Kari was home watching daytime TV when the phone rang. It was Stella from Uptown Models, a modeling agency that she was registered with and had taken jobs with from time to time. Kari was a student at a local community college and had taken jobs modeling in order to supplement her income as a sales clerk for the boutique at a local athletic club. These modeling assignments paid much better than the department store, which made her always, exited to hear Stella's voice on the phone.

Usually the modeling assignments meant being involved in a small fashion show sponsored by one of the department stores, usually Dempsey's the largest department store chain in the region. Most frequently it was on a Saturday morning and involved her and three or four other girls walking a short runway. Occasionally she would be invited to a photo shoot for a catalogue, a direct mail piece or a newspaper ad.

A few of those newspaper ads involved lingerie and even though the pay was good, she felt a little embarrassed having the entire city seeing her in her underwear. Sometimes they would have her wear bras that were for a much fuller figure that needed extra support. Although she had a nice figure, they often had to give Kari a little extra padding to fill out the cups. But that was okay, the padding helped her feel more modest.

Once her parents came to visit and her mom opened the newspaper only to find Kari on the back cover wearing a black bra and panty set. Her mom was very upset and made her promise to never model lingerie again. But Kari didn't keep the promise. Her folks lived in Springfield at the other end of the state and wouldn't likely see any of her work. There weren't any major stores in Springfield, although they had been hoping for a mall for years.

Last year when she modeled bras for Dempsey's she was aghast to she the sale bill in the Sunday morning paper. She was in three different photos in the sale bill and in one of them you could see her nipples and a trace of her aereola. Nipples were okay, but the aereola was going a little too far. She called Stella to complain and Stella said she would relay her complaint to the client, but there probably was nothing she could do about it. That day in class she felt like all the guys were glaring at her. One of them even had the ad with him, tucked away in his binder. She was really glad her parents lived in Springfield, although she worried that her mom might somehow see the ad.

There were so many different types of modeling that Kari never new quite was to expect when Stella called. A few years ago she offered Kari a position doing "mannequin modeling" -a type of modeling where the person models the clothing in the store acting like a mannequin. At first this type of modeling was a little strange, but it came to be her favorite type of modeling. She enjoyed freezing in a pose and watching passerby's trying to figure out whether she was real or not. It did get people to stop and look and her and the clothes. It was hard standing still for a long period of time but after a while she learned to focus her mind on other things and the minutes quickly turned to hours. It was really an escape from the stress of the real world she lived in and it turned out to be a very therapeutic job.

"Well Kari, I've got another interesting one for you," Stella said. "I know you enjoy mannequin modeling and when this job came across my desk, I immediately thought of you. Dempsey's seems to be having some trouble with shoplifting in the jewelry department and they can't seem to pick up anything on their cameras. They've come up with another unique idea. They want to hire a model to pose as a mannequin in the display directly across from the jewelry department. They would need to make you up to look like a mannequin so that no one, not even the sales clerks, would know that you are real. You could then keep an eye on the jewelry department and report any findings to the manager at the end of the day."

"Listen Stella, I've done modeled like this before but I've never stood still for an entire day. I don't think anyone's capable of doing this."

"I brought up the same concern. They are planning to do this on a Sunday, when the hours are noon to five. They'll work with you to make sure your pose is comfortable and that you have something to lean on. It'll still be tough, but you're the only one I know that can do it."

"What about my eyes? It's a sure giveaway when I blink my eyes."

"They'll let you wear some lightly tinted sunglasses. That way your eyes can even roam a little bit as you look for the shoplifters. This can work, Kari," Stella put on her full sales pitch, "the pay is double your normal rate with a $1,000 bonus if you go the entire day undiscovered. And if it works, they'd like to use you in other stores. Kari, You can't pass this one up, they have twenty-three stores!"

Kari smiled, you just never knew what kind of job Stella would come up with. "Okay, when do we do it?"

"They'd like to start this Sunday at their Rosewood Mall store. They'd like to have you there at nine so they can have you ready when the store opens up at noon."

Kari quickly leafed through her appointment book. Today was Friday and Sunday looked good. She'd just have to spend Saturday writing the paper for her Psych class. "I guess that works for me."

"Oh, I almost forgot, there's another perk to this job," Stella mentioned in a cautious voice. "They'd like you to stop by Adelle's Salon on 9th Avenue Saturday afternoon at 3:00. They will pay for a complete body waxing in preparation for Sunday."

"Wait a minute," Kari responded with skepticism, "What exactly do you mean by complete?"

"Every hair on your body except your head and eyebrows. Even your arms and pubic hair."

"Don't you think this is a ridiculous request!? I mean I could wear long sleeves to cover my arms and why, oh why, would anyone care about my pubic hair?"

"This is a requirement for the job, they won't back down. If you won't do it I'll have to ask Jackie." Jackie was another one of Stella's "girls" and she had an annoying, aggressive personality and Kari disliked her intensely.

Kari paused for a moment. This was a little kinky. But . . . she did need the money and . . . she really didn't like the idea of Jackie getting the work over her. What if this was a really good opportunity? It was Dempsey's after all, they were the most prestigious store to model for. If this worked out to mean all twenty-three stores, this could pay like a full time job for only working on Sundays. "Okay, I'm skeptical, but count me in?"

"Great!" responded Stella. "The first thing is to be at Adelle's at three tomorrow afternoon. Ask for Michelle, she's the person who'll do your waxing. Then be at the employee entrance to the Rosewood Dempsey's at nine sharp, Sunday morning. Ask for Todd Marshall or Debbie Moore. They are both from Dempsey's corporate office. Todd is the VP over visual merchandising and security, this was his idea. Debbie is Todd's assistant. I'll stop by on Sunday and see how you're doing."

Kari hung up the phone and slumped back in her chair. Stella was very good at selling an assignment to a model and she had outdone herself this time. Kari wondered if she could really hold still for five hours. In past assignments like this she tried various things for clear her thoughts and remain motionless, but this would clearly be a challenge.

*********

Sunday morning came quickly and Kari got up out of bed. She immediately felt funny without having any body hair. Her smooth arms felt airy and sensitive. And, although she had often shaved tight around her crotch and had trimmed her pubic hair, she had never even thought of shaving it all off. But that's exactly what Michelle did. It took her over three hours and she meticulously waxed every square inch of Kari's body. Only her dark brown eyebrows and her shoulder length hair remained.

