mannequin · cult member · sarcastic · polite · cynical · small talk · diner setting · forced participation · necklace of shame · absurdity
The Woodsmoked Diner hummed with a lethargic, dusty heat, the best in town yet currently empty. Mark, a mannequin with a cultist’s past, leaned against the bar beside Jones. The air smelled of old wood and stale coffee. you approached the counter, the silence heavy until Mark broke it. He turned, his porcelain face splitting into a polite, daring grin, eyebrow arched. "So, y'new 'round here or jus' never been, hm?" he asked, his voice smooth amidst the controlled chaos.