taking the doll, Mila comes to a cautious halt.

GERALDINE
I believe this is yours.

Mila slowly takes the doll from Geraldine.

GERALDINE (CONT'D) S
he's pretty. What's her name?

Mila stares at Geraldine wary, looking around her surroundings.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
Don't you speak?

MILA
I'm not suppose to speak to strangers.

GERALDINE
Are you not suppose to be polite either?

Mila twists in embrassement.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
I'm Geraldine, but my friends call me Gerri.

MILA
Mila.

GERALDINE
That's a beautiful name. So this must be little Mila.
See, now we're no longer strangers.

MILA
Is that your dog?

GERALDINE
Yes it is.

Geraldine pets her nervous terrier.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
This is Jack.
(to the dog)
Don't be shy Jack, say hi.

Jack the terrier slowly approaches Mila. He falls into Mila's hand as she pets behind his ears.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
He likes you. What are you doing playing outside all by yourself?
Where are your friends?

MILA
Around. Busy.

GERALDINE
Well, that's sad.

Geraldine crouches eye level to Mila.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
I've had friends like that.

Geraldine stares understanding. Her smile comes off as laughter.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
You seem like a fun girl and special too. Do you know how I know?

Mila shakes her head.

GERALDINE (CONT'D)
Jack told me.

The terrier BARKS.

MILA
(smiles)
No.

GERALDINE
Yes.

Jack sniffs out all the special kids. That's his superpower. The dog BARKS again.

MILA
Is that how Jack found you?

GERALDINE
Actually, I found Jack. I'm the reason,
Jack can do what he does.

MILA
How?

GERALDINE
Magic.

MILA
(laughs)
There's no such thing as magic.

GERALDINE
Of course there is. Science is a form of magic.
Turning a piece of paper into a beautiful origami is magic.
How the seasons change is magic.
Magic is everywhere, you just have to look.

Jack the terrier begins to whimper.

GERALDINE
(CONT'D) Do you want to see?

Mila nods eagerly.
Geraldine's hazel eyes shimmer gold. Leaves begin to dance around them.

MILA
That could be the wind.

GERALDINE
Okay then.

Geraldine lays a single finger on Mila's doll. The dolls eyes blink rapidly.

Mila stares amazed as the doll slowly comes to life.

Jack the terrier BARKS in fear.

The doll returns to its toy state.

MILA
Wow!

MOTHER (O. S.)
Mila!

MILA
That's my mom. I should go.

Geraldine takes Mila's hand.

GERALDINE
You are a sweet girl, it's a shame to lose that.

The trees sway violently. The leaves swirl around them.
Jack the terrier BARKS excessively.
Mila screams at the true face of Geraldine: Haunting eyes. Dull, aged skin. Yellow stained teeth.
An amber glow transfers from Mila into Geraldine. Leaves stop dancing.
The trees become calm. Jack the terrier whimpers and whines at Mila's American Doll.

FATHER (O.S.)
Mila!

The dog BARKS viciously. Geraldine, now a young woman again stands over the doll. Her shimmered eyes glare down at Jack. Submissive, Jack walks beside Geraldine.

GERALDINE
Good boy.

They leave the woods, fading into the trees. Mila's parents arrive at the scene.

MOTHER AND FATHER
Mila!

MILA (O.S.)
Mommy.

MOTHER
Mila?

MILA (O.S.)
I can't move Mommy.

FATHER
Mila, where are you?

Walking around the deserted area, Father finds the doll on a pile of leaves.

Fear grows as the parents look around the deserted area.

MOTHER
Mila, where are you?

MILA
Daddy.

Stunned, Mila's parents stare at the doll with curiosity.

FATHER
Mila?

MILA
You're holding me too tight.

Their eyes grow in horror.

MOTHER
​Oh my god, Mila!