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The Picture (XxXNo_average_angelXxX & Skydive78)

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skydive78

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The half finished painting had been in Jim's studio for nearly a month now and he was seriously beggining to regret taking the commision to complete it. It was 3am and he sat across the shabby studio from where the picture stood on a huge easel, he stared at the beautiful girl it featured, she looked distressed and was portraid in such mind blowing detiail that he hadn't yet figured out why the girl was painted lifesize onto an otherwise blank canvass. Found in a back room by the new owners of a stately home, it had seemed a great little job to 'fill in the blanks' on the picture and the girl was pictured with such an enigmatic expression he had come to think of her as his 'Mona Lisa'. However over the last month this painting had become his obsession, so far he had been unable to date the canvass or even identify the paint used by the original artist. No photographs of the canvass would develop properly, always the picture came out fuzzy, he had quickly eliminated the idea of faulty camera or film, and as he studdied his own sketches of the girl he had made an alarming discovery, it seemed she was moving on the canvas.
Artists were rumoured to be a bit obsessive but Jim now had it bad, he thought maybe he ws going nuts but he couldn't stop himself, he had spent all his money on a single piece of flawless marble. For a reason he couldn't explain he had it in his head that it would help to create a 3d image of the girl and nothing but sculpting her in the best material availiable would do.
He rubbed his hand down his stubbly chin, sighed and reached for his hammer and chisel, time to begin.
 
Madeline stared watching the man as he passed/ It had been many years since she had felt hope like she did now. Each day she felt stronger and had more power. A soft hopeful smile slowly and painfully spread across her lips and her eyes light up a brilliant emerald color. Her soft auburn hair looked like a welcoming blanket draped over her pale porcelain skin. She knew it wouldn't be much longer and in a way she reached to him with a loving tender look.
 
Jim woke up slowly, he was hunched over his drawing board, he had fallen asleep exhausted in his studio again. He had never slept in his studio before this painting had come to be his obsession, now though he barely left. He went to get coffee, as he passed the picture he had a thought that the girl looked happier and her eyes brighter. He shook his head and thought to himself that he needed a holiday, a long one. Having washed and perked up with caffine he returned to his sculpture. The marble was a great flawless block, one side was almost still square but the other side was being formed into a beautiful young woman. Jim was very glad he had spent so much time in the gym as he picked up hammer and chisel, it was hard work but his muscular frame and broad shoulders were holding up well to his self inflicted punishing schedule. As he started to form the waves of her long hair he paused to wonder if he was skilled enough to do her beauty justice.
 
Madeline continued to watch frozen in her blank colorless world. She was in awe at how well the man's art was she hadn't seen an artist like this since William, tears formed in her eyes at the thought. It had been a long time since she had seen William or felt his gentle hands on her cheek. Madeline reached up to touch her cheek and was surprised to find a tear resting there. She had wept many times for her William over the years but this was the first time the tears had been real and she looked to the statue and saw very faintly a tear resting on the cold marble.
 
He worked like a man possesed he worked tirelessly for nearly three days and nights, barely pausing to eat or drink and never to rest or sleep. Going over the marble time and time again until every detail was perfect. He barely had to look at the enigmatic picture he had the beautiful girls image imbedded in his mind, besides each time he did look at the painting it seemed somehow different. He stood back to admire his finished masterpiece, he smiled, the hammer and chisel fell from his sore hands. He lay down amongst the chippings and rubble and slept.
 
Madeline felt it instantly as soon as the artist had finished the last detail to the sculpture. It was perfect and majestic, he really was a good artist and his sculpture did her great justice. Madeline felt the small pendant around her neck get warm and it glowed and eerie jade glow that seemed to fill the room. From the picture she began to fade and felt herself being pulled back after so many centuries. Back into the world where everything was real, where roses had a scent and cherries had a taste. Madeline's heart raced as she watched the sculpture change the cold marble becoming the soft flesh of her body and the waves of marble hair became her soft auburn locks.

The first thing to come back to her was the sounds of the outside world and they made her want to scream and jump for joy. Inside of her prison there was nothing but silence and she noticed every sound and smell of the world as if she had never experienced such wonder in her entire life. Nest her eye sight focused as her irises and pupils filled with color. The sights in the world seemed so much brighter than they ever had before and it took everything in her being to keep her from falling to her knees in tears. Still she could not move her limbs she may be real but she knew to him until he broke the spell she would look like a statue.
 
Jim awoke several hours later, dusty and stiff. He sat up and rubbed his head, trying to remember where he was and why. As he pulled away a sliver of marble that had stuck to his cheek he remembered, it all came flooding back. he jumped to his feet and looked at his work, the statue seemed different, almost as if the marble had taken on some colour, but when he looked closely the efect dissapeared. It was as if it could only be seen by the corner of you eye, it was while he was trying to really see the effect in the marble that he noticed the empty framed picture. Not only was he confused but concerned, he spent a moment to try and remember if he had been drinking last night and had whitewashed the painting. There was no explination, something very strange was going on, but it didn't feel scared by it he felt like he was seeing something great. That was when he saw the green glow from the pendant on the girls neck, no optical illusion this he thought as he looked closely. It was certainly glowing, how very strange he thought looking up a touch to the girls face, "nah, couldn't be, you daft sod" he chided himself as fairytale thoughts entered his mind. However with nothing to loose he leaned in and gently pressed his lips to the marble lips of the girl.
 
As if it were his very breath giving her new life the color flushed into the marble face of the statue. Madeline gasped her knees feeling week from so many centuries of not being used. Her eyes were happy and full of life now and she let out a cry of joy.

