The Witch's Poppet

Whilst the removal men are unloading, Ben finds lost amongst some long grass a small doll. It seems very old as she's dressed in old style clothing and made of wood and has a pentagram and a letter 'J' embroidered upon the chest and the longer he studies it, the more 'drawn' to it he becomes.

At first they think it's a toy left by the children of the previous occupants', however later that night the pair decide to find out more about the doll as on closer examination Ben begins to believe it might be hundreds of years old.

Later that night, their idyllic little rural existence seems to be threatened as it appears someone is trying to break into their cottage, though they are scared away when Ben investigates.

So whilst Sally unpacks, stocks the larder and starts putting the house straight, Ben begins to explore the history of the doll. The more time he spends with the doll, the more he wants to know about the owner as if the doll is possessing him and with the help of a local, retired historian, Ben learns more about the 'Witch's Poppet', why it was created and the fate of it's owner, discovering it was one of a set of four, made by four witches who were hung in the village as a result of persecution from the then local vicar.

Their night visitor tries to break in again but this time, Ben is able to confront them discovering that they are the girl who the poppet was made for, hung by Matthew Hopkins and that as the anniversary of her death approaches, the power within the doll grows stronger, that history and the crimes of the past are beginning to manifest and playout again in the modern time.

Can Ben help break the cycle before history repeats itself and help the spirits of the witches be laid to eternal rest.

A modern day set Gothic Ghost story exploring themes of love, death, intolerance and the spirit.