In the pitch blackness, you could not tell what the machines were doing to you. They forced you into strange positions, lifting your arms, spreading your legs, even turning you completely upside down at one point. Occasionally you felt a sharp jab or a painful pulling sensation.
As this was going on, a strange tinny song blared from an unseen speaker. Something like elevator music mixed with a cutesy music-box tune.
There was something else about it though, an odd distortion, almost subliminal. Hypnotic. You couldn't tell if it was getting louder or if you were just becoming increasingly focused on the haunting sound. It seemed to swell in your ears and infiltrate your mind. You found yourself fading out of consciousness.
When your eyes opened you were standing in an unfamiliar part of the park, surrounded by kids and parents and colorful rides. Your entire body felt strange and heavy, especially your head.
A little girl no older than 6 pointed at you excitedly and shouted to her father, "Look daddy! It's Lucy! Can we get a photo?"
Before her smiling dad could even answer, she ran up to you and gave you a hug.
Instinctively, involuntarily, you hugged her back as the doting father snapped a photo with his smartphone.
You could feel that there was something wrong with your arms. They were far too plush and thick. The same went for your body. The little girl's arms could barely reach around your sides.
As you and the girl released each other, the father presented his phone proudly so that the two of you could see the photo.
It showed a little girl hugging a cutesy mascot resembling an oversized living doll.
She had blonde hair tied up in a pair of pigtails and decorated with red bows. You suddenly became aware of two weights atop your own head.
Here eyes were big and round and glassy. As you blinked, you realized just how massive your own eyes felt.
Overall, she had the proportions of a rag doll, only scaled up to approximately six feet tall. Her limbs were thick and pudgy, her body was stocky and shapeless and her head was large and round and pumpkin-shaped. She wore a red dress and black and white striped socks with shiny red shoes. No wonder your head and body felt heavier, you'd somehow ended up in this doll-shaped mascot suit!
"Can we get more photos, daddy?" The girl cried.
"If it's okay with Lucy." the dad replied, looking at you expectantly.
"Of course!" a cute voice squeaked out. A cute voice that emerged from your own mouth. What the hell?
For some reason you just couldn't resist. You felt an overwhelming desire to make this little girl's day magical.
You posed for several more photos and then waved goodbye to the girl and her father. As the little girl waved back you felt an odd sense of satisfaction.
It wasn't long before other families began to approach you for photographs, and as before, you couldn't help but play the part of a lovable mascot.
As you posed with a pair of twin girls who were celebrating their birthday, you noticed someone through the crowds. It was your mother, followed by a tired Lucas, a bored Cleo and...
...You?
Your doppelganger gave you a strangely familiar toothy grin and waved gently as your family passed by. What was going on? You had to go after them before you lost sight of-
-CLICK-
"Aw, Lucy looked away from the camera. Can we take another picture?"
That snapped your attention back to the situation at hand, your photo-shoot with the twins.
You nodded and apologized and the mother of the girls proceeded to take a series of pictures as your family and the doppelganger moved further away into the crowded park.
When the photo-shoot ended you quickly made your way past the crowds and deeper into the park, attempting to find your family. On the way, you were stopped by guests for impromptu photo sessions, hugged by delighted children, and occasionally mocked by surly teenagers.
Soon the sun was setting and all of the guests were leaving. Any minute now the park would be empty.
A nearby loudspeaker crackled to life. "CLOSING TIME. ALL GUESTS LEAVE THE PREMISES. WE HOPE YOU HAD A MAGICAL DAY."
As the announcement concluded, the speaker began to play a strange tune, similar to the hypnotic song that the machines had played earlier.
As you listened, entranced, an intrusive thought entered your mind. "Time to rest for the night" it seemed to say "Another magical day awaits you tomorrow."
You found yourself walking instinctively towards the backstage area of the park. Somehow your feet just knew where to take you.