October 28th

Jasmine followed her mother into the department store. It was only a few more days until Halloween, and she was excited. Every time she saw a decoration having to do with this holiday, she smiled and felt an unexplained joy grow within her. They parked in the lot of the department store, a place she loved because it made her feel so grown up, and walked towards the front entrance. Lying by the automatic doors was a jack-o'-lantern with a woman's face carved into it. The face had a "v" shape, clearly meant to be the image of a mannequin. Jasmine smiled, almost giggling at how well designed and obvious the pumpkin was carved. They entered the automatic doors, which slid open as they approached.

Her mother looked at clothes, at shoes, at everything, and Jasmine felt herself growing bored. She smiled while looking at the plastic mannequin, and when she blinked, the mouth changed. She jumped at the statue's lips now curved up into a smile back at her.

"Mommy, look at the statue."

The mother looked at the mannequin, no longer smiling.

"What is it, honey?"

"It smiled at me."

She looked at her daughter with a grin and continued shopping. Jasmine stared at another mannequin, posed with its arms hanging down. She looked at another, its arms reaching up. When she glanced back at the first mannequin, its arms were outstretched as though reaching out. She looked at the mannequin that originally smiled, and its index finger was pressed against its lips, asking Jasmine to remain silent.

Her mother stood next to a mannequin, sliding dresses on a rack, when she felt something hard gripping her arm. The statue's plastic fingers had wrapped around her wrist. Jasmine screamed as her mother hardened, transforming into a plastic statue. The mannequin, now flesh and blood, waved at Jasmine and walked out of the store.

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