NAUGHTY LIST part 3

Eiragrimm

25 Jan 2026 — 3 min read

Finally the last part hope everyone enjoy

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Waking up again felt wrong, but this time it crawled beneath Simon’s skin. His consciousness rose slowly as he stood frozen like stone, trying to understand what had happened. The world felt twisted, sounds too sharp, walls too close, no way to turn away.

One thing unsettled with the young lad…that he had no ability to blink, as if that simple right was stripped away from him.

His eyes were forced wide open, locked forward as people began drifting into the shop… a toy shop, of all places.

Beyond the glass, snow fell thick and silent. Families laughed beneath bright coats and scarves, oh how Simon wished he could be there playing in the snow along with the others, but he couldn't blink let alone move a muscle.

Simon wanted to scream at them, to beg them to notice him, but he couldn’t even shut his eyes, let alone move any muscle.

Few customers greeted each other “merry Christmas” with enthusiasm. That sure didn't make any sense to Simon, “ was i gone for only a few hours?” Yet it felt like it had been weeks. He stared at the nearby clock and realised it was only 10 o clock in the morning, on Christmas day.

He tried to breathe louder, tried to whisper. Tried to exist.

Nothing.

Not even the faint warmth of air left his lip.

His eyes felt alive for once as if it glistened with tears of regret. He wanted his parents. His sister. Hot chocolate by the fire. Laughter. Snowmen. Snowball fights. like how they used too.

He couldn’t move, but his thoughts wouldn’t stop.

What had changed him?

He hadn’t always been like this… yet looking back in the past year, he saw the sharp edges of himself, the cruelty he hadn’t noticed he grew into. And now, standing here, trapped, he wished he received coals instead of being away from his family.

It's been two hours.

Many children, many families arrived and left, but Simon had given up hope, he didn't want anyone, just his parents, but that desire seemed impossible to reach.

A familiar voice ringed in his ear, he looked forward, and his heart pounding in relief, he saw his parents and his little sister as they stepped into the toy shop where he was imprisoned.

He wanted to call out, to wave, to do anything to get their attention… but his body refused him.

His parents tried to keep up with a smile whenever Anna looked at them, but the moment she looked away, their smile disappeared. A few hours earlier they had made a report that their son was missing, only to be told to wait for twenty four hours before it could become official.

But they had hoped he would return. Maybe it was just him being angry because he did not receive his presents.

Maybe that was all it was.

Anna scouted the shop till her eyes filled with wonder made eye contact with Simon unknowingly.

“ ooo mom looks, i want this pretty doll”

Simon was confused, why was he being called a pretty doll. His mother came forward to inspect the doll or him, she stood frozen as she looked at the detail of The doll…there was an unusual pull, a familiar essence.

The shopkeeper approached the mother and Anna. And gave them a bright smile but when its eyes landed on Simon, it twitched into a cruel smile.

Mrs Cornwall: how much is this doll?

She delivered each of her words anxiously, hoping she could take the doll with her ….home.

Shopkeeper: It's one of a kind but since it's Christmas, we can give a discount.

Mrs Cornwall didn't say much but instead took her bank card out and handed it over to IT.

The monster in disguise looked at Simon amused before walking away to make the purchase.

Anna grabbed Simon, held it tightly and went to the counter with Mrs Cornwall.

Simon’s eyes landed on a glass display box sitting on the counter, a doll model nside it. Then he caught his reflection.

He was now frozen and trapped inside a doll, he was unable to recognise what he was, this was a great punishment for him. He was wearing a red silk dress with red silk mini boots, and had blond long hair tied up into a pony tail with a red ribbon.

“Is this some kind of a joke? They turned me into a girl doll? That meant enduring Anna’s tea parties….?”

His head screamed NOOOOOOO, Simon's worst nightmare probably was yet to start.

The purchase was done, Simon now has become his sister's new collection..Anna hugged the doll with excitement and left the shop with her parents.

Simon looked over Anna's shoulder one last time, outside the toy shop, and saw IT waving at him, a smirk tugging at it's lips, full of mockery.

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• HOPE YOU ENJOYED