Dummy Up

Leah sighed, as she got ready to leave with the rest of her coworkers. The CPR class was something that she had wanted to do, but she was tired after working a twelve-hour shift and staying afterward to work toward her certification. Leah felt that the extra time was worth it, even though it did not bring any kind of promotion or raise at her job. However, since her company was providing the classes to those who were interested at no cost, she had decided that it would be foolish to not take advantage of the opportunity. Her only real issue with it was the CPR dummies.

Leah knew it was foolish, but the dolls really gave her the creeps. There was something about the featureless faces with their mouths open in what looked to her like a silent scream that just caused her to feel uneasy. Rather than having air breathed into them to save their lives, it looked as if they had gotten the life sucked right out of them to be left frozen and helpless forever. She looked away from the dolls and shuddered.

As she started to walk out of the conference room, the instructor called, "Hey, Leah! Do you mind helping me store the equipment before you leave?"

I didn't move quickly enough, she thought with dismay. Everyone else had already left while she was staring at the dolls, absorbed in her thoughts. "Of course, I can help," she said.

Leah was nothing if not a helpful person. She was trying to climb the corporate ladder, and being willing to do a little extra work had gotten her out of her entry-level job in the data entry department and into an administrative assistant position. She had a reputation in the company for being willing to do for others, even when it did not seem like the person she was helping could help her or further her career. This habit had gotten her the reputation for being a butt-kisser, but bills don't pay themselves, so she didn't mind.

Leah put down her purse and walked to the table to start gathering books and stacking them on the shelves at the far end of the room. Man, I feel like those things are watching me. She looked at the instructor, but he seemed unaffected. Am I the only person who thinks those things are eerie?

She took her time getting the books and other supplies stacked, hoping the instructor would take care of the dummies, but she was disappointed. The dolls were still there, watching her with their sightless, blank stares, waiting to be put away. The instructor left to take the trash from the room to the area where the janitors would pick it up and take it to the dumpster.

Wonderful, she thought grimly. Mentally bracing herself, she went to pick up the first one. "Oh, my God!"

She dropped the doll. I swear to God, it breathed. After a few breaths to calm down, she laughed at herself. Doofus! The things get pumped full of air by the students, so it's no wonder if it lets some air out when you move it, she chided herself. She was grateful that the instructor had not been there to see her act like such a ninny. She reached for the doll again, and although it still felt like it was breathing, she moved it to the shelves with the books. When she turned around to get another doll, her blood ran cold.

All of the dolls had been left lying on their backs in the areas where their groups of four had been sharing one doll to practice. Now, they were all on their sides. I am losing it, she thought. I must have just been mistaken. She laughed at herself, nervously.

Wait a minute, she thought. I swear that one just moved. As she had the thought, she hear a noise behind her. Slowly, she turned.

"Leah? Was that you? Are you okay?" the instructor called as he returned to the conference room. He looked around, but he did not see Leah. "That's strange. Her purse is still here. She must have forgotten it when she got done." He scanned the room, but everything was where it should be. The dolls were all stacked in the corner. Was there an extra one? No, he just must not have counted correctly, before. He grabbed Leah's purse to drop at the Lost and Found on the way out the door, switched off the light, and left.