Chapter Text
Lex tested her binds, but to no avail, the rope was tied tight around her wrists. What started as a normal Black Friday shift; just her second one to be exact, turned out to be a total and utter nightmare. The Cult of Wiggly seemed to form out of nowhere. Who knew that a cute, but creepy-looking green doll had such a pull over the masses.
Her boss, Frank Pricely, laid on the tile dead. His neck was slit moments before and his blood began to pool around him. Lex watched in terror as the Cult chanted at the Prophet. Lex was deemed an infidel, as was Frank. His last words echoed in her brain, “please, for the love of God…”
“I've met God, and he had nothing nice to say about you,” the Prophet retorted before brutally murdering him before Lex's very own eyes.
“Frank!” Lex shouted.
“Listen here, you little tramp,” Linda Monroe scowled, holding the knife to her throat, “I know you know where the last Wiggly doll is. It's the perfume for that trailer trash stench!” Linda continued, pressing the knife against Lex's neck.
“I have no idea what you're talking about! You guys are so fucked up!” Lex hissed.
“Get this heretic out of my sight!”
Lex was swiftly taken away by Sherman Young, who had been at Toy Zone every week for the past two years. He was a known collector and creep. He constantly ogled Lex as if she were a piece of meat. He was in his 40's and Lex just turned 18. It was frightening to be held hostage by him. She had no idea what he could possibly do with her.
“Please, Sherman, let me go!” Lex cried.
“Quiet, infidel!” Sherman hissed.
Sherman led Lex into a supply closet. Sherman pulled another coil of rope from his bag and swiftly tied Lex's feet together. Lex winced in pain. Before Lex could even speak, Sherman spotted a roll of duct; stuffing Lex's mouth with fabric and ripping a piece of tape and placing it over her mouth.
“I'll be back for you later, infidel!” Sherman cooed creepily, shutting and locking her in the supply closet.
“Mmmm!” Lex grunted.
For the next several hours, Lex struggled and kicked the locked door. But she knew she wasn't strong enough to break free. All she could think about was her sister, Hannah and her boyfriend, Ethan, as well as Frank's dead body. Lex lied there, defeated and exhausted. As far as her knowledge, Hannah and Ethan were alright.
She couldn't imagine anything happening to them. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if harm would befall the both of them. Hannah was virtually the only family she had left; her mother hadn't been much help. Her mother had been verbally and physically abusive their entire lives.
Lex basically had to parent Hannah for as long as she can remember. Hannah was too special to lose. Earlier in the day, Lex had asked Hannah if today was a “good day or bad day?” Which Hannah replied with, “bad day.” Lex remembered that Webby had told Hannah it was a bad day. Lex, too, had Webby as an imaginary friend.
Webby showed Hannah visions, as did Lex when she was little. Webby hadn't spoken to her since she was 15, but that's when Webby began speaking to Hannah. It was until now why Hannah refused to put on her backpack - the Wiggly doll in which she had stolen minutes prior, was inside the backpack. Webby was warning Hannah. Lex hated herself for letting her sister put on the backpack.
Then it hit her…the last Wiggly doll in the mall. The Cult was searching for the last doll and surely the security guard caught her on camera smuggling the doll into her bag. They were going after Hannah! Tears streamed down Lex's face. She had failed to protect her sister. Hannah was going to be murdered by Linda Monroe and her Cult of Wiggly.
Lex kicked her feet, pounding them into the door. She had to get to Hannah one way or another. She was determined to get out of the closet! Moments later, the door unlocked and was opened. Sherman glared down at her and smiled creepily.
“On your feet infidel,” he said, untying her feet.
Lex wanted to kick him, but he had the knife. Kicking him would result in immediate consequences and almost certain death. Sherman helped Lex to her feet and removed the gag. Lex spat the fabric out and glared angrily at Sherman. She had to have been in the closet for at least four to five hours.
“Where are you taking me?” Lex asked, trying to mask her fear.
“End of the line, infidel! May your echo through Drowsy Town to awaken the Wiggly one!” Sherman hissed.
