Fitzroy McSimmons lives in a mobile home community called the Lone Palm Trailer Lodge. Often he refers to himself as the Lone Wolf at the Lone Palm. Most evenings he relaxes on the front porch of his double-wide trailer and gazes out at the rambling grounds of the old cemetery which border his own little plot of land. Occasional visitors to the McSimmons residence usually recoil at the sight of the crumbling graveyard on Fitzroy's doorstep. This puzzles Fitzroy. He cannot fathom his guests' uneasiness because he views the cemetery as a place of respect, the final resting spot for hundreds of beloved individuals to lie in peace next to their kinfolk. Fitzroy deeply appreciates his underground neighbors. Each night he toasts their eternal presence with a few appropriate words and a swig from his beer can. Lately, however, the self-proclaimed Lone Wolf has been feeling the urge to interact with other living, breathing humans. On a fateful Tuesday afternoon he pulls on a pair of well-worn cowboy boots and trudges over to the Vagabond Tavern where he finds a seat close to the front door. The Vagabond caters to a rough clientele and Fitzroy never knows when an unwelcome face from his past might resurface. He likes to position himself near an exit in case he needs to make a quick getaway. When his eyes adjust to the darkness the Lone Wolf signals the bartender and orders a Guinness. At that moment he notices an absolutely stunning Asian woman sitting at a table in the back of the room. He can't take his eyes off of her. "Who is that amazing creature?" he asks the bartender. "Don't know.. " the gruff old biker says in a droll monotone. "but she must be the adventurous type if she is coming in here." After one shot of Jameson and two more beers Fitzroy decides to approach the beguiling stranger. He finds her surprisingly easy to talk to and wonders where she has been all of his life. Eventually he learns that she is an author named Akira who is gathering background information for a screenplay that she is writing. "It's about a gangster and his girlfriend who are running from the law." she tells him. "They end up in lots of shady establishments." Fitzroy chuckles. "You've definitely come to the right place if you are researching shady establishments." he says. Akira starts laughing along with him and Fitzroy feels an unexpected rush of delight spread across his insides and sink into his soul. He knows that he must keep this woman, keep her forever. A brazen idea occurs to him. "I have a friend in the movie business." he tells her. "He might be a good connection for you, help you generate some interest in your screenplay. Would you like to meet him? You can visit his studio and audition for a part in the new movie that he is producing. Lots of industry bigwigs will be there." Initially Akira balks at the notion because she is not an actress. Fitzroy keeps encouraging her to come rub shoulders with the various executives who will be arriving in town to collaborate on the project. "Just use your beauty to get their attention." he says reasonably. " Then you can tell them all about your script. Maybe you will find a backer." Soon he and Akira agree upon a date for her to do a screen test for his producer friend. The following morning Fitzroy calls the friend. "I'm bringing a beautiful lady to see you, Walter." he says. "Just pretend it's an audition. All you have to do is ask her to put on a particular bracelet and recite a few lines of dialogue. I'll be there to pick her up when she is done." Walter readily agrees. He and Fitzroy have known each other for a long time and he owes his pal some big favors... 24 hours later: Shortly before 10am Fitzroy retrieves a plastic bracelet given to him by his grandmother. It looks like a throwaway flea market purchase, but in actuality the weathered trinket has the power to turn the flesh of its wearer into stone. He brings it to Walter's studio and leaves it for Akira. Initially his plan works perfectly. The surface of Akira's skin quickly morphs into a glossy, flawless expanse of marble when she dons the bracelet and utters her lines. Fitzroy ignores the shocked reactions of Walter's crew because he knows that Walter will force them to keep their silence. After transporting Akira's frozen form back to his trailer he can barely separate himself from her beautiful body long enough to eat or sleep. Days pass. Fitzroy lives in utter bliss until a shocking phone call interrupts his activities. "They are looking for her." Walter's voice rasps over the line. "The FBI and the local fuzz are going door to door and.. " Fitzroy slams down the receiver before Walter has a chance to finish speaking. Decades of alternative living enable Fitzroy to shift mental gears very quickly during a crisis. He decides on a course of action and then waits for night to fall. Much later, under the glow of a crescent-shaped moon, he creeps out of his trailer and places his cherished new statue amongst the century-old figurines and burial markers which populate the graveyard next door. "No one will find you here, sweetheart." he tells Akira as he plants a soft kiss on her smooth, well-shaped stone lips. "I'll bring you home as soon as it is safe.. "
See the photos and watch the video of Frozen Forever - Take 1 starring Akira Lane at TanyaDanielle.com now!
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