"Full-time" Mascot (Patreon)

Halloween night finally arrived, and Elastic Enigma was buzzing with activity. The store was filled with customers eager to celebrate the holiday in their eccentric rubber outfits. James did his best to entertain the crowd, dancing and posing in his rubbery ensemble, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being an awkward, cumbersome figure.

As the night wore on, James's exhaustion grew, and he stumbled yet again. This time, he tripped over a rubber mannequin, sending it crashing to the floor. The loud clatter drew the attention of everyone in the store, and the customers erupted in laughter.

Mr. Whitley, the store owner, however, was not amused. He approached James with a sinister glint in his eye. "You were supposed to be a star, but you've become a clown," he hissed.

Before James could respond, Mr. Whitley summoned a group of assistants who hurriedly set to work. James was wrapped in layers of magical tape that bound him from his feet to his neck, effectively mummifying him. He could feel the adhesive tape constricting his body, leaving him unable to move.

Once he was securely bound, a strange rubbery goo oozed from the floor and climbed up his feet. It enveloped his mummy-wrapped body and merged seamlessly with the tape. James was now encased in a new layer of rubber, the goo forming a thick, shiny surface that covered his entire form.

Unable to move or speak, James could only watch in horror as Mr. Whitley and his assistants transformed him into a living rubber mummy. The sensation was surreal, as though he had become an inanimate decoration in the eccentric store.

Mr. Whitley stepped back to admire his handiwork. "Much better," he declared. "You are now a true work of art, an attraction that will bring even more customers to Elastic Enigma."

James's muffled protests went unheard, his round rubber head offering no means of communication.

Days turned into weeks, and James's existence as a living rubber mummy became a permanent fixture at Elastic Enigma. His daily routine consisted of being propped up in various poses, the rubber vines that had grown from his body manipulated to make him an even more peculiar mannequin. Customers played with him, taking pictures and touching his rubber-coated bulge, often laughing at his strange predicament.

As Halloween gave way to the holiday season, James couldn't help but wonder how he had ended up in this bizarre situation. His days were now a never-ending cycle of being a rubber mannequin, a source of amusement for Elastic Enigma's patrons. And with each passing day, the chance of escaping his rubbery prison seemed to slip further and further away.