Scrappy Sunday: Haley's Playroom (1)

The backstage was a frantic storm of people coming and going; dressing, stretching, and worrying. With so many things going on, it was not a wonder why Haley, who was so new to dance, took a side door to get away from the frantic pace and worry the backstage was pressing upon her. She had only intended to take a small tour of the area immediately to the left of the stage, but somehow she took one more turn than she had intended, and Haley found herself lost in the high school where her community dance company was performing.

She tried to back-track, but seemed to be moving in circles. Her pink Pointe slippers pat-pat-patted on the tile floor. The hallways seemed to dim after every turn she made, and she began to realize that the lockers, bricks, and even decorations were various shades of gray. Everything in the world was shades of gray, but for her still bright blue tutu and pink tights. Haley couldn't comprehend why this change had occurred, and tried not to think much on it; hoping instead to find the door that would lead her back to the stage.

But she could never make the correct turn, and simply continued to walk along the labyrinthine hallways of a grey-stoned school. She felt goosebumps rise along her body; the temperature was falling quickly; and her thin tights did little more than trap the cool air against her legs. She began to feel the presence of a malevolent force that was suppressing the joy of the world.

Haley came to a new hallway, which was no more than twenty feet long, but was small and almost devoid of light and heat, but for the blue door at the end of the hallway. She didn't want to walk to it. She knew it wasn't where she was supposed to be. But the hallway she was in began to dim. Cold pressed against her like icy sheets that began to wrap themselves around her. The world was so silent that Haley could hear the blood rushing through her ears.

She stood, starring at the door, and knew she had no choice but go to it, her Pointe slippers padding lightly. Haley tucked her hands under her armpits to keep them warm as everything in the world grew colder and darker. The blue door beckoned to her, radiating a warmth Haley was desperate to get back. She stood before it, and came to the realization that at that moment, the only two things that existed in the entire world was that door and herself, both dressed in the same navy blue. She could hear the light sounds of an orchestra practicing and tuning, yet had the knowledge that this was not the place she wanted to be. But with nothing else in existence, Haley pushed open the door and stepped onto a stage.

It was, in fact, the very stage she was meant to dance upon, in the same auditorium. But the seats were entirely empty, and the orchestral pit was littered with the fallen remains of sheet music. Haley became aware of two things at that moment, the first being that she had stepped right onto the middle of the stage through a door that had now vanished, and the second being that there was also a man on stage.

He was standing as if he had been there the entire time, but Haley swore he just appeared. His hands were clasped behind his back and he was startlingly tall. He was an older man with salt and pepper hair, dressed in a sharp pin stripe suit and red tie. His skin had a tinge of a red and he smiled a toothy, devilish smile.

"What's going on here?" Haley asked, feeling horribly vulnerable. She tried to hide her fear by crossing her arms and trying to appear tough a task made difficult while wearing pink ballet tights and a tiara.

"Oh, don't worry about a thing, dear." He said, pulling a cigar from his jacket and lighting it, His voice was jovial and he never stopped smiling. "You're for a client of mine." He puffed a few clouds of smoke, "I just like to see my work first hand before sending it away. Now, dance."

"I'm not going to dance just because you say so." Haley's arms remained crossed. The man's smile left his face in a second, and he took two strides and was upon Haley in a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was devoid of the cheeriness it had earlier, replaced by a hard gravelly tone.

"You will dance." He said. His command was so shocking and frightening that Haley's body began to react before her mind could object. She assumed her starting position, and orchestral music filled the auditorium from some unseen instruments. Haley began her dance, and seemingly fell into a trance as she moved. This was perfectly fine, for Haley had no desire to understand the strangeness revolving around her. She followed a choreography that made her movements repetitive and frighteningly robotic, and the dance took Haley close to the edge of the stage.

She knew that with the man standing behind her, she may have a chance to jump off stage and run away. Haley prepared her body for this, timing it perfectly with a leap into the air. But when the moment in the music came, Haley's muscles did not respond to her commands, preferring instead to complete the performance of the mechanical dance. Haley couldn't understand what just happened, as she performed the last of the dance steps. At the end, she fell backwards, arms and legs spread wide, mouth wide in confusion, and she sat on the ground, pretending to be a toy doll her owner would adore for years to come.

"Very good, dear." The man said while pulling a watch from his coat pocket. "Your owner - my client - will be very happy with you, I think. Now, be a good doll and just sit there until his courier comes to pick you up." He smiled again and vanished as if he had never been there.

Haley, with heart pounding in her chest, struggled to try to move. But her body did not respond, and she continued to sit on the stage with her arms and legs spread out and her mouth open wide. She could not even her blink her eyes or wiggle her nose. Haley sat motionless for what had to have been hours, and was strangely relieved when the man in the pin stripe suit returned through the main auditorium doors. He was being followed by a balding and pudgy man wearing a very expensive suit, and a twenty something with lush brown hair, who was carrying a mirror.