As she looked at her naked body in the bathroom mirror she tried out a few mannequin poses and felt that she really did look like a mannequin. The absence of her pubic hair reinforced the look. She was now glad Michelle had done such a meticulous job waxing her body. It left a feeling that would help her to make the entire day without being recognized. She was beginning to get exited about the challenge that lay ahead of her.

Her usual routine would be a large glass of orange juice, but not today. She had thought ahead and determined that she needed to keep her bladder as empty as possible. She wondered about other foods and decided that she needed to eat something in order to keep her stomach from growling and giving her away. In the end she ate a granola bar, a banana and a small yogurt.

**********

Upon arriving at the store Kari walked around the outside entrances until she found a side entrance marked "employee entrance-please knock." It was exactly nine o'clock when she knocked on the door.

"May I help you?" squawked a voice over a loudspeaker near the door.

"I-I'm Kari Renner, I have an appointment."

"Please come in, we've been waiting for you." The door buzzed and Kari cautiously went in.

"Welcome Kari, I'm Debbie Moore." The voice was confidant and in-control. Although this was a Sunday morning, Debbie Moore looked made up and almost ready to be a mannequin herself. She was very proper and representative of Demsey's.

Right behind Debbie was a man I assumed to be Todd Marshall. He was of average height, had sandy blonde hair and was a little effeminate. He was wearing black pants with a purple silk shirt. His hair was cut very short. "I'm Todd Marshall, I so glad you were able to help us with this project. Follow Debbie and she'll get you started. We've got a lot to do before noon."

"I-Its good to be here" was about all Kari could muster up. She felt a little overwhelmed by their confidence. Debbie motioned Kari to follow her across a large stockroom toward a door at the end.

Once through the door, Kari saw a well-organized room full of display equipment. To her left along the wall were numerous display racks and sign standards. To her right was an open area with a workbench and a couple of chairs. Behind the workbench she saw racks of display forms and mannequin parts. To the far right were a couple of female mannequins fully assembled.

"Have a seat," Todd motioned to the chairs, "I need to fill you in on some details."

Kari had never been in a display workroom or storeroom and her eyes were wandering around to the extent that she was having a hard time looking Todd and Debbie in the eye when talking with them. She sat down in the middle of the three chairs. Todd sat to her right and Debbie to her left.

Todd leaned forward and began speaking. "Kari, you probably have a number of questions about this job. Let me explain it to you, I can probably answer most of your questions. Let me start with why you're here. We've been experiencing a lot of inventory shrinkage, or stealing, in our jewelry department. We're not sure but we think it might be a staff member that's doing it. We think most of the stealing is happening during our Sunday shift. We have detectors that employees go through at the end of the shift but we've failed to turn up anything. We've also watched the department on security cameras-again nothing. Our strategy at this point is to have you, a live person made up made up to pass as a mannequin, to observe the department during the course of store hours. We're hoping you'll help us catch the thief." The explanation was well thought out and Todd and Debbie both breathed mental sighs of relief, as it appeared that Kari bought the story.

"Next let me explain how we think you'll pass as a mannequin. Debbie is our makeup artist. She'll spray your entire body with a cream that will color your skin and add a plastic sheen to it. The cream will dry to the touch in a half-hour, although it will continue to harden over the next few hours. The plastic shell formed comes off easily at the end of the day, but its hardness will actually help you hold your pose. This is why we had Adelle's wax off all your body hair. Any hair caught in the plastic shell would cause the removal of the shell to be very painful. "We've also adapted a mannequin's pedestal to help to stand."

Todd pointed to a mannequin stand that was an oval glass base with a metal support rod. On top of the support rod was a triangular pad that Kari correctly assumed was to sit just under her buns and help her remain steady. The stand seemed like a good idea. The explanation made sense to Kari and somewhat eased her mind as to why she had to have her entire body waxed. It also eased her mind to know that the covering would help her hold her pose. "But won't the shell make her hot and sweaty inside?"

"A little bit," answered Todd. "But others haven't complained." In reality the others never had the chance to complain.

Debbie interrupted, "as you've probably heard, Dempsey's has always used mannequins that have a unique look. We looked over each model in your agency and felt that your look is very much the Dempsey's look. You should fit right in." Debbie wanted to offer Kari a level of reassurance.

Todd continued. "Kari solving this problem is really important to us. You'll need to be perfectly still and undetectable for the entire day. Only your eyes can move behind your sunglasses. We don't want the employees know we're spying on them like this. The person we suspect has been known to sue previous employers. This is why we've set such a high bonus for making it the entire day as a mannequin. We don't want you to be discovered. We'll have you on our cameras and even the slightest move will cause you to lose the bonus."

Todd paused and looked at his watch. "It's 9:15. We need to get going. Debbie can take it from here. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes. What exactly do you mean by the slightest move losing my bonus?" Kari wondered if they would find a way to cheat her out of her bonus by some slight quivering of her body.

"I'm talking about a move that would give yourself away. Something like repositioning your arm or changing your pose. I realize that you might slightly waiver in your pose-we wouldn't penalize you for that. But it is extremely important that you not be detected. Any other questions?" After a short pause Todd started out of the room. "Good luck Kari, you're in good hands with Debbie."

*****

Debbie followed Todd to the door and locked it after he went out. "The first step is for you to take off all your clothes. The bathroom is in the far right corner. Your can take off your clothes there and go to the bathroom one last time. You want to make sure you get everything out! When you're done come on out and we'll start."

Kari did just that. As she took off her clothes she neatly folded them and stacked them. She also made sure that she got everything out, going to the bathroom twice-once before she undressed and once after. She looked at her nude hairless form in the mirror. All this attention to her body was unusual, even for a model and she was more than a little nervous. The cold bathroom had given her goosebumps and had made her nipples firm. She opened the door a crack and peeked out. Debbie was waiting. She even had a space heater going.

"Come on out, we've got to get started."

Kari went out and stood before Debbie.

"We'll start with your body and finish with your face. You can sit down for a moment, you'll do plenty of standing today."

