Doll Factory Exposed p1 Extended preview

Doll Factory Exposed Part 1

“You can’t be serious!” Fran resisted the urge to tap her finger on the burly guard. “I was told that I could go on a tour of this place. I even purchased a ticket.” She reached into her blue trousers and pulled out a small stub. “Here. Look at it.”

He shook his pale head. “Sorry, lady. We have been having some issues as of late. No one goes in or out without the boss’s permission.”

“Well, then, I want my money back. You know how much these tours cost me?”

He crossed his arms and narrowed his amber eyes. “No refunds, lady.”

“But I didn’t get any—

A middle-aged man in a suit emerged from the factory door behind the guard. “Let her in.”

“But—

“Greg don’t worry. That silly situation was just an oversight.” He smiled and looked at Fran. “You are more than welcome to come inside, my dear.”

“Finally.” Fran smiled and sneered as she walked past Greg. “Well, I guess you should have let me in from the start.”

“Don’t push it.”

She stood in the doorway. “Hey, I am just stating facts. I think you shouldn’t be such a rock. Keeping paying customers outside. You might end up being fired or something.”

Greg whirled around as Fran rushed through the door. “Why you little. . .”

“You shouldn’t antagonize him like that.”

“Oh, but I had to do something. I almost lost a hundred and fifty bucks because of his stubbornness.” Fran giggled. “He deserved to know just how rude he had been.” As she put her hands behind her head, she turned her head toward her new companion. “So, who do I have to thank for getting me out of that sticky situation?”

“My name is Pepper. I run this factory.”

Fran giggled once more. “Pepper? Are you sure you should be running a factory that makes dolls? It sounds like you should work on something in cooking.” She rubbed her chin. “Just what exactly I don’t really know. But you have the perfect name for it.”

Pepper rolled his blue eyes. “Ya, ya. Get it out of your system now. It isn’t like I have heard that joke before.” He crossed his arms as he watched Fran laugh. “I didn’t mean that literally.”

“I’m sorry. It was just funny.”

“Right. Can we move on to the tour?”

“Of course.” As they walked, Fran examined her surroundings. The floor was made of tile with a black and white checkered pattern. The shining white walls and the lights above didn’t help with the glare. “I just know you will love the various dolls our factory makes.”

“Well, it has to be better than this hallway.”

“I’m sorry about that. My employees tend to rub this place down with a zealous frenzy.” He smiled. “I promise the rest of the tour won’t be so shiny.”

“Well, that is good.” As they neared the doorway at the end of the hall, Fran took a deep breath. “But if I may ask, why are you taking me on this tour, Pepper? You run this company. Why would you waste your time showing me around, especially when I was the only one to show up today.”

He grasped the square door handle. “That is an excellent question, my dear. One that deserves an answer.” He pushed the door open, and Fran covered her eyes as blinding light flooded through. “So, step this way as I answer it.”

She slowly stepped through the portal. “But I thought you said things would be less shiny the deeper we went in.” She rapidly blinked her eyes. “I can hardly see.” Fran rubbed her eyes as she tried to ascertain her surroundings. “Pepper? Where are you?”

“I am sorry for this.”

“Huh?”

The lights suddenly dimmed, and Fran found herself in a strange multi-colored room. Vats and strange metal contraptions were strewn about the room. But that isn’t what caught her eye. All around her stood strange-looking human-sized dolls, some having the look of toys she would find in a toy shop, others having the look from a more exotic shop. “What is this?” Her eyes fell upon Pepper, who was shivering between two blow-up dolls. “You dragged me in here to look at your merchandise?” She giggled. “I didn’t know you made sex dolls. They are kind of cute.”

“Don’t call me cute!”

The other doll crossed her squeaky arms. “I don’t know. You are kind of cute.”

Fran took a few steps back. “Did they. . . just talk?”