She sat alone in the library, reading at an excruciatingly slow pace. Her movements were deliberate and calculated to cause maximum discomfort to herself. She sat with her ankles folded under her at odd positions, her eyes uncomfortably far from the reading material, her back slouched till she resembled a snail, her neck strained till it formed an L. Her fingernails scratched at the pages like chalk on board making uncomfortable sounds which gave her goosebumps and made her toes curl up.

Her appearance was delicate, her eyes sharp and curious, her nose slim, her skin fair and smooth and her hair soft and neatly braided, freshly washed and fragrant. She had a cup of piping hot tea next to her as she read, letting her fingers burn on the cup for as long as she could. She sipped the tea without blowing first, letting it gently burn her tongue and throat as she swallowed. She read slowly, making sure to read each word over and over again.

After several agonizing hours she got up, pinching her legs which felt like they were filled with powdered glass. Her mind felt a soft buzz and she stood and made her way to her room. Her house was quiet, the breathy cadence of her parents asleep, the soft snoring of her infant brother in his cradle and the quiet hum of the refrigerator.

She went to the washroom in her room to brush and wash her face. She bristled her gums with the hard unkempt brush taking care to make sure they bleed and itch. She squeezed lemon juice into her mouth and then grinded her teeth, her toes curling up so hard she almost pulled out a tile, the goosebumps so severe despite the lack of body hair, she looked like a hedgehog.

She flossed her gums, ensuring the thin thread digs into her soft, sensitive hums as she flossed them mercilessly. Soft whimpers echoed in the bathroom as she flossed, spitting out blood and saliva.

Finally, she rinsed and began to wash her face. She used hot water to dry out her skin and then didn’t moisturize, letting her face feel dry and hard. She did the same for her wrists, the dryness almost unbreable for her pretty and angelic fair skin. The girl made her way to bed.

She let her bangs fall over her eyes as she undid her braids. She carefully brushed her hair, ensuring they’re tangled in just the right way. She preheated her pillow and laid down on the warm side. She pulled up her blanket just below where she’d like to have it. She pulled up her pyjamas till they crumpled around her calves and felt the creases on her knee gap and calves.

She adjusted the thermostat till it was warmer than she’d like and fell asleep, making sure her back would ache next morning.

It rained outside her window the entire night, the heavens weeping in silent protest as the guardian angel assigned to this particular girl pulled at his hair and grinded his teeth due to a lifetime of observing her. He begged and pleaded God to relieve him of his duty and God, unable to watch his son in misery, looked away.

The girl woke up the next day and made her way to do her routines, her guardian angel banging his head on every wall as he floated behind her. The girl got dressed for school, making sure her socks were loose and damp, her shoes bit her feet, and the large amounts of lemon juice she had on an empty stomach gave her an ulcer.

Her mother smiled sweetly at her as she left and her dad gave her a loving hug while her infant brother simply cooed a loving goodbye. The girl waved goodbye and left, her guardian angel floating behind, banging his head on the stairs and then on the door and lastly in the driveway.

As soon as the girl stepped on the street, a large truck hit her, the guardian angel had a mild concussion and was slow to react, unable to protect her. He was severed from her instantly for the girl had died. He floated along aimlessly.

He arrived at a garden, the october sun casting an orange glow on the trees as the afternoon melted away. The cool breeze bit sharply at him as he rested under a tree. His head felt heavy but he felt peaceful. His body ached but he felt at ease. He slowly began to disappear as the evening faded, muttering a soft “Thank you” under his breath as he rejoined the stars.