The day Madeline came home with Bear was abnormally cold for a winter in Florida. I spotted her pink puffy jacket as she toddled over to my car in the parent pick-up line. Her backpack was nearly twice the size of her and she gripped one of the straps in her hand to prevent it from falling. She pried the back door open and crawled inside, settling into her booster seat.

“Hey, Maddie.” I greeted, turning around in my seat to find her shuddering. Her cheeks and nose were a blistering red and she wiped away a stream of snot with the back of her hand.

“Hi.” She sniffled, hugging herself to get warm.

“I’ve got the heat on all the way Mads, you should thaw out in a second.” I promised.

Her big brown eyes met mine in the rearview and she sloppily pushed away some strands of hair that escaped her pigtails. “Look what I found under the slide, Savy.” Mads exclaimed, shifting to dig around in her backpack. She pulled out a raggedy looking figure from her bag, “This is Bear.” She held the stuffed animal in her lap. Stuffed animal was an overly generous term to describe it.

The toy was barely a foot high, its fur was matted and worn and had a couple of bald spots I assumed had come from long-term use. One of the bears ears was missing and the other sagged terribly. Instead of a neatly stitched smile, a row of X’s in black thread was placed where its mouth should have been. Its eyes were the most unsettling thing about it, two gleaming glass beads glared back at me. They were a deep red with two black pupils that reflected my horrified expression back to me. A horrible excuse for a bear.

“Maddie, you can’t take things from school. Someone probably lost that and is looking for it.”

Her brows furrowed and she hugged the stuffed animal to her chest, “No. He said I’m his.”

I parted my lips but reconsidered what I wanted to say. I surely didn’t want to give her the impression that picking things up that weren’t hers was acceptable but arguing with her might be a lost cause. “Okay, well, if someone is looking for that, and asks you, you have to give it back, okay?” I stated.

She sniffled and nodded, but it seemed as if the words went in one ear and out the other.

I wish someone would have claimed that damned bear. If I would have known what was to transpire, I would have never let Maddie bring it home.

My father thought Bear was charming, or at least that’s what he expressed when Maddie excitedly showed him once he came home from work. He thought her obsession with the stuffed animal was a coping mechanism. It was the first time she’d seemed genuinely happy ever since our mother passed from falling ill in the fall.

At first, Bear would stay in Maddie’s room. I’d hear her talk to him from time to time, play dress-up and house, which were all regular behaviors for a seven-year-old girl. I didn’t think twice about it…until Bear became attached to Maddie’s hip. He was with her in the bathroom in the mornings, he went with her to school, he sat next to her in the car, and even at the dinner table.

And I know you might be thinking, Sav, why are you so concerned? Children grow attachments to objects all the time. Which is fair, and true, but her attachment was becoming to get out of hand. Anytime Maddie did, or didn’t do anything, she’d say it was because Bear did or didn’t want to do it.

Mads was off school for Christmas break, but Dad still had to work, so I stayed home with her for the majority of the time. I called her for lunch one afternoon, I made her favorite – mac and cheese with bacon. She plopped herself down at the dining table, Bear next to her on the table top lolled on his side, and she stared down at her bowl. “Bear doesn’t want this.” She muttered, pushing the bowl away from her.

I glanced over my shoulder, placing some dishes in the sink. “Bear doesn’t have to eat it, Mads. I made it for you.”

“Bear said I can’t eat it.”

I was slightly annoyed by that statement and sighed, “Bear can’t tell you what to do.”

She sat quiet at the table, looking up at me. I suddenly grew aware of how deep her eyes had sunk into her skull, it looked like she hadn’t slept in a while. Maddie had only nibbled on her pop tart this morning and didn’t touch her plate at dinner last night either. I had thought that maybe she was feeling under the weather, but she never turned down mac and cheese before. “Mads, you’ve got to eat something okay? I’m sure Bear wants you to feel your best, and you’ve got to eat to do that.”

She shook her head, pursing her lips. “Bear said no.”

Quite honestly, I didn’t give a damn about what Bear wanted, and I was getting pretty close to telling Maddie that. I walked over to the table, reaching to grab Bear and Maddie’s eyes grew wide.

“No!” she gasped, attempting to snatch Bear away from my grasp. I stepped away, glaring at her, holding the bear by its torso. Its matted fur felt oddly warm to the touch. “Put him back!” she demanded, looking a little frantic.

