We were practising for the play and getting ready too. I wanted to get the mannequin prepared for the play.
When I brought it out, everyone was so surprised. I got many comments such as, "Wow! How did you find such a realistic mannequin?" and others. I ignored most of them since we didn't have time. On top of that, they didn't know that the mannequin wasn't fake, nor did I confirm that theory of mine.
I brought the mannequin to the stage, and it was almost evening. Some of the audience had already gathered with whatever food items, drinks or other items they wanted to bring. They all gathered. By 8:30 p.m, most of the audience had arrived, and all the staff was ready to go.
However, I was highly disturbed and concerned by the mannequin and what it might do in the play. But no matter the reasons, I needed to do this play. I would get a lot of income from doing this.
I started the play, and the audience was cheering with a lot of energy.
Everything was going smoothly until the scene where the mannequin had to enter.
Now I wonder, why did I ever bring the mannequin onto the stage? Why did I ever even bother to host the play? All of it lead to misfortune.
When I brought the mannequin to the stage, everyone went idle. All the cheers stopped. Even I couldn't move. I couldn't speak either. I have been paralyzed again. I thought I would become normal after a while, like every time. I waited for very long, and so did the people. I realized my eyes didn't freeze like they did every time. I could see and move my eyes to see a little of my surroundings.
What I saw now scarred me for life if I had one from the moment. Everyone's skin turned hard, and visible joints appeared. Their faces weren't like mine. They were frozen from head to toe. They didn't look like they had their consciousness either.
Luckily, I placed my hands in a position where I could see them before freezing. Although, when I looked at them, horror poured into me. All I could see was a hand without life. Faces without life. If someone saw us, they would think we aren't human beings. I knew something was up with the mannequin.
I realized we all, the staff and the audience, have turned into objects. Mannequins, to be more specific.
I should've just given the mannequin back after the first incident.
I regretted that moment so inadequate.
I was trying to think of what could've been done—the next step.
Right then, I saw two feet walking toward me. They looked very familiar.
"It's you!". I immediately recognized who that was.
"Haha...You couldn't do anything to save anyone! I even warned you by those messages, but you're too dumb to realize the meaning behind those cries! Hahahaha!!"
The mannequin spoke so clearly that I knew it wasn't a mannequin. It was the missing actor. She didn't go missing today but a long time ago, even before I started the play.
Since she couldn't stand her parents' deaths, she wanted to join them. However, when she tried, she failed and instead got turned into a mannequin. The shopkeeper was terrified since these incidents happened to him frequently. He didn't know what to do with the mannequin and left her in his shop. When we were talking over the phone the other day, he told me that he tried to dispose of the mannequin but failed. It appeared back in his shop, lying in the same corner daily. He wanted to sell it off to get rid of it.
The girl probably wanted to escape the misery she was going through and was searching for someone who would bring her on stage again. The last happy moment of her life was when she entered the stage and was successful in her first play. Because of this, she got her life back when she entered the stage, causing the curse to enter the closest people.
After connecting all the dots, this is the conclusion I derived. It wasn't very easy, but I was able to do it.
The girl continued to blabber on about how she trapped us all in these bodies and how we would continue to suffer. Her talk got on my nerves, but there wasn't anything I could do about it. I was idle.
After a few minutes, the girl left, and we were left behind. To pass don't the curse, we must get someone to make us, as mannequins, be brought on stage and be used for an act.
For now, there is nothing I or anyone else could do. Everyone probably already lost consciousness, and I am too. We would be considered under the category of the dead.