Robert was a notorious sorcerer who was known for his skill in casting curses. Many people feared him and his dark magic. One day, a man named John crossed paths with Robert, and unintentionally offended him. As punishment, Robert decided to place a curse on John. The curse was said to cause misfortune and bad luck to follow John wherever he went. From that day on, John's life took a turn for the worse.
One legend is that a girl or servant of ‘Bahamian descent’ gave the young boy the doll as a gift, as ‘retaliation for wrong doing.’ The vengeful woman was said to have cursed the doll with voodoo, which filled the vessel of the doll with evil spirits.
Throughout the doll s existence in the Otto house, he was said to have vanished multiple times; and for prolonged periods when the house changed hands. After this, Otto s obsession with the doll appeared to only escalate; while he previously addressed the doll as though it were living, his parents reported hearing a response to Otto s questions, all in an unfamiliar voice.
From that day on, John's life took a turn for the worse. His business started failing, his relationships crumbled, and he faced various health issues. It seemed like everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
The Curse Of Robert The Doll
I snapped a photo of Robert The Doll before reading that he puts curses on anyone who takes his photograph. Uh oh. Surely it’s just a myth, I thought. Curious, I began reading about the doll’s history. In 1903, Robert was given to four-year old Gene Otto, who lived in Key West. As Gene grew up he blamed everything bad that happened on the doll. By the time Gene was married, Robert had taken the blame for a lifetime of lies, misdeeds, and mischief.
Robert The Doll is on display at the East Martello Museum and Fort in Key West
Some say Robert’s face had begun to change by the time Gene died in 1974, that his eyes grew more expressive. People insisted that the doll moved around and could be heard giggling behind their backs. Many who came in contact with Robert experienced bad luck, as if the doll was getting even for all the years he had been made a scapegoat. The curse of Robert The Doll grew into such a well-known legend in Key West that whenever things went wrong, locals would simply shrug and say, “Blame it on Robert.” But Robert’s real fame came when the “Chucky” horror film series (Child’s Play, Child’s Play 2, Child’s Play 3, Bride of Chucky, Seed of Chucky, etc.) came out, as they were said to have been modeled on the real-life story of Robert the Doll.
There are many theories about why Robert behaves the way he does. Some believe it is an ancient curse. Others say it is voodoo. Still others insist that Gene Otto’s ghost has returned to the doll whom he loved so much. The museum cats seem to believe in Robert’s dark powers – they keep their distance when staring up at the glass case in East Martello Museum where Robert is enthroned. People, on the other hand, tend to doubt the legend, and have suffered the consequences. Letters scattered at Robert’s feet and tacked up on an adjacent wall are testimonials from dozens of unbelievers who were cursed by Robert The Doll, such as this one:
Since our visit to the museum, we’ve been under a dark cloud.
I began to develop a rather severe toothache. Two days later, Hurricane Charly cut our vacation short and we joined the parade of evacuees leaving the islands. We were evacuated from our vacation spot three days early with my mouth in tremendous pain. My sister-in-law was also having female health issues. We were all forced to make alternate travel arrangements on the run.
My sister-in-law lives in Clearwater. After a problem laden and horrendous trip, she finally got home, only to be evacuated from there too. She packed up her two cats and headed for her parents house in Winter Haven and ended up in the middle of the storm there. They lost power for two days.
When we arrived in Miami for our flight back to Indianapolis, the plane broke and they had to “find” a different one for us. The following day, back in Indiana, I went to the dentist to learn that my tooth had abscessed and I had to have a root canal.
Last night we had a huge thunderstorm. Our house was hit by lightning – not once, but TWICE! We were unplugging things, but not fast enough. We lost three TV’s and a large satellite dish. The first hit, which sounded like a gunshot in the house, took one large TV and the satellite dish, and the second hit got two more TV’s. Again, the sound was horribly frightening.
Please do me a favor and tell Robert that we did not mean to anger or offend him and we’re sorry if we did. His photo did turn out good, so he sat very nicely for me. Would he like it back?
Battle Ground, Indiana
Hundreds of letters have been sent to the Museum by visitors who beg Robert’s forgiveness and ask him to remove his curse
As for me, well, Robert and I were introduced several days ago and so far I’ve suffered no ill effects. But then, I’m not taking any chances. Like the cats, I choose to believe.
Robert The Doll is on display at the East Martello Museum and Fort in Key West
John became desperate and sought the help of other sorcerers and witches to lift the curse, but no one could break its hold. He tried every possible remedy and superstition, but nothing worked. Robert's curse seemed impossible to remove. As time went on, John became more and more miserable. He felt trapped in a never-ending cycle of misery and bad luck. He lost hope of ever escaping the curse and resigned himself to a life of suffering. But just when John had all but given up, a wise old man came to his aid. He had heard of Robert's curse and offered to help. The old man told John that the key to breaking the curse was to overcome his fear and confront Robert directly. John hesitated at first, fearing what Robert might do if he confronted him. But with the old man's guidance and support, he found the courage to face his fears. He traveled to Robert's secluded lair, determined to break free from the curse once and for all. As John stood before Robert, he boldly declared that he would no longer be a victim of his curse. He refused to let fear control his life any longer. With every ounce of strength, he fought against the dark magic that had held him captive for so long. In a dramatic showdown, John's resilience and determination triumphed over Robert's curse. The curse slowly lifted, leaving John feeling lighter and freer than he had in years. He had finally broken free from the chains of misfortune and bad luck. From that day on, John lived his life to the fullest. He no longer allowed fear to hold him back, and he embraced every opportunity that came his way. He became an inspiration to others, showing them that they too could overcome even the most powerful curses. The curse placed by Robert was a dark and powerful force, but John's strength and bravery ultimately prevailed. It serves as a reminder that no matter how difficult a situation may seem, there is always hope for redemption and freedom..
Reviews for "Robert's Curse: The Trail of Misfortune and Death"
1. John - ★☆☆☆☆
I couldn't stand "Curse placed by Robert". The story was all over the place, with a confusing plot and poorly developed characters. The dialogue was also awkward and unrealistic, making it difficult to connect with any of the characters. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, dragging on for what felt like an eternity. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Sarah - ★★☆☆☆
"Curse placed by Robert" had some potential but ultimately fell flat for me. The concept was interesting, but the execution was lacking. The writing style was bland and lacked depth, and the characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting. The plot felt predictable and lacked any surprises or twists. Although I appreciate the effort put into this book, it just didn't resonate with me, and I wouldn't read it again.
3. Laura - ★★☆☆☆
I had high hopes for "Curse placed by Robert", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The story had an intriguing premise, but it was poorly executed. The pacing was uneven, with slow parts dragging on and more exciting moments feeling rushed. The characters felt underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it difficult to form any emotional connection with them. Overall, I found the book to be mediocre and forgettable, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
4. Michael - ★☆☆☆☆
I found "Curse placed by Robert" to be a complete waste of time. The writing was amateurish and filled with cliches. The plot was predictable and offered nothing new or exciting. The characters were shallow and unrelatable, making it challenging to care about their fates. I struggled to finish this book and felt no sense of satisfaction once I finally did. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone looking for a captivating read.
5. Emily - ★☆☆☆☆
I had high expectations for "Curse placed by Robert", but unfortunately, it fell short. The story lacked depth and failed to engage me. The characters were forgettable and lacked any real development. The pacing was all over the place, making it difficult to stay interested. Overall, this book was a disappointment, and I would not recommend it to others.