Magic Box, Thursday, 2/2

[life_inshadow]

Tara didn't see any creepy dolls on her way into work, but her blissful ignorance came to a halt when she spotted a crowded shelf of new merchandise.

She didn't remember placing an order for bedraggled old dolls, and they didn't seem like the kind of thing a magic shop needed to have on hand, but ... maybe one of the other employees had ordered them? Maybe dolls were used in some magical tradition she didn't know?

The thing was, the dolls were giving off a really strong don't-touch-me vibe, and Tara was inclined to obey such feelings. She retreated to the counter to handle some paperwork and tried to ignore the feeling she was being watched.

[OOC; Open, creeptastic Magic Box!]

Comments

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

Why would she feel like she was being watched? They were just innocent little dolls sitting there on a shelf.

Well, some of them were. Some of them were now on a different shelf, much closer to the counter.

That was normal, right?

[life_inshadow]

...

No. Not really.

Tara took a few quick steps to the doll's new location, knowing she might regret it but not sure what her other options were.

"Um. Hi," she said, feeling like an idiot. "Look ... I'll leave you alone if you leave me alone? If you're ... peaceful. Or whatever."

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

A high pitched, slightly out of tune voice demanded: "Play with me!" and then launched itself at Tara for a hug.

A creepy, creepy hug.

[life_inshadow]

What?

"No!" Tara said sharply, and flailed her arms as she stepped back. It wasn't coordinated enough to count as an attempt to knock the doll to the floor, but she wouldn't object if that happened.

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

"MA-ma?" the doll cried woefully as it hit the floor. "MA-ma!"

[life_inshadow]

That little broken cry made Tara feel really guilty for what she was about to do, actually. She pointed to the doll, closed her eyes, and said "Incendere."

Which normally lit things on fire -- though since she said it like a question, whether the magic would work was anyone's guess.

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

And the doll burst into flames with a terrifying wail.

The remaining dolls on the shelf charged at Tara, moving much more quickly than dolls should.

Especially since dolls shouldn't move at all.

[life_inshadow]

No, they really shouldn't. Tara ... probably should have thought this one through more.

That wail was going to stay in her head for a very long time.

She didn't think she could light that many dolls on fire all at once just by speaking Latin. She said a brief wordless prayer to draw on whatever power there was in the store, then held up her hands and pushed out at the dolls with all the telekinetic force she could manage.

She was trying to direct them all into a pile near the back of the store for easier burning, but mostly she wanted them away.

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

The dolls flipped end over end with a flutter of tattered petticoats, not quite enough heads, the occasional "MA-ma!" and an out of tune "Patty doesn't like this game" before collapsing into a pile.

[life_inshadow]

The head shortage was going to be in Tara's dreams tonight, she knew it.

She quickly set a few crystals into a semicircle and charged them as a barrier against fire, then stepped closer to the pile of doll parts. "Incendere," she said again, more confidently this time.

Sometimes, 'kill it with fire' was the best possible solution.

[fh-creepies.livejournal.com]

There was more wailing and the acrid smell of polyester as they burned, and when it was over, they'd left a greasy stain on the floor.

They only wanted to play.