the broken mirror ➸ camren

Chapter Five

Lauren was very cold.
She couldn't feel the edges of her fingers, and she knew how cold her face was. Her blouse was torn. She had dirt on her pants and shoes. Her hair was a mess. Her appearance was totally awful.

After being convinced that the danger had passed, she began worrying about her appearance. She always hated being something less than perfectly perfect. She didn't like being seen by people when she did not have makeup. At least, the tiny girl who had saved her was in the same and worse condition. Lauren wondered how a girl could neglect herself like this.

So, after a few moments of silence between her and the unknown girl, she decided to ask her.

"Why don't you do something to...fix your appearance a little bit?"

The tiny girl turned her head to Lauren and looked at her questioningly.

"Why should I change my appearance?" she wondered.

"That's what you like to see when you look at in the mirror?" Lauren asked spontaneously, pointing to the girl's old clothes.

"The fact that there is no mirror in here  does not affect your opinion at all, does it?" she laughed, grabbing a piece from her long hair.

Lauren felt strange with this answer. She realized that what she said must have been very stupid. A homeless can't afford proper food- how would she have a mirror?

"And as for what you said before," the tiny girl spoke again, pouting,"When you live on the streets, the last thing that you care about is your appearance, trust me."

Lauren shuddered from the cold air. She looked around - there was nothing in there-not even a blanket. How could someone live here?

The girl looked somewhere else (down the street, as Lauren assumed), but her voice was heard again.

"Did they hit you?"

Lauren took a few seconds to realise what she had been asked. Her heart stopped.

"Wha-..what are you talking about?"she tried to play dump. How was it possible for this homeless girl to know...?

The caramel-colored eyes gleamed as the moon was mirrored over them. "These guys you met at the alley. Did they hit you before i come?"

Lauren sighed with relief. She was too dump to think the girl was actually referring to...anyway.

"Why do you ask?"

"There are bruises...all over your hands," The girl just raised her shoulders.

Lauren was upset and tried to think of an excuse.

"Yeah, yeah...they held my hand for a little bit longer," she said. The other girl just nodded slowly.

And then Lauren heard footsteps behind her.

"What is this? Food?" a girl's voice was heard. Behind Lauren stood a shy girl with dark hair and dirt on her cheeks. She smelled awfully and held a plastic bag.

Lauren took a few steps back, fearful, looking at the tiny girl who had saved her.
She did not stand up, but she raised her head.

"I saved her tonight, Alan was in the mood for her," she said laconically. The girl who had just arrived, smiled. There was something on her that frightened Lauren.

"Hi, my name is Mani. Clearly you're not food".

Lauren didn't find the comment funny. Her eyes landed on the tiny girl's eyes.

"Yeah...i guess i am not proper food that can be eaten." she replied without looking at the new girl.

"I brought real food though." the girl said, pointing to the plastic bag. Lauren wanted to vomit.