Becky Barnes waits patiently in the line outside of Toy Zone. She'd gotten there quite early, and was lucky enough to be among the first few. She's heard whispers from the people behind her, about just how long the line really was. She hopes there are enough dolls for everyone who wants one.
Becky thinks about why she's here. That little girl in her ward— Bridgette. Even though she wouldn't be able to see the doll, Becky thinks the fur will be a nice texture for the girl. It always looks so soft in the commercials.
She snaps out of her thoughts when she hears a familiar, grating voice, and fights the urge to roll her eyes.
"Look, lady," the guy in front of Becky says, not fighting the urge. "I'm not letting you—" Linda Monroe writes out a check and gives it to the man, who blinks as he reads the amount written on it. "Right this way, Mrs. Monroe," he says gallantly, allowing her to step in front of him.
"You can't do that!" Becky protests. Others behind her are complaining, too.
"Ugh," Linda scoffs into her phonecall. "Excuse me, Gerald. Becky Barnes is accosting me... YES, call the police!"
Becky doesn't hesitate to roll her eyes this time. Linda Monroe was always so dramatic and self-centered, just because she was rich. They argue for a bit, Becky trying to defend the morality that Linda should be considering, and Linda brushing her off.
"If I were you, sir, I'd tear that check right in half!" Becky says. "I'm sure we'd all cheer you on, wouldn't we?" She looks to the people behind her, but no one will look at her.
"This is Hatchetfield," Linda scoffs. "No one but you cares about your morals. Do you really think your neighbors didn't notice when you wore sunglasses on cloudy days? Or when you wore turtlenecks in the summer. It's not that they didn't notice, Becky. They just didn't care."
The nurse flinches at the unsubtle reminders of her past, and goes quiet. She has no response to it, none that would even remotely make sense, or one that would leave herself safe. After a few minutes, someone bumps into her from behind, and she feels her anger grow again as the person tries to offer her some money for her spot in line. She whirls around, prepared to go off on the man, but freezes when she sees who it is.
Tom Houston, her high school sweetheart.
She hasn't seen him in years, not since he shipped off for the army just after graduation. He's aged a little, but then again she knows she has, too. She knows he has a kid, a little boy, and that his wife had died just the previous year. She'd wanted to go to the funeral...
Becky's mind goes mostly blank, her only thought being, Shit... I'm still not over him.
—
Lex taps her foot impatiently as Frank starts the countdown to open the doors. None of the other employees look too thrilled to be here, but a few of them are already putting on the Customer Service faces, plastering on fake smiles. Finally, Frank unlocks and opens the store's doors, and cues Lex to make the announcement to everyone standing in line.
"A reminder to all Toy Zone customers wanting to purchase a Tickle-Me-Wiggly doll," Lex reads from the notecard Frank had given her. "The dolls can be purchased from the front registers and are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please remain in line as you enter the store in an orderly fashion, and we will serve you as quickly as possible. Have a wonderful day, a happy holiday season, and thank you for shopping at Toy Zone."
Lex turns the intercom off and grimaces before heading toward the cash registers. The customers have already approached the counter, thankfully following the instructions of being orderly about it. She recognizes the man in front— he's been in every week to purchase different toys (for himself, eugh!)— and Mr. Houston not too far behind him.
She wonders how he managed to get so close to the front, until she notices how friendly and yet awkward he's being with the red-headed woman standing just in front of him in line.
Frank stands next to Lex and smiles at the first customer. "And how can we help you today, sir?"
"I would like to purchase your entire stock of Wiggly dolls," the man says in his somewhat squeaky voice. The store goes silent as everyone processes what he's just said.
"W-what?" Lex asks, eyes wide.
"You want to buy all eight-hundred and fifty dolls?" Frank asks, just as shocked, and the man nods solemnly.
"No!" A blonde woman shrieks. "You can't do that! Some of us have been waiting in line for hours!" From the look of her, Lex doubts this woman was one of them. "What are you even going to do with that many dolls, you overgrown pervert?!"
"Well one will stay in the box for posterity," the man says, starting to get excited. "And one will be used exclusively for bath time—"
Lex tries not to gag at the automatic visual that brings.
"Sold!" Frank declares proudly. "Congratulations, sir—"
"I'll tickle one doll, and one doll..." he giggles, ignoring Frank, "will tickle me!"
"No, no, no!" The same blonde woman snaps.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, all sales are final—" Lex tries to say, hating that she even has to in this context.
"You'll be hearing from my lawyer," the woman snaps at them. At that very moment, a man in a suit, scarf, and glasses comes hurrying forward. "Gary, thank God!"
"I was further back in line," he explains in a nasally voice. Lex automatically doesn't like him, just based on the familiarity he has with the rude lady. He turns to Frank and introduces himself and the woman both. "Gary Goldstein, attorney at law," he says. "Did you know my client, Linda Monroe, suffers from an accute, little-understood anxiety disorder? And any long term medical conditions that may occur on these premises are your responsibility." He goes on to start threatening lawsuits and audits, which freaks Frank out.
"Alright!" He snaps. "New rule: limit one per customer!"
Both Linda and the creepy guy start protesting at the same time.
"I thought you said all sales were final—"
"Why one? Why not, say, four—?"
"Now you'll be hearing from MY lawyer!" The creepy guy says, and Goldstein jumps forward again and reintroduces himself.
"Did you know my client, Sherman Young—"
"Oh, shut up, Gary!" Linda snaps, and knees the lawyer in the groin. He stumbles away moaning about his 'subpeona', which makes Lex snicker slightly.
Someone further down the line shouts, "I'll pay double just for one doll!"
"I'll give you two hundred for one!" Another adds.
Frank smirks. "Now this is more like it!"
Lex turns to him, shocked. "Mr. Pryce, we can't do that!"
"Supply and demand, Alexandra," he replies, shaking his head. "And the demand just went up. Let the bidding begin!"
People start shouting their bids, until one guy snaps and jumps out of line.
"No," he growls. "That doll was advertised as $49.95, and that's what I'm gonna pay."
"Sorry, sir, the price just went up," Frank sneers, and the man growls again. It sounds more... animalistic this time, and Lex's breath catches in her throat.
"If you're not gonna sell me that doll," the man says lowly, "I'm just gonna have to take it!" He lunges forward and wrestles one right out of Lex's hands despite her protests. The other customers just watch with rapt attention, then start murmuring amongst themselves when the man gets what he wants.
"If he's getting one, then I want four!" Linda shrieks, attempting to climb over the counter. Lex shoves her away, but she keeps coming. The other customers abandon the line they've stayed in thus far and start snatching dolls from the registers.
Frank tries to restore order, and Lex tries to help, but some customer smacks her across the face and down she goes. She's frozen on the ground as her mind goes straight to her mother.
Meanwhile, the customers are getting more and more rowdy, fighting each other for the limited supply of dolls. Someone screams, and blood sprays everywhere.
Another scream, and Lex realizes it's her this time. She tries to run, but someone grabs her by the hair and yanks her back. She falls on the floor again and the world goes black.