The three men walked onto the stage and stood in front of Haley

"Ach!" The elderly gentleman said with a German accent. "This will not do, not at all. She is too plain. You must send her back."

The first gentleman, the one in the pin stripe suit, grabbed the other man and pulled him away to the other side of the stage, where Haley could not hear the discussion they began. The other man, the one with long brown hair, set the mirror in front of the ballerina and then sat down next to her. Haley looked at herself, shocked at how her skin was devoid of definition.

"Don't listen to him. I think you're pretty just the way you are." He shook Haley's hand, "I'm Max, by the way." The ballerina felt warmth enter her hand, and was surprised that she was able to shake his hand in return. As soon as he let go, however, her arm became unmoving once more.

"I wonder what they're talking about." Max said.

Truthfully, however, Haley had little desire to know what the men were saying, and was far more focused on her reflection. She stared at herself in the mirror. "This can't be" she thought, in a slight panic. "I look like a doll!" Her skin was much whiter then before, and was devoid of blemishes or spots. But as Haley looked into the mirror, she began to notice that her joints were changing, becoming two distinct pieces of a ballerina doll puzzle, and her skin had a glossy shine to it.

The two men noticed Haley already transforming, and the man in the pin stripe suit was quite happy about this, while the other one scowled, and he shouted to the other man.

"Stop this right now! We do not want her!"

The man in the pin stripe suit did not reply to him, but instead walked to Max and Haley. "Maximillian, see to it that this fine doll makes it to your employer, and tell him that Mr. Ostern will not be joining him for the foreseeable future."

"Oh, no." Mr. Ostern pleaded, quickly falling to his knees as the man in the striped suit walked back to him. "Please, I shall never . . ." Then the two men vanished. Mr. Ostern's brief scream echoed through the auditorium, chilling Max and Haley. The ballerina refocused her attention to her pretty, glassy face, still bearing an expression of shock. Haley waited for something else to happen, but Max stood up and brook her concentration.

"Looks like everything is complete, for now." Max said.

For now? What does he mean for now? Aren't I complete now? Haley asked herself, her internal monologue high-pitched and worried.

"I guess I should bring you to my employer now. And then he can decide the final steps in your change and what kind of toy you will be." Max said as he picked up Haley by here waist and rested her over his shoulder.

What Toy I'm going to be? Aren't I already one?! Why is this happening to me?! What did I do!? Haley panicked in her mind as she asked question after question to herself.

But then she became aware of something new; a warmth that she felt wherever her body touched Max's. It wasn't normal warmth, though; it was more magical than that, like the coldness from the hallway. And then Haley became aware that she could move. Not well, and not all of her; only those parts that were warm. Her legs, held against Max, and her abdomen folded across his shoulder. Tentatively, she bent her leg at the knee. The movement was quick and jerky at first, but became smoother quickly.

Haley began to squirm against Max, praying she could get away. Max tried to hold her for a moment, but then decided to drop the ballerina to the ground. Haley heard her body thud against the floor and felt the warmth leave her body, leaving her stiff once again. Max knelt down and looked at Haley,

"Please don't fight with me." He said. The ballerina was incredulous at his request. You've turned me into a toy! She yelled in her mind. Max smiled, noticing something, and he touched Haley's jaw and pushed it back up. Haley realized her face had been stuck with shocked expression. With his touch, warmth returned to her mouth and jaw.

"Please let me go." She pleaded.

Max smiled, "I'm sorry, can't do that. What I can do is tell you that the place where you're going is a great place; a magical place, and a place where you will have the time of your life. And I can also tell you that it's the only place where you will have the chance to become human again. So," he held out his hands and pulled Haley to her feet. "will you behave and come with me?"

"Well I don't have much of a choice do I?" Haley said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"Well not really, but at least if you agree, then I won't feel bad about doing this." Max said. "But look at the time, we must be going, my employer doesn't like his toys late."

"Who is thie emploo..yyer..." Haley's mouth slowly began to harden and return to the shocked expression that it was before as Max took his hand away from Haley's face and grabbed her waist and lifted her up on his shoulder and started out of Auditorium.

Though Haley felt her body warm once again, she decided not to fight Max. She had a feeling, and hoped it was correct, that Max was a legitimately good person. I would like to be his toy, Haley thought. She wasn't sure if that thought was just another part of the spell, and couldn't decide if it was a good thing if it wasn't. Haley noticed that Max was carrying her down a hallway very different from the one she last walked through. It was lighter, but plainer. Then she noticed that the warmth of movement had spread to her every finger and toe, and even to her mouth.

Haley mentally shrugged. If I can talk, I may as well try and get a few answers. . .