Debbie went over to the worktable and came back with a flesh-toned piece of plastic that was shaped like a maxipad. "This is to cover your sex. It would be very uncomfortable to have any of the cream on the inside of your body. It has a light adhesive to it. You can apply it yourself." With that she handed the item to Kari, who then applied it between her legs. Its color nearly matched her skin and with her pubic hair having been shaved off, it definitely made her look more like a mannequin.

Next came more flesh-toned plastic in the form of adhesive bra cups. Kari had seen items like this in women's magazines but had never worn them. "Our mannequins don't wear any underwear and neither will you. Please sit up straight while I put these on you." It hadn't occurred to Kari that she wouldn't be wearing any underwear. She decided not to say anything. It seemed that Debbie and Todd had thought of all the details and weren't too flexible about any modifications.

Debbie manipulated Kari's breasts to make sure that the cups fit perfectly and without any creases. They were very thin and covered only the bottom half of her breasts, but they supported her breasts surprisingly well. Her nipples were barely covered. Kari found that Debbie's hands on her breasts actually turned her on a little bit and she also found the adhesive bra to be comforting.

"You can remain seated while I get the spray gun ready."

Kari sat down and wondered why she hadn't really said anything so far. Debbie seemed in control and the more Kari thought about it, she had been hired as a body. Her only modeling skills needed in this job were the right body and the ability to stay still for five hours. She sensed that Debbie and Todd viewed her as just that. There really wasn't a need for her to speak. She'd just do as she was asked for the day and make damn sure she got her bonus.

Debbie slipped a plastic hair net over Kari's hair and put a surgical mask on both their faces. The spray gun was electric and Debbie held in firmly in her hands. "Kari, I need you to stand straight with your feet two to three feet apart. Hold your arms out from your body at a 45-degree angle. I need to make sure I spray your armpits and sex, but we'll hold off on your head."

Kari obeyed and Debbie began spraying. The fluid was white at first and then turned a light fleshtone. It was thicker than paint, but yet it sprayed on like paint. In the mirror that Debbie had placed in front of her, Kari could see that the cream covered every part of her body. Any freckles or tan lines were gone. Kari could feel her nipples being aroused as the spray touched them.

After about fifteen minutes of careful spraying Debbie declared that Kari's body was finished. "You'll need to stand like this for about 30 minutes to let the solution start to dry. Then I'll work on your face. I'll be right back."

With that, Debbie unlocked the door and left the room. Standing still and alone in the room, Kari started to feel more like the display fixtures neatly stored around her. She dared not move, she didn't want to risk her bonus.

Finally, Debbie came back into the room. She walked up to Kari and began feeling all over her body-even her breasts and between her legs. "I think we can start on your face, you're dry enough that you can sit down for a while." Gratefully Kari sat down. As she sat down she could feel the stiffness of the drying solution on her body.

Debbie took off Kari's mask and left Kari's hair covered. "Close your eyes now, I'm going to spray your face." Kari again did as she was told and Debbie meticulously sprayed Kari's face.

Once finished with Kari's face, Debbie took the net off Kari's hair and combed it back to normal. Kari's blonde hair was fairly straight and didn't need much combing. "I need you to stand up again. I'm going to leave for a few minutes. I'm going to get your outfit. When I come back we'll dress and pose you."

Debbie's absence seemed shorter this time. As promised, she returned with an outfit. The outfit was black skirt with a sweater top that buttoned up the front. The sweater top had large horizontal black and maroon stripes. Debbie also had a new box of pantyhose and a pair of black shoes with high blocked heals.

"Stand up, let's get you dressed," Debbie commanded. As Kari stood up she could feel the stiffness of her body as the solution continued to dry. She looked at her hands and they even had a plastic shine. The solution had covered up the color differences in her fingernails and she really did look like a mannequin! It wasn't going to be as hard as she thought to go the day undiscovered.

The first item of clothes was the pantyhose. It was shear and black in color. Then Debbie had her slip on the skirt. It was shorter than it looked, that made her a little nervous in that she always thought she had thick calves. After the skirt Debbie had Kari slip on the shoes. The heels were high enough that it took Kari a moment to adjust. Then came the top. Debbie slipped it on Kari's arms from behind and then came around and buttoned it up. Kari could see in the mirror that the sweater's V-neck collar showed a little of her cleavage. That was okay, she was proud of her bust.

"You look great," announce Debbie. "Let's take you out on the sales floor. The staff are in a sales meeting and we'll be undetected. I'll apply your facial makeup and finish your hair out there." Debbie put the glass base and stand on a cart that had a shelf with various makeup stuff-hairspray, makeup, eyeliner, lipstick, etc.

Kari felt strange as they walked out on the sales floor. She suddenly noticed the faces and positions of all the mannequins. She somehow felt she understood them now, she looked just like one of them.

The walked past the jewelry department and Kari could see her spot ahead in a corner display. The display was elevated about six inches and was about six feet wide. On the right hand side of the display was a striking brunette mannequin that looked a lot like Jackie. She was wearing a burgundy knit dress with black stockings. The dress was accented with the image of a black rose woven on the right shoulder and breast. Kari's outfit would compliment the other girl's outfit. Next to the other mannequin was a small single-pedestal table with a vase of silk roses on top.

Debbie placed the glass base in the open part of the display, where the table would be between Kari and the mannequin that looked like Jackie. She also placed the metal post in the base and then motioned to Kari, "Well . . . here's your spot. You'll be standing next to this other girl. You might as well get in position. I'll pose you and then do your hair."

Kari stepped up on the pedestal and lifted the back of her skirt over the top of the metal post. She was feeling stiffer by the moment due to the covering on her skin and as she rested on the pad at the top of the post, she knew she had a good chance of getting her bonus.

Debbie posed Kari with most of her weight on her right foot. Her left leg was extended forward as if she was going to step in that direction. Her hips were facing directly at the jewelry section. Debbie then leaned Kari's shoulders back and moved them so they were distinctly aimed to her right. She then moved her head back left and pointing toward the jewelry section. It seemed easy for Kari to stay in whatever position Debbie moved her.

Kari's left arm was left straight with a slight, elegant bend at the elbow. Debbie moved Kari's left hand so that the index finger was slightly pointed with the other fingers gently cupped. Kari's right arm was much in the same position, only it was positioned back behind the plain of her hips. This position seemed a little uncomfortable, but Kari could feel that it accentuated her breasts.

