Broken Mirror

The Pain of Beauty

She saw blemishes, and an unfortunate event made her question her beauty. However, Athena can be beautiful again if a new device promises to deliver what it advertises. However, it comes with a painful price.

The Chamber.Dean Traylor

Part 1: Athena and Mary

Athena was told her entire life that she was a goddess. But such platitudes never convinced her of that. Reality held another opinion. A blemish here and a blemish there was enough to destroy her fragile ego. And, it was that damaged self that brought her to the forefront of something she hoped would cure her of her ailment.

She stood before the “chamber”, the latest and greatest craze to restore beauty and turn the ordinary into the stunning! Yes, the orb-shaped chamber was before her. At first glance, it looked like a big chunk of metal with bright white LED lights from the private room.

Athena hesitated to remove her towel. While the chamber gave an ambient glow, she still felt apprehension that she was about to enter something that could be anything but warm and reassuring.

“Remember that saying about no pain, no gain?” Mary, the cosmetic consultant, said with a serene glint in her eyes.

Athena glanced at her. This only widened Mary’s smile.

“Let me show you,” Mary said as she approached the chamber.

She touched a button that opened it. Athena watched in both horror and amazement as it opened up like a beast yawning and showing off its needle-sharp teeth. However, as Athena observed, there were hundreds of syringe needles playing the part of teeth. This wasn’t doing wonders to quell her anxiety.

…her pink metal tag, which read: “MARY, YOUR FRIENDLY CHAMBER BEAUTY TECHNICIAN!”

Mary approached Athena, keeping eye contact until she got close enough to drop her gaze on Athena’s bare shoulder and neck.

“Your skin is so soft and smooth,” Mary said as she placed a warm, comforting hand on Athena’s shoulder.

Athena glanced at the woman standing next to her. First, her eyes caught the glint of her pink metal tag, which read: “MARY, YOUR FRIENDLY CHAMBER BEAUTY TECHNICIAN!” Then, she took a good look at Mary’s flawless complexion. No lines or creases. No blemishes. Curves in all the right places. Oh, how she wished to be this perfect!

Athena’s eyes saddened as she touched a slight discoloration — one that only Athena noticed — on her own cheek. To her, there was no way she could compete with Mary’s skin.

Everything is perfect about her, she thought. Why can’t that be me?

“You are a doll — a beauty to behold, Athena,” Mary said with an endearing tone and enticing smile.

Although she didn’t feel that way, Athena responded with an unconvincing “thank you.”

“Of course, we can do better,” Mary said. “After all, that’s why you’re here.”

Mary made a gesture, beckoning her to the beast in the room: “The chamber is here for you.”

Athena perused the egg-shaped, gleaming sarcophagus. It was more imposing in person than in all the advertisements she found through social media and holograph videos that played endlessly at her home and work. The soft, filtered music and lavender scent within the business helped to heighten the chamber’s presentation. Athena felt a sense of anxiety and anticipation. The anxiety came from the unknown rigors this machine may put her through. Anticipation was for the reward she hoped it would yield. She desperately wanted to be that goddess she was named after.

Part 2: Athena’s Dilemma

The world was an ugly place. It was even uglier and harsher for Athena. First, her boyfriend left her. A week later, on the polluted streets, she spotted him with a new girl who was younger and prettier than her. The smog and filth hadn’t poisoned this new, fresh face’s complexion.

However, as she had always done, Athena feared that it had tainted hers. The rising heat and exposure to harsh sun rays, coupled with brown toxicity in the air, must have aged poor Athena.

At home in her automated cubicle unit, she saw the creases and discoloration on her face. Nobody told her that reaching 30 in today’s environment was so hazardous to her beauty. Alone and with low morale, Athena’s depression grew, even beyond the reinforcement of the antidepressants she often popped in her mouth. The world of beauty she so wanted was quickly getting out of her reach.

Then, after wading through streaming holograph videos, the ad for the chamber appeared. An unrealistically beautiful vixen appeared on it. The high definition image didn’t hide anything… then again, there was little, in terms of imperfection, to hide on this beauty.

“I used to feel ugly,” the holographic woman said as her image towered over Athena.

The word “ugly” hit her hard enough to force her to sit before the image and listen. Instantly, the woman changed. She went from the model of youth and beauty to a wrinkled, aged, and haggard woman, with joy vacated from her expression.

“Then I discovered my salvation.”

The woman’s image was replaced by the chamber in all its glory. The image brightened, projecting angelic radiance throughout the featureless cubicle. Athena watched in amazement, totally transfixed.

The chamber opened. The teeth were barely visible. They gave off a soft blue glow. The scene shifted to the woman, seated and partially concealed within it. Only her head was visible. She wore dark glasses and had a look of ecstasy on her exposed face.

“The chamber,” she continued in a voice over (as she spoke, her aged complexion faded into a renewed younger version) “made me beautiful, strong, and confident!” All the while, the soft muzak hit its crescendo.

“How’s that possible?” She continued. “Through a secret formula used by beauty experts that’s injected into your skin.”

Mary in Pink. Supplied and edited by Dean Traylor

Briefly, the hologram changed to show one of the needle teeth. Then it went back to the woman in the enclosed chamber, seemingly relaxed.

Sure, it was an advertisement, but Athena was immediately sold. She didn’t bother to read the miniature disclaimer at the bottom of the image. Much of the ad became a blur. It didn’t matter because she was ready to throw all her credits at it.

