Five minutes late for her class, Gretchen silently padded across the lobby and peeked through the open door of the yoga studio. Fifteen classmates and her instructor stood shoulder to shoulder, barefoot and clad in sports bras and spandex shorts, while an older man hunched over a bulky camera on a tripod.
“I am almost ready to capture your beauty, ladies,” he announced. “Just double checking the settings.” He turned a dial two clicks to the right and flipped a tiny switch. “Ah, there we go.”
He stood and faced them, stroking the gray stubble on his chin as he surveyed the line of women. Then he grinned and stepped back, brandishing a small remote trigger in his hand.
“Big smiles, ladies! On the count of three: one, two, three.”
He pushed the button on the trigger, creating a bright green strobe effect from the camera. It flashed a dozen times and then stopped. The sixteen women stood perfectly still, the same cheerful smiles still spread across their faces. Within a few seconds, their flesh faded to a uniform gray.
Gretchen stifled a gasp. The so-called photographer had just turned her entire class to stone! She stepped through the studio door and walked across the hardwood floor.
“You weren’t kidding, Anton,” she remarked. “That gizmo really works.”
Anton glanced at his accomplice and then back at the line of marble statues. “Of course, it works, Gretchen. It works every time. And their petrification is permanent, so they will forever remain as stunning and sexy as they are now. In a sense, I have done them a favor.” He spread his arms wide. “I have done the world a favor to gift it with such beauty.”
Gretchen stopped beside him and gazed at the stone figures. “You certainly have. On behalf of the world, thanks! What happens next?”
Anton chuckled. “Well, first of all, thank you for making this possible. It is a privilege to preserve so many lovely ladies at one time.”
Gretchen waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, it was simple enough to excite them about a surprise photo shoot. Happy to help with your little art project.”
Anton nodded. “Much appreciated. The next step is to remove their clothing. Proper statues are always nude.” He pulled a pair of scissors from his bag and held it out for Gretchen. “Care to do the honors? I have some calls to make.”
Gretchen snatched the scissors with a devilish grin. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
She began at the far left end, cutting the clothing from the body of the first woman in line. As the stretchy garments fell away from the statue, Gretchen marveled at the fine details. She brushed her hand over the stone flesh and gasped.
“I can feel the razor bumps where she shaved her pubic hair!”
Anton chuckled. “But of course. That is what happens when you turn real women into statues.”
Gretchen continued exploring the newly minted work of art, squealing in delight with each discovery.
“She has a tiny pimple on her left butt cheek!” Gretchen exclaimed.
“Delightful,” replied Anton, “but we’re on a tight schedule here. I need them all nude before the moving crew arrives.”
“Right, right. I understand. I’ll try to pick up the pace.”
“I appreciate that.”
Gretchen fell into a steady rhythm as she worked her way down the line, deftly cutting the clothing from the petrified women. She got distracted here and there by lower back dimples, surgical scars, and other extraordinary details, not to mention the individual strands of hair atop each statue’s head. Eventually, though, she removed the final garment and stepped back to admire her handiwork.
Gretchen whistled. “They’re gorgeous, Anton! A stunning collection of marble nudes, unlike anything I’ve seen in a museum. The details are exquisite!”
“Indeed they are. And you’ve finished just in time. The movers are a few minutes away.” He paused a moment. “There’s also the matter of your finder’s fee.”
Gretchen smiled. “I suppose so.”
Anton pulled a thick manila envelope from his bag and handed it to Gretchen. “Fifty thousand dollars in cash, my dear. And you earned every penny.”
Gretchen gazed at the envelope, the statues, and then back at the envelope. An unexpected yet undeniable desire took hold and refused to let go. She looked at Anton.
“Change of plans, my friend,” she remarked.
Anton frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t need this,” Gretchen replied, holding out the envelope.
Anton raised an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
His partner-in-crime smiled. “Because I’ve decided to join them as a work of art.”
Anton’s jaw dropped. “Join them? You can’t be serious.”
“What can I say? I’m feeling inspired.” Gretchen laughed. “Are you trying to talk me out of it? Do you want your money back or not?”
Anton shrugged. “Well, if you insist.” He took the envelope and dropped it back into his bag.
“Excellent!” Gretchen replied with a grin.
She pulled her sports bra over her head and peeled off her spandex shorts before tossing them aside with a flourish and striking a sexy pose.
“I’ll save you the trouble of stripping me. It’s the least I can do.”
Anton rolled his eyes. “You’re nothing if not thoughtful.” He gestured toward the far right end of the line of statues. “By all means, take your position, my dear.”
Gretchen nodded, walked over, and put her arm around the last statue’s waist.
“How’s this?”
Anton flashed a thumbs-up, pulled the remote trigger from his pocket, and placed his thumb on the button.
“Big smile, Gretchen. On the count of three: one, two, three.”
He pressed the button, eliciting the same bright green strobe effect from the device. Gretchen’s naked body immediately locked into place and began to petrify. The transformation coursing through her gave rise to a wave of euphoria as her bare flesh hardened into dense marble, stilling her hammering heart and taking her breath away. Anton and his camera faded to darkness as Gretchen’s eyes became blank orbs of stone. Pure ecstasy reverberated through her calcified form long after she was petrified, eventually dissipating as her marble body cooled. Gretchen had no regrets as she joined her classmates in stone forever.
The moving crew arrived.
“Excellent timing,” Anton remarked. “Slight change of plans. We have seventeen statues instead of sixteen. I can explain on the way.”
The following day, all seventeen stone nudes stood along the wall of a large art gallery, bathed in late morning sunlight from large windows behind them. An older woman strolled down the line from left to right, stopping to examine each one. As she reached the final statue, she stopped in her tracks.
“What the—? Is that Gretchen?!”
Anton nodded. “Yes, it is, Evelyn.”
Evelyn stared at Anton. “Please don’t tell me you double-crossed her.”
“Not at all,” Anton replied, shaking his head. “She volunteered to join them.”
“I see.” Evelyn took a closer look at Gretchen and then shrugged. “Oh, well. Go ahead and keep her fee. Consider it a bonus for the extra statue.”
“Thank you, Evelyn.” Anton paused before continuing. “What will you do with your yoga studio?”
“I’ll sell it, open a new one in another state, attract plenty of beautiful women, and then hire you for another photo shoot. Rinse and repeat, as they say. One can never have too many marble nudes.”
“I suppose not,” Anton replied with a smile. “Well, let me know when you need my services again. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Evelyn.”
“Of course, Anton. I’ll be in touch.”
Anton turned and left the studio as Evelyn made a call.
“Yes, you can come set up the refreshments now. The guests will arrive in three hours to celebrate my latest acquisitions.”
Evelyn hung up and left the studio to prepare for the party. The seventeen new statues stayed behind, forever captured in pure joy. Gretchen’s smile was the broadest by far.
Copyright 2023 Olivia Quinn
Photo by ShareGrid on Unsplash
Story notes
This tale of transformation is based on a photo manip on DeviantArt called “Big group photo” by StoneFan88. After an impromptu role-play in the comments, he invited me to write a story about the image. As a sophisticated and well-respected connoisseur of gratuitous nudity and petrification, I happily obliged.
If you’ve read even a few of my stories, I’m sure it’s obvious I have a thing for volunteers. The truth is I love to imagine being in their position, freely offering myself to become a work of nude art. Until that joyous day arrives, I’ll continue fantasizing and writing about it.
Article Tags: Female · Nudity · Sci-Fi · Statue · Stone · Volunteer