Lex was perplexed as to what the hell he was talking about, but Lex needed to break free.
Lex was led into the break room, where they'd taken Frank's dead body. Lex shivered in fear, knowing she was next.
“Come on, Sherman!” Lex began, wildly searching for words. “It's me, Lex!”
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. But Lex thought of something smart. It may or may not work, but she had to fight to stay alive.
“I've seen you in Toy Zone every week for the past two years!” Lex said, swallowing hard. “Haven't I always helped you out?”
Sherman stopped for a second and lowered the knife from her neck. Lex may break through after all. Sherman narrowed his eyes and stared directly into her soul.
“You're in retail. It's your job to help me,” Sherman said after moments of silence.
“Well, it's not my job to do favors,” Lex reminded him.
Lex breathed heavily, still searching for the correct words to say to the knife-wielding predator.
“Who set aside those ponies, so you could get them before the little girls they were made for?” Lex questioned, plotting her escape.
“You.”
“Yeah, and if you let me go, I'll help you out again.”
Sherman rapidly placed the knife against Lex's neck once again, grabbing the collar of her shirt, yanking her forward. Lex winced and shut her eyes for a brief moment. This plan needed to work. Her life and Hannah's life depended on it.
“You have ponies?” Sherman questioned, pressing the knife tighter against her skin.
“If you let me loose, I'll give you all the ponies your sick little heart desires!”
“Hm?” Sherman pondered. “I don't know if there's enough ponies in the world for that.”
Lex breathed heavily, hoping her words would get her out of this mess. It had to work, it just had to. Would a blatant lie get her out of this mess? She simply didn't know.
“Well, there are some extras in the store room. We were supposed to ship them back because the colors are messed up,” Lex lied.
“One of a kind mispaints? You better not be fucking with me!” Sherman growled.
Lex began to hyperventilate. Being bound for so long made her become claustrophobic. Lex always had a fear of claustrophobia, but Sherman didn't care. To Sherman, Lex was just scum; a sacrifice to Wiggly.
“No, no,” Lex thought, “not to a loyal customer!”
This seemed to please Sherman as his face twisted with glee.
“Okay, take me to the ponies and I'll murder you later,” Sherman said with a toothy smile.
Sherman used the knife to cut away the rope. Lex rubbed her hands vigorously, trying to get the color back. Seeing rope marks filled her with an extreme amount of rage. She turned and faced Sherman, who was giddy thinking of getting his disgusting hands on a mispainted pony.
“Okay, oh, thank you, Sherman ” Lex sighed, clenching her fist, “and about those mispaints…I threw them in the fucking trash!” Lex hissed as she brought up her clenched fists into Sherman's gut.
Lex took off, but the punch wasn't enough to get away from Sherman. His face twisted with rage. He took hold of Lex's foot and with an immense amount of strength, threw Lex to the ground! Sherman grabbed Lex by her hair and shoved her head into the hard-tile floor multiple times.
“When they mess up the colors, it makes them more valuable! You killed the ponies, now I'm going to kill you!” Sherman screamed.
Sherman grunted as he pulled Lex into a choke hold. Lex felt his arm tighten around her neck. As he slowly strangled her, Lex struggled hard, but his grip only proved to get tighter.
Is this what she lived for?
Lex felt life slipping away from her body. She failed, she wasn't able to save herself or her sister. It was all for nought. Lex simply gave up and closed her eyes, knowing she wouldn't open them ever again.
“You're not dead yet!” An unknown male's voice boomed.
Suddenly, Lex's eyes shot open - he was right, she wasn't dead. It was almost like time stopped. Lex, still in the choke hold, but the pressure of being strangled was no longer there.
“W-what, what?” Lex stammered, staring up at the man.
She'd never seen this man in her life before. Who was he?
“Alexandra Foster,” he began, "my name is General John McNamara and I'm going to help you through this. First, you need to subdue your assailant,” said John.
Lex stared at him, unsure what to make of this. She was surely dying, but how was he going to help her?
“I'm authorizing you to use my firearm!” He said, pulling a pistol out of his holster.