The image changed again. The young, vibrant woman returned, standing over the eager Athena

“Remember,” she said, “Beauty is pain. If you want change, you must suffer to be beautiful forever.”

The slogan reverberated in her head as the image faded away with soft music playing. The image flashed the name of the organization: The Beauty Chamber, its number, and address.

Athena hit the pause on the holograph player.

“Beauty is pain,” she said to herself. For the first time in a while, she cracked a smile.

Part 3: Beauty is Pain

In case Athena didn’t hear it, Mary repeated the slogan in her sincerely seductive voice: “Beauty is pain.”

Athena stared at the needle teeth. The view of it was enough to stop her advance toward the chamber.

“It’s a proven fact, in case you were wondering,” Mary said.

Athena gave Mary a nervous look.

“The needle injects an age-old solution that has been around for centuries. It is even rumored that Cleopatra herself once rubbed this on her.”

She ruminated on Mary’s plea. Yet, the moment was brief. Beauty, or at least the pursuit of it, was all too tempting for her. Sheepishly, Athena let the towel drop from her body and made her way to the opening in the chamber. As she moved into place in the chamber, she kept chanting within her head: “Beauty is pain, beauty is pain, beauty is pain.”

Mary fetched the goggles and returned. Athena’s anxiety was still apparent, but it was dissipating as she sat there and took deep breaths.

“Ah, you remembered,” Mary said. “Deep breaths always help the first time you do this.”

First time? Athena found this peculiar. Didn’t they advertise this as a one-time ordeal? Despite her concerns, however, Athena dismissed this as something she may have misheard. Why would anyone want to put a person in such a device over and over again? Must ithave been a mistake? Eagerly, she placed the goggles on.

Soon her concern vaporized in the dark recesses of her thoughts. The one that dominated it was the possible results. That mattered more than anything else.

“Beauty is pain.” She whispered.

“What’s that?” Mary asked.

Athena glanced up at her beauty consultant: “I’m ready.”

The reassuring, caring glow of Mary returned: “I’m happy to hear that. Let’s get beautiful again.”

She blacked out. The last image was the serene landscape hanging on the wall.

Mary pushed the button on the chamber to close it. It closed with a swish as it hermetically sealed itself.

“Now,” Mary said. “Look at the wall and focus on the painting.”

Athena did so, seeing a serene landscape painting.

Mary continued. She touched a button that emitted a slight hum. “The needles will inject in three, two, one….”

All at once, hundreds of needles violated her skin. She didn’t have time to flinch or scream. The chamber’s blue liquid was injected into her all at once. Blue light emitted from the opening near her neck, casting her face in a blue glow. She gritted her teeth, and her nerves signaled the pain of the many needle pricks, but she never took her focus away from the painting.

Beauty is pain, she thought to herself.

Beauty is pain,

Beauty is pai…

She blacked out. The last image was the serene landscape hanging on the wall.

Part 5: A New Athena

Light broke the darkness that Athena was in. Her eyes fluttered, and slowly her vision returned. Soon, the light was accompanied by a vision of green on the wall. It didn’t take long for that green to clarify. It was the color of the green hills in the landscape painting. Also, the color pink and the word “MARY” came into view.

Athena’s other senses emerged from the darkness just as Mary removed the goggles from her. The serenity of soft music invaded her ears, as did the numbness and pains pulsating through her skin. Through it all, Athena found comfort in her sense of smell and sight. The scent of lavender aroused her, as did the comforting glow of Mary’s perfected face and smile.

Mary, however, wasn’t alone. Two clean, chiseled male orderlies stood nearby.

“How are you doing, Athena?” Mary asked.

Athena felt a sense of serenity. But the moment didn’t last long. Despite being concealed within the chamber, she wanted to lift her arms to give an “OK” sign to Mary. But the moment she shifted, she felt like it had caught fire. She responded with a groan that conveyed the pain she felt. She was far from OK.

“Don’t move,” Mary ordered. “We’ll get the meds going once you’re out and into your private room.”

While the pain preoccupied her main concerns, Mary’s matter-of-fact tone about pain and medication hovered within her. This was expected, she came to realize. Beauty is pain.

Mary told Athena she’d open the door. The two orderlies took their places. She hit the button to open the chamber.

All three moved quickly. Athena slumped over as it opened. They caught her. All the while, Athena’s head swam in a wave of delirium and pain. Still, in the quickness of the moment, Athena had a glimpse of her arm. Thousands of welts covered her skin. She let out a gasp at this.

Mary quickly wrapped the towel around her as the other two helped guide her to a gurney. But Mary was aware of the gasp.

“It’s okay,” he cooed. “It’s always hard the first time.”

Athena looked at her, shocked: “First time?”

“Often, to ensure beauty, we have a second or third routine to ensure that everything has gone the way it’s supposed to. We’ll talk more about scheduling once you recover.”

The mantra penetrated Athena deeper than any needles of the chamber.

Athena’s expression was one of distress. The pain began to sharpen as was her anxiety. Mary noticed and merely smiled.

“It’s all for the best,” she said. “ Remember when all is done, you’ll be the Athena, that gorgeous goddess you’ve always been. And don’t forget: beauty is pain.”

The mantra penetrated Athena deeper than any needles of the chamber. Despite the pain, a sense of peace took over.

“Beauty is pain,” she whispered as a weak smile crossed her face.

Mary returned the smile. At that moment, the orderlies began to wheel her out of the room.

“Always remember, Athena,” Mary said, holding Athena’s hand while they left the room. “Always remember that.”

Athena

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