Danny yanked on Danielle's pull string, pulling so hard she almost brought her ballerina friend to the ground. But with a quick twist, the plastic doll stayed upright. She gave Danny a curious look, and the rag toy let go the pull string.
Music, sounding perfectly clear, flowed into the room. It was a fast-paced classical piece. Danielle had no choice but to dance.
Her feet moved quickly en pointe, carrying her around the living room. She rushed passed Kurt and her plastic arm almost grazed his bewildered face.
Danny clapped again, jumping back onto the couch and crossing her plush legs. Even Tom the Toy Soldier seemed interested in the lithe dancing doll, perhaps remnants of his old, boring life as a human.
But for Danielle, with the music playing, her old life meant nothing. She was a beautiful doll now, and she loved it.
Kurt watched, completely amazed by his partners actions. She was utterly beautiful and graceful, and he saw her in a whole new light. He breathed in deeply and admired her. He knew he should want to help her, to try and change her back. But she looked so happy as she was.
And then he noticed something on the ground as he watched her delicate feet speed across the room. It was a brick sized package. It sat not quite in the center of the room. But it did seem to be in the center of the strange effect that was overtaking the house, making it bright. Into a dollhouse, he realized.
He walked over to it cautiously and noticed a thin layer of sparkling dust around the package. Officer Kurt put his hand up to his mouth, not wanting to breath in the strange substance. It could very well be the source of this strange dollifying effect.
But outside, Chris fidgeted as he sat on the hood of his car. Something wasn't right. The two cops went inside, and they hadn't come out again. They've been turned, he thought.
Chris sniffled. His nose felt itchy, and then he sneezed. He saw something glinting and sparkling in the air. It was the same dust that had first transformed Tom. And as Chris breathed in again, his eyes widened and his mind retreated. Then his body began to change. . .