Lex blinked several times and shook her head in disbelief. How was she going to reach it? It seemed like he stood hundreds of feet away. Who was this man, and how did he know her full name?
Lex instinctively outstretched her arm, but to no avail, she could not reach his pistol. It seemed useless. Lex winced and struggled, but it wasn't in arm's reach.
“I-I can't reach it!” Lex cried.
“Yes you can. Your sister has a power, and so do you. Reach into the Black and White,” said John in a comforting tone.
“Black and White?” Lex thought, “Webby.”
“You must manifest this weapon in your reality!” John said.
Lex closed her eyes and reached as far as humanly possible. If John McNamara was telling the truth, then Webby, Wiggly, and The Black and White were real! She had another chance to save herself, Hannah, and Ethan.
Lex screamed in a pitch no human could possibly hear; reaching farther than she could until the pistol was in her grasp. Lex had the gun in her hands. She couldn't believe it! Lex used as much strength as possible and she was released from Sherman's grasp.
Without a second thought, Lex fired the gun and shot Sherman point blank in the head; dead instantly. Lex couldn't believe her eyes. She was alive somehow and her captor laid there dead.
“Nice shot, Lex,” John McNamara congratulated, “but, we're not through yet. The leaders of your world are lost and helpless. You've been called to serve. If you can defeat Wiggly in Hatchetfield, he can be defeated anywhere,” he continued.
“What am I supposed to do?” Lex asked nervously, still catching her breath.
“Gather your forces. There is a warrior of light trapped in a deep sleep. Wake the warrior, kill the Prophet, save the world. You're a P.E.I.P now, Lex, get ‘er done!” John explained, as he faded into the Black and White.
He was gone.
“Wait, come back…” Lex called, as she felt her throat on fire.
Lex slowly got up, swallowing hard, realizing it burned. She had to get to a mirror. Her left eye felt tender and her head was sore. Lex slowly walked to the bathroom and saw her face. Her left eye was nearly swollen shut, a small gash on her forehead, and marks on her neck from strangulation.
Lex stared at herself for what seemed like ten minutes, before she realized that she needed to find Hannah and Ethan.
“What did John McNamara mean by ‘gather your forces?’” Lex thought. “I have no one.”
Lex gripped two hands on the pistol and walked out of Toy Zone. If any Cult members tried to attack her, she would blow their brains out. Lex walked slowly across the mall to find it completely destroyed. The walls were covered in graffiti; most of it reading “All Praise the Wiggly One!”
Lex shivered at the sight of those words, but remained focused on the task at hand - finding her sister. Maybe Hannah would help be able to stop whatever was going on. Lex was unsure how to stop it. Killing Linda, the Prophet, would be a start, but there'd been hundreds of people surrounding and worshipping with her. Lex would be mobbed.
As Lex traversed the mall, she spotted someone familiar - Tom Houston. She'd spoken to him earlier in the day. He, too, went to the mall in search of a Wiggly doll for his son, Tim. Lex felt a pang of guilt accusing Tom of being the reason she dropped out of high school - the poor guy lost his wife. That wasn't in his control.
“Mr. Houston!” Lex shouted, running over to him.
She stopped in her tracks upon seeing the Wiggly doll in his hands. Lex froze, but gripped her hands on the pistol. She was prepared to shoot him if she was attacked.
“Leave me alone!” He hissed, turning around to face her.
“Put the doll down, Mr. Houston,” Lex pleaded, raising the pistol.
“What, are you gonna shoot me, Lex, or can I go home? I've had a shitty day, and I'd appreciate it if you got that goddamn gun outta my face!” Tom hissed.
Lex's head pounded fiercely and felt like she was about to pass out, but she needed Tom's help. He wasn't anything like Linda or her Cult. Tom knew Lex personally, he was her former teacher after all. But Lex noticed that Wiggly's hold had begun to influence Tom. She had to do something; anything to break him free from this trance.
“Mr. Houston, I need your help, but I need you to put down that doll,” Lex said in a softer tone.
