Tammy was a ten year old girl who's mother was a window dresser at the modern Planet Inc. store. She was so pleased when her inventor dad made a mannequin twin of her. She was even more pleased when Planet Inc bought it for their children's department. She often told her dad the she wondered what it would be like to live her twin's life.

It was Friday night on April lst and Tammy had fallen asleep on the couch. Dad picked her up and carried her down in the basement before shaking her awake. When Tammy wiped the sleep from her eyes, she noticed she was standing in front of her twin wearing nylon panties and a baby doll nightie. As she looked at her twin with a confused look, she looked at her father.

"Why did you bring her here?" she asked.

"I want to see if my new invention worked and to help you grant your dream." He replied. "This machine will transfer your mind into the mannequin. If I'm right, whatever life force exists in that plastic will bring it to life."

"Like the story about the wooden boy?" Tammy asked as her father put a metal helmet on each little girl's head. He then went over to the machine and pulled a large lever. After a low hum, the circuits connected and the mind transfer took place.

When the computer came to a stop, Tammy blinked her eyes and looked about in a confused state. She looked at her hands and moved her fingers. She then wiggled her toes like it was her first time. As she removed the helmet, she looked at the young inventor. "I'm alive?" She spoke softly.

"Tammy, are you okay?" The father asked. "I know I was doing an April fools joke about transferring your mind into the mannequin like you wished, but enough is enough."

"I remember you." Tammy said. "You made me. You're the one with the daughter who looks just like me."

The girl looked at the frozen mannequin twin and went over to touch its cool, smooth surface. At this moment neither could believe that they were in the other's body. The father quickly started the machine up again and got the helmets ready. He let out a scream as the machine suddenly exploded in sparks. The lights and dials went dead. Along with all the lights in the neighborhood.

"Did you bring me to life?" the mannequin Tammy asked.

"What gives, honey?" Mrs. Baker asked as she came down in the basement with a flashlight. "Why is Tammy down here with her mannequin. I was told you stopped by Planet Inc, but why did you bring that figure home with you?"

"You're not going to believe this, but our daughter is experiencing the saying 'the grass is greener on the other side' for real." Mr. Baker replied. "I was playing a practical joke on Tammy about transferring her mind into the mannequin when the computer blew out the power. And...And it worked."

"This isn't funny," Mrs. Baker fretted. "I don't like it one bit!"

"I don't like this any more than you do." Mr. Baker continued. "We'll just have to make the best of things until I can repair the machine and change them back. Now why don't you go make me a pot of coffee while I get to work on it." The night drew on and try as he may he could not get the cussed system to boot up.

Mrs. Baker took her new daughter up to her room. Tammy 2 was excited about the idea of dressing by herself. She put on a flowery skirt, plain blouse and a pair of slides from the shoe rack. Underneath, she changed into a fresh pair of panties. Mrs. Baker was pleased with the outfit but steamed at her husband for risking their daughter's life.

"Nice ears." Mrs. Baker said as Tammy 2 reached up and touched her earring that now dangled from her pierced ears. When she was a mannequin she never wore earrings.

"Guess you're as ready as your going to be." Mrs. Baker said they went downstairs. As Tammy 2 began to look and touch everything, Mrs. Baker brought the coffee down to her husband. He got up with a sigh and took the cup from her hand. He took a sip.

"Oh, no." Mrs. Baker said as she looked in his hangdog face.

"It's going to take a few days to repair it." Mr. Baker said as he looked over at his frozen daughter. "I'm afraid we'd better bring her to the store in her twin's place so not to get you in trouble too. I'll explain that I made a mistake and will be switching them back soon."

"Never mind, never mind." Mrs. Baker shook her hands in a frenzy. "I don't work today. Hopefully you'll have the machine fixed by the time I have to go in next. I'll just have to baby sit your creation until you do just that." She made plans on taking her new daughter on a shopping spree.

After the stores opened, Tammy 2 stared out the car window as they pulled up in front of BARBIE'S BEAUTY PALOR. Tammy 2 didn't know what was going to happen, but soon found herself sitting down and being handed a beauty magazine. "You just pick the style you'd like to have."  Mrs. Baker suggested.

"I guess to choose?" Tammy 2 asked. "You're not going to just do it to me yourself?" She had never had such freedom as a mannequin.

"Yes, dear." Mrs Baker smiled. "I'm taking a holiday too."

"Next." An older woman, who called herself Barbie, said as she helped Tammy 2 to a seat. She tied a cape around her and looked at the page opened in the magazine. "You picked out a fine choice, young lady. I think you'll look adorable."

