The mannequin in the display

The mannequin in the display
By The Shadow Demon
(Woman into mannequin)

Linda smiles as she turns to her best friend Cassidy as she too had the same smile with both them excited and blessing their luckiest stars as the two got a job at Havanna Clothes, a clothes store at their favourite mall that the two constantly shop at and just enjoyed on their vast verity and now the two were working there, already wearing the uniform a basic deep blue top with the shops icon in it and their name tag, the two walked in ready for their first day. With the store already open for customers the two make their way to the checkout counter where their boss Mary was already setting up.
“Welcome ladies, ready for your first day?” Mary asks get the two girls to smile and nod in agreement.
“Indeed read and able!” Linda said.
“Good to hear, Cassidy I would like to be on the register and Linda you’re on the floor!” Mary instructed.
“Okay!” Cassidy states as Mary moves out the way to Cassidy behind the register.
“If you two need anything I’ll be in my office!” Mary states leaving her employees to their tasks, as Mary left the two girl squeal quietly as they still couldn’t believe they were working at their favourite as they knew that today was going to be a good day.

As the day began it wasn’t long before costumers were coming in many of which were teenage girls around the two girls age, looking for the deals and perfect clothes, which Linda showed and Cassidy sold to, it was surprisingly busy in the morning with Linda cleaning and adjusting the piles of clothes that were set out in a neat pile. As midday slowly began to come around and the store died down, Linda found herself wondering around the store, for there was nothing else she could have done, she adjust several of the mannequins so costumers could get better look to the clothes they were wearing but soon Linda pauses to admire the very mannequins themselves. All were female which wasn’t surprising for a store that sells clothes only for women but what got Linda was the detail that went to every one of them. It was surprising the level of detail, from the different kind of plastic on the body to give a different tone of skin to each one, from their unique faces, bodies and hair. Linda stood in front of one, its plastic body glistening in the light, Linda was taking back by the detail that went into it. From the way the plastic looked, to the emotionless face, to even the hair. Linda kinda smiles as she lifted her hand up to give the hair a slight tug to instantly feel it to be attach the mannequins head.
“Wow I wouldn’t not like to see you in a dark alley!” Linda said as she moves on with her chores. Lunch came and gone as the two girls got their food, had their break and returned finding that Mary now shifted their tasks around with Linda now at the register and Cassidy on the floor. The fist half of the afternoon was quite quiet but soon enough it picked up again with many coming to buy various clothes which made the day go past even quicker and soon enough their shifts were over.
“Man that was one good day!” Cassidy said giving a straight of her arms.
“You’re telling me, man can’t wait to see what install for tomorrow!” Linda explains.
“Well done you two,” Mary stated walking up the two, “You did a great job for your first day and I’ll see you two bright and early tomorrow!”
“You sure will, see you Mary!” Cassidy states as the two wave leaving store and into the mall which was already in its closing state. With the two girl’s leaving the mall they departed for tomorrow was going to be a new day.

The next day arrived as Linda was bright an early ready for her day, she was twenty minutes early for her shift but she didn’t care she was ready for another day. As Linda walks into the mall it too now started to get into action, she did notice that Cassidy was no where to be seen. Linda knew she was coming in as the two were texting late last night, Linda just guess she be coming in was a little later. As Linda makes her into the entrance of Havanna Clothes a sight caught her eye and in a cold moment she pauses and turns to the display window with a concern look. There standing in the middle of two dress mannequins was an bare naked old mannequin, it’s plastic body a pale white with cracks and even holes noticeable in it body, the face was bare with no facial markings of any kind in was that solid pale white that just gave Linda a undeniable chill to crawl down her spine. Linda began walking into the entrance her eyes unmoved from the bizarre mannequin until she was far deep into the store, looking away only to look back once and awhile she soon caught sight of Mary at the register.
“Oh hi Linda, you’re early!” Mary stated in sheer surprisement.
“Yeah I thought to hit the... day… running!” Linda as her mind and eyes were clearing on something and was standing in the display.
“You okay?”
“Huh,” Linda puzzled snapping out of her daydream returning back to reality “Oh yeah I’m fine, so what you want me to do boss?”
“I would like to move these mannequins around, take some from storage and move some to back, dress and remove the clothes of those you place in storage!”
“Will do!” Linda states returning back to the store ready for her day and most importantly where to starts and as scans her surrounds until her sight stop to the entrance and the display with that image of the old mannequin still fresh in her mind. Linda knew what she had to do, that Mannequin was too far old to be even in this store and if they wanted to sell clothes she needed to remove it. Making a straight line to the entrance, Linda makes her way to the front and straight to the display where the old mannequin still stood.
“Okay you creepy thing, back to the storage you go!” Linda said lifting the mannequin with ease, removing it from the display Linda moves on through the isles of clothes upon clothes until finally reaching the back and the storage room. Entering inside to the cold room with boxes still sealed and various other mannequins all in a single corner, all women and all naked, Linda makes her way to the grouping and places the old mannequin.
