Mannequins

He moves

panther like grace

stalking

looking

hunting

his next prey.

An art gallery

filled with mannequins

of all shapes

colors

styles.

All women.

All

with a look of terror

etched on their faces.

He calls this

‘Women Scorned’

his collection

critically acclaimed

with a dark secret.

Missing only one

a redheaded bitch

he has yet to make her pay.

She awakens

naked

tied down

masked face above her

grinning

smiling

listening to her

screaming

terror filled

knowing

he will put her down.

Under dawn’s breaking light

he positions her

red hair streaked with gold

lips a brilliant blue

one hand upon her hip

the other

coyly covering her breast.

His masterpiece

his art

the culmination of his dream.

An army of women

so lifelike

critics and fans agree

you can feel them watching

as you walk through the room.

Each one rejected him

laughing at cupid’s arrow

only to awaken

under his care

as he reduced them

to skin and bones

forgetting their names.

December 13/18

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash