STATU[E]S

III. THE MERGE

III. THE MERGE

After some time, the mannequins had forgotten about the dreadful incident that cost them the lives of their comrades as the memory of it casually blended in with the monotonous background of their existence. Though bland and unexciting, nobody complained about the nights that they had spent in the world of the mortals; nor did they find anything to complain about their made-up social system. For quite some time, the Whole Ones and the Assembled Ones felt contented living inside their groups and their territories, avoiding each other's groups to keep the peace intact. But peace was a luxury they cannot afford, for their fate was never in their hands.

One night, they all woke up to find themselves standing or sitting alongside their sworn enemies; their feet set on places they never dared to go before. This sudden change threw the mannequins into mayhem: scrambling and running away from each other, vainly attempting to restore the order that they had gotten used to. Unknown to them but not beyond their guessing, during the store hours of that day, the manager on duty decided to scatter the mannequins all around the store to maximize their usage; for they had also increased the store's racks and consequently, the volume of the clothes that needed models. By doing this, the manager unwittingly closed the gap between The Divided.

Having no other options, the mannequins reluctantly adjusted to their new setup. At first, being side-by-side with their former enemies had been insufferable. But as days went by, they grew accustomed to each other and at the same time, grew tired of reminding themselves about their differences. Slowly, the Whole Ones and the Assembled Ones learned to let go of their prejudices and to accept each other as fellows. The two groups merged and became known as the Originals.

Although some of them still held on to the memories of The Divide, the Originals managed to maintain order and harmony in their new little society. Rules were amended, alliances were formed; bridges were mended and fences were scorned. Just like in the beginning, they all felt contented and at home.

That did not last long.

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