Anna had had enough, she was losing control again. After years of abusing her body with anorexia as her only means of control she had been lovingly nursed back to health. She was starting to enjoy life but she was in a rut.

She decided to take her life into her own hands. SHE WOULD NOT LOSE CONTROL AGAIN. She understood her anorexia and she was now in control of it.

She marched into the salon “I see you do walk-ins.” The receptionist beckoned to the stylist- a middle-aged man she could imagine with a family and a gruff expression. “I’ll do you. What are we doing for you today?”

“I don’t care, just cut it short. It’s up to you.” She nearly added that it didn’t even matter if it looked good but she sensed that this would alarm them. The male stylist nodded. A cape was draped around her. She sat down while he analysed her in the mirror.

He was slightly perplexed. He sensed that she had lost hope but he would do as she asked so without any ceremony he moved her one-length hair over her shoulder then picked up the scissors and quickly cut her arm-pit length caramel-coloured straight hair away from her neck in three swift clicks.

SHINK SHINK SHINK!

He picked up his comb and started to work on the front.

She lay there like a lump totally dis-interested in what was going on.

He picked up her fringe and cut it off at the scalp. He picked up the hair she usually tucked behind her right ear and cut it to the scalp. He picked up the hair she usually tucked behind her left ear and cut it at the scalp. He picked the hair that surrounded her ear and tickled her as he raised it for the cut. He severed it to the scalp. He picked the locks of hair that used to make a pigtail when she had been at school and concentrated on picking up all of the hairs as he severed it to the scalp- first one side then the other.

He realised that her hair was quite thick as he contemplated cutting the back of her head again- he would have to make the length of the back match the length of the rest. He plugged the clippers in. Thicker hair was easier to cut thin with clippers- too much work for scissors.

He picked up his comb and raised her remaining hair to the scalp where he swiped the hair upon the comb until it was no longer attached to her head then he worked his way round. She was soon VERY bald- her long hair a distant memory.

Then he was done. “Well?”

She abruptly woke up. I suppose that I had better see this hair cut- I will be paying for it. She was stopped short, her breath caught. She saw her reflection. This must have been the creature her mother had been nagging her to see- WOW! Her hair was nothing but a grey fuzz- it REALLY suited her. She left the salon not feeling a victim but empowered.

She paid the man with a grin on her face. “Well, I’ll be. I could’ve sworn when she came in that she didn’t really want to be here but she was surprised to be happy with what I did?! It takes all sorts.”

Indeed she was. Never would she lose control again. Her reflection was a confident beautiful woman- she simply must comply with what her reflection conveyed.