Home Sweet Home

"Home Sweet Home" is a short story from Even More Tales to Give You Goosebumps.

Plot
Sharon's younger sister, Alice, is always playing with her dollhouse, which Sharon finds childish. One day, Alice convinces Sharon to accompany her to a garage sale located across town, and the two head out on their bikes. Upon arrival, Sharon realizes they are at the house of Mrs. Forster, a strange old woman, rumored to have magical powers that allow her to transform into animals. Oddly, Forster is nowhere in sight, only a sign telling shoppers to leave money on the table. Alice finds a miniature lamp that she thinks will be perfect for her dollhouse. Sharon sees a large china bowl, but — upon picking it up — she sees a large spider crawling out, causing her to drop the bowl. The bowl shatters, and Sharon catches Mrs. Forster looking at her from the house window. Not wanting to be caught, Sharon departs with her sister in a panic.

That night, Sharon begins to worry that Mrs. Forster will seek revenge. As she lies in bed, Sharon sees a large spider descend from the ceiling. She screams for help, but — when her parents arrive — the spider is gone. The following day, Sharon sees the same spider crawl out of the sewer while biking home. One day, she sees it in her room and concludes it must be Mrs. Forster. The spider drops from the ceiling into her hair. It begins to whisper in her ear, calling the girl a tiny problem. While it repeats these words, Sharon begins shrinking. She escapes the spider and takes refuge in her sister's dollhouse.

Because Sharon is miniaturized, Alice uses her as a doll. Sharon enjoys her new life, but she wishes Alice would stop putting her head in the sink.

Trivia

 * This story shares many plot elements with Broken Dolls, a story from Tales to Give You Goosebumps.
 * Both stories feature sibling protagonists. One of the siblings, a girl, likes to play with dolls; the other sibling mistreats the dolls. In each story, the mean-spirited sibling encounters an old woman that tries to turn them into a doll.

References in other Goosebumps media

 * Mrs. Forster appears in Goosebumps: The Game walking Fifi.
 * Mrs. Forster's name appears on Veruca Curry's phone in Horrors of the Witch House, the third arc of the comic series Goosebumps.
 * There's an achievement called "Home Sweet Home" in Goosebumps Dead of Night, which can be obtained after completing the R.L. Stine's House level.