Mignas

There's a story around these parts about Jesse and Mignas. A few long years ago, Jesse was a young girl, around the age of 5 or 6. Quite the introvert, Jesse did not play well with kids. She had an imaginary friend that the young girl named "Mignas". Her parents were puzzled by the name, it definitely didn't sound like something a young lady would have in her developing vocabulary; maybe she made it up from a compound word, or a storybook. Her parents thought that an imaginary friend would harm her social skills as a child. So they decided to get her a toy, a toy to share with others when playing: a puppet. Jesse could play with the puppet and entertain the other children.

They had a toy crafted from a dutch immigrant toy maker from around these parts, his shop's still around, although it's an abandoned little building now. Willem's toy shop. The puppet was quite expensive, made from solid oak, painted beautifully with great care, strung up with wool, and quite nicely accessorized with little wooden toys to fit the hands of the puppet. It was artwork as much as it was a plaything. They were quite happy and rushed to take it home before little Jesse made it home from kindergarten class.

Jesse's parents died in a fatal car accident on the way. You can still find records of it at the library from those news strips. It looked like a sudden stop followed by jerking the wheel caused the car to flip. The were found buy the school bus driver taking Jesse home. In the wreckage police found a damaged, albeit well crafted wooden box with Jessie's name on it. It was released to the poor girls aunt to give to her. The puppet remained intact for the child to play with.

Upon receiving the toy, the girl lit up with a wonderful smile. She also called it Mignas, his name was carved into his feet and she began to hold puppet shows on the street for the other kids. The puppet helped her tell stories of magical lands and amazing adventure. The kids around the block spoke of sir Mignas the brave, of Mignas the candy giver, and so on. Little Jesse was very happy and made great friends. For two whole years Mignas was her outlet for stories and her way of making friends.

Jessica was starting second grade, and wanted to take Mignas to show and tell. She wanted to show her teacher all the stories and adventure the puppet could have. Mignas was a bit faded, and a bit worn, but the smile upon his wooden face was as wide as it ever has been. The puppet and the girl started with knock-knock jokes, followed by the tale of Mignas flying in a plane, and reaching a climax with the puppet dancing. Everyone cheered until the puppet hurled into the air, striking a child. The wooden body of Mignas became covered in blood. The boy's skull had been cracked open. The young girl was sent home and suspended that day. She kept claiming that the puppet jumped from her hands.

The next day, Jesse was nowhere to be seen. Her aunt did not come into work as well. Three days went by until an officer came by to check on the house. What the found was terrible and gruesome. The town was horrified by the gruesome nature of the discovery. Jessica's aunt was found in her bedroom, with a wool string tightly pulled around her neck. Her skin was ripped from her flesh in a grotesque manner across her belly, her scalp torn off, and her eyes plucked out. A stagnant pool of blood on the floor under the bed. The worst was yet to come.

Jesse's frail body was hanging by three wool strings across her neck, slashes striped her back. Blood caressed her body, but the blood wasn't pooled. Across the wall, red lettering spattered the walls into three words:

MIGNAS IS GOD 

A few weeks later, Willem's toy shop suffered extensive fire damage and Willem was found dead inside, with extensive burns. Police filed various reports and investigated thoroughly. The town was terrified, and the local paper assumed it was the act of a serial killer.

We don't go around Willem's toy shop. Late at night you can hear the clacking of wood in that building.