Spring is here

Mark Donovan stood in the doorway of his house, watching his parents’ SUV disappear down the road. A final honk from the horn, his mother waving from the passenger seat, and then—just like that—they were off to Florida.

The house was his now, for the next eight days anyway.

All alone.

Except he was never really alone. Not since winter break.

Making his way to his bedroom, Mark’s collection of frozen women stood around the walls, frozen in various poses, each one suspended in perfect stillness. Mark stepped between them like a curator.

Phoebe Page stood near the closet, her arms crossed and glasses slightly tilted. Her blue eyes were in a blank stare, her lips slightly parted. The frozen 18-year-old blonde was completely naked, as she spent most of her “time” in this state, not that she noticed of course, she couldn’t. Mark corrects the girls glasses, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but place a kiss on Phoebe’s lips, causing the stiff girl to wobble in place on her heels.

One of Phoebe’s best friends, Gabriella Borbón, sat in a chair with her legs crossed equally frozen, with textbook resting open in her lap. Her bored expression gave her the illusion of being just another student lost in thought. But she wasn’t thinking. She couldn’t. Walking up to her, Mark adjusted the angle of Gabriella’s head so that she was looking the same direction as Phoebe. The frozen teen did not complain at all.

Phoebe’s other frozen best friend, Dawn Chavez leaned against the wall near the window, her body tilted mid-step, as if she’d been caught trying to slip out of the room. Her dark eyes were wide, her lips slightly pursed, looking like she was frozen in a moment of hesitation or surprise. Like the others, she too was naked, with one hand outstretched as if reaching for something just out of grasp. She would never reach it. Mark smiled as he grabbed Dawn’s bare breasts, giving Botha quick squeeze.

On a low bench near the foot of his bed sat Delilah Knox, the former investigator. Her posture was stiff, almost regal, her fingers poised near her temple as if she’d been piecing together a puzzle when time claimed her. Her sharp green eyes stared into nothingness, her red hair pulled back in a tight bun. Delilah’s presence was different from the others, she carried an air of authority, even in her frozen state, which was only natural since she was the oldest in his collection. Mark smiled, pursed his lips, and gave the former PI a kiss on the cheek.

Then there were Rae Tucker and Emily Mackenzie, posed together near the desk, their bodies posed to be intertwined. Rae was caught mid-gesture, her hand raised as if swatting away an errant thought or waving off a joke. Her dark hair framed a face full of mischief, her lips curved in the faintest hint of a smirk. Emily, her best friend, stood beside her, her head tilted slightly, her lips parted as if she’d been about to ask a question or laugh at Rae’s antics. Their closeness was palpable, even in stillness. Make gave both girls a hug, grabbing both of their assess, which causes both frozen teens to wobble in place.

Stepping back, Mark looked between his collection, trying to see which doll he would play with first.

What a good problem to have.