Few tales of the supernatural are as creepy and spine-tingling as that of Annabelle, the notorious cursed doll. From the beginning, there have been spooky happenings surrounding Annabelle, and her story is filled with terror, mystery, and unexplainable occurrences.
The story of Annabelle started in the early 1970s when a mother gave her daughter Donna an old Raggedy Ann doll for her birthday. At the time, Donna was a nursing student, and another woman named Angie was her roommate. They had no idea that this doll, which looked innocent enough, would turn out to be a passageway for otherworldly forces into our world.
The eerie first signs
Unusual events began to happen around Annabelle, which were first written off as coincidences. The doll appeared to be moving around the apartment on its own, obviously shifting places. The women also claimed to have discovered unusual writing on parchment paper that appeared to have been written by computers rather than by humans. The incidents were dismissed at first, but as they got worse, the two roommates started to get scared.
At this point, the women decided to seek a medium's guidance. They shuddered when the medium revealed that the doll was purportedly haunted by the soul of a girl named Annabelle Higgins who had passed away. The medium said that Annabelle had died when she was seven years old and that she was quite attached to the doll.
The creepiness intensifies
Donna and Angie were unaware that the medium's involvement would intensify the paranormal activity. Rather than waning, the disruptions become more severe. The doll started acting maliciously, levitating in the air and attacking the women's guests. Prominent paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were then contacted by the women seeking help.
The Warrens, who were well-known for participating in highly-publicized paranormal cases, concluded that Annabelle might have been possessed by a demonic spirit rather than a child's spirit. They believed that the doll served as a channel for the evil force's efforts to control and hurt the living.
Locked away for good
The Warrens decided to take in Annabelle to shield Donna and Angie from the demonic spirit. The doll was placed within a custom-made glass cabinet by the Warrens, who thought this would confine the evil entity. The Warrens' Occult Museum served as Annabelle's last resting place, guaranteeing that the cursed doll would no longer be able to terrorize unwary people.
The story of Annabelle became widespread, and her notoriety was further strengthened by Hollywood versions of her story in movies like "The Conjuring" and "Annabelle." Nonetheless, there remains disagreement and doubt over the truth of the tale. Critics argue that the story as a whole is a fabrication, created solely for amusement and attention. Although there isn't any concrete proof, detractors point out that the Raggedy Ann doll doesn't look all that scary.
Annabelle continues to pique the interest of people who are curious about the unknown, regardless of whether they accept the paranormal as real or just a figment of their imagination. The doll is still on display at the Occult Museum, today.
