#2: The Art Show

by JMD

"I can’t believe I let you talk me into this."

Shannon Michaels just shook her head, as she used her hands to try and warm her arms under the thin robe. "Just open the door, will you?" she said. "I’m freezing my butt off out here."

Her best friend, Terri Hill, cut her eyes at her. "Well," she smiled, "perhaps you should have considered the temperature when you decided on what to wear this evening."

Shannon frowned at her. "The door, please."

Grinning, Terri turned back to the door and, pointing her finger at the lock, recited some arcane incantations. Reaching to the knob, she turned it and pushed the door open. "Ta-Dah," she announced, stepping back to let Shannon past.

Once inside, Shannon looked for the light switch. Finding it, she flipped it on, filling the room with light. Looking around, she took in a slow breath. She had known that the art show was going on, but the sight of so many statues, of all sizes, shapes and materials, was still something to see. She started to walk around, taking it all in.

Terri followed. "Now, let me see if I understand what we’re doing here," she said. "You finally get a week off from that job you hate so much, and this is how you want to spend it. Standing naked in a public gallery for everyone to see."

"That’s right," Shannon nodded without taking her eyes off the artworks around her.

"And why was that again?"

Shannon stopped, and turned to her friend. "Terri," she sighed, "I’ve already explained that."

"I know," her friend nodded. "I just want to be sure I’ve got it, is all."

Shannon shook her head again. "Okay," she told her, "listen up. Because you won’t be able to talk to me for a week." She paused to get her thoughts together. "Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve really been enjoying the gift you gave me. Being able to turn myself into a statue is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. And I’ve been doing it almost every night since my birthday. But something was missing."

Terri nodded, remember how she had used her witch powers to give Shannon the ability to make herself, as well as others, into statues with a touch. She also remembered how her friend hadn’t wasted any time in using that ability on her, leaving her a glass statue for the better part of a week.

"All the other times I’ve been a statue," Shannon continued, "it’s been in the privacy of my apartment. What’s the fun of being a statue, if no one sees me? That’s why I came to you for help."

Now it was Terri’s turn to shake her head. "I don’t understand you sometimes, Shannon," she said. "You are about the shyest person I know when it comes to showing off your body. Hell, you won’t even wear a bikini because it shows too much flesh. And now, here you want to show every inch of yourself in the most public way possible. What gives?"

"Don’t you see, Terri," Shannon smiled. "It won’t be me. It’ll be a statue." She raised her hand to take in the gallery around them. "Just like all these other statues. For them, nudity is a thing of art. Of beauty. And I will be just like them. Understand?"

"I guess," her friend sighed.

"Good," Shannon grinned, suddenly perky. "Now, are you sure you’re magic can do what I want it to?"

"No problem," Terri assured her. "Once I’ve cast the spell, anyone who sees you will believe that you’ve been in the exhibit since it opened. Hell, even the people who run this place won’t realize that you’ve taken the place of one of their statues."

"Alright," Shannon nodded, looking around. "Let’s get this over with, then." She checked the area, trying to decide where she wanted to spend the next week. "There, I think." She pointed to a life-size bronze statue of a roman gladiator. The two friends approached the display. "Okay, Terri. Do your thing."

Terri raised her hands and again spoke the necessary magic words. Shannon watched in amazement as the six foot tall statue began to shrink. In less than a minute, it had become a twelve inch figurine. She reached down and picked it up. "That’s incredible, Terri," she commented, turning the statue over in her hands. "I’ll have to let you do this to me sometime. Let you put me on a shelf somewhere."

"Hey!" Terri told her. "One fantasy at a time. Okay?"

Shannon grinned at her. "Sure," she said. "Whatever you say." She handed her friend the bronze and took off the robe, revealing her naked body beneath. She climbed up onto the pedestal that moments before had supported the other statue. Turning back to face her friend, she held out her right hand. "Let me touch the statue," she told her. Terri held out the gladiator and Shannon placed her hand on its head. With a thought, she felt the now familiar tingle as she absorbed the statue’s bronze properties into her body.

Suddenly, Terri asked, "Have you thought about how you’re going to pose yourself?"