“Maddie, I’m just going to put him in your room until you finish eating, okay? And then you–” Maddie lunged for Bear, her nails raking down my forearm. I yelped, stepping away as she yanked the stuffed animal out of my grip. “Madeline!” I scolded, rubbing my arm as angry red marks began to form.

“You made him angry!” she said, face contorted into a grimace. “He doesn’t like you anymore.” Maddie turned, running to her room, leaving me and the untouched mac and cheese behind.

Maddie’s hunger strike continued for the next few days, and she’d only eat if our father was in the room. She didn’t speak to me very much after that incident, and didn’t try to make eye contact either. The only thing I would find staring at me was that stupid fucking bear. It was almost as if it was taunting me, as if it was trying to take my place as Mads older sister. I was going crazy, what was I doing, growing jealous over a toy?

I could tell Maddie wasn’t sleeping well. Her eyes developed bruises under them and her eyes were glossed over whenever she wasn’t occupied with something. I had woken up in the middle of the night to pee and walked past Maddie’s door to the bathroom. Her light was off, but I could hear her muttering. It was 2AM.

“Mads?” I whispered, creaking her bedroom door open. It went quiet. She lay snuggled under her covers, eyes closed. Bear sat near her chest, facing me. The reflection from her night light made his eyes glow and I felt my heartbeat quicken a bit. I tiptoed to the side of her bed, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. I contemplated taking Bear and tossing him away, but decided against it. I hated that thing, but I had a feeling I’d hate Maddie’s reaction to it being gone way more.

The next night, Dad dropped Maddie off at one of her friends from school’s house to have a sleep over. It bugged me a little that he never mentioned anything about Maddie’s state. Maybe I was overthinking it and she was perfectly fine. I got a call around 8 from a number I didn’t know.

“Hi, is this Maddie’s sister?” the voice on the other line sounded a little exasperated.

“Yes, who is this?”

“This is Ms. Simmons. I’m sorry, your father gave me your number in case he didn’t pick up. I hate to inconvenience you, but is there any way you could come pick Maddie up? I’d take her home, but she doesn’t know your address.”

“Um, sure?” I said after hesitating for a moment, “I’m sorry, I thought Maddie was planning on staying the night. I didn’t know she needed to be picked up.”

“Oh no, the girls just got into an argument and Maddie asked to come home. I tried convincing her to stay, but she’s pretty adamant.”

I remembered how Maddie acted when I had tried to take Bear from her a few afternoons ago. I had a sinking feeling that it might be related to her stuffed animal again. “Of course, I’ll come get her.” I said and headed out after Ms. Simmons gave me her address.

Maddie didn’t say anything when she got into my car, but the first thing I noticed was Bear’s arm clenched in her fist. I sat in the driveway for a moment before asking, “Mads. Can you tell me what happened?”

“Katie made Bear angry.” She admitted, looking down at her shoes.

I blinked, trying to figure out what to say. “You mean Katie made you angry, Mads?”

“No.” she sounded frustrated. “Katie made Bear angry and he said he was going to hurt her.”

I started driving, “Bear can’t hurt anyone.” I had about had it with this bear.

“Don’t tell Bear what he can’t do. He’s gonna get angry again.” Maddie begged, voice rising.

I gripped the steering wheel, face beginning to feel a little warm and I turned down the heat. “Madeline. Listen to me. Bear isn’t real. He’s a toy. Toys can’t talk. Toys can’t tell you what to do. And toys cannot get mad. You have to stop that or else I’m going to take that bear away.”

“No!” she shrieked. “No, no, no!”

I grimaced, “Maddie!”

“Shup up!” she yelled, flailing her legs in her seat, “You’re making him mad!”

Oh my God. That was it. I was done. I turned, reaching behind me, and snatched Bear from the backseat. Maddie let out a high-pitched scream, and I swerved off the road a bit.

“Give him back!”

I rolled down my window and threw him out before I could give it a second thought. Maddie wailed and my heart sunk in my chest. I couldn’t believe I had just done that. I could turn around, if I wanted. I didn’t. Maddie spent the rest of the car ride screaming, and insisting that not only she hated me, but so did Bear. Tears streamed down her red face and I white knuckled the steering wheel until I put the vehicle in park. Maddie hurried out of the car and dashed towards the edge of the property.

