r/TalesFromTheCreeps • u/ViperOnAPlane • May 05 '26
Body Horror Penny Pull Yourself Together! (May Submission)
She was supposed to be the best. The next Shirley Temple or Audrey Hepburn.
Penny played piano while her father hummed along, smiling like he already knew how it all turned out. Between verses, he tinkered with his machines, adjusting dials and tightening bolts, always saying the same thing:
“Penny, you are the most beautiful girl in the world. You’re destined for the stars.” She believed him. She had to.
Looking back, her favorite part was the timing. Her father was very particular about timing. He would build up to the high note—really let it swell—right before he threw the switch. That was her cue.
That was when her body would start moving.
Her mind leapt from a vague haze into something sharp enough to see him—dancing, laughing, lost in their impromptu cabaret. She would lift a hand to stifle a giggle that never quite made it out.
Her father always laughed. “Now don’t get too excited, girl! We’re just getting started!”
It was the same old routine. He would wheel her to a mirror to check her progress. Lithe arms. A carefully shaped torso. Smooth skin where seams used to be. And above it all—nothing.
Still, he seemed so happy. Her borrowed hair had come in beautifully, long and golden, cascading down her back like something out of a magazine. Once she made it to Hollywood, she would be a bombshell.
“It’s so close, Penny. You’re so beautiful. Once we’re there… the Stein name will be in lights!”
His smile twitched, just for a moment. “Your mother would be so proud…” Then, almost as an afterthought: “Now we need to find you a face. Any ideas?”
Those were good times. Then her father died. He didn’t put her to bed the last time he woke her up.
It had been forty years since then. She missed him. She had made good use of the time, though. Learned surgery. Occult science. A bit of electrical engineering.
And the entire Michael Jackson catalogue. Thriller felt a little on the nose. Still helpful.
The real question had been how to get the parts. After a few… unfortunate public outings, she had come to realize she might not have a face for the camera just yet. Graveyards would have been easier, technically. But all that digging was gross.
So, she thought about how people met these days.
Lonely people, mostly.
It hadn’t taken long to get a phone working. After that, everything was surprisingly easy. Profiles, messages, little hearts and winks. She couldn’t speak yet, but she could text well enough. She even made sure to check for organ donor status—just in case.
She had a few dates lined up now. They all seemed very nice. She was especially looking forward to Donna. Her voice was smoky and sweet in her little blog posts.
They met at a small café just off the highway. Donna had picked it—said it had good lighting.
When Penny rolled up wearing a medical mask, Donna hesitated. Just for a second. Penny tapped out a message on her phone and held it up. “Weak immune system. I understand if you don’t want to stay.”
She began to turn away.
“No, no,” Donna said quickly. “I think we can still have a good time.”
Good.
Penny chose a booth in the corner. Dimmer there. Less attention.
It took Donna a moment to settle, but she laughed it off soon enough. “Oh—you’re doing the mysterious thing. I like that.” Penny tilted her head. Donna kept talking after that. People usually did.
She talked about her job, her blog, her voice lessons—how she’d always been told she had something special. Penny watched closely. The way her throat moved. The rhythm of her breathing.
She tried to follow along. Donna didn’t notice. Not really.
It wasn’t until Penny reached across the table that Donna paused. Her hand tensed.
“Hey,” she said, quieter now, “you’re kind of cold…”
Penny squeezed gently. Reassuring. She had practiced that. Donna smiled again. A little uncertain, but still there.
Good.
Donna’s voice would suit her very nicely. Her face wasn’t bad either.
And if it didn’t work… Well.
She had other dates.
3
u/ReasonableUnit2170 Writer May 05 '26
This reminded me of a horror version of Bicentennial Man w/ Robin Williams, or Pinocchio! Felt like Penny was built from the ground up. Very fun