My Murderous Mannequin Friend Manny

I was driving west on highway 50, traveling from Ohio to Nevada. I had three weeks before I had to start my new job in Las Vegas, so I wasn’t in a hurry. Before I left, a friend recommended I take the scenic route to get there. I remember his exacts words, if you truly want to see America, do yourself a favor and take route 50, you won’t regret it.
“You won’t regret it,†I mocked when traffic slowed to a crawl. Something had caused a huge traffic jam and it looked like I was going to be going nowhere fast. Since I didn’t know the area, and couldn’t tell what was going on, I decided to stick with it in the hopes that it would clear up soon. It didn’t.
I sat in traffic for two hours and moved less than a quarter of a mile. I couldn’t handle it any longer and decided to do something about it. **** this, I thought as I drove through the grassy medium and turned around. When I glanced in my rearview mirror, I noticed a few other people do the same thing.
As I drove, I tried to use my phone to see if I could find a way around the traffic jam, but I wasn’t getting any service. Looks like I’m doing this the old fashioned way, I said to myself. Now I just needed to find someplace to buy a map.
I continued until I came to the next exit that had a gas station and pulled off the highway. When the station came into view, I almost kept driving. Saying it was old would be an understatement. It was probably considered old 20 years ago. The only indication it was still in business was the flickering neon OPEN sign that occasionally winked out completely.
I was originally going to ask the gas station attendant for directions, but decided against that when I walked in and saw him. I don’t normally stereotype people, but this guy looked like he just walked out of one of those backwoods horror movies. I convinced myself that the guy was sizing me up as he tried to determine the best way to kill me.
I bought the map, which was sun bleached from being in a display near the window, and left as quickly as possible. I returned to my car, locked the doors, and spread it out across the steering wheel. After a few minutes of deliberating with myself, I decided on a route that should only take me an hour or so out of my way. With any luck, it would allow me to bypass whatever happened on the highway and possibly make up some lost time.
Three hours later, I had to admit that I was lost. It was dark, and I had no idea if I was even traveling in the right direction anymore. I was about to turn around and see if I could retrace my path back to the highway when my headlights illuminated a man standing on the side of the road. When the lights hit him, he stuck his arm out and lifted his thumb up.
I have never picked up a hitchhiker before. I knew I shouldn’t do it, but I felt like I didn’t have much of a choice. I was lost and here was someone who might know the area. I would happily give him a ride if he could get me back to the highway.
If the man looked anything like the gas station attended, I wouldn’t have stopped. I would have just kept on driving, but the man hitchhiking on the side of the road was the opposite of the man working at the gas station. He was dressed in a light blue polo shirt that was tucked into a pair of khaki slacks. On the wrist of the hand being held out was a gold watch that glinted in my headlights.
I pulled over and rolled down the passenger window. The man lowered his arm and casually walked over to my car. When he reached the passenger side he placed his hands on the door and leaned down.
I don’t make it my business to check out other guys, but I can admit when another man is good looking, and this guy was very good looking. Everything about him was perfect. His chin was the right width and not too pointy, his eyebrows didn’t have a hair out of place, his eyes were a dark yet radiant blue, and his blonde hair looked like it was expertly styled. The man looked like a living Ken doll.
“Thanks for stopping,†He flashed a perfect smile. Every tooth was perfectly shaped and lined up with the teeth around it. His voice was deep and clear. He sounded like one of those announcers you’d hear doing a voice over for a commercial.
“No problem,†I responded. “I don’t normally pick up hitchhikers, but I’m a bit lost and was hoping you might be able to get me back to highway 50. I can drop you off along the way.â€
“Sure thing buddy,†He said as he got in the car.
“I’m Paul,†I held my hand out.
“You can call me Manny,†He flashed that smile again and shook my hand.
When our hands touched, I had the urge to quickly withdraw mine. Manny’s hand was cold and had a weird texture. It felt like he was wearing a rubber glove.
“Where are you headed?†I asked after a few seconds of silence.
“Home,†Was all he said.
“You live around here?†I didn’t mean for it to come out sounding like an insult. I was just surprised to hear that. He looked more out of place than I did.
Manny just smiled, “I do. My whole family does.â€
We drove in silence for several minutes before Manny sat forward and pointed towards a cracked and worn stretch of asphalt branching off from the road. It looked like it hadn’t been used in years. “Take this right.â€
I turned the car and had to slow down as I navigated through the brush and potholes that littered the road. The further down the road we progressed the more uneasy I got. The silence wasn’t helping, so I decided a little conversation might ease the tension I started to feel.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing out here so late?†I turned towards Manny.
“I was out looking for spare parts,†He turned to face me, “I thought I was going to return home empty handed until you showed up.†His smile never faltered.
I assumed he was talking about parts for his car and that is why he was hitchhiking, but the comment about returning home empty handed was a weird thing to say. I was starting to feel worse talking to him, not better. I hoped his house was close. I wanted him out of my car, so I could get as far away from him as possible.
A minute later my headlights illuminated a moderately sized one-story structure that was made out of corrugated metal. Large patches of rust climbed up the walls. The door looked like it was once made out of glass, but was now covered in a single sheet of plywood. There were no windows, so I couldn’t tell if the interior was illuminated or not.
“We’re here,†He said, “You can park right over there.†He pointed to a spot next to a vehicle that looked older than I was and had probably been sitting in that spot for decades.
I couldn’t understand why a man who looked like he just stepped out of a country club would live in a dump like this. I started to regret not asking the gas station attendant for directions.