“Why would I put him down? You only want him for yourself! Too bad, Lex, I'm leaving and I'm taking this doll to my son.”
“He doesn't want it!” Lex shouted.
“Of course he does, he wants it more than anything,” Tom stated.
“No, think about it; did Tim ever say he wants a Tickle-Me-Wiggly?”
Tom paused, staring at the doll. He narrowed his eyes. Lex was getting through to him.
“Well, he must've. We were trying to win one at Pizza Pete's, weren't we?” He questioned himself. “Yes! No, he said it this morning. Why else would I be…I know he wants it!” Tom argued with himself, pointing at Lex.
Lex sighed and breathed heavily. It hurt her to even speak. The adrenaline was wearing off. Lex thought carefully of what to say next. She saw right through Tom's facade - he was frightened.
“Well, let me tell you something I know!” Lex shot back. “I've been working at Toy Zone since I was 16. I know what kids are like. When that Wiggly campaign came out, you know how many kids I got asking about it? None! Think about that line you were in which you stood in this morning. Did you see a single kid there?” Lex rambled, trying desperately to get her point across.
“It's a school day!” Tom said.
“It's Thanksgiving break,” Lex sighed as she rolled her eyes, “the thing about Wiggly that nobody's talking about is that kids don't want that piece of shit!”
“What?”
“They're all into Fortnite, dude. I mean my sister, Hannah couldn't get further away from that thing,” Lex explained, feeling her throat tightening.
“What are you saying, Lex?” Tom questioned in a quieter tone.
“Me and Ethan wanted a doll to sell! Whatever spell that doll casts, it doesn't work on kids. And I think I know why,” Lex said, entering dangerous territory.
“Why?”
“I know your wife died and you're trying really hard to make up for it. But that's what you want, not your son. You think Wiggly can fix this hole, but he can't, it's a trick.”
Tom stared at the Wiggly doll then back to Lex. Lex was right. What was he doing? His behavior all day had been deplorable. Tom wept and dropped the doll. Lex immediately picked it up and held it tightly.
“You're right, Lex. I'm sorry,” Tom said, “where'd you get the gun?”
“Long fucking story. I can't believe I was prepared to shoot you.”
“Glad you didn't. What happened to your face? You look…awful.”
“I got beat up and strangled by that creep, Sherman Young. I fought back and killed him,” Lex explained.
“Your neck…”
“It's bad, I know. I thought I was going to die. I fought as hard as I could.”
“Becky needs to look at you, make sure you're alright,” Tom stated.
“That nurse lady in the line?”
“Yes.”
“Why, I'm fine!” Lex protested.
“Trust me, okay?” Tom said, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“Okay, I guess.”
“Becky's a good nurse.”
“I'm sure she is. But where is she? And where's Hannah?”
Tom paused, he knew where they were, but was afraid to tell Lex. But, knowing the severity of this situation, he simply had to.
“Linda and her Cult took them. I was too entranced by Wiggly to stop them,” Tom answered.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Lex blinked, feeling that she was going to hyperventilate.
“I-I…”
“If Hannah dies, I'll fucking shoot you!” Lex hissed.
“I think they're in the food court,” Tom remembered.
Lex and Tom ran as fast as they could to the food court, which was on the other side of the mall. Lex hoped she and Ethan were still alive. She couldn't live without them. Once they reached the food court, she spotted Hannah tied to a chair.
“There they are,” Lex whispered.
“Let's split up,” Tom suggested, “you rescue Hannah and I'll sneak up on Linda.”
Lex nodded silently and handed Tom the pistol. Tom and Lex went their separate ways. Lex had her eyes set on Hannah. Hannah was scared, after all, she was 13. But there was no sign of Ethan. Lex crept as far as she could, but she was spotted by a Cult member.
“The heretic!” He shouted.
Lex beat herself up mentally, knowing that she could possibly see Hannah get murdered right in front of her.
“Lexi!” Hannah cried.
“Seize the heretic!” The Cult members shouted.
“I'm not a fucking heretic! Let me and my sister go!” Lex shouted.
“Fat chance I'll do that, you tramp!” Said Linda, virtually appearing out of nowhere.
