"Darn!" I brush broken beaker and resin off the Raggedy Ann costume I'm wearing for my annual Halloween party.

A tingling starts in my arm. My hand feels stiff, so I hold it up to inspect it. There's a glossy sheen to my skin. Like wood.

"Ugh!" I grunt because I can't move my face anymore. My arm is stuck in the air. I barely have time to bend a knee before both legs freeze.

Jo enters my lab. "Look at this puppet of Claire!"

"It's so life-like!" Janice says.

As my friends smile, my lungs become wooden too.

WORD COUNT: 100

FULL VERSION:
Approx 250 WORDS

"Darn!" I mutter and shake the spilled solution off the arm of my Raggedy Ann costume.

My annual Halloween party is tonight, but it's only 5pm. With everything set up, I'm working while I wait on my new fast-acting boat hull resin.

I reach for another beaker, but instead of picking it up, my hand knocks it over. "Great!"

I try to spread my fingers, but they're stiff. "What the...?

I notice a tingling in my arm that's getting stronger.

I shake my head to clear it and blink my eyes several times, then hold up my arm to the light. I've been working long hours to get this product finished and my eyes must be playing tricks on me.
But the light shows that my hand now has a glossy sheen to it. Almost like wood.

"Ugh!" I grunt because I can't move my face anymore, and my arm is stuck in the air.

I barely have time to bend a knee to take a step before both legs freeze.

I want to cry, but my tear ducts won't water.

My best friends enter my lab. "Look at this puppet of Claire! She really outdid herself this time!"

"It's so life-like!" Janice moves my hair and peers into my eyes.

I strain to make a noise. Nothing.

"Let's take it into the house."

As my friends prepare to lift me, I take my last breathe before my lungs become wooden too.