Alice on the Wrong Side

Morning

Alice was sitting in front of her mirror. She was getting ready for school. Had to look her best if she wanted to be asked out, the prom night was almost here. “No, that’s ridiculous,” she thought, “It’s not just about the looks, is it?”

She was looking at her own face, noticing things. There was a little loose skin under her chin. Her neck was beginning to wrinkle. Her body was no longer tight, fat-free, pre-pubescent. She knew it was absurd, but she was getting anxious.

afternoon

Derek looked at her with anger. He was on his way out, his hand already on the door knob, but she stopped him.

”Is it because I am getting fat and old?” asked Alice, “Is that the reason?”

The anger in his face turned into hatred. “You think I am this shallow? You think that’s all I care about?” he screamed. Then he picked up a vase and threw it across the room. It missed Alice by a few feet and hit the mirror, shattering it into tiny little bits.

night

Alice was lying in white sheets, her grand-daughter Julia leaned in and held her hand.

”How are you feeling today, nonny?” asked Julia.

”My throat is dry,” Alice tried to focus on the conversation, but her brain was no longer what it used to be.

”I’ll get you some water, nonny. And then let’s get some more light in here. Perhaps a mirror on the wall? A mirror can really brighten an interior.”

Posted by: Paweł Kowaluk