8/10/2019 English Creative Writing - The Mirror Had Made Her Sick

1/3

8/10/2019 English Creative Writing - The Mirror Had Made Her Sick

2/3

words. But in my mind, a clear and distinct line in the sand had been drawn. A line that separated me

from those who were normal; who were BEAUTIFUL.

When the clock struck three, I ran home crying, wishing that I would look like everyone else. I

comforted myself by looking through the magazines Id stolen from my sister, smiling at the glamorous

models sporting size 0sand wishing that I could also look like them. I vowed to myself that someday,

I would cross that line in the sand and that I too would be beautiful. That one day, Id show all the

people whod looked at me funny and all the other kids who had teased me. I glanced back into the

haunting surface of the mirror, hoping that Id see thinner, prettier, more desirable me, but I was

disappointed with the reality.

*

Mums shrill call for dinner was followed by a rush of footsteps as the rest of the family ran down to

the alluring aroma of home cooking. I followed them; long after the echo of footsteps had faded. Once,

I too would have rushed to dinner, anticipating the days meal, brimming with excitement over what

would be on the table. Instead, I slipped silently into the hall outside the dining room and peeked in.

The dinner table offered a bouquet of appealing scents and sights. I looked longingly at the steaming

roast chicken and creamy potato mash that had always been my favourite. The smell of the thick, herb

infused gravy wafted over to me and I felt my stomach churn and contract protesting for the food I

would not give it. COULD not give it.Not if I wanted to become normal, to be called pretty Jessie

instead of Jessie the weirdo. Not if I wanted to stop being the fat, chubby child I was. I had to

persevere. If I just held on for a little more, Id be normal; Id be BEAUTIFUL.

Resolutely, I walked up the stairs and into my room, taking out the stolen magazines from under my

bed. I gazed longingly at the slim figures and tried to imagine myself as one of them. But even in my

imagination, I was tubby. I sighed and rolled over, once again looking into my reflection. I willed

8/10/2019 English Creative Writing - The Mirror Had Made Her Sick

3/3

myself to sleep; all the while ignoring the stabbing pain in my stomach. As my eyes drooped, the image

in the mirror blurred. Underneath my mirror image, I could almost see a thin figure gazing back at me.

My eyes closed.

*

The room was strewn with the paraphernalia of any teenagerschoolbooks, uniforms and magazines,

glossy covers filled with swimsuit models and slim airbrushed bodies. There was a girl lying in the

middle of the bed, emaciated limbs sprawled and her skeletal body slumped. Her reflection stared

gauntly back at her sleeping figure. The mirror had made her sick.