Gorgon Modeling Agency: Checkmate
Ashley couldn't believe it, her auditions to the Gorgon Modeling Agency (G.M.A.) had been accept. She had been trying to get in with a modeling agency for 3 years now but was constantly rejected. She constantly got criticized for not showing enough emotion or having a blank face. The G.M.A. However didn't care about that and had quite often hired models who fit that category.
Admittedly, Ashley knew very little about the other models that had done work for the G.M.A as they usually only lasted a session or so. Though Ashley put that down to what they used the models for, instead of photo shoots they wanted the models for sculpting. There wasn't much of a career there but the money was good and the sculptures were very life like.
The client the G.M.A. that set Ashley up with was a huge chess fanatic and super rich. Once they were acquainted the man showed Ashley his project and what would be required of her. She was amazed in the back yard stood a massive chessboard with human statues 31 naked statues. Their piece was given away by their hair style and posture, 6 in total. The Pawns sat on their butts with their knees against their chests. The rooks stood straight and tall with their arms crossed. The Knights had their hair tied up in a ponytail and acted like they were holding the reins. The bishops had their heads bowed and and hands together as if they were praying. The king had their hair tied up in a braid to make a crown and had a hand over their chest as if making a vow. Finally the queen also had their hair in a braid but going down their back and gave a bow.
Ashley could believe the detail of them and was excited that her statue would complete the collection. She scanned the board for the missing piece and discovered she would be the final rook. She was glad in a way, as it was an easy position to hold and didn't need a complicated hair style. Now that she had seen the statues and knew what she needed to do, she was led back inside to a bathroom before getting undressed. Ashley had never cared about being naked in front of strangers and had even been a nude model for painters in the past. Once naked, one of the assistants from G.M.A. took her belongings for safe keeping. She was then lead to the garage where she would pose.
Ashley was surprised the garage had been set up for a photo shoot instead but found it strange there was no sculpting equipment and there were any signs that any had been done before, except for a smashed statue in the corner. She said nothing, as it wasn't her job to ask, just get paid for what the client wanted. She quickly got into position, matching the other rooks exactly. Happy with her pose the camera man took the photo, and caused a blinding light.
Once the light cleared, Ashley could still see and hear everything. Everyone was packing up and she saw the assistant throwing her stuff in the bin. Ashley tried to scream and ask what she was doing but no words came out of her mouth. She tried to move, but couldn't. She also felt the heaviest she's ever been before.
“Place her with the others”, the home owner commanded of the G.M.A. assistants. “Try not to drop her like the last one”.
Ashley wondered what they were talking about when it occurred to her, there was no sculpting equipment, because they weren't sculptures, they were human beings turned into stone. The realization drew her attention to the shattered statue she saw earlier and now wondered if that had been someone as well, and if she was now dead or alive. It took two men to lift he up, so that she could be put on a trolley and secured tightly. They then carefully took her off and placed her in the rook position. She looked at the other 18 people in her sight and wondered what was going through their heads and how long they had been stuck like that.
“A pleasure as always”, Ashley's boss told the home owner. “You've finally finished you collection”.
“Thanks to you, I'll miss our arrangement. I'll be sure to add an extra large bonus for this”. The home owner then admired his human chess collection.