“Madeline! Get back here!” I called, stumbling out of the driver’s seat to chase her down.

I guess now would be a good time to mention that we lived out in the country. A few houses were scattered around the acres of land that surrounded us but so did several acres of woods. The woods Maddie was running towards.

“Maddie, what the fuck?” I could barely make out her moving silhouette in from the light in our yard. She stopped at the edge of the woods, turning over her shoulder to look at me. I stopped a few yards away, the cold making every heavy breath visible.

“Bear wants to play hide and seek.” She sounded composed, as if she hadn’t just thrown a tantrum in the back seat and took off into the woods before I could reply.

I went after her instinctively, calling out for her. I was angry, exasperated, and scared. I reached into my back pocket, hoping to find my cellphone, only to realize I had left it in the car. I swore under my breath, the cold wind nipping at my bare ankles. “Maddie, this isn’t funny! I know you’re mad. I’m sorry. Come out and we’ll go drive back to get Bear, I promise!”

The only reply I received was the rustle of leaves from the wind. I scanned the woods, eyes narrowed, they seemed to be getting denser with every step forward. The light from the moon was little to no help, and I thought about going back for my phone’s flashlight. “Maddie, I’m sorry!”

My vision blurred from the frustrated tears I held back. I should have never thrown out that damned bear. It wasn’t worth it. I heard something move a few yards ahead of me. “I’ll drive us back to Bear, Mads. Just please stop hiding!” I coaxed, taking steps towards where the sound had come from.

A scream sounded off in the distance and I froze. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. That sounded like Maddie. “Madeline!” I screamed, taking off. “Maddie! Where are you?!” The cold air bit the inside of my throat and burned my nostrils.

Silence. I was answered by silence. I panted, hands on my knees.

“Don’t let him find you.”

I whirled around, scream halfway up my throat, to find Maddie standing behind me hidden in the dark. “Maddie wha-“ I froze as she took a step towards me, the moonlight splitting between the trees. Deep, jagged gashes decorated her throat. Blood oozed onto her shirt and dripped onto the ground. I didn’t have time to process what had happened before she smiled and said, “Run.”

Her voice was guttural and sounded nothing like her and I took off for the house. Dad. I had to get Dad. Vines and brush whipped against my pants as I gasped for air. I nearly fell when I broke into a clearance, too scared to glance behind me. I made a bee line for the back door, almost forgetting how to use a doorknob in panic. I trampled through the house, screaming for my father. I found him in the dining room, he shot up from his seat, wide-eyed, “Savannah what’s wr-“

I didn’t let him finish, “Maddie!” I wheezed, “She’s out there. She’s hurt, that bear- that- that thing she-“

My father put his hands on my shoulders, brows furrowed. He no longer looked alarmed, “What are you talking about? Maddie is here.”

“No,” I said, exasperated, “You don’t understand!”

There was a shadow from behind my father’s back, and I felt my heart drop to the floor. Maddie appeared around the corner with a fist full of popcorn. There were no gashes and no blood, she looked perfectly happy and healthy. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

I blinked rapidly, trying to understand what had just occurred.

“Maddie came inside a bit ago,” my father assured., “she told me you were still in the car.”

I pointed at her, “You ran into the woods. I chased after you!” Suddenly I was becoming unsure of what I had seen.

She and my dad exchanged glances and Maddie shoved the popcorn into her mouth, shaking her head. I was being looked at as if I was the crazy one. She walked up to me and grabbed my hand. She was warm, almost too warm. “I think you’re tired, Savy.”

I stared down at her, hoping to find proof of what I had seen. Her innocent eyes stared back at me, empty, no story to tell. My eyes traveled to her neck, which was pale and smooth, no sign of anything. Was I losing my mind? There was no way.

“I’m just going to…take a shower.” I muttered, backing away from the two of them and into the hallway. I made my way into my room and flicked on the light switch, rubbing my eyes. But I wasn’t alone. Two gleaming, red eyes stared me down. Sitting perfectly unharmed on my bed was the bear. It grinned back at me, the X stitches nowhere to be found. I heard my heartbeat in my head. I threw it out. It can’t be here. How the fuck was it in my room?

The floorboards creaked behind me, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off of the bear.

“Bear found you.” Maddie whispered.

He might have found me then, but with time I was able to escape him. Maddie on the other hand, didn't get so lucky.