“Play with your toys,” the ghost said. It brought Marcia over to a corner of the room that had clearly been designated as a play area. “Naptime is over, so it’s time to play with mommy.” It set Marcia on the floor and then sat as well. “What do you want to play?”
“Dowwies!” Marcia said excitedly, pointing at some old-fashioned dolls. The ghost beamed.
“You love playing dollies with mommy, don’t you, Christine?” it cooed. Marcia giggled. “Here.” It handed Marcia one of the dolls. “I love playing dollies with you, too.”
Affected by the ghost, Marcia was quickly caught up in playing with it. If she was in her proper mind, she would be increasingly worried, as the more time she spent being affected by the ghost, the more difficult it would be to shake off the behavior changes caused, even after she and the ghost parted ways. If she spent long enough with the ghost, some of the behavioral changes could even be permanent.
Eventually, the ghost decided play time was over.
“Time to put the toys away,” the ghost said, reaching for Marcia’s doll. Marcia held it close to her chest.
“No!”
“Play time is over,” the ghost said firmly. It took the doll from Marcia. Marcia pouted. “Don’t worry, Christine, mommy won’t put you back in bed yet.”
“What do now?” Marcia asked. She stuck her thumb in her mouth, sucking on it happily. The ghost smiled.