CLONE OF SOCIETY
I walked home alone, like I do every day. There were people around me, laughing and talking, but they didn’t see me. No one ever sees me. Why would they? I’m nothing spectacular, like the girls on TV or in magazines or even at my school. Those girls are tall, and I’m short. Those girls are flawless, and I’m flawed. Those girls are thin, and I’m fat. Those girls are popular, loved, respected, and admired, and I’m not. To make matters even worse, those girls are everywhere you look and no one sees anyone else.
So I walked home alone, but my plan was safely tucked into my mind. I knew exactly what to do to become popular and loved. I would show them all, make them notice me. Make them love me. It was the only way to become accepted by my school and by the world. Society would notice me.
My mother was in the kitchen as I walked in the door, dropping my bag on the floor and kicking off my shoes. The warm smell of chicken and potatoes wafted from the oven, and I paused to enjoy it in spite of my resolve. Would I be able to smell like this, once my plan was complete? I steeled myself against the lingering doubts, forcing them from my mind. Sacrifices must be made, I reminded myself. Nothing is ever accomplished without sacrifice.
“Millie, dinner’s in an hour,” my mom called without turning towards me.
“Okay.” Even my mother was ashamed at the sight of me.
I dashed up the stairs to my room, slamming the door behind me. I leaned against the cool wood, one hand resting on the metal door knob, and I let my eyes pass over my sanctuary.
I had covered my walls with images of those girls – supermodels, movie and TV stars, musicians, clothing ads, perfume ads, and even photos of the beautiful people around me. They all stared back at me with their cold, disdainful gazes. They were all judging me, thinking how much smoother their skin was; how much smoother their hair was; how much sleeker their bodies were; how perfect their make-up was. I hated them all and envied them all, but in my sanctuary I was in control. The eyes were forced to advert their gaze when I met their stare.
Crossing my room, I opened the closet and pushed aside my unfashionable wardrobe to reveal my greatest creation. Pulling it into the centre of my room, I couldn’t help but admire my handiwork.
She was perfection. I had analyzed every detail from the girls on my walls. I had copied them, manipulated and used them to achieve the idea form. She was tall, she was slender, and she was flawless. Her hair was silky smooth, her skin creamy, her eyes deep blue, her lips perfectly formed, her ears petite. She had long arms and long legs, mathematically proportionate to her torso. There wasn’t a single problem with her, expect that she was not alive.
I had her dressed in the most fashionable clothes I could find, the outfit an exact copy of the most recent stylish magazine. She just needed the final part of my plan, the spark that would bring her to life. I had to put myself into her to achieve the utmost perfection, and I had already done so. My hand trembling with anticipation, I flicked the switch.
*****
The first thing Millie did was blink. Turning her head, she took in her surroundings and her eyes finally settled on the short, fat girl standing eagerly in front of her. Millie was instantly repulsed, although she was not sure why. It was how she was told to feel, what her programmer had thought all girls who look like her felt. The girl nodded and lay down on her bed, her hands resting comfortably on her stomach and her eyes closed. Millie moved to stand beside her and felt hesitation and pity for the sad creature. The girl opened one eye and gestured impatiently. Sighing, Millie placed a pillow firmly over the girl’s face and held it there until her mother called her for dinner.
Millie paused at the doorway to look at the body lying on the bed. She wasn’t sure who the girl was, or why she was there, but she finally looked happy. As she descended the stairs to join her family, she smelled the chicken and potatoes. For the first time, Millie found the scent totally repulsive.