Lex knew what she had to do. She had the last Wiggly doll in the mall. Lex pulled the doll from her jacket and held it up high. Linda's eyes went wide and the Cult members praised Wiggly.
“Is this what you're looking for?” Lex said as loud as she could.
“I knew your sister was dumb, but you came into the lion's den grossly outnumbered…”
Suddenly a shot rang out. Blood spewed from Linda's mouth. Behind her, stood Becky, holding the pistol Lex had given to Tom. The Cult members cried out as their Prophet laid there, dead.
Lex held up a lighter and shouted.
“You have two choices, abandon your god, or burn here with him!” As Lex lit the doll on fire, throwing it at the Cult members.
Lex ran as fast as she could to her sister, Hannah, who was shaking in fear. Lex untied her from the chair and took her hand. Lex, Hannah, Tom, and Becky rushed out the mall, as the fire began to spread rapidly.
Once they were out of the mall, Lex breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe as was Hannah, but where was Ethan? There was no sign of him anywhere.
“Wow, the whole mall's coming down,” Becky said.
“Good!” Lex blurted out.
“Lexi, you're face!” Hannah cried.
“I'm alright, Banana.”
“Webby says you're not.”
“When we're somewhere safe, I'll check you out,” said Becky tentatively.
“Okay, sure,” Lex shrugged.
Minutes later, they saw a car pull up and stop in front of them. Two people stepped out and a child that looked about Hannah's age stayed in the car. Lex didn't know who these people were, but Tom did. Lex tensed up as they approached them. She trusted no one, save her sister.
“Emma, Paul!” Tom said happily, embracing Emma.
“How do you know them?” Lex asked.
“Emma's my sister in law. She and her boyfriend were babysitting my son,” Tom answered.
“Webby says it's okay to go with them. They're good,” Hannah said, putting Lex somewhat at ease.
“We saw the news. We were sure you were dead,” said Emma.
“There's shopper mania everywhere. There's been riots all over the country!” Paul explained.
“Wiggly!” Lex thought.
“It's not safe here. Where should we go?” Becky asked.
“Well, I have this kooky, reclusive biology teacher who said I was his favorite student. We could go there. His place is extremely high security and he's like a doomsday prepper,” Emma explained.
Without a second thought, they got in Emma's car. It was cramped. Lex tried to keep it all together. Claustrophobia was going to be the death of her. But she needed to remain strong for her sister. Hannah held her hand tightly. Hannah had a cut on her forehead. It wasn't as bad as Lex's, but her nurturing instincts kicked in.
“Did they hurt you, Banana?” Lex whispered.
“A little. Webby said you almost died. And that you're in bad shape,” Hannah whispered back.
“I'm hurting right now. Did you see my neck?”
“Uh-huh.”
They remained quiet for the rest of the ride to Emma's former biology professor's house. Lex truly didn't want to go there, but it seemed like the safest option. She mainly wanted to keep Hannah safe.
Once they got there, Emma pounded on her professor's door. It seemed to take forever for him to open the door, but he let all of them in. His gray hair and glassy blue eyes were the most striking features; it creeped Lex out. She wouldn't last one night here.
“I'm Henry Hidgens, nice to meet you all!” He said kindly.
“Hey, Hidge,” said Emma.
“Hello, Ms. Perkins.”
Hidgens gave everyone a quick tour of his mansion. Lex felt uncomfortable, but kept her thoughts to herself. She was a guest - even though she didn't want to be.
When the tour was over, Lex was approached by Becky. She knew that Lex was hurt. Lex still looked awful. Her head throbbed fiercely and felt nauseous. If she were to vomit, now would be the time to do so. Becky was a nurse after all, she was in good hands. If Tom trusted her, so could she.
Hannah stood by Lex's side, not wanting to leave. But Tom coaxed her out of the room where Becky began to examine Lex.
“I'll be alright, Banana,” Lex said, smiling back at her sister.
“Okay, Lexi,” Hannah said quietly, as Tom led her out of the room.
“I have to remain strong.”