The Words on my Skin

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Stupid . The black felt tip marker rubs the letters against my skin. I imagine the letters, sinking into my skin, traveling to my brain. Imprinted forever on me. Hell, they already were. Another word jolts into my mind Jump . The moment comes back to me. I can smell the cafeteria, the familiar smell of packaged food and high school. The day replays. The girl sitting next to me screams "Jump, Fatgirl, jump!" And I do.
I jump.
And then in the hallways, walking the tile floor, trying to be invisible. Praying they don't see me. But they do. They always do. "Jump!" They'd all yell, excitement edging their voices. It'd been going on for a year. They'd tell me to jump, and I'd do it. I don't even remember how it started. All I can remember is hoping down the hallways, books in hand, watching them laugh. Tears pressing at my eyes. Manipulative freaking devils. I'd jump, and they'd storm out in laughter, the guys slapping each other on the shoulder, because it was funny to them. Then sometimes you'd get the girl who'd quietly watch. But you know? She's as bad as them.
I have two words on my arm now. Another one rings in my brain all the time. I pick up the marker from the comforter and write on my bare leg in big, thick black letters. Fatgirl. I walk to my dresser, and pick up the stack of papers, tied together with a thick tan rubber band. I attempt fitting the band around all the notes-pink post-its, scraps of loose leaf paper, whole pages torn from note books. The fliers that covered my locker. I flinch from the sound of the rubber band, but loosely disregard it. I skim my fingers over the side of the pile. It feels good. All the hate feels good, motivates me more. I look at the letters. They all start the same way-Dearest Fatgirl. Anger pulses through my veins. I tear one letter in half, the sound of ripping paper sounds so calming. Like washing away one letter of the many, one less to worry about. But quickly I gain control of myself. I can't rip them. I scatter them on the floor, around the cheap plastic folding chair.
I sit back on my bed; I tell myself to relax. But I can't. So I write. I write it all on my legs. You stupid bitch...Dumbass.
All of it. All. Of. It. Until I have covered myself in the hate of others.
The words bear a heavy weight on my body. I get the rope that has been sitting on the edge of my bed. I hang it on the nail that is above the chair. The letters surround me, comfort me. I am no longer Sara-I am Fatgirl. I'm the idiot. The dumbass.
I peel off the underwear. Strip myself of the bed shirt. I open the window, feeling the soft air of early spring. I look at the stars. My mother used to tell me that the stars were heaven's shining souls. They shed light on our darkness, our night. There was a time I believed that.
I tie the rope to the nail as I stand on the grey, cushioned folding chair. Then I tie it around my neck. It is heavier then I had expected. Strands of stray hair cover my face. For a moment my right eye is blinded with strands of brown. I push it out of the way, tucking it behind my ears. I try to do it softly and gracefully, trying to make a moment of it, but there's no use. I stand on the very top of my toes on the chair. I let the words around me, the words on me, engross me. I feel the faint breeze from the open window. It feels so incredibly wonderful. Heat and sweat radiates off my body. I second guess, but I tell myself no. It's far to late.
I take my bare foot, my left foot, and kick over the chair. A sound escapes from my lips, but I quiet it, careful not to wake me parents.
And like that, I no longer belong here. The night has stolen me, will cleanse my soul, and I will be free.
Last edited by Iridescent on Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
If I die young,
Bury me in satin,
Lay me down
In a
Bed of roses
Sink me in a river
At dawn
Send me away
With the words
Of a love song.




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Hey :) First of all, I just wanted to say that I enjoyed the story. It was sort of creepy but I could sort of understand it, because it was heartfelt. You sort of understood what the girl was going through but a little more would help. I don't know though. It's completely your choice.

Stupid. The black felt tip marker rubs the letters against my skin. I imagine the letters, sinking into my skin, traveling to my brain. Imprinted forever on me. Hell, they already were. Another word jolts into my mind Jump. The moment comes back to me. I can smell the cafeteria, the familiar smell of packaged food and high school. The day replays. The girl sitting next to me screams "Jump, Fatgirl, jump!" And I do.
I jump.