“There, now you can be as creepy as you want!” Linda said taking a few steps back as she looks over a few of the mannequins catching one who was fine looking mannequin, even Linda had to be impressed by how pretty she looked. Deciding she should some spot light in the store, Linda turns walking out of the storage with a smile on her face mostly for her slight enjoyment of her job but mostly that she will never see that old looking mannequin while she worked. Returning back into the store to see some costumers already looking around, Linda turns to the register to see that Cassidy was once again at the register helping out a costume. The locked eyes giving each a smile before returning to the their work, as Linda walks around for a moment she found one mannequin a small Asian looking mannequin standing in a corner wearing a short shirt, knee high boots and a crop top, the clothes did work on the mannequin petite figure but with the mannequin she saw would on it even better. Deciding to take the whole mannequin with the clothes on and change it in the storage, Linda lifts up the small mannequin and placing under her arm, Linda raised her eyebrow impressed on how light the mannequin was, sure it was small, smaller then her which is saying something when she was only five foot six but still Linda still found it interesting that it had near no weight to it. As Linda makes her back through the store once again making sure she didn’t tip over and of the clothe piles or accidentally hit a costumer her eyes flicker for a moment of a sight a sight that made her freeze in her spot and turn to what she saw. There in the display standing between the two mannequins was the old mannequin once again. Linda stood there just puzzled it only a minute or two when she just left that old thing in the storage where it belong and now it was back in display, still naked, still as ugly as ever. Linda quickly looked around seeing Cassidy still at the register and Mary was working on the store floor, Linda question if Mary was the one that moved it back but why, why would she? The Mannequin was too old and too creepy to display so why would she still have it? Linda couldn’t answer that all she knew she had a job to do and she needed to do it and she’ll just deal with that mannequin later. Continuing with her job, Linda makes her way back to the storage and places the mannequin she was carrying next to the others. With it not on the ground, Linda begins to remove the mannequin’s clothes. With piece after another leaving the mannequin bare just like the rest were, with her first task done, Linda turn to her second dressing the mannequin that she saw when she was here last, looking around, soon finding it the mannequin she liked before Linda took it from the rest and place it to the side and began dressing it with the clothes she took off from the previous mannequin. Within moments she was done and her once naked mannequin was now dressed, with the clothes showing off plenty of the mannequin and the clothes itself Linda took the mannequin she just dressed from both hands and carried her out like previously with such ease. Making her back into the store and through the isles and resting the mannequin where the previous one was and adjusts it so everyone can see. Taking two steps back to get a proper look of the mannequin, and with smiles of an approval her attention turns back to her second task, that old mannequin. Leaving the new mannequin on display, Linda once again makes her way to find passing a few more costumers who were busy looking at clothes as sure enough she reaches the front and the old mannequin still standing in the display.
“How did you get out here?” Linda asks not expecting to get a replay from a block of plastic as she picks it up to move it, suddenly sharp pain strike her right hand causing her to retreat her hands away from the mannequin causing to fall to the ground with a whole hollow thump. Linda turns to her hand as it still felt sore, looking over at her hand it looked like a type of burn that was getting more red with each passing second.
“God what did my hand rub against?” Linda asks finding her only laying on the ground its plastic faceless head looking right up at her. Linda just stares as something about this mannequin just gave her such an unease feeling not the look of it which did help, but something about it, something in the back of her mind was screaming ‘get away from that and run’. Slowly Linda reach down and picked up the mannequin, her eyes still focus on the mannequin, that eerily motionless blank face looking back her as she lifts up and once again carries it out to the storage. Back into the storage, Linda places the old mannequin back with the others, taking a few steps back, Linda just make sure that she did the task before leaving the storage once again. Walking into the store, Linda turns back to her hand on where she got burned, the skin on the mark had faded to a paler tone of her sun kissed Caucasian skin, in fact it had a strange artificial look to it. Quickly putting it to the side in her mind, Linda continues on with her jobs. Making her way down an isle to fix up several piles of clothes stacks that some customers had gone through and didn’t put back. With the piles no correct, Linda went around the store again looking for any other mannequins that she move either around or replace. Adjusting a few mannequins around, Linda pauses for a moment as her right hand was strangely stiff , turning back Linda’s eyes open widely for the paleness of the where the burn was had spread over her palm and over her pinkie and ring finger, the same glossy artificial tone. Slowly Linda raises her opposite hand and with a shaking hand ever so slight touches her hand. Linda gasps so loud that caused a couple costumers to turn to her attention, Linda quickly clamps her hand over her mouth her eyes fixated on her paling hand.
