Melissa is a character created by Betty Ann. She appeared in the episode "The Tale of the Dollmaker".
History[]
Melissa comes to the country to visit her Aunt Sally and Uncle Pete several weekends a year. For a long time the visits would be boring. Since there were no other children around and her Aunt and Uncle didn't have cable television. Then finally a few years prior to the events of the story, the Henderson family moved in next door to her Aunt and Uncle.
The Henderson couple had a daughter around her age named Susan. She and soon soon became best friends and they always enjoyed spending time together. So from then on, she looked forward to visiting her Aunt and Uncle. So she could spend her days hanging out with Susan.
When she came down for her recent visit, she was eagerly waiting to see Susan, thinking she was happily awaiting her arrival. Then finally her Aunt and Uncle had some bad news for her. It turned out that a few months ago, the Henderson family decided to move back to the city. She was really upset to hear this, and was very confused since the Henderson family seemed to love living in the country.
Then a while later, she was playing on a swing staring at the Henderson house. The Henderson house had a construction flaw: the attic had a door leading outside, but to nothing. So if someone were to go through it, they could fall to their death or get seriously injured. She saw something in the attic, and it caught her attention. So she entered their house and went to the attic. Nobody was home, but she found a very well detailed dollhouse. It looked exactly like the Henderson's house. Then Aunt Sally caught her and brought her back to their home.
Her Aunt seemed very upset that she went over. So her Aunt revealed to her that a few months back, Susan had just disappeared one day. The parents were so upset over their loss, that they left and moved back to the city. But they kept the house open under her Aunt and Uncle's watch, in case Susan ever did come back. She was devastated to hear about this, but she was bound and determined that Susan would return someday.
When she was resting in the evening, she could overhear her Aunt and Uncle talking. She heard her uncle say that Susan's mother claimed that the dollhouse captured her and that he had his suspicions about it too. But her Aunt thought they were just picturing things from becoming so upset. Then later at night she could hear Susan calling to her from next door. So she went over and returned to the attic. The door opened, revealing that Susan was there! She could see Susan wandering around a hallway calling out to her. Then just as she was about to enter and help her, something startled her and she screamed. Her Uncle Pete was there, he pointed out to her that she was about to step out the door and fall to the ground below. And perhaps she was sleepwalking and hearing things.
She knew that it was her duty to find Susan. So she went back into their house and went back to the attic. Then she brought a line of twine to remember her route back. After she entered the door, she suddenly could not find her way back, it disappeared. Suddenly she looked out the window and could see her Aunt walking by. Her Aunt looked like a giant, so she realized that she was now inside the dollhouse! She called to her for help, but her Aunt could not hear her.
Then finally she found Susan. She was shocked to see that Susan looked almost like a real doll now. She figured out that the dollhouse was evil. So it lures victims inside and then turns them into dolls to live inside of it. After all these months, Susan's transformation to becoming a doll was nearly complete. She looked all rosy and she could hardly speak anymore. Susan was only able to faintly hint to her that there was a chance of escape in the attic. She finally figured out what she meant. It was the attic inside the dollhouse. But Susan showed her that left hand had broken off. So she was now too weak and fragile to help her move the bookcase blocking the way. Also she noticed stiffness in her own wrists, they started to get pale and stiff. She realized that she was beginning to also undergo the transformation to a doll!
So she hurried and with all of her might, she knocked down the bookcase and carefully helped Susan up to the attic. Then she and Susan prepared to jump out the window. At first it seemed impossible. It looked like they would fall to the ground below. Then they realized it was just an invisible force field meant to trick captives into staying inside. So Melissa held her and they jumped through it and they escaped and Susan finally returned home.
Aunt Sally and Uncle Pete were worried sick at first, to see she was missing. They thought she had gotten lost like Susan did. They were thrilled to see her exit the house. And more than thrilled to see that she really did find Susan. Her Aunt and Uncle were rejoiced to stay her back safe and sound. She was rejoiced to that Susan was changed back to normal. Then she and Susan hugged happy to finally be reunited. Then later that night her Uncle burned the dollhouse in a big bonfire. After it burned, she kept on wondering where the door in the Henderson's attic would lead to, now that the dollhouse was destroyed.
Trivia[]
- Maia Filar and Daniel DeSanto also worked together on the animated children show The Magic School Bus, as the voices of Phoebe Terese and Carlos Ramon.
- Maia Filar also appeared in an episode of the Goosebumps television series: "Calling All Creeps!" as Tasha McClain.