Reader Submission: The Haunted Mannequin

“I work at a Dillard’s in Florida, and there’s a possessed mannequin in my department.

This particular mannequin stands near the front of the department, by one of the main entrances, and we use it to display dresses and gowns (I work in juniors). It’s always creeped me out. I feel like it’s constantly watching me. We have two or three other mannequins in the department, but this one just feels…wrong.

One night, right before closing, I was straightening a rack of clothes near the mannequin when I heard a loud scraping sound. Only one other person was working with me that night, but she was downstairs returning a pair of shoes. I thought someone else had come to drop something off, but when I turned around, I saw that the mannequin was facing AWAY from the entrance instead of towards the door like it normally does. I won’t lie. After seeing that, I ran to the other end of the department and refused to move until my co-worker came back. I could have been imaging things, but I seriously doubt it. It’s always faced the front. I think it turned to watch me as I worked.

But that’s not all. A few weeks later, I came into work for a morning shift and found the mannequin in one of the dressing rooms. I was pretty freaked to find it there, but assumed one of my co-workers had moved it. Soon after that, a member of the visual team came by and wanted to know where the mannequin was. I told her it was in the dressing room. She got pretty mad because apparently the night before, she’d dressed the mannequin in one of our expensive gowns and had created a prom-themed display. I asked around, but everyone denied moving the mannequin.

I’m not the only one who’s had an experience. My co-worker Rebecca was walking by the mannequin one night when she heard someone hiss, ‘Leeaave.’ She swears the mannequin also turned its head, but I can’t verify that. Another time, a customer was checking out the price tag on a dress the mannequin was wearing when she she felt a shock, like she had been electrocuted. She actually shrieked pretty loud, and my manager rushed over to see what was wrong. He’s heard all about the mannequin, but doesn’t believe there’s anything to the stories.

The latest, and perhaps creepiest thing, happened this week. A few days ago, one of our customers lost a locket while trying on clothes. She was really upset because her dad and given her the locket, and he’s since passed away. We looked all over the dressing room, and all around the department, but didn’t find it anywhere. The girl left crying, and I felt really bad, but I didn’t know what else to do. Anyway, last night I walked by the mannequin and found the damn locket hanging around its neck! Even more disturbing, the locket was empty. The picture that had been inside was gone.

Does anyone know why something would possess a random department-store mannequin or make it come to life? Has anyone else encountered something like this?”

Share your creepy stories here!