"Any last words . . . uh, for the day I mean." Debbie cursed inside that she almost gave it away.

Kari couldn't think of what to say. "I-I-I'll see you at closing."

They both heard talking at the far end of the store. "Staff meeting must've let out. Your time has officially started, no more movement. Let me adjust your smile and put on your makeup. Oops, I almost forgot your sunglasses." With that Debbie quickly ran across the store and came back with a pair of sunglasses. After putting them on Kari, she spent what seemed like twenty minutes applying makeup and working on Kari's hair. Having finished, Debbie stepped back and looked proudly at Kari. "You look as beautiful as any mannequin in the house. Well the front doors are opening, good luck, I'll see you later."

*****

Kari could hear voices and figured that the store was now open. She stood still trying her best to be a mannequin and not be noticed. But she was nervous. After a few minutes the first customer came to the jewelry department. It was an older woman with a younger child, maybe her grandchild. They browsed for a few minutes and then left toward the escalators before the sales clerk could help them.

Eventually people came in front of Kari at a steady pace. A few slowed down to look at her and the other mannequin. Most acted like they didn't even exist, their minds were obviously on other things.

Three young girls stopped in the jewelry section. They were a little noisy and Kari wondered if they might be the types to shoplift. She tried to watch them carefully. Then a thought occurred to her, what if she saw them shoplift? What was she supposed to do? Should be break pose and yell at someone to catch them? Neither Debbie nor Todd had told her what to do if they saw a theft. Since she was told very explicitly not to break her pose, she decided that she would try and keep mental notes of what she saw. That would even help the time pass!

After a period of time, that could've been an hour, Kari found herself zoning in and out of a kind of sleep or daydream. With the pedestal to lean on and the cream on her skin hardening it was surprisingly easy to keep her pose. During one of her daydreams she actually wondered what it would be like to really be a mannequin.

Little did Kari know that her first big challenge was coming, as her consciousness was abruptly broken. "Mama, what's wrong with this lady? She doesn't move." The voice was one of a young girl maybe four years old. She was up on their pedestal and shaking the other mannequin, trying to make it move.

"Stop that Heather! You might knock her over." Mom came running.

"What's wrong with her Mama?"

"She's just a dummy. She's not real." Mom lifted the girl up to the other mannequin so that she was looking in her eyes. "See she's not real. They use her to show off the clothes. Now come back her with me, Mommy needs to look at these dresses."

The girl went back with Mom, but she wasn't happy. Behind her fixed view, Kari could hear the girl rummaging around under the racks. Mom was constantly telling her to settle down. Then before Kari knew what was happening, the girl was standing up under Kari's dress!!

Kari's immediate urge was to jump away and push the girl back. But she thought better. She wanted her bonus and she didn't want to cause a ruckus in the store. She remained true to her pose. The girl put her hand up underneath Kari's dress past her sex and up in front of her tummy. Part of it hurt and parts of it tickled. Kari held her pose. On the way down, the girl's hand pulled Kari's pantyhose so that it felt like it was lopsided and baggy around her right knee. The girl started to yell underneath Kari's dress. She liked the echo her voice made.

"Heather, Heather what are you doing? Come with me, I've found the dress I want. I just need to buy it and we'll go home. Do you want to split a cinnamon roll on the way out?" The cash register made its sound and soon they were gone. Kari had held her pose! And she was proud of it.

Soon after they left, the sales clerk came around and looked at Kari and the other mannequin. "What did she do to you two dears?" she said outloud in a motherly voice. The sales woman was in her early fifties and fit right into the image of a person you would imagine to work in the dress section of a department store. She was nicely dressed and Kari could smell the strong scent of her perfume. It was Odyssey, the same perfume Kari's mother wore.

The woman first worked on the other mannequin's hair. From what Kari could see out of the corner of her eye that the mannequin's hair was a little disheveled from the girl's shaking.

The woman didn't adjust Kari's hair. It must not have needed it. She did kneel down in front of Kari and run her hands up her legs to straighten out her pantyhose. It felt good to have the pantyhose pulled back up, but it still wasn't right and Kari longed to use her hands to get rid of that lopsided feeling. But she didn't. The woman finished Kari by pulling up her skirt and straightening it out a little bit. It was a little better, but not quite right.

Then they were on their own. People came and went. A few women stopped to comment on Kari's dress and some even felt the material. One man in his late thirties sat down on the pedestal with the two mannequins. He seemed to be waiting for his wife and was becoming impatient. After quite a while his wife came out to show him a dress she was trying on. It was the same dress the other mannequin was wearing. He voiced his approval and she went back to change clothes and buy the dress. Mannequins do help sell things, thought Kari.

After the man's wife went back to the dressing room the man stood in front of the other mannequin, and, after carefully making sure he wasn't being observed, he quickly touched the other mannequin's breast. He then went back to check on his wife. Kari tried to think of what was going on in his mind. What did he expect? Did it turn him on? Why was he so curious? She didn't have any answers, she was just glad he didn't touch her breast.

Then it occurred to Kari that there had been so much action around her that she really hadn't been watching the jewelry department. But it had been really slow. The two sales clerks spent most of the time talking to each other and pacing back and forth, hoping for customers.

Time passed and Kari again mentally checked out. She felt so much like a mannequin that at one point she wasn't sure she could move if she wanted to. What if she couldn't remember how to move at the end of the day?

Kari was startled to see Debbie standing right in front of her. ." She whispered words in Kari's ear while she pretended to fix her hair. "You're doing great. Its four o'clock-only an hour to go. I think your going to get your bonus."

Wow! Only an hour more. She still hadn't caught any shoplifters, but so what! All she had to do to make the bonus was to make the day without losing her pose. This was an okay job, she might even consider doing it again, but they probably wouldn't do it again since it really hadn't been successful--she hadn't seen any shoplifters.

Kari noticed two women started talking right in front of her. They were both in their thirties and both had sandy blonde hair like Kari's. She thought they were probably sisters. One of the women felt inside the collar of Kari's dress. "This is really nice, I bet it'd be very comfortable. I think you ought to try it on, you look great in these colors. This might be just what you're looking for." The other woman agreed and said she might try it on. The walked past Kari to the racks behind her.