“Come inside and I’ll write down those directions for you.â€
“It’s kind of late and I really need to get back on the road. Do you think you can just show me on this map,†I held up the folded paper.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist.â€
My car door was suddenly thrown open. I must have forgotten to lock the doors when I let Manny in. While my attention was diverted to whoever opened my door, Manny leaned over, turned off the car, and took the keys out of the ignition.
“We can do this the easy way, or they can do it the hard way.†He nodded to the woman who opened my door and the young boy that stood next to her. They both had the same striking features of doll-like perfection as Manny, although they were not as nicely dressed.
I let them usher me into the dilapidated building. Manny held the door while I followed the woman and boy inside. As I walked behind them, I noticed the boy walked with a limp.
The interior of the building was illuminated by a large lantern that sat on what appeared to be the remains of a receptionist’s desk. Once I was inside, I could see that the building used to be a mannequin factory or at least a storage facility for them. There were stacks of broken body parts lying in disarray across the concrete floor.
Mixed in with the haphazardly piled limbs were several bones. I knew they were human because I saw three skulls among them and suspected there were more hidden from my view. I stopped and looked back at Manny, a questioning look on my face.
“We didn’t ask to be created,†He fixed me with those striking blue eyes. “We didn’t get to choose the reason for our existence. We are only doing what we need to survive.â€
“Why?†That was only the word my confused mind allowed.
“There is no other way,†He turned and looked at a stained and faded photo hanging crooked on the wall; the glass that covered it broken and missing in places. The black and white image showed a man standing in front of rows of identical mannequins. “Without our creator to repair us, we started to fall apart.â€
“I don’t understand. Why do you need to kill people to survive?â€
He motioned for the boy to come forward. When he was close enough, he lifted him onto the desk so that he was sitting with his legs dangling over the edge. He then leaned down and lifted the leg of the boy’s pants far enough for me to see the skeletal leg and foot that was held together with bits of wire.
“What the hell happened to him?†I cried out in shock.
“Take a look around,†He swept his arm indicating the room. “Now take a good look at me.†As he spoke, he walked around to the other side of the desk and pulled something out of the drawer.
I just stared at him and tried to make sense of what he was trying to show me.
“Maybe this will help,†He held up the broken mirror he grabbed from the desk drawer and pointed it towards me. “Look at your reflection and then look at me.â€
I did as he suggested. I looked at my face then back at his. I did this a couple of times until I understood what he was trying to show me.
“That’s not possible.†No one likes to experience a wave in the calm sea of their reality, but that’s what happened to me and the wave wasn’t small, it was a tsunami. “How…,†I stammered.
“I do not know.â€
“Are you a robot?†My rational mind could accept that. The technology was there.
“No,†He said, and posed as if he stood in the display window of a department store. “I am simply a Mannequin.â€
“How?†I asked again.
“You’d have to ask him,†He pointed to the man in the photo. “I’m afraid he won’t have much to say unless you can talk to the dead.â€
A million different thoughts raced through my head as I tried to find a place for myself within this new reality, one that allowed for walking talking mannequins.
“I think we have prolonged this long enough,†Manny said “We really need your leg. I don’t think Timmy’s is going to last much longer.â€
He moved towards me, his arms out, ready to grab me.
“Wait,†I held my hand out to ward him off. “I can help him.†I pointed at the mannequin boy.
“You are helping him,†He continued to advance towards me.
“Do you believe in providence…fate?†For every step he took forward, I took one back.
He stopped. I took that as a good sign.
“In the trunk of my car is a large case. Bring me that case and I can fix Timmy’s leg…permanently.â€
Manny held the car keys out to the female mannequin who took them and went to retrieve my case. We waited in silence until she returned and handed the case to him. He took it, set it on the desk, and opened it.
“What is all this,†He asked.
I walked over and stood next to him, “These are some prototypes I have been working on.†I moved a few things around until I found what I was looking for. “I design prosthetic limbs for amputees,†I held up the prosthetic leg.
Over the next 20 minutes Manny and the woman stood quietly behind me as I removed the skeletal limb and attached the prosthetic one.
“Try that,†I stood up and took a step back as Timmy hopped off the desk. He walked around the room for a while and started to smile. Then he lifted the foot and was able to wiggle it like it was real. Interesting, I thought to myself.
As the family of mannequins marveled at what I had given them, an idea began to take shape in my mind. It was crazy, but so was discovering a family of animated mannequins.
“Manny,†I called out to him. “This may sound insane, but how would you like to come with me to Las Vegas…all three of you?â€
He looked at me puzzled, “After what we did, you’d want us to come with you?â€
“Absolutely, if you came with me I could make sure nothing like that happens again.†I pointed at Timmy’s leg.
“What we are doesn’t come without a price,†He fixed me with those unnatural blue eyes. “You’d be putting yourself at risk.â€
“I know,†I walked over and placed my hand on Manny’s shoulder. “It’s a risk I am willing to take.â€
“I’m not sure you understand,†He picked up the small leg bones I removed from Timmy and held them up to emphasize his point. “In order to live this unlife we must take life from others.â€
“I do understand, and I can help you. Plus, Las Vegas is a much larger city. It will be easier for you to hide there and easier for you to do what you have to do.â€
“I don’t understand why you want to help us Paul.â€
“Well, to be honest, my motives aren’t exactly selfless.†I paused and placed my hands on my hips. “I was hoping you’d let me study you and see if I can find out how you were created.â€
“Why?â€
“I want to see if I can duplicate the process, but on a much smaller scale,†I reached over and held up one of the prosthtic arms from my case. “I have clients that would kill to have fully functioning limbs again.â€


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