People are Monsters

I saw her on the sidewalk. She didn't look dangerous- not at all. She was just a child- a little girl sitting on the sidewalk outside my house. Admittedly her masculine style of fashion and bare feet were out of the ordinary, but a child is a child. I hurried on, jogging away. Only later would I see the truly eerie feature of this fearsome child...That blank, white mask with the empty eyes...

Of course, I was going to see my beau...But it didn't work out. After all, it's hard to forgive a man when you see two other pretty ladies on his arm...And in his mouth. I came home in tears, nearly tripping over the small girl in the way.

“O-Oh god...I-I'm sorry...A-Are you okay?” I said through the veil of tears and hands that covered my face. She turned her head, fixing that empty stare on me. For some reason, it was so chilling- that dark stare- that I couldn't help but back away a bit, my tears stopping from sheer animal terror. Despite that, she radiated concern and compassion as she patted the ground next to her, inviting me to sit.

“Come now...Something's wrong, isn't it...? Why don't you tell me...?”

I didn't so much sit as collapsed onto the sidewalk next to her. Almost immediately I started spilling my guts- after all, I had been waiting for a listening ear all day- even if it was just a very odd child. She only listened to me, nodding now and then, seeming to drink in every word.

“...And that's why people are MONSTERS!” I exclaimed, my face awash with a  new sheet of tears. She seemed to consider this, tilting her head as she put a hand to her chin.

“Mnn...People are what you make of them.”

“Oh what do YOU know? You're just a kid!” Mildly insulted, I stomped to my house, nearly seeing red. How dare she mock me? After what I'd been through too! I sighed, deciding that I needed to catch a grip on myself, wash off my makeup, chill out with a bucket of ice-cream and a late-night movie.

I only got to the first step before my world shattered. I was washing my face when I saw it- a monster in the mirror. So grotesque and horribly deformed that I couldn't help but scream and dart from the house.

That didn't help at all.

Everywhere I looked, monsters, hideous shambling things that moaned and groaned and roared. I whimpered, which seemed only to get their attention as I ran back inside, my heart hammering in my chest like a woodpecker.

“...Having fun?”

I spun, half scared, half relieved to hear the lightly mocking voice of the girl I had met outside. She was on my couch, reading a magazine of mine.

I admit. I was furious. I'd had enough. I walked up and grabbed the smug little girl by her stupid little vest.

“You. What did you do? Why are there those...THINGS?”

She only chuckled lightly, replying simply. “Those aren't things. Those are people. You said it yourself- people are monsters. I only helped you see the truth.”

For a moment I stood there, glaring at her, my chest heaving with suppressed rage. Then it connected in my head. I dropped her slowly, backing away as she watched me with amusement, her arms folded behind her back. I pointed a shaking finger at her, almost scared of the truth as it trickled out of my stammering mouth.

“Y-You...You said...”People”...A-And you don't look like a monster...s-so you're...”

At this the sense of amusement seemed to rise, filling the room like an invisible corona of smugness. She inclined her head kindly, bowing. “Yes. You're right. I'm not.”

With that she disappeared. Not with a flash- not with a bang, not even with a whisper. She simply disappeared as if she had never been there- leaving me to my fate. And I have lived with this for the rest of my days.