As a college student, we have the option to get a part-time job (or a summer job) to earn money, since it's the only legal thing to do.
I worked as a cashier in a large, local city fashion store. And of course, as any normal fashion store, they have mannequins to display the clothing. Everyday, the fashion store is full of people trying out clothes for themselves, or they're boyfriends or girlfriends, or they're children. Luckily my friend, Quinn, who is the current manager helps me with the customers.
“Although there was no one at the counter or in the store, I forced myself to look at the clothing on every hanger. I stared at the mannequins until a customer came in.”
But I noticed that every 3 weeks, the owner of the store orders men to take one of the mannequins away, and replace it with a new one...But I see no problem or damage to the mannequins being taken away.
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After 2 months of experience, I realized that Quinn was acting very strange and paranoid...
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Do you ever get the feeling that someone...is watching you...?" Quinn answered, shaking. I feel like she's experiencing paranoia, which is the main reason for my concerns.
But the day after, she just completely disappeared. She never comes to work anymore. So the co-manager is the one in charge now.
6 weeks have passed, and the men's routine of replacing a mannequin is on-going. But I something caught my eye. The new mannequin has familiar hair this time...
The co-manager asked me if I can put clothes on the new mannequin. I agreed and went to grab the newly delivered clothes.
When I touched the mannequin's skin, it felt a bit weird, almost preserved, it barely feels like plastic. I just shook it off and just said to myself that this is a new material used for mannequins. And when I fixed the mannequin's hair, it felt so real. Not to mention the smell if chemicals and medicine for corpses...
And when I took a full look of the mannequin, it looked familiar. And then I remembered Quinn's face...
My eyes were widened and I nearly fell back. I just think that this was a coincidence, but my heart was still beating fast.
8 weeks have passed, and I am starting to feel paranoid. Now I know what Quinn felt...But it felt like...The mannequins are watching me. I looked back at the mannequin that looked like Quinn, and I saw a glance of it's eyes just started at me and then back to normal.
I was so scared...
Is this real...?
Or am I in a Dream...?
No...
A nightmare...?
I looked at the other mannequins, and then it's eyes also glanced at me and then it's back to normal.
I had a sense that all of the mannequins are real. That's why they felt preserved and it's hair felt real.
As the last customer arrived, the co-manager and I locked the store up and proceeded to go home. I took a look back at the store and was thinking about going back there at midnight...
After I ate dinner at my dorm-room, I waited a couple hours before midnight. I grabbed the spare key and ran to the store.
I was thinking of not opening the lights as soon as I stepped foot inside the store. I stood there for a while...and then a large gush of wind closed the door behind me...Luckily, it was not locked.
I felt the paranoia hit me again. I stayed brave and tried not to sweat. I couldn't take it anymore so I opened the lights.
And when the light opened, I noticed that the mannequins changed position...It's not like we left it before.
I walked around the large store slowly...and every time I stop, I looked around.
And one time...I heard footsteps...and when I quickly turned around, I saw a slight half of the mannequin behind the hangers. I just walked it out and thought it was my imagination. I continued to walk around the store just to be safe, I looked behind me once more, and I saw the mannequin that looks exactly like Quinn behind me.
I was extremely freaked out, my heart was beating very fast. I was very close to crying, and then I ran at full speed to the exit.
I closed the lights and locked the door. As I was running back to my dorm-room, I was feeling so weak, so afraid, so tired as I nearly tripped.
The next day, I told the police everything that had happened. They went to investigate the shop owner's house, while the other police officers investigate the mannequins. They confirmed that the shop owner killed several people and made them into mannequins. And they also confirmed that the mannequin that looked like Quinn was Quinn...
The police arrested the shop owner and buried the mannequins properly, and I will never work at that store ever again...
But...
I still get the feeling of being watched...