Mirrors

Chapter 2

As we entered the spooky atmosphere of the abandoned house, I got chills. I looked at Brittney and noticed that she was a little scared as well.

I took a deep breath, and I could see the air puff out.

"That's... impossible. It's ninety-seven degrees outside." I muttered under my breath.

I guess Brittney had heard me, "Yeah, well apparently it isn't that hot in here.

We decided to separately examine the house and take some private shots for awhile.

Brittney immediately went to the kitchen, so I decided to go upstairs.

The steps creaked with my each step, I automatically sucked my stomach in. I poked my stomach, willing it to stay in, while I continued up the stairs.

"Damn, these are longer than I thought."

I finally reached what appeared to be the second floor, but looked more like a giant child's room.

At a glance, that's all it seemed like. But I could see another door to the right, which probably lead to a powder room or another nursery.

I examined the room. There were a lot of old nursery rhyme books, toys, and even little candles.

"Better start setting up," I thought to myself.

I placed my camera in front of one of the messy beds.

The lighting was just right; the room was dark, but there was a little light coming in from the window.

I got the right angle and adjusted some of the settings to create a sad scene.

I messed my hair up a little, took off my shirt, and took a quick breath.

This shoot would be about insecurities. My favorite topic in pictures.

I bent backwards in some of the shots, showing my ribs. In others I showed my bare back. But only in one, I showed my scars.

One. Two. Three. Four.

The picture snapped as I counted the sixteen cuts on my legs.

I took probably one hundred pictures before I decided to take a look.

As I walked towards the camera, something caught my eye.

A giant, old-fashioned vanity, with one of the mirrors unattached, stood in the corner of the room.

I couldn't believe me luck! What amazing pictures I could get with this! Brittney could get some, too.

I ran over to the mirror first.

I saw myself. I stopped cold.

I grabbed my stomach and pulled. Fat.

I looked at my thighs and gasped. Fat.

I felt for my hipbones and couldn't find them. Fat.

Fat. Fat. Fat.

I fell on the floor and started sobbing. "No, come on Jasmine," I told myself, "you won't go back there. You can get through this."

But, who was I kidding?

A glint of light was flashing in the corner of my eye; a sharp blade.

I picked it up slowly. I ran the edge along my fingertips and watched a trail of blood follow behind.

I knew I couldn't fool myself for so long.