Seen and Unseen

She hovered in the scant shelter at the end of the aisle where the spices were kept. She delayed; torn between dread, and just wanting to be OUT of this gauntlet. Glancing at the checkout line, she decided to wait, pretending to compare spices. Another look at the cashier and the now empty queue, and she steeled herself. Taking a deep breath, she resisted the urge to pull her hood up– she knew from experience that trying to hide made it worse once they saw… more embarrassed as they looked away again. The cashier smiled and voiced his rote greeting, and then he looked at her. His smile faltered a moment before it froze on his face like a mask - a mask to cover his shock. His curiosity. His sympathy. He tried to look away, but couldn’t seem to help but stare at the burn scars that had left the right side of her face in ruins – a bad sculpture in progress. It happened every time. Every time they saw, but didn’t see HER. They couldn’t help it, she knew. She understood. Understanding didn’t help, and she paid quickly; turned away and fled home to her sanctuary.