"It's almost as if it's mocking me, Doctor Lorne."
The young man frowned after he said this. Rather than meeting the eyes of the doctor, he looked around.
The first thing to catch his eye was the Ming vase, encased in thick glass. Then, his gaze wandered over to the wall. It featured pictures of the good doctor in various exotic settings.
"We've talked about this, James. Inanimate objects don't have emotions, or the ability to express them."
"I know - but that lump of clay... I look at it, and it just seems so satisfied!"
"How does that make you feel?"
"Frustrated!" James shouted, leaping from the plush sofa.
Glancing around at his luxurious surroundings, his face turned red. James quickly sat.
"Very well," the doctor replied, ignoring the outburst. "The next time you see it, I want you to pound on it - hard. Flatten it completely, then shape it into something - it doesn't matter what. Even if it's just a ball."
The next morning, James faced his adversary. It offered no resistance whatsoever.
He smiled. "The doctor was right! I know he likes art. I'll turn this lump into something that he can display in his office."
A week later, James walked into Dr. Lorne's office with a small box tucked under his arm.
"Thank you, Doctor. I think I'm cured, I just came back to give you this," he said, gently placing the package on the highly polished desk.
"Why thank you. This wasn't necessary, though."
"It's sort of symbolic. This is the very lump of clay that I felt was mocking me. And I know you like art..."
"Indeed I do, and I have been meaning to collect one of your sculptures for some time. I'm honored to receive a piece meant especially for me," he replied, lifting the lid of the box.
Doctor Lorne's eyes widened as he held the scene in his hand. "The little gazelle and cheetah are so lifelike," he gasped, looking in wonder at the tiny animals and the miniature world in which they were placed.
"I saw from the pictures on your wall that you'd been to Africa, so I thought you might like a sculpture of the African Plains."
"Like it? It's perfect, the best piece I could have hoped for! Thank you again," he said, extending his hand to the artist.
The next morning, Dr. Lorne looked fondly at the sculpture, as he drank his coffee.
"How strange. I could swear that the cheetah was chasing the gazelle. I remember how graceful the poses were. Now the gazelle is drinking from the stream, and the cheetah napping."
Dr. Lorne shook his head, and drank the rest of his coffee.
"What a lifelike scene! It's almost like that cheetah is going to grab the gazelle any second," one of his regular patients said later in the day, looking at the tiny sculpture in wonder.
"Yes, it was a gift," the doctor replied, scratching his head.
The animals in the sculpture continued to change positions every few hours for a full week. Dr. Lorne was curious what the patient would see when he returned.
Sure enough, when he entered he went directly to the desk.
"What happened to the one of the two animals running?" asked the patient, looking around the room.
"Ah. That's my favorite too. But they're a series, so I like to change things up," lied Dr. Lorne.
"So it's not my imagination," the doctor thought with relief.
After that, he tended to keep the piece hidden in a drawer, to avoid questions. While he enjoyed the constant change of scenes, he didn't want to raise any suspicions.
Two weeks later, he received a buzz on the intercom.
"Dr. Lorne, you have a walk-in. If you're not busy, I can send him in."
"Thank you, Miss Russell. Please do."
"James? What's wrong? I thought you were doing well now," Dr. Lorne said, eyebrows arched, when his assistant admitted the walk-in.
"Oh, it's not the same thing. I just wanted advice on some personality changes I've been seeing in Grandma. She's in her nineties, and I never thought she would change anything. How are you enjoying the sculpture, by the way?"
Blushing, Dr. Lorne pulled it out of a drawer.
James bent over, and to his surprise saw a cheetah curled up in the tall grass, and on the other side of the scene, the gazelle was grazing peacefully.
"Where's the one I gave you?" James asked, looking around.
Dr. Lorne carefully turned it over. "This is it. Look at the base, your signature is still there."
"But I carved them running."
The doctor quickly filled the artist in on what had happened.
"We should leave a camera on it," James suggested.
Dr. Lorne gently patted the miniature cheetah. "No... I think that might spoil it somehow. And I like it just the way it is."
Cover image made in Canva Pro using their gallery