1 The Night Shift

  "Close down the store when you're finished Zoey," my boss had told me.

     "Okay, Mr.Dickerson." I said.

     It was ten o'clock at night, and I'm still here unloading boxes. I usually work the day shift, but sometimes I work the night shift. Though it's late I'm not the only one here. Two of my coworkers were here: Ezrah and Yasmin. But they were obviously going to leave before me.

     "Zoey, you need help before I pack up?" Yasmin asked.

     "I'd be open to help too," Ezrah added.

     "Um, no I got it, you guys could just head home," I said."I have to close up the shop anyways."

     "Okay, well see you tomorrow," Yasmin said.

     They both gathered their belongings and left. Now I was all alone in the store. I was almost done putting things on the shelf when I heard something fall. It startled me because I was so focused on my work. It sounded like it came from one of the back rooms.

     I walked anxiously back there. I peeked around the corner of the door's entrance. It wasn't broken glass or items that had fallen. It was a mannequin. It was a female mannequin with a white, flowy dress on.

     I reached down to pick it up. Then I walked out the storage room and continued putting the few things I had left on the shelf. I quickly sat them on the shelf because I just wanted to head home.

     "Done," I said to myself.

     I began walking to the break room to get my jacket. My eyes caught something white trail off around the corner leading to the room across from the break room. Which was the bathroom. I walked back there curiously. I looked at the floor as I walked.

     I opened the bathroom door. Toilet paper rolled out hurriedly. It frightened me. I put it back on the toilet paper holder. But that didn't explain what I saw.

     I just ignored it and closed the door behind me. I grabbed my jacket and the keys to lock the doors.

     Knock… Knock…

     It sounded like a sedate knock on the window.

     Knock! Knock!

     It sounded again but much faster.

     "We're closed!" I shouted as I walked to the front of the store.

     I looked outside, but no one was there.

     They must've heard me.

     I said in my head.

     I quickly closed the shop and began walking to my car. Since the construction workers were working on the street that my job's on, I had to park my car on the next block. I began walking swiftly. All the stores were closed, and the only light source was the street lights. It was dead silence, the only thing I could hear was the pitter-pattering of my feet walking.

     Knock! Knock!

     It sounded like the knocking I heard at my job. I looked over to where the noise came from. It seemed to have come from a department store next to me. It was filled with mannequins. It felt like they were looking at me. They were smiling forcefully, and it really creeped me out.

     I just ignored it and kept walking. I didn't just hear the pitter-pattering of my feet. I could make out somebody else's. I tried to look over my shoulder, but I couldn't see anyone. Its walking began to speed up.

     I looked behind me panicky. There was no one. But a mannequin with a flowy white dress on. I darted as fast as I possibly could to my car. I could hear the rapid movement of feet behind me.

     Trepidation suffused me. As I ran, mannequins were filled in the windows of the stores. Even the stores I knew didn't have mannequins. I grabbed my car keys out of my pocket and pressed the unlock and start button. I opened the door, got in and sped off.

     At home, I just laid in bed and tried to relax. I turned my bedroom lamp on. I closed my eyes and attempted to get some shut eye. I slept for a good amount of time. Suddenly, I woke up.

     My lamp wasn't on and I began freaking out. I tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't. The door was closed.

     Thud!

     Something went.

     It came from under my bed. I sat so still on my bed that I couldn't even move a muscle. It sounded like something was tumbling from under my bed. I steadily crawled to the edge of my bed, where my lamp was, and peaked over. It was a mannequin. I jumped off my bed and dashed for the door. The door wouldn't open.

     Thud!

     Something sounded again.

     I turned around. The mannequin was standing up.

     "This can't be real," I said."Is someone doing this?"

     Its head moved to the left, then to the right, almost as if it had a crook in its neck. It began walking slowly to me. Its feet hit the floor aggressively with every step.

     I scurried to the other side of the room, near the window. I strained every muscle I had trying to lift it up.

     "Come on, open," I said.

     It wouldn't move. I gave up and decided to try another plan. But I had no plan. It stood across from me and held its head down.

     "Please, please just leave," I begged.

     It charged at me. I screeched so loud that I could've shattered glass. It rammed me into the wall. Pain shot through my whole body. I fell forcefully on the floor.

     The thing pressed my head down on the floor so I couldn't move. Its fingers dug into my forehead, almost as if it was trying to rip my brain out.

     "Ple-," I tried to get out, but it covered my mouth with its entire hand.

     The thing began saying things that I didn't understand. The whole house began shaking like an earthquake had struck. I could hear the wind rustling outside. The lights were flickering like crazy. The skin from the mannequin started peeling as it continued saying things.

     Black goo trickled all across my face. The goo squeezed and squeezed my face. I could barely breathe. I was attempting to gasp for air. There was no more air to gasp.

     I opened my eyes from an extended nap. It was dark. I was standing in place and couldn't move. I tried screaming, but I couldn't.

     Creak!

     The door opened.

     It was my coworker Ezrah.

     Am I at work!?

     I thought, shocked.

     I tried to move and speak to get his attention. He walked over to me and picked me up.

     What's he doing!? Where am I going!?

     I thought.

     He sat me down near the front of the store's window. In the reflection in the window I could see myself. I had a white, flowy dress on. It wasn't me.