-transfixed- Kenna James- Lauren Phillips- Jade... May 2026

“I know,” Lauren replied, taking a sip of her wine. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

Lauren set down her glass. The clink against the marble was a period at the end of a sentence. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them until Kenma could smell her perfume—smoke, amber, and something sharp like crushed mint. -Transfixed- Kenna James- Lauren Phillips- Jade...

“You’re not supposed to be here either,” Kenma whispered, though it wasn’t a question. “I know,” Lauren replied, taking a sip of her wine

Lauren’s smile finally reached her eyes. “Good girl,” she breathed. She stepped forward, closing the distance between them

“Don’t you want to see the rest of the exhibit?” Lauren asked.

“She’s trembling,” Jade observed, her voice a murmur.

And in the hush of the empty gallery, under the gaze of paintings that saw nothing and knew everything, Kenma James remained exactly where she was—transfixed between two points of gravity, with no intention of ever drifting free.