--SHORT STORY COMPILATION--

-1-

"Another nightmare of a day. Why did I have to wake up from my escape?" Anna thought to herself as she lay in her bed, gazing intensely at the ceiling—overlooking her contemporary chandelier. While stretching out her arms, she smacked her fluffy bear's stomach accidently. The compression caused the stuffy to screech out an obnoxious, robotic, "I love you," as though its soul was being drained. Ignoring her bear, she let out a yawn as she brushed her fingers on the drapery—supported by her canopy. The room was dark from the layers of curtains, blocking the sunlight from streaming through the windows of her bedroom. The darkness had consumed her. She no longer struggled with navigating through her bedroom or walk-in closet, nor did she have trouble finding outfits for the day. She felt a sense of comfort in the shadows.

"What outfit shall I wear today?" She mumbled, wobbling over to her closet full of gowns.

"It shouldn't be that hard. Eeni meeni miini moh, will do just the trick." She continued, looking at absolute nothingness.

She slipped the gown on with ease, noticing that it was bigger than what she had remembered. Ambling towards her ensuite, she unexpectedly bumped into her round piano, sliding her index finger along the rim. She continued to circulate around it at rapid speed, suddenly losing control over her hands as they dropped fiercely onto the keys. The tips of her fingers gently stroked the keys as if they had a mind of their own, playing the first few notes from River Flows in You by Yiruma—naturally. She forcefully lifted her hands off the piano, as her vision started to blur from the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Before they turned into droplets that would soon stream down her face, she vigorously wiped her ocean blue eyes with her sleeve, slightly ripping the fabric as if it were made from a dry, fragile leaf.

Anna rushed to the bathroom in hopes of taking a warm bath to ease her mind. Instead, she found herself tripping over the antique chair that she mistook for the door. Saved by her life size bear, she started to tremble as her face turned redder than a tomato, shouting, "Dammit! What did I do to deserve this?!"

She grabbed onto the chair ruthlessly, kicking the leg aggressively. A rush of pain traveled from her toes all the way to her head, as she let out an exaggerated groan, "Ugh! Why me?!"

Hairs started to stick up like needles, as goosebumps scurried through her arms. She clenched her fists, and punched the carbon door, screaming in agony shortly after," Ah! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

Her meatless hands started to quiver uncontrollably—blood dripping onto the hardwood floor.

As she continued to hobble into the dark bathroom, she squinted her eyes as soon as the three automatic chandeliers brightened up the space. She turned towards the right, glaring straight into the mirror as she clutched onto her skin, displaying her doll like face slowly withering away. Dull and pale she appeared to be ten years older. No longer able to acknowledge her face, she turned towards the bathtub and froze, exposed to her reflection on the other side of the room. The golden petals that framed the mirror were four times her size, calling out to her. She walked over nonchalantly as though she were possessed, lifting her gown ever so slowly revealing her willowy body—ribs sticking out, and a slim stomach with no excess fat, displaying a real-life Barbie doll. She stared at herself—displeased. Mercilessly she began to grip onto her fragile stomach, wailing at the top of her lungs, ripping at her elegant gown. The smell of iron from her blood and the salty taste of tears filled the air, intermixing with her ambrosial rose perfume, as if someone were trying to mask their deadly scent.

Light-headed, she wobbled from side to side trying to regain balance but collapsed; eyes closed, panting and breathing heavily—face buried in her hands. The sudden knock in the distance echoed throughout her room as it trailed into the bathroom. All the while she laid there on the shiny floor as a numbing sensation ate her body. Her mother's distressed voice and loud whines resembling the cries of a dying horse, became distant, "Anna, are you alright in there? Please open the door. It's been a week already."

She ignored her mother.

Her mother continued knocking impatiently—perturbed, "Anna! Are you alright in there? Please answer me. Please, if you hear me, eat your food. How long are you going to keep this up?"

No answer.