Stares - Mel Afoa

She stares at the reflection in the mirror.
Stands there for a couple of minutes, trying to figure out what is wrong with herself. She looks on, her fingers slithering over the small, dark bruises that lie patiently on her right arm, with more scattered across her tiny body. She watches as her fingers brush her skin lightly, the feeling as cold and as soft as can be. The girl in the mirror smiles sadly. A smile that is forced, A smile that is frozen. She turns around slightly to look at her back, and notices a trail of black bruises that follow down her spine. She looks at them with pain and acknowledgement, and then her eyes travel to he window that sits beside the cracked mirror. She notices the dark clouds that surround her sanctuary. There is no breeze, no leaves dancing lightly with the wind, no breeze carrying laughter and happiness. She looks back to the mirror and notices the girl looking back has replaced the sad smile with something even foreign; a small, tight frown. She then goes notices the silent tears that fall from her brown orbs. She looks at the reflection in the mirror, trying to figure a way to comfort the creature that cries, only to realise it is her. So she does what everyone does best: she keeps staring at the reflection in mirror.