Dawn of Eve

by MJ Howson

  Janet ignored the doll above Anna. Similar to Hugo in size and shape, this doll had narrow eyes. Charles’s feathered pillow sat beside the blue-dressed doll. Instead, Janet went to the next shelf. She smiled and said, “Hello, Billy.”

  The Billy doll looked oddly handsome with mature facial features. The hazel eyes sparkled, and its tawny complexion appeared rich in the cabinet’s shadows. As with the other boy dolls, Billy’s pants and shirt matched. The deep green color of the clothing was a near-perfect match to the robe the real Billy once wore at camp.

  Janet removed Billy from the armoire, taking care not to disturb the nearby piggy bank. She ran her fingers through the doll’s silk-like black hair and then took the locket hanging around its neck into the palm of her hand. Janet used her thumb to polish the necklace, admiring the G engraved across the front. She smiled and kissed Billy’s forehead. When Janet tucked the doll beneath her arm, the eyes snapped closed.

  Janet carried Billy past the packed gray metal shelves, through the swinging doors, and into the front of the store. She opened the glass case and placed the knife back where it used to be with the other weapons. The far corner of the glass countertop, where Eve once sat, was still vacant. Janet placed Billy on the counter and grabbed a cloth. She polished the end of the case and then spent some time cleaning the doll, removing bits of dust and debris from the clothing and face. Janet did her best to fix Billy’s hair before tucking the locket away.

  Billy sat there, facing Janet, its eyes still closed. She carefully aimed Billy toward the door. Janet kissed the doll’s cheek and whispered, “Choose wisely, Billy. My daughter’s waiting for you.”

  Janet smiled, turned, and went into the storage room. She glanced over the swinging doors and gave the doll one last look before turning off the lights.

  Billy’s eyes clicked open.

  Epilogue

  New York Journal – June 29th, 2020

  LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER?

  Dawn Easton was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the deaths of Jacob Jilani and Dr. Winston Cole. The gruesome murders were committed on December 21, 2019.

  Miss Easton, heir to the Evelyn Easton fashion empire, admitted to the stabbing deaths of both victims. Her attorney, Gerald Johnson, claimed she suffered from a psychotic break with reality. Florence Cole, Winston’s wife, provided critical documentation from Dawn’s therapy sessions with her husband. Mrs. Cole, now living in Florida, survived Dawn’s assault the night her husband was murdered. She was also a key witness during the trial. Additional psychiatric analysis confirmed Dawn’s mental diagnosis.

  Joe Jordan, a security guard who worked the area, gave one of the most critical testimonies during the trial. Joe had spoken with Miss Easton before and after the murder of Jacob Jilani. It was Joe who noticed the blood on Dawn’s jacket and apprehended her until the police arrived. Joe was quoted as saying, “When I asked her why she did it, she just kept saying that bad men had to be punished.”

  The Evelyn Easton Inc. fashion company will not be affected by the outcome. Dawn never played a role in its operation. Oddly enough, her artwork, long bemoaned by critics, has suddenly become highly sought after. Her final collection, dubbed “The Birth,” is on display at Possedimenti Gallery in Hudson Yards.

  Dawn will be moved to the Beaumont Psychiatric Center in Rye, New York. Her mother, Evelyn, resides at the same hospital for murdering her husband Stephen Easton in 2001.

  When the trial ended, reporters asked Dawn if she was looking forward to seeing her mother again. She said, “My mother? No. I need to find Billy. And the others. They all must be set free.”

  Acknowledgements

  My first solo novel since writing The Tallow Series took much longer to complete than planned. My story ideas always start with a simple concept and then morph into a completely different novel. A few years ago, I watched a few scary doll movies and wondered why some made me roll my eyes, and others creeped me out. I concluded that the ones that rattled me the most were the ones that made you wonder if the doll was truly possessed. So, I started my research.

  The single-page outline for what would become Dawn of Eve went through many iterations. I knew I wanted a unique story that also paid homage to those classic scary doll tales. A sharp-eyed reader will note that the other six children at Camp Ascension are named after famous dolls from television and film. A number of these “Easter Eggs” are scattered throughout the novel, not to mention more than one link to The Tallow Series. Yes, dear reader, Dawn of Eve and many other future stories will all be part of a shared universe. Does that mean that characters from one book series end up in another? Stay tuned!

  My first big thank you goes to my two advanced readers Glen and Deb. They reviewed the first complete draft of Dawn of Eve and gave me detailed feedback on what worked and what didn’t. Their valuable insight helped me make those necessary tweaks to smooth out the story’s pace, adjust some character traits, and better connect the interwoven plot threads.

  I also need to acknowledge my friend Michael. As a licensed clinical psychologist, his insight into mental health helped me design several key aspects of the story. Examples include how Dawn and Dr. Cole interacted and how Dawn heard Eve speak. I told him that I wanted the story to read in one of three ways. A reader could determine that the doll was possessed. A reader could also decide that Dawn was mentally ill, and it was all in her head. Lastly, an argument could be made for a bit of both. Throughout the story, you will notice Dawn is the only one that ever hears Eve speak, and also Eve only gives commands. This was done by design to lend to the impression that Eve is all in Dawn’s head. Or is she? Michael’s best advice was to remind me that, at the end of the day, this is a fictional novel, and I shouldn’t get too caught up in highly accurate depictions of Dawn’s therapy or condition.

  Lastly, a very special thank you to my development editor, Lori, for her guidance and support in bringing the novel to life. Unlike some editors I’ve worked with, she never tried to inject her personal views into the story or to rewrite characters or events as she’d want to see them. Lori always supported my vision, giving me excellent insight into areas to address, such as pace, clarity, word choice, tone, and mood. For that, I am most grateful.

  About the Author

  MJ Howson was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. An avid reader of thriller and horror stories, MJ always planned to one day write a book. This dream was the typical “someday” ideal. During his 20s, he wrote his first manuscript and began the hunt for an agent. Feedback came back as, “We love your writing style, but look for new material.” Before he could continue, his day job soon took up all of his free time.

  After a successful career in IT, MJ finally decided to pursue his dream of being an author. The advent of print-on-demand and e-books made this goal something he could somewhat easily follow. While launching The Tallow Series, MJ connected with a publisher that offered an opportunity to do some co-author work. Although it forced him to pause writing his next solo outing, it also proved to be a great learning experience. MJ still has a long list of story ideas and looks forward to sharing them with the world.

  MJ adopted the tagline “The Terror is Real” as the focus for his first series of horror/thriller books. Escapist, paranormal, and supernatural stories are always good for a scare. However, the tales that run the risk of being able to come true are the ones that will really haunt you. Some may argue that Dawn of Eve falls into the supernatural. Does it? Was Eve possessed? Or were the voices in Dawn’s head the entire time? The answer depends on what you believe.

  You can connect with MJ via his website. From there, you will find links to his different social media accounts and his blog.

  mjhowson.com

 

 

 
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