Devil in a dress

We look cute, don’t we?

I shut my eyes. I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to be reminded.

Now, now, no need for that attitude.

As though the air itself had claws, I felt a soft breath rake over my eyelids, dragging them open.

Good. Now look.

Through two pinpricks that felt like an eternity away, I saw my reflection in a window. Looking back at me was a large pink cat head with oval eyes and folded back ears, atop a furry bodysuit. People swarmed past me, some of them calling out jovially, and the window glittered with the reflected lights of the carnival street behind me. The hum of the crowd and the bursts of shouts and laughter sounded muffled to me within the large costume. I let out a low moan.

What? You don’t think we look cute?

“Please,” I whispered, “please…why…I don’t know why…” I felt my mouth abruptly forced shut, and I rapidly blinked back the tears that had begun to form in the corners of my eyes; it didn’t like when I cried. I didn’t know how I knew that. I couldn’t remember why this was happening to me. It felt too real to be a dream.

There you go again, not answering my questions. To think that you were so talkative when we first met! All that kicking and screaming…oh well, I’m sure you’ll come around shortly.

The air inside the costume suddenly stilled and I grit my teeth, knowing what was coming. What felt like thousands of tiny sharp needles seemed to stab into my skin and my entire body went limp. I groaned through my shut mouth but I knew I couldn’t do anything; the suit had complete control. A puppet inside its puppet master. I felt the muscles in my thighs convulse as if something was prodding them, and my legs began to move. The suit turned down the street, joining the throng of people moving about the carnival. I watched numbly through the small eye-slits as people snapped pictures of me and parents pointed my costume out to their children. In response, I felt my arms pulled upwards into a friendly wave.

They really like me, don’t they? I’d forgotten how popular I was.

More waving. More photos. More walking. We turned onto a street lined with food stalls, and the scent of grease and popcorn wafted through the tiny slit near my nose. It mingled with the stale, rotten stench of the suit’s insides, but despite that my stomach grumbled loudly. When had I last eaten? It must have been hours ago when I was with… When I was with… who? Why couldn’t I remember?

Hungry, are we? I’m glad our interests finally align. I know just the spot for some grub!

I almost wanted to laugh; what kind of cuisine did possessed cat-costumes like? We’d moved past the street of food stalls, and turned into an empty alleyway tucked away between some low buildings that marked the end of the fair grounds. At the end of the alley, a slightly ajar door swayed slightly with the breeze. The suit came to an abrupt halt in front of it.

Remember this place? Where it all began? Oh my, I didn’t expect to feel so nostalgic.

The building seemed vaguely familiar. It felt evil. It felt wrong. The breeze died down and I caught the scent of something sickly sweet from beyond the door. There was something inside that I didn’t want to see.

“No,” I said hoarsely, “please, not in there. We can’t go in there.”

Don’t you worry, there’s nothing scary inside. I promise.

My arm jerked forward and pulled the door open. Weak rays from the setting sun filtered into the dark room, dimly outlining the stacks of boxes sitting haphazardly everywhere. The back corner of the room remained shrouded in darkness. The suit took a step into the room and the foul stench hit me in full force. I groaned in frustration, trying fruitlessly to move my body. I couldn’t be in here. Why? Why didn’t I want to be in here?

What are you so afraid of? We’re just dropping by to see an old friend of yours. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you!

The suit headed further into the room, slowly lumbering towards that dark corner. There was something there. Something I didn’t want to see. I shut my eyes, feeling hot tears run down my cheeks. Why was I crying? I wouldn’t look. I wouldn’t look. I wouldn’t look.

Look.

My eyelids were dragged open more forcefully than before. I felt those same sharp bristles of air pull at my eyeballs, forcing them to look downwards. Below me lay a humanoid figure. It wasn’t moving. I felt my stomach drop and let out a whimper, tears falling more freely now. Jes. Why wasn’t he moving?

I knew why. I’d known all along.

On second thought, he doesn’t look very excited to see you. That’s what I don’t like about dead people; you can never guess what they’re thinking.

“Why?” I asked, my voice breaking, “why did you…”

I didn’t do anything. You came to me.

No. Jes had found the suit. I didn’t do anything.

You wanted to wear me.

No. Jes had found the suit creepy. I’d just wanted to put it on to give him a scare.

You offered yourself to me.

No. I didn’t know. I didn’t know…

I just made a few suggestions…

No. The suit had taken over. I hadn’t been able to control my body.

Oh, how good it felt to finally be able to move again. To finally have hands again.

I’d tried to resist. I’d yelled at Jes to leave. Why didn’t he leave?

He made quite the racket, didn’t he?

Why didn’t he leave? I’d told him to run. I’d told him something was wrong.

So much noise. It was all so exciting. I’m glad you didn’t let him run. I was still getting used to your body. I’m not sure you could’ve caught him.

Why hadn’t he listened? This was all his fault. It was all his fault.

Well, all’s well that ends well. I told you I knew a good spot for some grub, right?

The sun’s final rays slipped out of the room, heading beneath the horizon and the suit dropped down to its knees. Some of my tears had found their way to the eye slits and I heard them plop to the ground below. At least a part of me had escaped.

How lovely, after all these years, to have a mouth again.