How long had it been, minutes, hours... a day or more? It was hard to tell anymore, in a situation like this.

She’d initially come to the doll shop looking to purchase some of it’s wares. It was strange that in this day and age she couldn’t find it anywhere online, no ads, no fliers. Of all things she learned of it from a newspaper... and only that newspaper.

“For dolls so unbelievably life-like in quality.”

It was a simple motto, not as catchy as other’s but it was what took up nearly the entirety of the space of the ad... there wasn’t even a name.It was a risk, and it was hard to find.

But on one cold, October evening, she found it impossible not to investigate if the claims were true, and the mystery of the place had it’s own appeal.

It was a nearly desolate block in downtown, though the shop stood out, unbelievably vibrant in comparison to the dull browns and greys of the many aged buildings surrounding it. Windows stocked to the brim with merchandise, the most adorable, button eyed dolls she thought she had ever seen, padding inside as the door jingled it’s own, unique tinkling sound.

She was met with bright eyes, a shop owner who seemed no older than she was, eyeing over the fennec with curious eyes for but a moment before she greeted her “Welcome to the shop! It’s been such a long time since we had a customer, our prices are so affordable too...” The evident vixen trailed off, waving her to the most grand assortment of them, every kind of doll of every sort, some of them even looked vaguely... familiar.

“These are all so well done! You said they were affordable?” The fennec questioned, observing them closely with a curious smile, they were so real she got chills almost that it was like they were looking back at her.

“Why yes, no more than what you’d spend on your daily lunch, but we have an even better option available for special customers like you.” The vixen giggled in turn, tail swaying slowly. “We can make you a custom made doll, free of charge.”

No sooner was the fennec delighted to agree to that proposal than everything seemed to go dark, something of a pain throbbing at the back of her head, blinking to see the scenery change around her as the time seemed to fly by, first on a counter looking up at the shop owner, dazedly trying to utter words when her mouth would not seem to move, then waking again just in time to see things going dark, cute buttons matching those she’d seen on the other dolls, and then she couldn’t see. Not having to bear witness as she was given further stitching, completing her new look as the doll she was destined to be, a satisfied sigh from her creator as she felt herself nestled in-between so many who’d met the same fate.

“Maybe with you i’ll actually make some sales this Halloween...” the vixen quietly mumbled, and so the now doll awaited her fate... and she waited, and waited...