Nightmares of the Neverending Nanny

Once upon a time, in the countryside of England, nestled between dense woodlands, lay the secluded Charleston Manor. Its unmistakable Victorian architecture had stood the test of time, its stories echoing through generations. Newly married and starting a family, the Cartwrights stepped through the doors of Charleston Manor ready to reanimate the air within the stone walls with laughter and joy.

Nevertheless, the Manor was as daunting as it was beautiful, hence they needed help in managing the household, especially when their firstborn, Isla arrived. Pouring over various applicants, they chose an elderly woman, Miss Price, based on her vast experience and the calming aura that surrounded her. With her arrival, life at the Charleston Manor seemed perfect. But, the Cartwrights were about to learn that not every fairy tale has a happy ending.

Miss Price took excellent care of Isla. She fed her, taught her, played with her, and put her to sleep. Under Miss Price's tutelage, Isla learnt far more than any three-year-old. She knew alphabets, numbers, and could recite bedtime stories that Miss Price would read out. Isla would often say she didn't want to grow and part from Miss Price. These words seemed trivial initially. But as days turned into months, they started to carry an eerie undertone.

As Isla turned four, the Cartwrights noticed unsettling changes in her. Isla, once cheerful and energetic, became quiet and somber. Mrs Cartwright often spotted Isla talking to a doll dressed identically to Miss Price, having whole conversations by herself. She would refuse meals that Miss Price hadn't cooked, and wake up screaming from night terrors.

One day, Mrs Cartwright came across a century-old newspaper article. It spoke of a nanny identical in description to Miss Price, right down to her distinguishing scar. The Nanny in question had mysteriously vanished after the death of her child charge, who never aged in her care. Dread-swallowed, Mrs Cartwright made the horrifying connection.

That very night, as thunder roared overhead, Mrs Cartwright entered Isla's room to find Miss Price humming a lullaby. She took Isla from her arms and ordered Miss Price to leave, revealing that she knew her twisted secret. A sinister smile slipped onto Miss Price's face as she evaporated into thin air, leaving behind the aging doll. Cornered by this unimaginable terror, the Cartwrights spent the night praying in their family chapel.

The next day, they woke up to find Isla had not aged a day. Her hair remained as short, and her voice as sweet as the day Miss Price had arrived. Though alarming, they felt a massive statue had been lifted from their chest. They burnt the doll, hoping to sever the unnatural connection it held with the Neverending Nanny.

The years that followed were filled with failed attempts to help Isla age naturally. No matter what the doctors did, she remained trapped in her four-year-old body. Gradually, the Cartwrights grew old, yet their daughter remained in childhood. As despair took over, whispers of the Neverending Nanny's curse echoed forever in their decaying Manor.

One should tread carefully while inviting strangers into their abode, for not all visitors come with good intentions. The story of the Cartwrights stands testament that sometimes, nightmares don't end with the break of dawn.