Scarlet Brown was a young teenager, full of life, sugar and spice. She was a cheerful and helpful girl and though she led a very-near-perfect life, she was never proud or boastful. Everyone loved Scarlet Brown, and really, she had everything she could wish for. However, one day, Scarlet Brown, with her brown eyes and brown hair, wished for a teddy bear.
So there they were, on that fateful day, in the first toy shop they saw. Scarlet browsed the shelves of soft toys, fingers lightly sweeping the dark mahogany panes, but found nothing to her liking. Disappointed, she shook her head at her parents and they made their way to the exit. As she glanced around the cluttered shop one last time, she suddenly spotted a matted brown ear poking out among the junk at the back of the shop, half hidden in the darkness. Scarlet’s hope now rejuvenated, she hastened towards it, and pulled out an old but soft and fluffy brown teddy bear with a matted ear. She instantly fell in love with the second-hand teddy bear. It took some persuasion and Scarlet’s big brown puppy-dog-eyes before her parents finally relented and bought the teddy bear.
Scarlet was absolutely smitten with her new teddy bear and she carried it around with her everywhere, showing it off whenever she could with such eagerness and pride, it startled a lot of the elderly. Even though they found it unnerving, they just smiled and shrugged it off, thinking it was just a phase.
One night, however, Scarlet suddenly had a nightmare. She was in a sea, and water stretched for miles all around her. Rain poured and lightning forked through the sky, illuminating the dark sky and dark sea surrounding Scarlet. No one heard or responded to her desperate cries for help. She swam for what felt like hours. Fatigue overtook her and she struggled to stay afloat. Slowly, but surely, she began to drown.
Scarlet woke up screaming, bathed in sweat. She at once grabbed her teddy bear closer to her and buried her face in its fur, whimpering softly. She did not dare go back to sleep and she stayed awake, murmuring prayers till the first rays of dawn filtered into her room.
She did not have this nightmare again until a fortnight later. This time, however, it was accompanied by whispers. She heard their mournful voices all around her, enclosing her in this empty void filled with fear and hate. It terrified Scarlet to no end. She told her parents about these nightmares as it began to occur more frequently, getting more horrible each time. For fear of falling asleep, Scarlet continuously took medications and coffee, becoming addicted to the drugs. Soon dark rings formed around her eyes and she became frail and weak. Her face had a ghastly look and she looked years older. Of course, Scarlet became very ill due to her insomnia and she lay bedridden, confined to the vicinity of her room. Her parents were worried sick, but no doctor or psychiatrist could cure her.
A week later, Scarlet disappeared thoroughly, taking her beloved teddy bear with her. No one knew how it happened. She was just suddenly gone. The police looked high and low, but there was not a trace of Scarlet Brown and her unnamed teddy bear. Driven by grief, Scarlet’s parents barred the door of her room and gloom reigned over the Brown household.
Two months later, a body was washed ashore and DNA proved it to be the Brown’s missing daughter, Scarlet. Everyone mourned for Scarlet’s death, for she was such a lovely girl, but none were as affected as her parents. Now mad beyond grief, they made an impulsive decision to move away. As the workers trudged out of their house from unbarring the doorway to Scarlet’s room, her mother pushed open the door. As she took in the dust-filled room and cobwebbed corners, she saw a small brown teddy bear sitting harmlessly on Scarlet’s pillow, dripping wet, with a piece of seaweed dangling from a matted ear, its mouth curved into a small smile.
FIN.
*written by Christine Ling, Ben Ling's sis and Eu Fern's classmate. Reprinted without permission.
Whoa, Malaysia's got talent.