Thing were quiet again. Then the sales clerk was beside her. Very quickly the woman stepped up on the pedestal and reached behind Kari's neck. "This one's a medium. You can try it on." Evidently they had liked the outfit enough that they tried to find it on the rack. When they couldn't the sales lady had offered to check the size that was on the mannequin-Kari!

Kari wondered how they would have her change clothes as to not be detected. Maybe they would end her job a few minutes early and just have her step into a changing room. All too quickly, Kari found the answer. The sales woman stepped in front of Kari and began to unbutton her top. Kari nearly panicked and wondered if the thought translated to her face. She remembered Debbie's words, nothing could cause her to loose her pose-and so close to closing.

Kari decided to stick with her pose. This was definitely beyond the call of duty, she might even get a bigger bonus. As Kari thought about her options, the woman fully unbuttoned the knit top. Kari felt a coolness to her chest. Then the woman quickly pulled the knit top off Kari's shoulders and down over her arms and hands. "Here you go, you've already got the skirt in a medium. Here's the top. I show you our dressing room."

After thanks from the younger of the two women, they walked away toward he dressing room. Kari was left standing topless in the middle of a department store. She felt cold and embarrassed. But she knew there would be no doubt that she would get the bonus. That thought carried her forward. She tried to remember how the body cream and the adhesive bra cups disguised her nipples. She probably did look just like a mannequin that on any given visit to the store you might find naked.

Kari hoped that the sales clerk would find a replacement top quickly, but it seemed like forever. Kari began to focus her attention on the people passing by. Most of them didn't seem to pay attention. A few men would give her casual glances, trying not to be too obvious or glaring. She heard a young voice, "Mommy, that lady's naked." The voice was accompanied by a quick retort, "She's only a dummy, it doesn't matter." It did matter to Kari, she felt so exposed. Her uncovered breasts seemed as large as watermelons and it seemed like the entire world was ogling her. But a part of her felt it was exciting to be able to pass undetected as a mannequin--it was even flattering. Weren't mannequins, after all, based on the most beautiful women in the world?

After a bit Kari saw the two women walk past her toward the main mall. The younger of the two had a Dempsey's bag in her hand and had undoubtedly bought the outfit Kari was modeling. A moment later Kari noticed the sales women in front of her. "Honey, you need to be dressed in public," she lectured Kari, not knowing that Kari was an alive woman who heard everything she said. "I wish I was young again. I used to have a figure as nice as yours."

The woman momentarily took off Kari's sunglasses and slipped a back turtleneck dickey over Kari's head. Kari stared straight ahead. The woman was careful to put Kari's necklace on the outside of the dickey and then put Kari's sunglasses back on. Then Kari saw the woman go behind her and in a moment she felt the woman putting her arms through the sleeves of a jacket. Although she couldn't see what color it was, it felt to Kari like it was a blazer. In fact it was a double-breasted maroon blazer. The woman used her fingers to adjust Kari's hair and then stepped back and said, "You look as good as new."

Kari dosed off and awoke to see Debbie in front of her. The sales lady was talking to her. "Someone bought the knit sweater she was wearing. I redressed her in this blazer and turtleneck. I hope that's okay."

"It's quite alright, you just need to know that you can always call visual merchandising to help you." Debbie smiled as she thought of Kari's predicament being stripped of her clothing in the middle of a department store. Just a preview of things to come, she thought. "I need to take her back to do some makeup, I'll need you to restock her clothes after I take them off."

Then Debbie, acting as if Kari really was a mannequin, began to remove her clothes. First the blazer, then the skirt and shoes. Then another familiar voice. It was Todd. "How's it going Debbie."

"Everything looks just fine. Really fine." Debbie had a cautious smirk on her face. She couldn't let the sales lady have any idea of the truth.

Kari was getting pissed. Here she was standing in the middle of a department store wearing pantyhose and a black dickey around her neck. I think I've done my time, to hell with surprising the sales clerk, I'm moving. In the next instant she realized that she couldn't move. She tried harder. But no movement. She tried to scream. Nothing. What was happening to her? Had she forgotten how to move? What had Debbie and Todd done to her? Had she been duped into becoming a real mannequin?

Debbie took off the dickey and then lifted Kari off her stand and down to the floor on to a handtruck. Todd spoke up, "I'll get that, you take the stand." He then stepped behind Kari and tilted the handtruck back. Kari was horrified. She found herself looking up and the ceiling lights as Todd pushed her through the store and into the display shop. Once there he lifted her off the handtruck, took off her sunglasses and pulled off her pantyhose. He then put her back on the stand.

Todd and Debbie stood back to admire their latest acquisition. "She had no idea did she Deb?"

"Clueless. The security mannequin ploy works every time."

Clueless! Clueless! She hated that word. It implied the picture of an airhead and just being a dumb blonde. She wanted to defend herself. It did seem like a legitimate idea! She knew that stores had problems with shoplifting and she had read that many times the employees are to blame. She fell for it. She could just kick herself, only she couldn't kick anything. She was a just a mannequin, nude and posed for the world to see. It was awful.

Todd stepped forward sprayed something into Kari's face and began to talk to Kari. "I guess you know by now that we really don't have a security problem. We do have a mannequin inventory problem, though.. We're opening a new store in Springfield next month and need a number of display mannequins. I'm glad you decided to join our team. You've read that Dempsey's has always prided itself in unique beautiful mannequins that can't be found in any other store and that we design our mannequins internally. Well, now you know how it works."

Todd put his hand on Kari's shoulder as he continued. "Our plan is to recruit three new mannequins from each of our exiting stores. The girl standing next to you was our first. Her name is Jackie, we finished her last weekend."

Oh shit, thought Kari. No wonder the other mannequin resembled Jackie--it was Jackie! Stella had conned her too. And with the same dumb story.

Todd continued, "The body paint that Debbie has applied to your skin has already hardened to the point where you are unable to move. It will continue to harden and permeate your body until your entire body is as plastic. That'll take about a week. At that point we'll install the pivot points at your wrists, shoulders, leg and waist to complete the process. The mist I sprayed in your eyes has already frozen the movement of your eyes. As you've been watching me your eyes haven't moved and I'm guessing they can't move anymore."

He was right. As much as Kari tried to move her eyes, she couldn't. They were fixed straight forward in a blind stare. She couldn't even blink. Holy shit, she thought. What am I going to do now? Nothing was the answer. There was nothing she could do.

