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Klutch.xls: Effortless
She floats down two or three steps effortlessly. On the fourth her eyes open just slightly: two tiny half moons which catch every ounce of light and absorb it into darkness. Her white dress worn just for this occasion fills with air as she lifts her left leg.
In this moment the thought crosses her mind.
Eyes become wide and strong thin hands tremble. A quick shake of the foot and a knee buckles. She searches for the next step and finds it actually. But it's too late. Before she has a chance to react and control her right leg speeding towards the floor, her torso shifts.
Subconsciously, she remembers the first steps she took as a child:
Two halves of the body severed.
Body shifting left to right.
Awkward torso balanced on top of chubby legs.
She reaches for the railing miles away. Her feet stay put as she writhes and falls sideways. The shoulder is the first to hit the ground, dislocated then quickly jammed back in the socket. Another grasp at nothing and fingers snap like twigs. A knee pops on a banister rail, and then the other. A perfect rhythm as cartilage pops and whistles.
And it's over.
A few deep sighs and some shallow breathing and another deep breath. I check and her heart is still beating. Only a tiny bead of blood sits on her lip and her dress remains immaculate. If only she could see herself now as I can.
Beautiful and vulnerable.
Somehow she manages a smile.
A grand experiment.
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