**This just happened in the spur of the moment**
Beauty is obsessive and can destroy one from the inside out. I’ve had this desire since I was young. Always…always, I would take apart each woman I would see, dissecting every piece of her body, comparing it to my own. I feel the envy driving deep into my bones, into my soul. It crawls into my mind like tiny bugs burrowing inside tree, hatching little babies that crawl throughout my body, slowly devouring me.
These bugs are what is keeping me here, in front of this mirror. I haven’t moved from my room in years. I feel as though if I leave, I’ll age and become an haggard old woman. This mirror that I have upon my dressing table is what keeps my young and beautiful. If I don’t check my flawless skin, then age may take over.
“Miss, I’ve brought you your dinner.”
I quickly turned and stared at her. “Who are you?”
She seemed frightened by the anger in my voice and set the tray on my nightstand, curtsying delicately. “Miss, I am your servant.” She said as if to remind me.
I laughed, enjoying the richness of my voice. “I would not hire such an ugly girl such as you.”
She swallowed hard and my eyes shot to her beautifully rounded shoulders. I quickly turned to the mirror. Are they better than my own? Is this girl prettier than I?
“No,” I began to cackle. “Such a silly and absurd thought.”
“Miss?”
I turned sharply, rising from my seat and standing in front of her. “Leave me. If I see you once more than I shall have your blood as my wine.”
Her bright blue eyes widened and she bowed quickly before making a hasty exit. I cackled and placed myself back in front of the mirror. My eyes darted across my flawless, pale flesh.
“Beautiful.” I admired. “Simply perfect since you first became a woman.”
I heard a deep, smooth laugh from behind me and I quickly rose, searching for the maker.
“Who is there?” I called out. “I wish to be left alone now.”
“Oh sweet, sweet Stellana.” A handsome man stepped out from the shadows. “You simply are a delicacy upon the eyes.”
I followed his movements with my eyes, scoping his body, trying to see what it was he desired. “Are you here to flatter me?”
He smiled, taking my hand from my side and bringing it to his mouth to be kissed. I gasped, watching as the hand grew wrinkled with splotches of discoloration. I quickly flung my hand away from him.
“What is it you want?” I growled through clenched teeth, staring down at my hand which had returned to its former perfection.
He laughed easily, tipping his head back to reveal his beautiful, thick neck. “Stellana, my sweet, beautiful Stellana.”
I watched him circle around me, setting my jaw to show my displeasure of his easy tone. “Speak now or leave.”
He stepped behind me, wrapping his arm around my cinched, corseted waist. “Do you believe you are beautiful?”
I stood tall against him, very aware of his breath on my neck. “I am perfection.”
“If you are perfection, then why must you keep yourself locked up inside?” He used his free hand to take hold of my own, bringing it up to his face to gently stroke his cheek. His skin felt smooth against my hand, and I couldn’t help but compare it to the softness of my own flawless flesh. “Should you not show off such perfection?”
I didn’t answer, thinking of what he was asking.
“You doubt yourself.”
I quickly turned in his arms. “I do not.”
He smiled down at me. “Yes you do.”
I shook my head, gripping his shirt in my fists. “You are telling lies!”
His smile grew and he gripped my wrists firmly. “You are nothing but a haggard old woman, bound by her vain mind.”
I shook my head. “I’m an old woman that shall live in eternity with her flawless beauty!”
He pushed me onto the bed and crawled on top of me, holding my arms down on either side of my head. “Your mind is falling apart. The beauty in your mind is fading, and you can’t keep it with you.”
“No, the mirrors don’t lie!” I cried out and struggled from his grasp, tripping over my full skirts as I ran off the bed to the dressing table.
“You’re right, the mirrors don’t lie.” he said from behind me.
My hands fluttered to my face, the wrinkles slowly becoming visible. “No, no, no. No!” I shrieked, not being able to stop looking as my flawless, perfect skin as it became that of an old, diseased woman's.
The young man laughed from behind me and turned to him, but he was gone. “You did this to me!!”
His laughter rang out, bouncing off the brick walls of my chamber. I spun around, watching as everything began fading. The cold, echoing, brick walls turning into soft, white pillows.
“Make it stop!!!!” I cried even louder, running to the dresser and trying to rest my hands on it, but I couldn’t move them. I looked down to them but they were crossed over my chest. I struggled hard, trying to move them, but something was keeping them there.
Sweat beaded at my brow and the hysteria in me rose as I watched my iron-boned corset sliding along my body, encasing my torso. I screamed even louder, but it was cut off, my lungs unable to allow any noise to come out that loud and high. I struggled more, falling onto the floor from the effort. My body felt weak, but I couldn’t stop struggling. I felt as though it had a mind of its own and it writhed on the floor without my consent.
I could feel my rib cage moving rapidly as my lungs gasped for air. I became dizzy, light-headed. My vision began to blur and I couldn’t tell if my body was still struggling from the white jacket-like thing encasing me or not. I felt as though my world was disappearing.
“Am I dieing?” I opened my mouth to ask, but nothing came out. I just couldn’t tell what muscles would move my mouth.
“Stella, darling.”
I tried to search for the voice, but I was so weak and tired that I couldn’t. I wanted to call out to the voice, but, again, I couldn’t.
“Stella, sweety. You’re gorgeous.”
I knew that voice. It’s the voice of my sweet love.
Yes? Darling? Where are you?
“I love you, Stella.”
I love you too.
“I’m sorry I can’t stay with you, my sweet.”
Why does your voice sound so weak?
“I’m sorry…I guess…God thinks we can’t be together…”
What? Christopher?
“I love you.”
Christopher?
“Maybe we’ll meet each other again in heaven.”
Christopher?! Not again! Please, don’t die again! Don’t leave me! Christopher!!
“Don’t worry, my sweet. I’ll always love you.”
And I’ll always love you, too…I’m coming Christopher…I’ll leave this sweet insanity and come to you…
“I’m sorry…I guess…God thinks we can’t be together…”
I don’t care what God says…I’m coming to be with you…
~End~