"Bye, bye Kari." Todd and Debbie spoke in unison as they left the room and turned off the lights.

On the outside Kari was firm and confident. But the inside was another story. She had many questions. How could someone have done this to her? She was a good person. What would it be like being a mannequin? Probably just like today only forever. A forever of being naked in public, being a dummy, being at the mercy of any human that wanted to touch, fondle or dress her. How long would she retain consciousness? Would she be dead when the process was finished? She cried a tearless cry. She cried herself to sleep.

The girl who was hired to look for shoplifters, had herself been shoplifted.

Looking for Shoplifters  (part 2)
By Disman

Kari awoke when the lights came on. It was Debbie. "How was the night last night, Kari? Didn’t go anywhere did you? Ha.
Ha." Debbie snickered and then came over to Kari and knocked on her cheeks. They remained hard and hollow sounding.
Kari felt the hardness in her head and was reminded again of her predicament.

Kari’s nude mannequin body was formed in the exact position it was on the sales floor. Left foot forward with her right arm
back behind her back. Her eyes remained fixed straight ahead in the exact position that she was looking when Todd sprayed
her eyes last night. Kari had gained consciousness a few times during the night and had pondered and stressed over her
situation. Inside she was very scared and anxious. Outside she was stiff.

She was hopeless, the only thing to save her had to come from someone else. Maybe Debbie would soften and rescue
her—probably not. Maybe the saleslady—no, she didn’t even know Kari was a real person. Maybe Todd—but what price
would she pay? Alas there was no one. The situation was hopeless, she would have to get used to being a mannequin.
                                              *****

There was a soft knock at the door accompanied by "Hello, . . .Debbie are you here?" It was a familiar voice. "Come on in
Stella" was Debbie’s reply.

Stella! Thank God. She’ll recognize me and rescue me. Kari was excited, she had hope!

Debbie motioned to the Kari mannequin, "Stella, I’m glad you came. Look! She made a perfect mannequin. Your story
worked perfectly. She didn’t have a clue. While you look her over I’ll ring up to accounting and have them bring down your
check."

Check! Why a check? Then it hit Kari like a freight train—she had been sold to be turned into a mannequin. Now Kari was
angry. She kept repeating the scenario in her head. Stella was expecting a check. Stella had sold Kari out. Stella and Debbie
had made Kari an offer she couldn’t refuse knowing that they’d never even have to pay her. Stella was part of the plot. Kari’s
anger transitioned to depression, a minute before she had thought that Stella might be her savior. Instead, working for Stella had
sealed her doom.

With Debbie on the phone, Stella turned to Kari and spoke directly to her. "Kari, honey. I don't know if you can hear me.
You're probably mad at me now, but you really do look beautiful. In a few years you’d be too old to model and we’d have
parted anyway. Now you’ll look beautiful forever. And isn’t the Springfield store in your hometown? It’ll be like going home."

Kari’s anger subsided. Being a mannequin in the new Springfield store was kind of like going home. She might even see some
old friends. But anger quickly returned, they’d be real and she wouldn’t.

After getting off the phone Debbie came over to Stella with a glass of orange juice. "What do you think?"

Stella spoke while sipping her orange juice. "She’s beautiful. It’s hard to believe she was real just a few days ago. She looks
just as good as Jackie did last week. I’ve got one other that I think I can get to do it this Sunday and you’ll have your three
from Rosewood."

Stella patted Kari on the check and turned back to Debbie, "So when do you want her . . . the other one? Sunday morning
again?"

"Well actually I need someone before then . . . like today."

"Today?!! Isn’t that a little short notice? I mean . . . most models . . . er . . . a . . . some models can come . . . on . . on . .
s-s-short n-n-notice . . . but not . . .th-the . . . type y-y-you . . ." Stella was getting a little sleepy and woosy. She sat down in
the chair. "Wh . . . Wh . . . What . . . is . . . h . h . hap . p . pen . . . ing . . . t-t-t-to . . . m . . ."

Stella slumped into Debbie’s arms. "Actually Stella, I think you’ll do just fine. And by using you, we won’t risk having anyone in
Rosewood who knows our secret. And, guess what? We won’t be paying you your bonus either."

Shortly after Stella had passed out, Todd walked in the room. Debbie had called him when she pretended to be calling
accounting for a check. He walked over to Stella and examined her carefully. "So you think she’ll do?"

"Yep, she’ll do fine. Her portfolio was in the original group that we picked the other two from. She’s the right size and has the
right look. She’s a little older, but we can work around that with a little extra makeup."

"Okay. Let’s get started."

Kari watched as Todd and Debbie lifted Stella onto a table and began taking her clothes off. Kari was reminded of how grungy
Stella always dressed. She was wearing an old worn-out designer label sweatshirt and a pair of black jeans. Her body was
limp as they took off the sweatshirt and jeans. Kari was amused that underneath it all, Stella was wearing a leopard skin print
bra and panty set. She didn't seem like the type of woman to wear racy underwear. She was too conservative and casual. In a
few moments Stella was completely naked.

For the next hour or so, Debbie completely waxed Stella's body. With the waxing went Stella's hair, every bit of it including the
hair on her head. Stella was beginning to look like a mannequin.

Kari remembered the process that she went through. To become a mannequin the body paint had to harden while she stood in
position. Stella was limp. How would they get her to stand in position for the hours needed? Her question was partially
answered when Todd and Debbie tied ropes to Stella’s wrists and ankles. They quickly tied her so that she was standing with
her feet apart and her arms upward at forty-five degree angles from her body. She looked like she was doing a jumping jack.

With Stella tied in this position, Debbie began spraying the cream on her body. It was the same stuff Debbie had used on Kari,
with a stiffening result. "Your going to make a beautiful mannequin, Stella," was Debbie's comment upon completion. "I’m sure
that you‘ll be seeing a lot of Jackie and Kari. Maybe you’ll be in the same display. . . well, I've got to run an errand, don't go
anywhere while I'm gone!" Debbie chuckled as she left the room.

Kari had mixed feelings as she watched this process. Sure Stella deserved this treatment. She was responsible for Kari being
made into a mannequin. But on the other hand, it was hard to see anyone have their life and mobility taken from them.

