Frozen Beauty
Ultimately, physical perfection was just genetics. Perfection became standard, beauty turned banal.
* * *
The club was a horror show: missing teeth, scars, ruined eyes. I was displaying a port-wine birthmark, created over two hours.
“Jess! Check this out!” It was Kaylee, her arm around a one-legged girl. “Her name’s Hazel.”
“That’s amazing!” I examined the stump. “Great work! But how?”
Hazel hesitated. “Car accident, actually.”
“Wait, it’s real?” Kaylee took her arm away.
“At least I fit in here, right?” Hazel laughed nervously.
Kaylee and I remained frozen, the illusion shattered. Finally, sensing this, Hazel adjusted her crutch and hobbled away.
The Green-Walled Tower 
February 28th, 2021 at 5:28 pm
There’s an interesting premise there, but I wanted to know why only deliberate body modification counted
February 28th, 2021 at 7:00 pm
I was thinking that they like toying with the idea of ugliness/deformity, but only if it was a game. That their supposed acceptance of imperfections was really the exact opposite.
Thanks for reading!
March 1st, 2021 at 12:03 am
OMG that is surreal and so very human. I bet you like Chuck Palahniuk books don’t you.
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:38 pm
That’s a great compliment, thank you! Yes, I do like his books, especially Fight Club.
March 3rd, 2021 at 8:07 pm
You are welcome. Always happy to discover another Palahniuk fan 🙂
March 1st, 2021 at 3:59 am
Your imagination belongs in the Library of Congress in its own plexiglass case. I lack your surreal, out there streak, so hope it’s okay to live vicariously through it. Great photo by Dale. I remember one of yours I still have Rochelle used. It was a gazebo type bandstand, if I’m not mistaken. 🙂
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:32 pm
Well, I live vicariously through your writing too, so why not. 🙂 That’s the whole point of reading anyway. I love that you remember that picture. I still like the first line of the story I wrote for it: “The first note hovered in the air like an orb-weaver hanging from the horn of the moon.”
March 4th, 2021 at 4:03 am
I love that. I kept that photo by the way. Did I already say that? You should offer Rochelle more. You have many.
March 1st, 2021 at 5:22 am
Dear David,
This reminds me of one of my favorite Star Trek episodes in reverse. I suppose in a genetically enhanced society, imperfection would be a fascination. You do have an imagination off the charts. Where it takes you is a joy to behold.
Shalom,
Rochelle
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:30 pm
Thanks, Rochelle. 🙂 This was one that took a long time to whittle down to 100 words, but I’m happy with it. Seems like that would be a hard sort of society to live in with so many layers of pretense.
March 1st, 2021 at 1:12 pm
Oh, the irony is thick with this one! We humans are a perverse breed.
March 3rd, 2021 at 7:28 pm
Yeah, no kidding. Can’t imagine how an outside species would view some of the things we do.