Before Tammy 2 knew what was happening, Barbie had her hair in rollers and her face covered in a cream mask. Tammy was always used to a lot of attention at the store. She soon found her shoes removed and her toe nails getting a polish while her fingers got a manicure. She watched as she got a coat of hot pink. When the stylist was done, she looked like a brunette Little Orphan Annie. To complete the effect, all she needed was the pupils removed from her eyes.

When Mrs. Baker and Tammy 2 got home, Mr. Baker couldn't believe how nice his creation looked. Even better than when she came off the assembly line. Especially in the new dress, hairstyle, and 3 inch heels. "I wanted her use to it for church tomorrow."

The two then saw the original Tammy standing frozen stiff with a rod up her butt. She was dressed casually in a ball cap, sneakers, white blouse and overalls. "I wanted her away from the machine while I had lunch and rested. She wouldn't stand up without the support rod."

Tammy 2 still teetered in the heels, trying to find her center of gravity. The slippery tile of the kitchen floor made things only worse. "Can't I just wear jeans and sneakers like Tammy?"

"Not for church, but you'll be allowed to changed afterwards," was all Mrs. Baker said as Tammy 2 helped Mrs. Baker to fix the salad while Mr. Baker worked on the main course. As Tammy 2's ankles buckled so much she wanted to take the shoes off, but she always obeyed Mrs. Baker's wishes.

Tammy 2 was surprised at how warm she was that night in the nightgown. Having always been dressed by Mrs. Baker as a mannequin, she didn't give much thought how comfortable it would be when alive. When she woke early the next morning she saw Mrs. Baker had already laid out a lovely pink party dress for her to wear to church.

Tammy 2 soon learned the hard way why Tammy used to come to the store after church and complain about kneeling at church in a dress. Tammy on the other hand was learning how boring it was to stand stiffly and stare aimlessly at the same place in the room.

Finally came the dreaded end of the weekend. Mr. Baker went in with his wife and Tammy 2 as they explained what had happened to the head of the department store. The manager suggested that, since the two looked identical anyway, the store could use Tammy instead until the problem was worked out. Tammy 2 was dressed in a similar outfit as on Saturday while the real Tammy got the super short skirt of a cheerleading outfit. She was then moved into a display window.

For Tammy, things went without a hitch. She just had to stand there rigidly always looking beautiful while trying to sell the outfits she and the other child mannequins were displaying for kid's sports wear. Tammy 2, on the other hand, learned what Tammy meant before about being teased by the school bullies and homework.

As time went by, Tammy's plastic body remained young and beautiful while Tammy 2 got older. Soon she started to get a figure and an interest in guys. Mr. and Mrs. Baker looked down at the field from the bleachers. Tammy 2 and waved her pom-poms from the side line; now she was a cheerleader for real. Steve, the captain of the football team tossed the game ball into Tammy 2's arms. Before Tammy 2 could react, Steve had knocked her flat on her back and gave a kiss before getting up.

"Quite a ladies man, our daughter is." Mrs. Baker smiled as she watched Steve take the ball and return to the huddle. She gotten to think of Tammy 2 as her real daughter; after this many years it looked like Mr. Baker would never get the machine working again.

"Tammy!" Steve said, a smile on her face, after the game. "I know this is going to sound odd, but my sister is having a party this Friday and thinks you're cute."

"The head of the football team arranged for me to go to Betty's party as Steve's date." Tammy 2 said as Mrs. Baker stopped on the staircase with a mysterious smile on her face. "I'm looking forward to going, but still feel sorry for Tammy that it isn't her." She put on a little girl pout. "Can we see her so I can tell her about it?"

"You haven't been to the store in years." Mrs. Baker said as she looked Tammy 2 over. "She'd never recognize herself. That means we go out on a shopping trip."

In a sleeveless black dress with a white stripe down the front and open toed heels, Tammy 2 went with Mrs. Baker downtown. Her mother sat down outside the dressing room as Tammy 2 went in and tried on outfits. Some were dresses while others were blouse and skirt combos. Mrs. Baker liked the idea not to have to undress and redress her like she did her real daughter in the window.

As Tammy 2 and Mrs. Baker was off to the beauty salon to be retouched, Tammy 2 noticed Mr. Baker over in the men's department. Once at Barbie's, Tammy2 had her nails retouched and her hair high lightened just a bit.

"So there's a young man in your life." Barbie said with a smile as Tammy 2 found herself unsure how to answer her questions. Even though she been alive some time now, she still hadn't gotten use to thinking that way. The fact the stylist moved her head while cutting made her feel better. "Is he cute?"

