|~Hello Puppets~| [The Final Show]

|~Chapter 6: The Show Begins~|

[Act 2: Puppet Orientation]

=

"Wait-? Is my host moving-? Wait, can you hear me-? Wait! No, no, no. . . You're meant to be out!-Zombie-! I'm supposed to control you completely!"
Paige woke up standing, the first thing she saw was the Puppet she had chosen that was now. . . Talking on their own, but Paige couldn't open her mouth!
"Welcome To Puppey Host Orientation; Our Purpose is to measure your host control and manipulation."
The Puppet looked at Paige then at the screen that had creepy looking person on thr other end.
Wide eyes, two different coloured eyes and a face mask.
"Ah! Wait a minute, I think there's something wrong with my host!"
"Rhyme Scout!"
The Puppet, Scout, seemed to grumble at that but it obliged.
"Shit-Sorry!"
"Uhm, what if my Host is not working can I get another one without any jerking around?"
. . .
Good enough in Paige's book, Rhymes are hard.
"You've had two failed tests in the past, the third attempt will be your last."
"Damn it."
The Puppet turned to Paige.
"Look; You're not supposed to be awake, so you just gotta play along and act like I have total control over you or we're both dead! Do you understand?!"
. . .
"Say something!"
"Right- Riley sewed your mouth shut, okay just nod your head if you understand."
So Paige nods, now understanding why she couldn't open her mouth.
"Okay good, now shake your head."
She does so.
"Good. Okay, you're not entirely useless."
"Did you say something?"
"No! No, just talking to myself, I didn't mean to. . .uh, share the wealth."
. . .
"Surprisingly coherent Rhyme Scout, your future is perhaps no longer in doubt; Proceed."
And the person, or Riley disappeared and Scout relaxed or. . . Paige hoped so.
"Okay, Big and Tall; Lift me to that screen so I can open the door."
So Paige did and they entered a small room.
"Let the testing begin."
. . .
"Okay; Listen up: We have to push these buttons at the same time. 3, 2, 1."
. . .
"That was. . . Surprisingly well done, let's continue forward and see how you handle the next one."
And they were free to enter the next room.
. . .
"Please wait here and do not further tred, there's another test subject finishing up in the room ahead."
Guess they had to wait.
Though Paige felt her stomach turn over and goosebumps all over when she heard screams ahead of their path.
Even the Puppet, did not look too ready to go inside.
"I'm gonna be sick."
You and me both, thought Paige as the door opened and there was no one in sight.
But blood.
So they walked in-
*BANG*
"AHHHH, SHIT!!!"
A body dropped from the ceiling with no warning!
"That was a test of reflex and reaction, which you barely passed to satisfaction."
. . .
Silence for a moment to gather herself.
"Test my reflexes when I kick your ass Riley."
Okay; So this person was definitely called Riley, for someone with a nice name they are sick as fuck.
Could this be. . .?
Oh no. . .

=

Marcus and his Puppet, named Scout made it to the next chamber that apparently wasn't ready just yet so they had to wait.
"Hey. Host."
Marcus turned to his Puppet that was giving him a hard time, if he could he would rip the thing off it wasn't for the stitches and the fact he needed Scout if he wanted to leave and find Paige.
"You're Killing us out there! You're not passing as a mindless zombie slave at all, and you're dragging me down with you! I don't feel like you get how bad the situation is! I don't have time to explain it all to you, but basically you're in a decommissioned sound stage with sentient puppets from a canceled children's TV, who were brought to life by an evil Voodoo spell and now they want to drain your life force in order to sustain themselves, so they can bring their canceled show back to life and take over the world!"
. . .
"Actually, woah that was pretty good."
Marcus was scared.
"Did that all make sense?"
He nods.
"Either you're a phenomenal listener or you're bullshiting me."
Damn.
"If we see stuff that's relevant, I will call it out to you."
Silence.
"Look: It takes a lot of felt to admit you were wrong, and maybe I've been a little sharp with you. You probably noticed I'm not exactly kept in popular around here, I've never really. . . Fit in with the other puppets, I've been trying to find a way to escape from this place for a while now but I can never get past Riley's little Dog and Pony Show."
Damn, even this Puppet don't like it's own kind.
Sound familiar?
"If you can help me get through this thing, then we can maybe get the hell out of here but we gotta work together. Are we a team?"
Usually Marcus would say no, but he wanted to get out of here alive so he nods his head in agreement.
"Okay good. Thank you for being reasonable. I'll remember that."
"I apologise for the pace being slow, the next chamber is ready to go."
So they continue.

=

They shifted in what seemed to be in a bed, they lifted in their hand and felt their mouth to feel bandages around their mouth.
Where am I?
They tried to move but their body ached as they tried to lift their head but it felt like they were being weighed down by bricks.
"They're awake!"
Who was that?
As they turned their head, they saw their dads sitting at their side with tears running down their faces and whelming up in their eyes.
Their father helped them sit up and the family of three embraced for the first time in 3 days.
"I'm so sorry. . ."
They just closed their eyes, happy to see their dads after so long and not longer in that place!
A doctor came in so they broke the hug as their dads spoke to the doctor.
They were able to sit up and got a better view of the room, then noticed his once chopped off hand was now replaced with a prosthetic arm.
It was silver.
As they were talking, they noticed-
Scout?!
On the desk, in a plastic police evidence bag, was Scout!
Used their right hand, they reached over and picked up the hand Puppet.
I'm so sorry. . .
I'm sorry Scout. . .
"Excuse me. . ."
They looked up at the doctor and their dads, a police woman came beside them with a notebook.
"Do you remember anything that happened to you over the past 3 days you were missing?"
3 days?! Those puppets held them hostage for 3 days?!
But they nod.
The policewoman nods, writing it down and looking back at them.
"Your last known location was the old warehouse, what can you. . .?"
They wouldn't believe them if they were able to communicate,'Evil Puppets chopped off, sewed this puppet on my hand and my mouth shut, and are planning world domination.'
. . .
Their dad then held out the palm of his hand, so using his finger to spell out the words he wanted to say with his hand.
"N-o-t  a-b-a-n-d-o-n-e-d."
Policewoman got interested,"Someone is in there?", they again traced the letters on their father's palm.
"S-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g."
They were now interested, not someone but something was in there.
"Just get some rest kiddo."
They nod.