"Legs together, arms bent, stare straight ahead... Legs together, arms bent, stare straight ahead..."

Heather recited her personal mantra over and over in her head. It was the easiest way she had found to keep her mind from trying to move her body. It seemed odd, but it was true. If she daydreamed, or concentrated on a topic, then she found that she wiggled and moved, almost as if her body was trying to act out what she was thinking. But, she had found long ago that if she described her pose to herself over and over, and thought of nothing else, then she held it very well.

She didn't particularly care for the boring pose she was in today. In fact, it had to be one of the oddest jobs she had ever taken as a store mannequin.

She was in one of these artsy, crafty types of home stores in the mall. All the stuff looked like it was hand carved, but it was still just imported crap, and the whole place smelled like apples and other scents. It was all fake yet the people who bought it thought it made them and their lives connect back to their history. What a joke.

Today she was dressed as a fish. Not the most exciting costume in the world. She actually tried to stay away from them. Even though they hid her face, and hands, they were usually warm, and boring. She wondered why this store bothered using her. People couldn't tell that she was alive in it. They might as well had just used a real dummy, or even a block of wood. Maybe she was cheaper, yeah, that's it.

So, she stood in the doorway of this store in the mall. The normal greeter stood across from her, acting more animated. She didn't envy her for a minute. Yeah, they were both 'on' all the time, but Heather didn't have to be creative and cheery inside the suit, and she didn't have to talk to freak customers.

The suit was a padded thing, like wearing a quilt or a down jacket. It was a little warm, but she was standing under an AC vent, which helped a little. The fish suit had no previsions for her legs, so they remained pressed tightly together, held by the fabric. They had zipped her into it, and carried her out here, since she was unable to walk at all.

Her arms were bent at her elbows, a perfect 90 degrees. Her hands were flat, palms up and a tray of cookies was set on top of them. It was supposed to be a snack for visitors to the store. Usually only the little kids ate them. Every hour or so, the greeter would go grab a new tray and place it on Heather's hands, weighing them down once again. Not that she minded, it was an easy pose to hold, more so then just her hands in mid air of a mannequin pose.

Her hands and arms were covered by these stupid flipper gloves that reached to her armpits. She was supposed to look like a fish, but how many have you seen with arms. It wasn't convincing even though her arms were covered in them.

She laughed to herself, under the mask with the unconvincing fish face. This was an easy $200, she thought. With that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, her personal mantra still playing in her head, still holding her still.

-Dosman!
November 14, 2000