Manufactured

Prologue

"Damn it," Frank hissed as he settled the last of the dolls in the warehouse. "Why are these things so heavy." It was bad enough that he had to work late that night and with his lower back pain that he tried to ease with the base of his thumb, Frank was on his last energy bar from a hard day's work. 

He stared at the six life-sized dolls behind a large piece of plastic in a purple box. The company's name, Johnson's limited, plastered all over it. There wasn't a person in this day and age who didn't know the name of the renowned company. There were few, or even just one slightly insane person who would think and execute such an idea and that was Darwin Johnson. 

The dolls were all unique, each had something special about them. Frank approached the third one to the right as it piqued his interest. He wasn't a fan of dolls and these were no different. He'd watched enough movies to know that they can't be trusted.

Frank, though in the back of his mind would admit that they dolls, as realistic as they are were attractive. If he was some sort of pervert or a man who had one too many to drink he would be on cloud nine right now. Luckily, he wasn't.

As he approached the black-haired doll with crystal blue eyes, he felt like there was something odd about him. Frank rubbed his stubbled chin, hands crossed as he searched for what he deemed was wrong. Was it the beanie he wore that covered most of his black synthetic hair? Frank didn't know what was popular in fashion among young people these days. He continued to scan the almost six feet doll before his eyes settled on the unreal yet real ones. 

"They're so real it's creepy," he muttered, eyes still rested on blue ones still trying to figure out what separated this one from the others. "Holy shit!" Frank screamed as he fell to the ground.

His heart was ripped from his chest with fright. For a hot second, he thought he was going to die. "Frank," he crawled a few feet out of fear from at the sound of his name. He was sure a few years had been shaven from his life.

"What the hell Brad!?" He spun on his butt to face the security guard. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Brad raised a brow trying not to laugh at the sight before him. "Can you not find comfort on the floor. I need to close up." he jutted his thumb at the open doors of the warehouse.

Frank got up and brushed himself off. He turned to look at the doll before him. He could've sworn he saw it...

He brushed the thought away. All those creepy doll movies are taking an effect on him. Rather wasn't this how it always went in the movies. They ignored the obvious signs and that's when it gets them.

"Amazing huh?" Brad pulled him from his thoughts. He took a step forward-looking at the doll next to the one Frank was fixated on. "How they look so real, just like us." 

"Amazing," Frank scoffed, rolling in shoulders. "If anything they're creepy. Is this the future of humanity. Next, they'll be making them talk, walk, and killing us." Brad responded with a laugh as he walked looking at the rest of the human-like dolls. "What the fuck!" Frank yelled, stumbling back but this time held his balance.

Brad turned to look at his frightened friend. Running a hand along his low cut hair peppered with gray he said, "What's up with you tonight?"

"The damned thing just blinked." even Frank couldn't believe his words. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him the first time. Frank slowly backed away, securing his escape route. If it were to attack he'd be out the door in seconds. Brad would just have to fend for himself. Sorry.

"That's not possible," Brad said. He moved towards the doll that frank had been looking at. "He's not real. There's no way he would be able to blink or move." Brad examined the doll even tapping on the plastic for a reaction to prove Frank was just being paranoid.

"Brad..." Frank said, grabbing a hold of his hands as he was about to leave. Brad decided that frank needed to go home, get some sleep, and come back tomorrow feeling refreshed. "What was that about him not being real."

Brad spun on his heels, eyes wide when he saw what frank was looking at. "That's-- there's no way-- he's..." Brad couldn't get the right words out. He was beyond shocked.

Before them, where something that was only a replica of a real human being. Something that was supposed to be fake down the strand of hair on its head. It was moving. Not just blinking but moving. Its movement was slow and stiff. Limbs that were moving for the first time. It admired its arm that was outstretched in the limited space available in the box. After seconds of getting used to the fact that it was indeed a part of him, he pressed it against the thin sheet of plastic that separated him and the outside world.

Frank almost wet himself when a small hole appeared in the plastic. Brad, on the other hand, watched in amusement. Something so inconceivable was happening before his eyes. The plastic was stripped away in seconds. The doll gingerly placed its feet outside the box, admiring the long thing that made him moved. Frank went pale when the doll looked their way. His leg feeling like Jell-O.

"Run Goddammit," Frank mentally pushed himself.

To much surprise, the doll didn't give them an ounce of its attention. Whether it concluded that Frank and Brad were just like him if it could think like that. Or they weren't worth the time. Either way Frank was glad that the lights outside were more fascinating. Getting used to the feeling of walking he wandered out the door.

"That was..." Brad trailed, still amused by the situation.

"I quit." Frank managed to say. He let out a breath of relief that he lived to see another day. Looking back at the other dolls he said, "I'm leaving before any more decides to wake up." He started walking towards the door.