Living Skeleton

The first actual skeleton I'd ever seen was the skeleton that my father had in the basement. He said he used to have it in his classroom when he taught sixth grade science. Every night, I used to sneak out of my room quietly and slowly; no noise was ever made. I walked gently down the stairs towards the basement. I turned on the dusty old light bulb and secretly admired the skeleton that was perfectly standing on its rack. My parents never found out that I had an abnormal affection towards that skeleton. I named it Gabriel, and I had fallen in love with it.

A few years later, when I turned ten, my father sold his skeleton to one of his friends. I was so grief-stricken that I couldn't ever forgive my father for taking away the only thing I've ever loved.

When I got older, my body had changed to a woman's body. When I saw myself in the mirror, I couldn't help but remember how much I missed Gabriel. I began to notice that everyone had a Gabriel inside of them. I was so stupid to not have thought of this superb idea before. My idea was to turn into the ideal wife for Gabriel. I would look just like him and live with him as a perfect couple, as if we were made for each other.

I went on the Internet, and I found Gabriel on eBay. He was just like how I remembered him: hollow eyes and shiny white bones. I got so excited I ordered him immediately. He came within a week, and I hid him in the basement where he used to live. He was ready for me, so now it was my turn to work perfection.

I stopped eating. Everything I ate, I threw it up. I starved myself, but I was never in pain, because Gabriel was always by my side. After a few months, my body had transformed. I looked beautiful. I was so proud of myself that I began to cry. They were tears of joy, of course. I wanted to show Gabriel how stunning I looked, so I dressed very sexy for him in my black dress and heels. Gabriel said that I have not reached my goal yet - that I still didn't look like him. His words were painful, and I started sobbing nonstop. He came to me and told me not to cry, and that all I needed to do was show him my bones. I asked him if that would make him happy, to consider me as his wife, and he replied with a smile. So I grabbed a knife and started peeling off my skin, until l found my bones. The pain was agonizing, but Gabriel said I was almost there. I didn't finish peeling off my skin until I collapsed.

I woke up in this strange place. I was wearing a white dress, and my hair was soft and healthy. In the distance, I saw a man with blonde hair, standing in the middle of a field of flowers. He called my name, so I began to walk towards him.

I asked him who he was,

and he told me

his name

was

Gabriel.