“It… it… feels like…” Linda whispers unable to finish her sentence, her eyes look up seeing the costumers that caught little gasps still looking at her, quickly Linda walks away outside of anyone line of sight. Linda just walked as fast as she without running right into the storage room, Linda rested on one of the walls as she slowly raises her right hand up, her widen to see that her entire hand was now covered her entire right hand. Linda attempted to make her finger any of her fingers to move but they didn’t move an inch, locked in place, she couldn’t feel her hand, her finger nothing and she place her hand on it feeling the cold hard smooth plastic, Linda quickly retreated her normal hand away.
“H-how, how is this even possible?” Linda asks no one ask she goes though her mind, wonder for her answer questioning why she hasn’t called the ambulance yet. As her mind was reaching the peak of panic, Linda’s eyes turn to the group of the mannequins, slowly she turns to her attention as Linda’s heart sank deep into her chest. The old mannequin that place in this storage twice was gone, quickly Linda pushes herself off the wall she was leaning on as she quickly scans around, there was no sign of it, not a laying on the ground or hiding anywhere. Linda quickly rushes out from the storage and back into the store, her eyes scanning around, feeling the familiar feeling of numbness and stiffness, Linda looks down to her right hand and gasps for the strange occurrence that was happening to her was spreading up her arm. Taking no time, Linda ran as fast as she could to the front to the display on where she always saw the old looking mannequin, reaching to find no sign of it, Linda looked back rolling up her sleeve to her right arm to see that the changes her reach her shoulder locking her arm in it position.
“No oh god no, its spreading, it’s spreading!” Linda whispers as she looks around the store, no sign of it, not with another other of the other mannequins she could see, quickly she looked to the register where Cassidy was aiding a customer. Taking no time, Linda quickly made here way up notice how sluggish her right leg was feeling and the growing stiffness in it.
“Cass, hey Cass did you see an old mannequin moved into here?” Linda asks in frantic.
“Wait, old mannequin? What? Did you do something to her leg?” Cassidy asks notice her still Linda leg was and how she was walking.
“Ah forget it!” Linda said hobbling off for her leg was too stiff for her to bend or do anything with for she could feel this stiffness spreading across her. With great struggle Linda finally makes to Mary’s office, Feeling Linda’s presences she looks up to her.
“Mary where did you move that old mannequin?” Linda asks.
“What old mannequin?”
“That old mannequin that was on display this morning!”
“Linda I never had an old mannequin in the display or in the store!” Mary stated.
“But there was a…” Linda pauses her eyes widen, realising to her situation, the strange spreading that was accruing, the realistic mannequins, no not mannequins, turned women, just like she was.
“No, no, no!” Linda scream rushing out as best as she could, her movement were slow and so stiff as she move as best as she could, as fast she could but her movement where slowing, stiffening.
“No, no!” Linda cries as she makes into the storage barely getting a few steps in before she found she could move, her feet locked into place her body stiff and numb, her arms hanging from her sides with the only thing free from it was her face. Linda looks down seeing her hands and arms nothing but plastic limb just like any normal mannequin.
“No I don’t want this, change me back, please change me back!” Linda calls out as feels the changes spreading up her neck, Linda looks forward her eyes scanning around as her head lock into place.
“No… no… I… I… It’s… getting… harder… to…….. speak……… please…………… somebo………………………” Linda’s voice disappears as Linda feels it spread over her face, as Linda let’s one final human tear as her body changes, leaving her trapped inside her plastic prison. Linda eyes still looking forward, Linda mind was still intact as she still could see everything, still think but trapped unable to speak, to move, to do anything. Linda was panic in her mind as she just stood in her position wondering if or when anyone would look for her. minutes or hours, Linda couldn’t tell as she heard footsteps coming into the storage room and with Linda eyes looking straight forward Linda was unable to see who it was.
“Linda, Linda you in here?”
Linda mentally cried to the voice of her friend Cassidy as she walks into Linda’s line of sight as Cassidy looks around before turning to her.
‘Cassidy, Cassidy please notice me, please it’s me, it’s really me!’ Linda wanted to yell wanted to scream but not even a muffled whimper.
“Wow you look just like Linda!” Cassidy said with impressed smile on her face “Why are you wearing her uniform, Linda is this your idea?”
Cassidy looks around to find no answer, while Linda was screaming her mind begging her friend to notice her, to help her as suddenly Cassidy picks her up and takes her out of the storage. Linda sight still forced straight ahead, she couldn’t see where Cassidy was taking her but her mind was screaming, pleading, begging her help. Soon Cassidy stop as Linda found herself being adjusted back upright and before Linda could even think on where she was Cassidy adjusts Linda as Linda found herself in the display standing between the two other mannequins which probably no doubt like her trapped women.
‘No Cassidy, please look at me help me please, please help me!’ Linda tried but again nothing as she just stood there presenting herself as wouldn’t be soon until her clothes she was wearing would be replace and change around just like the mannequin she was, as she stood there watching the countless of people walking pass for she was now nothing more then a mannequin in the display…