Angelic

Every stranger has a story. Some stories stand out crisp and clear, easy to read just by a quick glance at the situation. Some strangers are much harder; their stories are muddled, not defined by a passing glance. No matter the situation however, everyone will be judged. People may not mean to, but everyone forms judgements about everyone else. Humans judge others to make themselves feel better about themselves, and they put passing strangers down to make themselves seem superior. The majority of the time everyone was wrong, because a snap judgement of a stranger cannot captures a person’s whole life.

Mia learned that quickly, as everyone seemed to have an opinion about her, mind made up before she even introduced herself. She was a complete stranger to these people, yet they already deemed who she was. She knew what they thought, she looked like an angel to them. A strand of pearls laying at her neck, blonde hair swept up into an elegant bun, a shining smile and eyes as blue as the sea. Her makeup was always done perfectly, everything blended to a T, and her outfit was always picked with grace. Everyone who met her already knew she could commit no sins, had decided she went to church on Sundays, that she would deliver no harm. This was all decided before she opened her mouth.

That’s what made it even better when she started shooting. Mia loved to see the shock on their faces when she pulled out her gun, the terror when she fired the first shot. She would bask in the petrified screams when the blood splattered, creating dripping tapestries on the walls. She would laugh in delight when the patrons of whatever shop she was in tried to hide behind counters and clothes racks. Those were her favorite, the ones who tried to save themselves, to hide or fight back, she would always save those for last. Those were the people who probably had things to live for, husbands and wives, children and parents, she took an immense happiness in knowing that she took something away from their families. And when it was over, she was heartbroken, as this was the only thing that brought her happiness, but she always had tomorrow, and that would bring the joy back to her face.