Bee
The water flowed down my naked body and into the bathtub . I breathed in and out , closing my eyes and looking at the squirting water from the shower head .
I felt no cold or warmth from it but a sensation of being cleaned .
I didn't know if it was real or just my imagining . But I did know this was better than the fountain at the park.
I cleaned myself as best as I could. The water at the drain was a light grey and my grime washed away into the gutters.
It had been black a few minutes ago . I had seen a black colored blood flow from a wound on my shoulder .
I remembered it from the human who stabbed me with his knife in the alley . Now I had another cut , along with the ones that had been there before I came back .
I was curious why my blood was black in color . Was my body sick or contaminated ? Or this the way I was now , since I wasn't human anymore .
After a few minutes of showering , I dried myself with a blue towel I saw on a rack .
Now I was clean .
I looked at my hands and smiled with relief . The nymph's blood had flowed away and I felt better . I hadn't liked it on my hands ... it had felt bad .
I looked at my clothes where I left them and raised a hand to put them on . But then I froze .
I had been standing in the middle of the bathroom and my body had been facing the mirror above the sink .
I had seen my reflection and that's what had made me freeze .
I walked to the mirror and gazed at my face with a swirling emotion .
My face was clean and my eyes were clear . My skin looked more creamier but still had a faint grey luster . But I still had my disfigurement.
It started from the right corner of my mouth . It was a unpleasing thing to look at . I knew it scared people .
On the left side of my mouth was my cheek with it's rough yet subtle features. My cheek was lean and strong and I thought about the way the nymph had touched it yesterday . But I would never let him see my right side again .
On the right side of my mouth , where my cheek would have been was nothing .
There was a crude cut that started from my bottom lip and rose to the edge of my cheek bone , right under my eye . From there the cut slid down until it reached an inch above my jaw . Then it climbed back up until it touched my top lip .
From the hole on the side of my face , I could see my gums and teeth . I opened my mouth and closed it , all whilst watching my jaw muscles as the flexed and moved .
I lifted my tongue and ran it across my exposed teeth and I could see it in the reflection of the mirror . I lifted my hand and touched the cut hole .
I rubbed my exposed flesh and tissue with a frown on my face . I placed one finger into the hole and touched my teeth slowly . I breathed out heavily and glared at my reflection .
I was a monster and I knew it . The humans and even the nymph had been horrified by my face .
" I was just shocked when I saw it " the nymph's words rang in my ears and I smiled at my reflection . My smile was half a rueful smile and a grimace of my exposed teeth and tissue .
The nymph wasn't afraid of me . He hadn't looked at me with fear , maybe shock but not fear . I was grateful for that .
Maybe he would agree to keep me company as I sought out my unfinished business .
That would be nice ... it would be nice not to be alone ...
" Bee , I left your clothes on the bed . Good night . " Yuree's mother said from outside and I snapped out of my reverie .
I heard her footsteps recede and I looked at my reflection again .
I tilted my head and gave myself one last look before putting on my clothes .
Afterwards I went out of the bathroom and into the room I would be using .
On the bed was a pair of grey long shorts , a black T-shirt and a pair of underwear and grey socks with blue grey sneakers . Next to these was a bottle of creamy white liquid that went smooth on my skin.
I removed my clothes and put on the new ones . I had rubbed the creamy lotion on my body already and it had a scent like pine and grass which made me think of the forest .
I didn't take off my mask but tied it on to cover my mouth as before . I could not let the humans see me .
I knew they would be afraid ... because I was a monster .
Wasn't I ? I thought to myself and sat on the bed .
The ghosts at the hospital had called me ghoul and that human who had hit the nymph called me a monster . So it was probably true .
But ...the nymph hadn't .
He hadn't thought that if me ...
I liked that . I liked him .
" My nymph " I said in my hoarse voice and I smiled under my mask .