Persona by Amy Lunderman Read Free Book Online Page B

she climbs up on it and sits Indian style. Rolling her neck to get rid of any tension she might have, she closes her eyes with a sigh. Lightly, she places her palms up on her knees and takes even calm breaths. After a few years of this type of relaxation mediation, she had been able to bring on her persona at will by just parts. It was hard at first, but she slowly was able to do it. Like all things, it takes practice. When her room starts to fade around her and all she focuses on is the buzz from the heater, that’s when she feels the tingling sensation across her skin.
    It always starts like that, like tiny bugs crawling all over you and your skin breaks out in goose bumps. Moira thinks of this feeling as a warning system, that she is about to lose control, but uses it to push herself when she practices. In her mind, she pictures herself sitting here and slowly envisions her hair changing from wavy strawberry blonde to a silky auburn mass of curls. Brought on by the thought, the tingling travels along her scalp and she feels her hair rising up from her back and settling past her shoulders. She asked her dad once, what the deal was with her hair changing like that, but he didn’t really have an answer. He just told her that she was like a wolf, showing her true fur underneath. Moira laughed at him, not able to picture her whole body covered in red fur. What a sight, that would be.
    Concentrating now, she pictures herself standing in front of a mirror so that she is staring into her hazel eyes and see’s that they look like a mix between green and brown. The tingling travels from her scalp to her eyes making them itch and water for a second, and she knows that if she were to look at them, they would be changing to a deep emerald color. She keeps her eyes closed though, as to not be distracted by her heightened sight.
    Taking a deep breathe, she empty’s her mind and concentrates on pushing herself harder. The next part is a little difficult, but after a while she feels her hands tingle. They feel like they were asleep and are slowly waking up, it starts in her palms and travels up into her fingertips. Without any pain, she feels her nails grow out and without looking she knows they are pointed at the tips.
    The next part always forms last with her for some reason. She tried before to just do this part, but it never worked. Now that the rest is complete, the tingling travels throughout her body again and this time migrates to her neck. It feels like a muscle spasm for a second, and she has to remain calm and control her breathing. From her neck, it lingers up into her jaw so that her gums feel like they are vibrating. She feels a stinging sensation almost to the point of pain and then it’s gone, as she feels her teeth push up. Opening her mouth slightly, she makes room for her teeth to elongate into sharpened points. Smiling, she finally opens her eyes.
    Her room is more clear and sharper, and she can almost zoom onto things she couldn’t before. Glancing to her desk, she can see a fleck of dust that looks like the size of a quarter to her now. Her body feels stronger too, like she could do anything. Moira has to remind herself that it’s not true though, there are things that you can’t come back from. She doesn’t know if it’s part of the persona to have thing feeling of invincibility, but it does fade when she returns to normal.
    Sliding of the bed, she goes over to her mirror on the back of her closet. She sees a different girl walking towards her reflection. Like always, it takes her by surprise. This girl is beautiful to Moira, and has strength to her, that she does not. Her hair practically glows, and her eyes are shinning. With her teeth and nails, she looks like a predator ready for a hunt. Reaching out a hand, Moira touches her reflection and wonders how anyone could see someone like her as a monster. All she sees is beauty. Taking a deep breathes, and slowly letting it out, she watches as the other girl