Shannon smiled. "Of course," she answered. "I thought something like this would be good." She assumed the pose she had in mind. She brought her legs together and turned her upper body a little to the left. She took her right arm and drew it across her chest to rest on her left shoulder. With her left hand, she covered her crotch. Finally, she lowered her chin onto her shoulder just above her hand. "What do you think?" she asked.

"It’s a little tame, ain’t it?"

She looked up at Terri. "Tame?" she repeated.

"Well, yeah," her friend nodded. "I mean, here you are, getting ready to reveal yourself to the world, and you pick a pose like that."

"I’ll have you know that this is a very classical pose," Shannon explained.

"If you say so."

Shannon shook her head. "So, what did you have in mind? Well, little Miss Art Critic?"

"I don’t know, Shannon," Terri admitted. "It’s just that for your ‘coming-out party’, I thought you’d go with something a little…" She struggled for the word. "I don’t know. Racier, I guess."

"Racier?" Shannon repeated. "You mean something like this." She bent down and got on her knees, resting her butt on her heels. She spread her legs apart and, reaching down, pushed two fingers into her exposed sex. Arching her back, she raised her free arm up and bent it back behind her head, which she rested against the elbow.

"Now, you’re talking," Terri exclaimed. "Now, that’s a pose that says ‘Look at me’."

Shannon looked up at her. "You’re kidding, right? You really think I should sit here and finger myself all week? Well, forget it. ‘Cause it’s not going to happen."

"Why not?" Terri asked. "What happened to nudity is a thing of beauty?"

"Nudity is one thing," Shannon told her. "Erotica is something else entirely."

Terri let out a sigh. "Okay, fine," she said, with a shake of her head. "But could you do me one favor?"

"Such as?"

"Could you, at least, let me see how you would have looked that way?" Terri asked her. "After all, you couldn’t do this at all if it weren’t for me."

Shannon sighed. "Okay," she gave in. "But just for a second. Then, I want to get into my pose. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Terri nodded.

Shannon returned to the provocative pose. When she was ready, she said, "Freeze." She felt the usual thrill, as her body became solid bronze. Well? she thought to Terri, using their psychic link to communicate.

"Just a sec," Terri told her. She moved around the pedestal, taking in the full effect of Shannon’s pose. After a full circuit, she stopped in front of her friend and reached out to touch the statue’s nose with a finger. "Perfect," she grinned, stepping back.

Good, Shannon thought. Now, if you don’t mind… Shannon went quiet for a few seconds. Then, she shouted out in Terri’s head. Hey!

"Is there a problem?" Terri asked, a wicked smile coming to her lips.

You’re damned right there’s a problem! she heard Shannon say. I can’t change back!

"I know," Terri told her.

Shannon was quiet again. What do you mean you know? she asked after a moment.

"I know you can’t change back," Terri explained. "When I touched you, I took away your ability to restore yourself."

You did what? Shannon screamed.

"I took…" Terri started to say.

I heard you the first time! Why did you do that?

"Simple," Terri said, moving closer so her friend could she her clearly. "I wanted you to know what it feels like to be stuck as a statue you don’t want to be. You know, like when you left me standing at my counter with my dress pulled down around my waist."

Shannon was quiet. She knew that Terri had been angry at her little joke. Still, this was a little much. You can’t mean that you’re going to trap me as a statue forever. I mean, I did change you back. Didn’t I?

"Sure you did," Terri admitted. "Four days later." She paused to let her words sink in. "But don’t worry about being stuck forever. I just removed your ability to free yourself. The time limit is still working. After a week, you’ll be back to your old self. Good as new. That’s what you had in mind, anyway. Right? A week in the gallery."

Yeah. But not like this.

"Well, maybe you’ll remember this the next time you decide to use your touch on me," Terri told her. "And don’t worry. I’ll be here in a week with your clothes. Just like we planned." She opened the shopping bag they had brought with them, and stuck in the shrunken statue and Shannon’s discarded robe. "I’ll see you then. In the meantime, enjoy your fantasy."

Terri! Please! Shannon begged. But the girl continued on without a backward glance, leaving her friend on her pedestal. Well, shit! Shannon thought to herself. I guess it’s true. Payback is a witch.