Follow the leader

Claire swept her shoulder length brown hair into a pony tail. Drawing a breath, she stood up out of her seat. Her slight figure swept across the darkened room. It had been weeks since she ate. People stared at her, but Claire liked it, as she thought they envied her 'fabulous' figure. 5 stone 3 pounds, extremely under weight for a 5 foot 8 inch person. No-one seemed to notice me before, Claire thought to herself. All I was, was the horse rider who was fat. I'm sure that's what they thought of me.1

Claire ran down the stairs, hardly making a sound,as her weightless body jumped from stair to stair. When she made it to the bottom of the stairs, Claire paused for breath. She always felt faint nowadays, and she never knew why.2

"Claire, get here NOW!" her mothers voice rang through her ears. Suddenly, Claire felt the urge to be sick.3

"Coming mother" Swallowing the lump in her throat, Claire drifted slowly into the kitchen, her small frame barely noticeable in the large hallway.4

"The school aren't happy with you Claire. Apparently, you have been blatently lying to your friends, and they are following your example! I DEMAND an explanation of why you told the school you were told by your father you were fat, so you haven't eaten in weeks. It's utter nonsense I tell you!"5

"Mum..."6

"Now the school think we have done something to you. LOOK, LOOK AT THIS GOD DAMN LETTER! Oh god, Claire?"7

Claire's small head fell lifelessly onto the table. Her breathing was slowing by the minute.8

"Claire, please talk to mummy!! Oh god oh god oh god, I'm calling your father right now."9

But Claire was unaware of her surroundings. She was floating in and out of consciousness, due to the lack of food in her body.10

Claire danced a lot. Her athletic personality meant she needed quite a lot of food. Claire didn't realise this though. It all started at Natalie's pool party. Everyone there was wearing a bikini, showing off their great figures, achieved from the starvation they suffered through. Claire had noticed she was bigger than the other girls, though she didn't realise these girls never ate, and did a terrible amount of exercise. I want to be like them, All the boys ogle them, why oh why can't I be thin? Claire thought.11

After the party, Claire began to eat less and less, but always made excuses. 'I'm not hungry' or 'I ate a big lunch'. How foolish her parents were to have not seen the change in their daughter.12

*13

At the hospital, Claire was attached to a life support machine. Doctors feared her heart couldn't take the strain, and her life was at risk. Medical tests were taken, and Claire was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa.14

"Oh Claire, Mummy and Daddy love you so much. Why did you do this to us?" Claire's father whispered, through sudden sobs."If I lost you, I would never know what to do" He carried on.15

Claire's life machined beeped slowly, slower...........nothing.16

The hustle was too much. Doctors running, Nurses shouting. Claire's parents sat in a corner, fearing they would lose their only daughter. The daughter that used to be so happy, the daughter that once sat upon her horse, singing to herself, and laughing. How did she get to be so sad, so thin, and so, so, so dead?17

They knew it was over when the doctor appeared in front of them. He slowly took the stethoscope out of his ears, and bent down on one knee in front of the parents.18

"Your daughter is struggling. Doctors fear the life support machine is making her worse"19

"Dr.Smith"A young nurse interrupted the doctor"It's working, Claire is awake, and saying she wants to speak to her parents"20

"Well, there you go!" The doctor gave a worried smile, as Claire's father put his arm around her mother.21

"Mum, dad" Claire mouthed slowly to her parents. "I'm so sorry...I love you."22

Beep, Beep, Beep...23

Silence.24

"Oh god no." The sound of muffled sobs filled the room, as doctors shook their heads, and offered their apologies.25

They had done all that was possible. Her little heart was just too weak. The strain, the pushing, it was all too much for little Claire Black-worth. Never again would her slight figure dance against the moonlight...26