Kari dozed off into a short sleep. She was awakened by movement around her. Debbie was back with Todd and they had
untied Stella. They were posing her into a position. Evidently the body paint had hardened to such an extent that they could
move Stella in any position and Stella would stay put. Together they posed Stella into a sitting position, using a small chair as
her seat. Stella’s legs were crossed and she was leaning back supporting herself with her arms. While Todd finalized the pose,
Debbie began working on Stella's facial makeup.

When they were nearly finished a knock came at the door, it was an employee who came in and asked Todd a question. The
employee nervously looked around while Todd responded. He never suspected that the two nude female mannequins in the
room had been real living breathing women just a few hours before. Kari was only slightly bothered by her nakedness. Kari
was resigning herself to existing as a mannequin and not a human.

It was hard to keep track of time when you were a mannequin, but in about a week Kari found herself standing in the display
studio with Jackie and Stella. They remained nude, but Kari could see in the mirror across the room that at some point they had
shaved her head. She was as bald as could be—Jackie and Stella too. Kari wondered what was left. She wondered when they
were going to Springfield.

Todd came in with an electric device of some sort. The device was a wire that was about two feet long. There was a cord from
one end of the wire, Todd plugged it into an extension cord. He walked over to Stella and lifted the wire up under Stella’s
armpit. The device took off Stella’s arm and left a clean smooth flesh colored line. In a matter of a few minutes, Todd had
installed some hardware into Stella’s shoulder (where her arm had been) and then into her arm. He then clicked the arm back in
place, leaving a fine line as the only visible evidence that her arms could be removed.

Todd then used the device to install pivot points on the remainder of Stella’s body--her wrists, her other shoulder, her waist
and at the top of her right leg. He then did the same to Jackie. Kari realized that this would enable the display staff to take her
body apart to make it easier to move her and to dress her. But what would it feel like? Todd then came to Kari and began with
her right arm. It happened so fast that she hardly even noticed what was happening. After about a half-hour, Todd was finished
with Kari too. She now felt even less like a human and more like a mannequin. She knew she would never be real again.
                                              *****

"Well girls, its time to go to Springfield," was Debbie's comment as she took the three women apart and placed their body parts
in a packing crate. Kari's torso was laid opposite of Stella's. Kari was looking into Stella's navel and Stella hers. She could feel
that one of Stella's breasts was placed between her own breasts. Their legs and arms were placed around them and then the
box was topped off with packing straw. "I'm going over to the Rivergate store this afternoon, they've got a model over there
ready for a security assignment just like you did Kari. Her name is Naomi, I'm sure you'll run into her in Springfield." Debbie
nailed the wooden box shut.

The next thing the mannequins knew, their box was being opened up in a different surrounding. They were in the display room
of the new store. Kari was the first to be wheeled to her station. A woman had put all her parts separately on a cart and was
wheeling her through the store. She could see that everything was brand new. Workers were all around readying the store to be
opened. Some of the shelves were stocked and others remained empty.

Kari wondered what department she was going to. Since she knew she would never again be a real human, she had begun to
look forward to being a mannequin in the store. She was hoping to be in the formal wear section, modeling a fancy evening
gown or maybe even a wedding dress. Instead she found herself being put on a pedestal in the lingerie section. Lingerie!! This
was the last department she wanted. It was bad enough being a mannequin. But here she would be a mannequin in her
underwear. This was embarrassing.

In a few minutes the same woman came again with the cart containing Stella's parts. Kari's torso was sitting on the pedestal
next to her legs and waist, so her view was a low one with the woman darting back and forth in front of her. Out of the corner
of Kari's eye, she could see that the woman had put Stella fully together with the exception of her arms. The woman went into
the display racks and came back with a full slip in a leopard skin print. She quickly pulled it over Stella's head and down over
her body. She then installed Stella's arms and put a blonde wig on her head. Well, thought Kari, Stella did seem to like that
leopard print stuff, she ought to be happy!

After the woman had finished primping Stella, she went back into the display racks. Kari wondered what she was getting for
her. A few moments later the woman came back with something that appeared to match the leopard skin print of Stella's slip.
Through her low view (she was staring directly at her own crotch), she could see the woman putting a pair of French cut briefs
on her bottom half. The woman then turned around and picked up Kari's torso and attached it to her bottom half. Kari's arms
were still lying on the ground at her feet. Looking into Kari's face, the woman put her hands around Kari's back. Kari could feel
that the woman had fastened a bra around her chest. She then pulled the straps over Kari's shoulders and then spent a few
moments adjusting the straps so that the cups fit tightly over Kari's breasts.

The woman then put a wig on Kari's head and spent some time working on their facial make-up. Even though she resented
being a mannequin, she did enjoy the special treatment. She truly felt beautiful.

With her eyes fixed straight ahead, Kari could see her reflection in a mirror in the jewelry section across the aisle. Her and
Stella presented a beautiful display of two women in matching leopard skin underwear. One (Stella) sitting on a dresser wearing
a slip and the other (Kari) standing beside her wearing a bra and French-cut panties. Kari could feel and see that the bra was
designed to enhance her cleavage, however her breasts remained firm and immovable. Stella was a blonde and Kari was a
sassy redhead.

"You guys look great," said the woman. "Our grand opening is tomorrow and everyone, especially the guys, will be ogling you
two. Sometimes I envy you mannequins--you always look great, everyone wishes they could look like you. Sometimes I wish I
could be like you . . . you live a carefree existence. That beats my life most of the time." She paused for a moment and then
said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

A few minutes later, Debbie and Todd came through checking the store over to see if it was ready for the grand opening. They
stopped in front of Kari and Stella. "Hey you guys drew lingerie!" Debbie snickered. "I just saw your friend Jackie. She ended
up in career wear dressed in a nice business suit. She's probably grateful she didn't end up in her undies like you two."

With that comment, Kari began to feel a little naked. But there was nothing she could do.
                                              *****

Over the next few months, thousands of people came through the new Springfield Dempsey's. Kari and Stella remained in the
same display, although the display lady came at regular intervals and changed them. One of the people to walk by was Kari's
mother and her Aunt Evelyn. They paused momentarily to look at Kari and Stella. "These dummies look so real nowadays,"
commented Evelyn, "this one looks a little like Kari." With that comment, Kari saw sadness on her mother's face. What did she
think had happened to her? If only she could reassure her that she was okay.

