On the Edge of Life

VI.

She was born on the stage, quite literally. Her mother and father had been favorites among the theater crowd in their day. It was when they felt their popularity dwindling ((it really wasn't)) when they decided to pull the biggest publicity stunt of the century: a live birth.

So the wife became pregnant and nine months went by, during which time they were preparing their next show. Opening night finally arrived, and the happy couple were sure that their at the time genderless child was going to be born. And born she was.

It was the final scene, and the audience had been sensing something astronomical was to occur soon. The spotlight fell on a single bed on the stage to find the mother in full on labor. Gasps and whispered astonishments and questions emitted from the audience. Soon, two were joined with a third. They had done it. And what a success it was.

They were an overnight sensation. Everyone was talking about the stage- baby. A little girl, it was. Born into fame and in fame she has lived since.

But this ((un))happy family did not survive long. As Tolstoy said, all unhappy families are unhappy in its own way.

No one knew why she did it. Actresses are unexplainable. Oftentimes, we don't know if they are themselves or someone else. But the mother found something about her life unbearable and took her fate into her own hands. The aftermath led to the father's death by consumption. And the little girl's heart was made of anger and regret. She chose men and drugs over real love. People deal with grief in different ways. And this little girl turned into a woman of the stage herself. And like her mother she found her life to be unbearable. And it was then she understood. But unlike her mother, she still lives. Perhaps not happily or in the right way,

but what's love without fame?