The Puppet. (Mandela Catalogue AU)

Chapter 2

I felt our wooden bodies being wrapped in metal.

We both tried to stay as still and 'unalive' as possible, like we were just robotic animatronics that looked like puppets. I looked over at Jonah as the mechanics were looking away and saw uncertainty shining in his eyes, masqueraded by happiness. I closed my eyes just in time as the mechanics turned back, and it was back to the poking and prodding of my wooden shell and metal clothing.

...

The next thing I remember was Adam and I being behind a stage. We practiced our opening bit for our debut. It involved our strings, which they kept for us, thank god. We did our bit, and the crowd cheered. This was the first time I felt loved and cared for by many. We both sat down, and the kids rushed to me. I enjoyed their company, so I let them climb over me and ask me questions. Suddenly, Adam and I realize we can't go by our real names. The fire in my face, the harsh wind blowing the fire over our rigid bodies, Ces saving us at the last moment...

So we create some up, along with our stories.

I call myself Kai, and being a twin puppet with Adam (he calls himself Koa) and found in an abandoned woodshop a long time ago. We're taken in by adopted parents and raised as normal kids, but we get bullied for being like puppets. Koa and I set out on our own, becoming circus performers before we got this 'job.'

The kids loved us - loving me more than Koa, who chatted with the adults more - and the people grew fond of us. And, to be honest, we loved it too!

Though, we had a secret from everyone...

~~~

Recently, people have gone missing. I gaze at the place where the animatronics abide, wondering why so many people (including Ruth) were connected to the police in a way, either through relatives or even being one themselves. I huff, thinking "What nonsense!" People like staying more with the animatronics. Besides, they're pretty new technology anyways! But why is it only happening here..?

I walk inside the cold and seemingly barren area. The ringing in my ears heightened in place of the usual talking and laughter from kids and adults alike. I saw some yellow orbs flash between my eyes, glowing in the darkness. I jumped at this, shining the light where I saw the bright glowing light where nothing was there. Maybe it was just my imagination...

I keep walking, the dimly lit yellow light from my flashlight as my only source of light before I jump at a sudden noise. I look down to see... A plush of that 'Kai' animatronic? I pick it up, inspecting it. It had intricate details stitched into the fabric, but there was a tear in the back. I squish it, and sure enough, it lets out that same noise I was spooked by earlier. "It's just your paranoia, Thatcher.." I mutter, but I couldn't convince myself that nothing was watching me...

~~~

"God damnit Jonah, you almost spooked the living daylights out of him," Adam whispered harshly, elbowing me. I chuckle softly, to not alert the cop. "I mean, it's well deserved. He did try to burn us that one time..." I whisper back, making Adam nod in acknowledgment. "We should mess with him at least, Adam. Come on, it'll be fun!" Adam huffed before I said in a singsong whisper, "It'll make Ces happy!" That made him grin, losing the grumpy attitude, and he nodded, his eyes mischievous. I grin. "Come on, Koa..."

"Let's go teach that cop a lesson."

We walk over to the cop slowly, making sure to be silent and as 'robotic' as possible (to not give our other secret away) and he slowly approaches us. We were now on stage in a pose hanging by our strings. Thatcher - the cop - huffed at us, rolling his eyes and walking into the kitchen to look for something. Adam and I look at each other, grinning. We fooled him! I give Adam a you-know-what-I'm-thinking, so-let's-do-it look and he nods, with us slowly walking up to the cop.

I could hear his soft breathing. I could sense his fearful aura surrounding him as we inched closer...closer...closer...

"AH! WHAT THE HELL!?"

We lept for him, with me knocking him out quickly and Adam just laughed. We both let our eyes glow ominously, with my glowing yellow and Adam's glowing a deep purple. Once his vision fades to black and he's out, we tie him up and prop him up in a kiddie chair behind some curtains on a stage in our secret room.

~~~

I groan, blinking and opening my eyes. I could barely see anything, then realized I'm tied up! My eyes flew wide open, struggling a bit and trying to loosen the restraints, to no avail. I try to grab for my trusty blade or firearm and I'm met with nothing on my waistband. Drat...those bizarre people must've gotten my tools. I grumble, struggling more to loosen the restraints.

That's when I realize these aren't any kind of restraints, they're... puppet strings? My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why puppet strings? And these seem so thin I could snap them off, so why can't I..?

I gasp, looking up to see an animatronic, its piercing purple eyes looking deep into my soul. Suddenly, fear courses through my veins, my eyes widening even further. I glance behind me, seeing one with yellow eyes. It flicked on a switch, showing Ruth as a puppet, her eyes lifeless and blood sticking to her wooden shell. I shriek, but the yellow-eyed animatronic slapped its hand over my mouth.

The taste of metal filled my mouth and I struggled to make it let go of my face, its hands drilling into my cheeks and tearing my skin. "Kai... Koa... What happened..? Why are you doing this? To... your friends?" I ask, taking breaks to breathe in the fresh air. The animatronic duo glances at each other and grins.

"Don't you remember what you did to us..?"

Suddenly, it all adds up. The irregular movement, the puppet strings, the police force going missing... They're those two BPS kids who we turned into puppets. We tried to torch them, but somehow they got away. Now they want vengeance. "No... j-just kill me... is that what you want..?"

Koa - Who I'm guessing is the blonde male - laughed in my face as the other - Kai, the tan-skinned boy before he was puppetified - grabbed some more string. The string looked... mystical. Sinister. Menacing. "Nah... we want to play with our incipient toy, right Jonah?" Koa (or should I say Adam?) looked over at 'Kai' who grinned and went behind me.

I was confused for a moment before I felt a piercing pain in the back of my arm. I forced the tears not to fall as I struggled, which made the pain worse. I panted, trying to look back. What I saw was truly terrifying;

The string was lodged into my arm, blood spilling out of my arm. It felt weird like a wooden shell was forming over my skin... I swung my head back towards Ruth. Her eyes seemed saddened now. She isn't lifeless... She's sentient. Ruth is alive in that damned puppet.

I close my watering eyes, taking a deep breath. I know I can't escape my fate now...

But I sure as hell will try.

(CHAPTERS NOT IN SPECIFIC ORDER.)