A few days later, Kari recognized another face in front of her. It was Diane, her former roommate that had moved back to
Springfield. She was with Marlene, another friend from high school. "This mannequin reminds me of Kari," said Marlene, "I
wonder what ever happened to her."

As time went by Kari and Stella remained as motionless ambassadors for Dempsey's. Kari began to look forward to the times
when the display staff changed her clothes. It seemed like she was changed about once a month. But she really didn't know for
sure, time really had no meaning to her now. Usually she was changed during the morning hours when there wasn't a great deal
of store traffic. It was always the same woman that changed her. Kari didn't know her name, but she called her Carol because
she reminded her of a Carol she knew back in high school. That Carol, like this Carol, seemed lonely but nice. Kari hoped that
Carol would find someone or something that would add meaning to her life.

Kari had gotten used to being nude in front of passerby's. Kari often wondered whether Stella was aware of her surroundings
in the same way that she was. Had she also gotten used to being nude in public? Has she accepted the fact that she would
always be a mannequin? Kari would never know.
                                              *****

One evening after the store was closed, Debbie and Todd reappeared. They immediately began undressing Kari and Stella.
Once undressed, they took Stella apart and put her on a cart and Todd took Stella off to toward the display room. Debbie then
dressed Kari in a silky nightie with a matching robe. The smoothness of the material exited Kari as it caressed her torso. It was
a welcome feeling compared to the stiffness of the bras she had been wearing.

Debbie paused for a moment and looked Kari in the eye. "Well Kari, you'll have a new partner on your display tomorrow.
We're opening a new store in Bridgetown and we need three mannequins from Springfield. You should see yourself, you really
are a beautiful mannequin. Sometimes I'm a little envious. You really look at peace."

The next morning about half an hour before opening, Debbie walked up to the display with a young woman dressed in the
pajama set that matched the nightie that Kari was wearing. "Here's where you'll spend your day," Debbie announced.

The woman with Debbie stood on the floor in front of Kari and looked into her face. "I remember seeing this mannequin a few
day's ago, she looks just like someone I went to high school with." That's when Kari realized that the girl who would be on
display with her--the girl who would also be come a mannequin--was Marlene. The same Marlene that she went to high school
with and who just a few days ago had recognized her on a shopping trip with her old roommate Diane.

Through the mirror in the jewelry section, Kari watched as Debbie maneuvered the resting post up the leg of Marlene's
pajamas. She wanted to scream at her to run away. She watched Debbie carefully pose Marlene's body, arms and finally her
head. Debbie talked with Marlene about watching for shoplifters in the jewelry section across the aisle. Marlene was being
duped, Marlene would soon be a mannequin.

As the day went on, Marlene remained firm in her pose. She wanted the bonus she would never get. Throughout the day a few
people stopped and felt the material of Marlene's pajamas. If only someone would jar her into breaking her pose. But no one
did, and by the end of the day Kari knew that Marlene had joined the ranks of the mannequins--she would never move again.

After closing, Debbie and Todd came back. "It's okay Marlene, you can move know," Todd commanded with a smile on his
face. Todd reached up and tapped Marlene's cheek. It was hard and sounded of plastic. Todd turned to Debbie, "I think she's
ready." He turned back to Marlene, "Well, did you catch any shoplifters today?"

Debbie then stripped Marlene of all her clothes. Kari could see in the mirror that Marlene had been prepared in the same way
that she had. Her body had been rid of hair and her sex and nipples had been covered. She looked just like the mannequin she
had become. They lifted Marlene onto a cart and wheeled her off toward the storeroom. Inside Kari cried for Marlene and her
fate.
                                              *****

The next week things got a little strange. Instead of Debbie and Todd bringing another victim to stand by Kari and "watch" the
jewelry section, it was her old roommate Diane who was with Todd. The girl they brought was dressed in the same pajamas
that Marlene wore last week. Throughout the day her skin also hardened into its final mannequin form. At the end of the day it
was just Diane who came and undressed the new girl and took her away. What happened to Debbie? Why was Diane alone at
the end of the day? How did Diane get involved in this scheme?

It was a few weeks before Kari knew the answer to those questions. After the store was closed, Diane came back to Kari's
display and undressed her. "Well Kari, I'm going to give you more modest surroundings. I'm moving you to the career wear
department."

Diane then took Kari over to a display in the career wear department. Jackie was already there on display wearing a tan
business suit with black trim. Diane continued telling her story as she was dressing Kari.

"It's interesting how I found out that you were here. I was pretty sure I recognized you when Marlene and I walked through the
store a few weeks ago and when I heard that Marlene had been offered a "living" mannequin job I became suspicious. I snuck
into the display room and hid out while Debbie and Todd prepared Marlene. I waited until they came back to the display room
at the end of the day to get them. I gave them a taste of their own medicine and made them both into mannequins. Debbie will
be taking your place in the lingerie department."

"Todd, though is another story. Dempsey's doesn't have any male mannequins in their stock. They just use male torso forms.
So, I had to "cut" him down to size a little. I just dressed him in a nice pair of shorts and a red polo shirt. He looks terrific."

"The only hitch was that one of the display staff came in on me when I was finishing Todd. I had no choice but to add her to my
display inventory too."

"When I approached Todd and Debbie's boss and told her of their demise, she offered me their job at $150,000 a year. I
guess I'll be a "recruiter" for Dempsey's unique models. In the meantime I'll try to stop and talk with you and Marlene every
now and then. Have fun!"

Diane walked off toward the display room leaving two beautiful mannequins behind. Kari's black skirt, white blouse and camel
blazer were accented by a colorful scarf. Kari now had short dark brown hair and Jackie had long blonde hair. There was
some justice in the fact that they could look straight ahead and see the lingerie display featuring Debbie. She was dressed in a
black bra with lace stockings attached to a garter belt. She had a pleasant look on her face.

Next to Debbie was another mannequin that Kari quickly recognized as Carol the display woman. She must've been the display
staff that accidentally came in on Diane and had been "added to the inventory." In a way Kari felt happy for Carol. She had
envied the mannequins and now she was one of them. Maybe now she would be happy.

The longer Kari remained on display, the more she enjoyed being a mannequin. She wondered if the others felt the same way.
She also noticed that not once did she ever see a shoplifter!

THE END