Spot

Spot is a vintage marionette-style toy puppet, hand-carved from wood and painted to resemble a Dalmatian, from which it derives its name. The artifact carries a peculiar history of movement and possession, having passed through multiple owners over the years, each reporting a strong, often unsettling connection to the figure. Many of these owners relinquished it quickly, leaving descriptions such as “please get this out of my house, I can’t take it anymore.” The pattern of disappearance and reappearance seemed almost deliberate, until the puppet was finally acquired for this collection.

Immediately upon arrival, Spot made its presence known. One night, while walking to the bathroom, my wife heard what sounded like moaning in the hallway.  She continued on her journey assuming it me making the noise in my sleep. Later, at 2:00 a.m., I found myself experiencing the same sounds on a trip to the bathroom of my own—strange human-like moans, painfully loud and indistinguishable—emanating from the hallway.  Investigation revealed no living source, as my wife had been peacefully waiting in the bedroom for me to come back to bed. Upon checking security footage, we discovered that instead of the moaning sound we both heard, in its place we had captured a shrill, hissing screech, followed by wooden footsteps moving across the hardwood floors in the kitchen. Spot, which had originally been resting on the kitchen table, was found in a different location, and the basement door—normally kept closed—was discovered wide open.

Since then, it has become apparent that Spot has an autonomous nature, exploring its surroundings at will. Spot is now kept locked in the display cabinet to ensure both its safety and that of studio occupants. Encounters with Spot are accompanied by persistent feelings of unease, nausea, and the sensation of being watched. Spot’s long history of restless movement, combined with its inexplicable behaviors, mark it as a uniquely haunted artifact—a figure whose presence is at once subtle and profoundly disquieting.