Ema and the haunted teddy

Shaborni Mitra of class 5, shares an eerie and heartwarming story of young Ema, her mysterious teddy bear, and a spirit seeking peace. An unforgettable tale of curiosity, friendship, and the supernatural.

Every evening, without fail, I take a leisurely walk along the pavement next to my house. You might say it’s my way of unwinding from the day’s weariness, mixed with a bit of exercise. This little routine of mine has remained unchanged for quite some time now. So today, like every other day, I went out for my walk, only to experience something that took me through a sweep of memories—a memory that reminds me of the story of Ema.

Now, do you know who Ema is? Probably not, but let me take you on a journey through the strange yet intriguing tale of Ema.

Ema is a lively, curious girl around seven or eight years old, with an adventurous spirit and a heart full of warmth. She has a bright smile that lights up her face, framed by a simple ponytail that swings with her every movement. Unlike others in Jerusalem, where she used to live, Ema loved to wear colorful dresses, often with playful patterns that reflected her youthful energy. Despite her tender age, she was determined and often found herself drawn to the little things that captured her imagination. One of her greatest loves was teddy bears, and she had a collection of them.

Ema, like me, was fond of her evening walks, which she took with her mother, Elizabeth, who also enjoyed these evening sessions with her daughter. One evening, while Ema was walking with her mother, she saw a cute little teddy bear on the road. Ema’s eyes brightened, and she asked, “Mama, see, there’s a teddy bear at the corner of the road.”

Elizabeth was a bit surprised. She wondered who on earth would leave a toy on the road. Smiling, she said, “Someone must have dropped it by mistake.”

Ema’s excitement grew. “Can I take it?” she asked eagerly.

“No, my dear. You shouldn’t pick things up from the road,” Elizabeth advised kindly but firmly.

But Ema was determined to take the teddy bear. So, while Elizabeth was distracted buying some groceries from a merchant, Ema slipped the teddy bear into her small bag, where she kept all her secret treasures.

Later, when they reached home, Ema went to her room and started playing with her prized find from the road. But there was something strange about the teddy bear. It seemed a bit different and more lively than her other toys. Soon, it was time for dinner, and Ema’s mother called her. She quietly hid the teddy in her cupboard and left her room.

But then something strange happened as Ema returned to her room. As she opened the door, she saw that the teddy bear was on the table. Ema wondered if she had put the toy in the cupboard at all. But she was too sleepy and decided not to bother too much about it. She changed into her nightdress, brushed her teeth, and, as she was getting ready for bed, she saw that the teddy was now placed right next to her pillow.

“Now, now, what is this, Mr. Teddy Bear?” Ema said, this time more convinced that she hadn’t touched the toy. “You better not play tricks with me.” Saying this, she kept the teddy inside her cupboard and locked it.

It was midnight, and suddenly, Ema heard someone knocking at the door. She woke up and opened the door to her bedroom but found no one. “I must have had a dream,” she thought and went back to bed, soon falling asleep again.

“Wake up, wake up, Ema!”

Ema heard a voice and slowly opened her eyes, hoping it was just another dream, but what she saw left her speechless. A young girl was grabbing her throat.

“Pl…eee…aaa…sss…eee, ….wh…whooo….are…..youuuu?” Ema somehow managed to speak. “Ple..aaa…sss…eee don’t….pleeeeaaa…sss…eee don’t….kill…me.”

“HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY TEDDY?” the girl said in a furious tone but loosened her grip on Ema’s throat.

“Look, I’m sorry. I found the teddy on the road and felt sad for it, so I brought it home. But who are you, and how did you get into my room?” Ema asked, feeling a bit better.

“I am Aanya, and this teddy bear is mine.” The girl looked sad.

“I’m really sorry, Aanya. You can take it back, but how did you enter my room?” Ema asked again.

“Let me tell you what happened,” Aanya began. “Yesterday, when I was walking with my teddy bear, a car came and hit me from behind, leaving me unconscious. While people took me to the hospital, my teddy was left behind on the road.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. So, when did they release you from the hospital?” Ema asked, feeling sad for Aanya.

“Well,” Aanya paused for a while, “I was dead by the time I reached the hospital. The teddy bear you took is my favorite because my parents gifted it to me on my birthday. So after my death, I went back to the accident spot and found my teddy still there. Then something strange happened—my soul entered the teddy bear. Yesterday, when you picked it up, I saw your face and realized you’re a kind person.”

“That I am, but then,” Ema paused, “why were you trying to kill me?”

“I was angry that you locked me inside the cupboard,” Aanya looked a bit guilty.

“Oh, I’m so sorry; I shouldn’t have done that. Can we be friends?” Ema asked.

“I’m afraid not. I’m dead, and you’re alive,” Aanya looked sad. “But can you do me a favor?” Aanya asked.

“Sure, tell me.”

“Can you take my teddy bear to a church? If you do, my soul will be released, and I can rest in peace.”

“Sure, I can do that.”

The next day, Ema narrated the entire episode of the previous night to her mother. At first, Elizabeth laughed and said, “You must have had a bad dream.” But then, as the newspaper arrived, the news of the accident appeared on the front page, giving a detailed description of the little girl. Elizabeth frowned and asked Ema to describe the girl, and as Ema narrated, her mother Elizabeth was shocked, surprised, and worried.

Finally, after a while, she said, “Let us go to the church.”

Well, that’s the end of Ema’s story. So you must be wondering what happened to Aanya and what on earth happened today that reminded me of this story. Well, as I was walking down the road, and then…..I saw a teddy bear on the road…

AANYA LIVES ON