Camille sipped her tea and enjoyed the rays of sunlight streaming into the coffee shop. Class had finished and her friend Lena had just left her. For now, she enjoyed the bliss of peace and quiet of being alone without lonesomeness. She took her book” Girl, interrupted” and sipped her tea. She sympathised with the characters of this book, she herself knew what it was like to feel uneasy with not feeling sane. Everyone has some crazy in them, there is no longer a normal category in our society. We are all insane.
Just as she was turning the next page of the book she was highly invested in, a long thin finger sharply grabbed the right hand side of the book. The hand was crinkled and heavily charred with first degree burns and had a bronze ring laid around it. She knew who the hand belonged to and all of a sudden the bliss she once had vanished within the glimpse of the hand. She was not surprised Marie was there. It seemed that Marie was everywhere lately. “Hello, Marie” Camille said without her usual inviting tone. Instead her voice came out monotonous.
Why Camille, you can’t Ignore me forever she replied back. I looked at her face and it was like seeing another part of me; the darker side of me. She had my soft skin and dark hair and yet the left side of her face was charred with burns. It started near her temple, down that side of the face until it reached her collarbone. she had those same scars on her right hand. Through it all, she was maintained. She was wearing clothes a lot like she did when I was younger, actually, it looks like she hasn’t changed at all.
You’re not supposed to be here” I said back, this time putting the book down and looking straight in her eyes ” You’re not supposed to be near me anymore” Camille, is that any way to talk to your sister after six months of not speaking to me? Seems you don’t have time for your dear sister- “I don’t” I snapped back, “Please leave Marie, I want nothing to do with you” She said as she started to shuffle her feet under the table. Her legs, that were once crossed and neat are now shaking and yet over the table her hands were still and her face was emotionless. She didn’t want Marie to know she was distraught by her presence.
Oh, you want me to go? Camille you’re no fun anymore. Forget about the past, let’s go have fun! Let’s go play in the shed. Camille is suddenly sitting up straight and is appalled by the comment. She backs away from Marie and lowers the volume of her voice until it is a little over a whisper. Her voice has become crackly and the calm exterior she once had is now crumble revealing an insecure and frightened Camille instead. “Don’t you ever mention that shed ever again Marie, are we clear? Now, I have been nothing but patient with you but you’re taking it way too far. In the morning I’m going to file for a restraining order against you.
I won’t let you harass me any longer, are we clear on that? ” Camille took a long pause and stared straight into Marie’s eyes, as if to scare her with this threat. Instead, Marie almost seemed pleased with what she heard. She grinned at the comment, leaving the scar on her face in a odd crinkly pattern like a painting. Camille stood up softly, collected her belongings and started to leave the coffee shop. She’s now out the door and lets a deep breath out. She hadn’t even noticed she was holding her breath. She decides to head home, its not more than a five minute walk to her apartment.
She walks two blocks, over the bridge and one block and then she’ll be home, safe from Marie Parker. As she’s walking she fastens her pace and thinks about that day. The flames, the screams… Just then she loses focus and bumps into a man, dropping her purse and all the contents spilling out of it like water flooding out of the sea. She crouches down to retrieve her belongings. Just then, the all too familiar hand has her book lifted up towards her. You dropped this Camille, you’ve always been a clutz. “You’re a monster” she snarls to the woman of scars, almost spitting the words at her.
Camilles mouth was clench as if it was the only thing holding her back from saying anything she’ll regret. Camille, I’m only what you want me to be. Marie responds cooley, Camille had one goal, get away from her, this menacing character. She rips the book from her sister’s hand and starts to run to the street light, it was a crowded street. If she can cross the road before her sister, Marie will be flooded by a sea of blurry faces, losing her tail. Camille races to the light. She has three seconds to pass. Her heart was beating and she could feel warm sticky sweat dribbling down her forehead.
As she crosses, she looks back and sees Marie get lost in the crowd. I’m safe, she thinks to herself. She can’t hurt me. As she turns back a face is not more than a inch away from hers. She sees Marie standing in front of her. Now Marie’s smile is replaced with a gritty snarl. Camille, where do you always think you can leave me? Why? | was willing to let bygones to be bygones and allow us to forget about the shed but it seems you can’t let go of the past. Why am Ithe monster Camille? Huh? Is it because of my face, it is, isn’t it? This is what you did to me Camille. You ruined me! I am ugly because of you. You did this.
Maries voice bled into my ears and into my head. I couldn’t escape it. I was almost near the bridge and I could only hear her voice in my head. It was consuming me Tam ugly because of you. You did this. I felt my hands shake and pace quicken. Just then, I see a glimpse of a bird in the distance, it was gliding so soft and beautifully, like a angel. All of a sudden, that bird hits the glass window causing it to back up. The bird crashes repeatedly into the glass, trying to fly through it. Its trying to escape, trying to escape from the cruel exposure of reality. Marie says, this time she’s behind me, breathing on my neck.
I shudder and keep walking. I am now on the bridge. I am near my sanctuary. Look at that bird fly. How beautiful. I always wanted to fly. I wanted to soar. But birds are beautiful and I am ugly, therefor I’m trapped on the earth. You made me this way. You turned me into this! Marie says grabbing Camille’s arms and shaking her, Camiile start to cry chaotically. She couldn’t contain her fear and guilt. You dropped that match. It was your idea to play in the shed. It’s your fault I’m this way. I know why you did it Camille. We all know why you destroyed my face and my life. Because you were jealous.
You couldn’t stand that I was going places. That I was more beautiful, that I had a future. So you took that future away. “Marie I swear to you it was a accident” I was screaming to her desperatly. I had never intended to cause any of this. It just happened. I never had patience for liars Camille. You’re an envious sadistic arsonist. No I’m not I pleaded with her, you’re my sister. We continued to argue passionately on the bridge as if this was the final showdown. The last fight in this long lasting battle. I felt my plead against hers. I could feel words being thrown and blood being shed, my blood against hers.
Envious sadistic arsonist. Envious sadistic arsonist I was good Camille, I wanted to soar. But you stole that from me. I wanted to fly. I wanted to fly. Envious sadistic arsonist. The words repeated in my head like a ritual and my heart pounding I can still hear Marie screaming but all I could focus on were those three words. There was no escape. I was trapped on the bridge. I wanted to fly Camille. I wanted to fly. And just like that, Camille flew… suddenly down the bridge inot the deep vast ocean. Officer Gellar and officer creedy were examining the bodies of a young girl found floating in the sea. What do we got here Creedy. ” Officer Gellar said to his partner. He wasn’t really taken aback by her. Yet her noticed a large burn from her left forearm to her wrist. “Third suicide this week. Her names Camille Elisabeth Parker. Twenty seven, resident here in Earlville. We found Clozaril in her purse, she was a schitzo. We’ve already contacted her doctor. Turns out when she was fourteen she and her sister decided to play with fire in the shed and a fire spread.
The sister was burned alive and Camille was able to escpae. Dr. Morgan claims that Camille would see her sister and ried to convince her that the fire was her fault. Major wack-job we have here” Officer Gellar sighed and took a sip of his coffee, his eyes trailed to a large building near the bridge, there was a large crack on one of the glass windows. Must’ve been a bird of something. He thought to himself. “Well Creedy it’s clear what happened here” Gellar began saying nonchalantly looking down at the young girl in front of him. “Young girl, smart, beautiful, gets tired of her hallucination and ends her life. There’s a good chance she didn’t take her meds that morning of something. ” “Yeah” replies Creedy, “Seems as simple as that. “