"I guess." Tammy 2 answered unsure of herself of the right answers. Mrs. Baker just sat across from her and smiled with the pleasure of seeing Tammy 2 enjoying herself. "I haven't really thought of him as cute, but I suppose he is."

For the first time, Tammy 2 realized she actually thought of as boy as cute. As she put her heels back on, she looked down at her displayed toe nails and wondered if Steve would be turned on by the color. Knowing what to call Mrs. Baker in public she said: "Mom, do you think Steve is cute?"

"Yes dear." Mrs. Baker giggled. "I think he's very cute."

Tammy 2 went through all her new outfits, tossing them on the bed. She couldn't believe she was having so much trouble deciding on what to wear to a date she didn't think she had cared about. She wondered how she really felt about him.

That night at the party, Steve sat with Betty, Akari and some other guests in the hot tub. Tammy 2 had a red bikini under her clothes in case she felt like joining the others. She knew she was still not used to having the weight of her breasts not remaining erect when having no support.

On the porch that over looked the hot tub, Tammy 2 stood next to the head cheerleader. Her red hot dress made her stand out next to the cheerleader in her black one. "Rumors about you two been buzzing about the crowd since the tackle kiss on the field." She said as she took a sip of punch.

"Like I care." Tammy 2 replied as she turned and looked at her. "Do you know who he's taking to the school dance?"

"Not a clue." She answered. "But every cheerleader on the squad is trying to rope him. From the look on your face, that includes you."

"As if." Tammy 2 sighed as she stared dreamily in Steve's direction.

Walking over to a table where a group of guys and girls were playing truth and dare, Tammy 2 almost choked on her punch when she over heard the team's tight end talking about Steve having a crush on her. The girls looked in Tammy 2's direction and started giggling.

"If this is a fairy tale, bring on the frogs." Tammy 2 joked. "With a kiss, I'll turn them all into princes!"

With a sniff of Tammy 2's glass, it was obvious to the cheerleader that some guest had spiked the fruit punch and now Tammy 2 was drunk for the first time. "I think I'd better drive you to my place. Your parents shouldn't know you're drunk."

The next morning Tammy 2 awoke face down on the bed, her head pounding in pain. Still in her night shirt, the head cheerleader walked up and gently shook her awake. "I had to sneak up the coffee. You'll be yourself again in no time."

"I doubt it." Tammy 2 whispered as even that sent pains to her hangover.

"Your dad called," Her friend answered in a softer tone as she went through her closet. "He wants you home by noon, so I told him I'd loan you one of my outfits to wear." With that she pulled out a green shirt and a tan skirt and matching belt. "It'll be a little small, but should fit you well enough until you can get your own clothes."

"Where are my own clothes?" Tammy 2 asked.

"Getting cleaned. The dryer was broken so they had to be put out on a wash line."

Saturday afternoon went by without any hassle. Saturday night, Tammy 2 surprised her folks by going with Steve to the local night club. Tammy 2 thought she looked hot in her blue turtle neck sweater, tight short skirt and pumps. The rock band played hard on stage and the two danced the night away and got to know one another much better.

"I didn't expect to see you here." Stacy smiled, pushing her long red hair out of her face while her date nuzzled her neck. "Especially kissing that floozy."

"Jealous?" Steve asked as Stacy stormed off.

"If you were going to dump me, I expected you to have better class!" were Stacy's final words as the door closed behind her. Tammy 2 and Steve just looked at one another as they started slow dancing and French kissing at the same time. They ran their arms over their bodies and they rubbed up against one another.

Sunday was spent at the town's local water park. In the bikini she had worn to the party, she joined the cheerleaders. Each dawn their sunglasses and sunscreen as they floated down a calm stream in tubes while Steve and the guys on the way to the top of the slides watched them pass by.

As the big dance night arrived, Tammy 2 and Steve held hands as they walked into the party. Although the music didn't stop, it seemed to as they stared into one another's eyes. Tammy 2 just flashed a smiled and tossed her now increasingly long hair back. The two walked over to the punch bowl and Steve poured her a cup.

As Tammy 2 turned and started to walk over to the cheerleaders, Stacy grabbed Steve by the arm and pulled him toward her. She wrapped her arms around each other. Tammy 2 walked over and shoved Stacy aside and took Steve away from her. They wrapped arms around one another and kissed by the song EARTH ANGEL playing in the background.

Tammy 2 and Steve later graduated from high school and married. They had a beautiful girl that they named Jessie. When Jessie was sick, Tammy 2 took her to Planet Inc. after hours and had Jessie's grandmother show her the real Tammy. Still stiff and as young as when she had first put the helmet on in her basement that first day of April so many years ago.
 
 
 

THE END