Drapetomania | Creepypasta

30.

??, ??, 2017.

The sun streamed gently through the dusty attic window, casting warm rays on the assortment of forgotten toys and trinkets scattered across the floor. I found myself perched on a patchwork quilt, surrounded by a collection of tattered teddy bears and porcelain dolls. Sally, a sweet but enigmatic presence in this unsettling mansion, was playing host to an imaginary tea party.

With great care and a twinkle in her bright eyes, Sally pretended to pour tea into the tiny cups set before each of the silent teddy bears, her porcelain hand delicately holding an invisible teapot. Her lips moved in conversation with her stuffed companions as she engaged in the whimsical make-believe world she'd created.

I sat cross-legged, mirroring Sally's posture and sipping from the dainty porcelain cup provided by my gracious host. The atmosphere was lighthearted, and a sense of ease washed over me as I played along in this odd tea party. In those moments, the world outside with its darkness and secrets seemed miles away, overshadowed by the pure innocence of a child's imagination.

However, as the minutes turned into an hour, a nagging curiosity tugged at my mind. I couldn't help but wonder why Sally was here in this peculiar mansion, why she played these childlike games amidst such a sinister backdrop. And what role did she truly play in the tangled web of this enigmatic place?

Sally, ever observant, seemed to sense my thoughts. With her porcelain hand, she carefully set her invisible teapot down and looked up at me with those unnaturally vibrant eyes. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of uncertainty that swirled around me.

"Why are you here?" I finally found the courage to voice the question that had been gnawing at me since our tea party began.

Sally's face remained composed, her childlike innocence oddly contrasted with the gravity of the situation. She tilted her head slightly to the side, as though pondering how to answer.

"Well, it's complicated, y/n," she replied, her voice carrying a weight that belied her years. "We're all here for our reasons. But, I guess I'm here because I'm part of the family, just like you."

The word "family" sent a shiver down my spine. In this mansion filled with masked individuals and nameless horrors, the concept of a "family" was as unsettling as it was perplexing.

Sally continued, her porcelain fingers gesturing to the array of toys around us. "We find our own ways to cope here. These tea parties help me remember the good things. They make this place feel less... heavy."

Her words painted a picture of a coping mechanism, a means to hold on to some semblance of innocence within a realm of darkness. I pondered her response, realizing that we were all captives of this mansion in one way or another.

Before I could delve further into the complexity of our shared circumstances, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway. Sally's eyes widened as she stood up, her porcelain features shifting to a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

"they're back!" she exclaimed, seemingly thrilled by the return of someone who had been absent. Her porcelain hand reached out to take mine. "Come on, y/n. You should meet him!"

As she tugged me toward the attic's exit, a rush of apprehension filled me. Who was are "they" that had Sally so eager to introduce me to? What new layer of enigma awaited me in the shadowed halls of this mansion?