“You can’t do this to me.”

“Sure I can.”

“Umm… no. I’ve got a life, and you’re just… shitting all over that. You can’t do this!”

“Aww… you think someone will miss you. That’s cute. Delusional, but cute.”

“Look… I’m begging you, ok? I’ll pay you… I’ll… you can… I’ll give you my house or… whatever you want, it’s yours… just please… please don’t do this.”

“You really should have thought of that beforehand. But, I’ll tell you this much… there’ll be a way to break the curse. It’s just up to you to figure it out.”

“You mean you’re not even gonna… you’ll go to jail, you know!”

“Seriously doubt it, but nice try. Now, as long as you stand still, this won’t hurt. So, save yourself some pain and don’t move.”

“Fuck that!”

“Fine. Run. It’s gonna hurt you more than it will me. Anyway… sneeze, parmesan cheese, this man will freeze. Eternal-”

“Parmesan cheese? What the fuck are you-”

“Shit… that’s not it. Screw it… eternally, this man will freeze, with a wave of my hand… the deed is done.”

*****************

“You’re staying to help me tonight, right? RIGHT?”

“With?”

“The new window display. The mannequins came in this morning, and I can’t put them together by myself.”

“And you’re asking my scrawny ass for help? Ask the stock guys.”

“Umm…bad idea. The stock guys think setting up window displays is gay. So…”

“If there is anything I regret in life, it’s pushing you off the monkey bars in third grade.”

“Somehow, I don’t think it’s the pushing you should regret. Really… you screwed up when you agreed to be my best friend so I wouldn’t sue you.”

“I take it back… I regret being dumb enough to believe a third grader could sue me.” Colin sighs and rolls his eyes at me. “But yes, I will stay and help. As long as I can put the mannequins in compromising positions.”

“I’m pretty sure it isn’t compromising when they aren’t real, but whatever floats your boat.” I shrug and toss the last of my lunch in the garbage. “I gotta get back, just meet me by the main window at 11.”

“You got it boss lady.”

I know it’s kind of stupid to take such pride in a job this shitty, but it’s kind of fun. Granted, working in Harrison’s department store wasn’t even a remote part of the plan I had for my life, but it’s worked in my favor so far.

I started as a cashier my junior year of high school, and have had steady promotions ever since. Cashier to Customer Service Representative. CSR to Stock Clerk. There’s apparently some major hand-eye coordination required to be a Stock Clerk, so naturally, I failed miserably at Stock Clerk, and was quickly moved to Window Dresser.

I’m in charge of six window displays total. Two of which, are in the very front of the store, right on Main Street. Virtually every person in the city sees my displays, and nine times out of ten, the displays I set up are what draw people to Harrison’s.

So yeah, my job’s kind of important. It’d just be nice if everyone else realized this.

Well… I take that back, my best friend gets it, and as such, ends up helping me most of the time. See… contrary to popular belief, mannequin’s are freaking heavy. And well… as much as I hate to put it like this, I’m a girl. And lifting heavy things isn’t exactly my forte. So, I tend to sucker Colin into doing the manual labor.

The rest of my day is spent picking out clothes, jewelry and furniture to feature in the display. The store closes promptly at 11, and Colin and I are left to watch our co-workers leave for the evening, while our night is just beginning.

“Umm… don’t kill me, but once these things are put together, I gotta bail.” He smiles apologetically. “I’ve got an exam in the morning, and unlike you… I need sleep to function properly.”

“Fine, fine. I just need the one guy set up in here anyway.”

As much as I enjoy doing this, the whole being by yourself thing isn’t too appealing. Especially when you have semi-creepy, plastic people staring at you all the damn time. Because yes, mannequins are sort of creepy. I’m pretty sure this is a widely known fact.

Colin assembles the male mannequin in a matter of minutes, and is on his way, leaving me alone as usual. It takes me roughly three hours to set up the beach themed display, and I gotta admit… I’m fairly proud of my handywork.

“Might even be my best display yet.” I mumble to myself, and begin packing my supplies back into their boxes.

“Personally, I’ve seen better.”

I jump at the sound of a voice behind me, and turn, expecting to find Colin, or one of the stock guys. Instead, I’m facing a man who is oddly familiar, in a completely impossible way.

“Umm… I don’t know how you… how you got in here, but we’re closed and you… you need to leave.” I swallow the lump in my throat and pray that I’m just imaging the clothes he’s wearing.

Blue board shorts and a white T-shirt. It’s a completely common outfit. It’s not at all unusual that he’s wearing the exact outfit I just put on the male mannequin for the display.

Nope… totally normal.

“Me leaving might get you in a bit of trouble, don’t ya think?” He smirks and folds his arms over his chest. “Cause if I leave, who’s gonna stand in your damn window all day?”

There is abso-fucking-lutely no way this is happening.

I’m dreaming.

No… I’ll bet the sleep deprivation has finally caught up with me, and I’m hallucinating.

Or, Colin has set up some incredibly elaborate prank with the stock crew.

“Ok… this was funny and all, but could you please bring the mannequin back and be on your way? I need to leave. I appreciate the effort and inventiveness that went into all of this, though. I mean seriously… this is one hell of a joke.”

“Ok… can we just skip the part where you think this is a hoax, or that you’re dreaming or whatever? Cause I got bored with that shtick a long fuckin time ago.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re not hallucinating, and you’re not asleep, do…you…understand…what…I’m…saying?” He draws each word out slowly, almost like he’s talking to someone who’s spent the better part of their life in special ed.

“No… there’s… no. You’re… no.”

“Alright… let’s get real here. If either of us should have a problem with this, it’s me, seeing as how you just saw me naked. So… chill out, ok? Now… can you like, find me some food? I’m fuckin starving.”

I can feel my mouth open and close several times, but not a sound comes out. This is it… I’ve completely lost it. I’m having some sort of mental or emotional breakdown, and the proof is staring me straight in the face.

“Ummm… hello? Are you listening?” He waves his hand in my face impatiently and frowns. “I said I was hungry, so…. You gonna help with that or not?”

“You’re… you can’t… I’m… no. No fucking way.”

“Ok then… you do the freak out thing. I’m gonna find some food.” He nods and exits the window.

This is not happening.

There is no fucking way that a god damn mannequin just came to life.