Oh - I never did understand about the jump thing. Maybe explain that?

Anger pulses through my. Unsure whether this was my body/veins and missed out the word or just me. Either way, just check that.


I sit back on my bed; I tell myself to relax. Use either a full stop or a semi-colon here :)


My mother used to tell me that the stars were heaven's shining souls.


I think the way you wrote this was great. :) It was a sad, slightly depressing story but you portrayed it really well. Make sure to keep writing.
You were born an original. Don't die a copy.




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Thank you :) I did a little editing.
If I die young,
Bury me in satin,
Lay me down
In a
Bed of roses
Sink me in a river
At dawn
Send me away
With the words
Of a love song.




User avatar
Gender Female
Points 794
Reviews 280
Hey!

First of all, I would like to say that while I didn't really enjoy this- it's hard to enjoy something about such a sad topic- I did empathize with the character, and I wanted to keep on reading. It's well written and believable, and it didn't get too long and mopey- which is something that happens all too often.

I imagine the letters, sinking into my skin, traveling to my brain.

I'm guilty of this myself, which is probably why I caught it- you have too many commas in this sentence. I think it sounds better without the one after letters. Just to show you -

I imagine the letters sinking into my skin, travelling to my brain.

See what I mean? It doesn't need the extra pause. The way I catch all of my extra commas is I read it to myself, aloud if it needs it, and see where I get caught up, stumble, or have to pause unnaturally, and then work on those bits. If you're brave, you can get a friend to read it out loud for you and see where they trip up- sometimes it helps to have an outside perspective.

Another word jolts into my mind Jump


There needs to be something between mind and Jump. The capital makes me instantly think of a full stop, but I am not sure, maybe a hyphen? It just needs to be broken a bit, so it is clear that Jump is the subject of the sentence, and not something tacked on that doesn't quite make sense.

I flinch from the sound of the rubber band, but loosely disregard it.


I don't understand this line. What is a 'loose disregard'? How do you disregard something loosely? and if she flinched, doesn't that mean she regarded it?

All the hate feels good, motivates me more.

I personally think the line sounds better if you cut the 'more'. I'm not entirely sure why. =/

I tie the rope to the nail as I stand on the grey, cushioned folding chair.


I am pretty sure that you can't really hang yourself off of a nail, they just aren't strong enough. Any one of a normal weight (though the piece seems to imply she is more, but I can't assume that as people could just be saying it to hurt her) would rip the nail out of the wood, or the rope off of the nail. It could be plausible I guess if it was hardwood and a really big nail, but in a general household I get the feeling it wouldn't work so well.

I take my bare foot, my left foot, and kick over the chair.


For some reason I really like the "I take my bare foot, my left foot..." . The repetition works for me.

Overall, I think you have a well written piece about a rather desperate and hopeless young girl. It's almost a little hard to feel sorry for her, she doesn't bother to fight back at all, it seems. It's still a sad story, and it ends well. I like your writing style, and I love the idea of the words written on her body- I just would love to see you write something about someone with a bit more backbone =D

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.

-Nutty
It's not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache.




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Hey! :D I just wanted to say that I know what that all feels like, so i really felt like this is a good piece.

I like how you didn't really go into deep detail about her feelings but it was quite obvious how she was feeling.
I have to ask: Why didn't you mention the name sooner, and why so subtle about it? I also wanted to know why the phrase "Fat girl" effected her so much? How long were the kids at school calling her that?

" I second guess, but I tell myself no. It's far to late. " Was the character second guessing suicide or another way to go? I didn't really understand that.

I still really like this piece, even though the girl dies. I think it proves a point of some sort and you did a wonderful job writing it and revealing enough of her past pain but not too much.

Continue your creativity,
Ash.
And just when the caterpillar thought her life was over, she turned into a beautiful butterfly.




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Hi i really like this piece.

You kept it simple and fresh. I think the oppression of fat girls in everything is oversued. Especially in school environments. But you have your own spin on it.

I loved it.

Keep writing.

~ T.K
"There is no comfort without pain; thus we define salvation through suffering." Cato



"Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!"
— Dom Pérignon