Spotlight: Sketch
By Emily M., Gold Team

Sarah scanned the inside of the box she called her room. She let out a rather loud sigh and looked back down at her chubby thighs where her sketchbook lay. Sarah loved to sketch; anything, EVERYTHING. No matter if it was a picture in her mind, or a vision through her big brown eyes, she would sketch it. At this particular moment, she was sketching her future; her dream house, job, pet and even family. It was late at night and Sarah grew tired, so she pulled off her clothes and squeezed her pajamas over what she thought was her fat body. Then she hopped into her bed with her multi- colored bed spread and matching pillowcases, and continued sketching her dream life. By the time the hour hand on her pink Barbie clock hit midnight, she was asleep.

…

“Mom, wake up mom!” Sarah's eyes just barely opened when she realized she wasn't in her room. Yet when her eyes fully opened a few seconds later, she analyzed her surroundings and noticed that she had seen this room before. It did not take her long to figure out that she had seen the screaming little girl next to her before also. Yet the only thing that did not look familiar was… her! Her thighs were small, and her body, the skinniest she had ever seen it, also, the nightgown that she wore looked as if it was made for a 40 year old. That was the only bad part.

“Mom, get up! PLEASE MOM!!” The 10 year old girl screeched with excitement. Sarah turned her head a bit to the left, so that she was facing the girl.

“Huh?” Sarah questioned in a voice that made her sound drunk. “Where am I?

Who are you?” Sarah asked in worry.

“Don't be silly Mama;” said the girl, “I'm Katie, your daughter!” She said with attitude. “Today is your 40 th birthday silly!” Sarah hesitated then made a face as if she was possessed by a frightened mummy.

“Where am I? What day is it?” Sarah questioned once more in worry.

“Golly gee Mama, what kind of sleep did you get last night!? Oh wait I know! The sand man sprinkled memory sand on you instead of sleeping sand! Golly gee sand man!” Katie shouted to the heavens. “Well, get up and try your best to remember what you are doing. Here, I have an idea: I will walk you through it; you know, getting ready for your guests and stuff. But we have to hurry; they are going to be here soon!” Katie demanded.

Sarah got up out of bed and Katie led her to her closet. She picked out an outfit and laid it on Sarah's bed. It was the ugliest combination of a shirt and pants Sarah had ever seen. So she just shook her head no and put the clothes back. As she searched through her closet, she noticed that she had seen all these clothes before. Then she picked out the prettiest most gorgeous out fit she could EVER imagine; her “dream outfit.” She looked at Katie carefully. Then, all of a sudden, it hit her. She realized why Katie looked so familiar along with everything else in the room. She was living in her dreams… she was living in her sketchbook.

To be continued...