"You did it!" She squealed in delight. Madeline's voice was soft and gentle and she wanted to wrap her arms around the artists neck and thank him. She was so shocked at what was going on and never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would ever be free. In her enjoyment she danced and spun around until she felt dizzy and fell to the floor giggling with glee.
 
He thought it was a dream, he watched his stautue, his creation come alive and start to dance. He didn't even bother to raise his head from the dusty floor, thinking it was some wonderful trip. Weather it was a dream or illusion he didn't care, the sheer joy of the beautiful girl was enough to bring a tear to his eye.
 
"Oh you wonderful man, you simply wonderful man!!!" Madeline squealed hurrying to his side. She was more happy than she had been in her entire life. The smells were amazing, the sounds were fantastic, and the sights were glorious. She was happier than she had been since William and that thought made her stop her historic style dress flowing around her. Madeline looked like something from a Renaissance fair and she stood frozen thinking of William and tears came to her eyes.
 
He became more awake and more confused, this was no dream but it couldn't be real. He sat up, watching her and hearing her speak, he was amazed by her beauty, his statue had been good but with life in her this girl was amazing. "ok, what's going on?" he sair more to the room than the girl, whom seemed to have a tear in her eye.
 
"You saved me." Madeline said. "You brought me back." She wiped the tears from her eyes. She needed to find a way to find William even though she knew the out come of it. Madeline needed to say goodbye. "What is your name?" Madeline asked the man looking at him intently. She knew she owed him dearly for releasing her from the picture and she knew he deserved a better explanation then she had given him.
 
He was more than a little confused "i'm jim, who are you and how,... er.... what's going on?" he stamered. Right now he knew only two things, that he was baffled and she was beautiful.
 
"I'm Madeline." She replied softly. "I have been stuck in that painting for ages and now you have released me. I am so very grateful to you for everything, but now I have to go to Italy." Madeline stood up and looked around the room in frustration. "Where are we?" She asked turning to him.
 
He felt like he was dreaming but concious of it. "we're in London, and I don't suppose you have a passport hidden on your person?, Anyway, what do you mean by trapped in a painting? who are you? and why italy?" Despite all his questions he was already thinking of ways to get her to Italy, luckily as an artist he knew a former colleague whom had gone into forgery, and therefore a few doccuments wouldn't be an issue.
 
"It is a really long story in which I will be glad to explain on the way to Italy but I need to go to Italy." Madeline urged then stopped confused. "What is a passport?" She asked looking at him. She was sure things has had changed but how much was the question.
 
" oh man this is so wierd, I can help you get to Italy but it will take us a few days to make arrangements. so you may as well explain now and i'll make some enquiries about the documents we need to travel across the continent." This didn't seem real but he was starting to to just go along with the magical girl.
 
"Wait paper work to travel?" Madeline asked in confusion. Granted times had changed and even in her time she had never traveled very far, but this all felt so new to her. "But why?" She shook her head she was getting side tracked. "My name is Madeline Piero, and I was born in Pienza. My family worked as servants for a rich farming family. When I was nineteen I met a young artist named William. He had such love for his work, kind of like the love you have for it. We fell deeply in love, a love you read about in books. His parents didn't approve of our love. When I was twenty gypsies came to town, it was normal for them to come through the towns but one family stayed. Their daughter was our age and she fell in love with William. We had decided to elope. The gypsy girl discovered our plans and ran to tell William's parents. They forbade us from going through with it, but you can't keep such love from being....or so we thought." Madeline stopped speaking for a moment she felt tears on her rosy cheeks. "The girl came to William one day he was painting me like he did from time to time. Oh how I loved him...that was when it happened in a jealous rage the girl cursed me into the painting until the day when someone would release me." Madeline touched the pendant that hung around her neck softly. It was the only thing she owned that was from William. "I have been trapped in that painting for many years. I watched as William slowly forgot about me and married the gypsy girl." She had to stop, it was to painful for her to remember anymore.
 
"Madeline i'm so very sorry that this happened to you and I have no clue how? I work with imagery but i live with science, even so i believe you. You have to understand though that if you've been trapped for so many years, William will be long departed, and i'm truly sorry to say that."
 
"Yes I know this." Madeline said softly. "I just, William forgot about me even thought I was just another of his paintings, he sold me to a merchant and well I never got to tell him goodbye. That is all I want to tell him goodbye and how sorry I am that it all happened like this." She frowned looking at the man. "Have you ever lost someone and never been able to tell them goodbye, please Jim I must go to Italy." She pleaded her eyes locked on his intensely.
 
He saw how important this was to her and he knew he'd never understand what she went through for centuries of enforced solitude. "ok Madeline, i'll start the ball rolling we should be able to travel tomorow, where in Italy are we headed? and while we wait for documentation to be prepared what else would you like to do? i think you'll find the world vastly changed."
 
Jim smiled at her "it means to get things started, to put plans into action, come on lets head down to my car, thats a horseless carriage by the way, and we'll get on the road" He led her down to the garage, "we can pick up some new clothes for you and supplies on the way"
he felt he was going mad for just dropping everything and heading accoss the continent with a magical stranger, but at the same time he felt excited.
 
"But what is wrong with my cloths?" Madeline asked. "This dress is new and in good form. Also how do you make the carriage work if it is not drawn by a horse?" Her head was spinning with so many questions and she felt dizzy. She wasn't sure how well she was going to like this new time, if things were going to be so different.
 
She looked concerned and for the first time scared. Jim pulled her to him and hugged her, "the world is very different now Madeline, i know it can be scary but i'll help you through it"
 
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