Uglies

= Best Friends Forever =

Early summer sky the colour of cat vomit,

any summer, a sunset like this would have been beautiful

she could see New Pretty Town through her open window

around the outskirts of the city,

cut from town

the black oval of the river,

everthing was darkness.

Summer, always the best for spying expeditions

Tally and Peris always stuck to the waterfront,

vegetation, the dark back-drop of uglyville

made it easy to hide.

Tally pulled herself into the dark framework of the bridge,

stole through its iron skeleton, across to New Pretty Town

of course, Tally was nothing here

Worse, was ugly

hoped Peris wouldn't see her that way

somthing magical in their large and perfect eyes.

They were so... pretty.

Garden stretched up into town,

winding like a black river,

bright party towers and houses

Tally looked down the street,

checking for side yards to slink through,

dark doorways to hide

felt like a rock climber facing a sheer cliff,

searching for cracks and handholds.

Traffic began to clear a little,

she waited,

rubbing the scar on her right palm

finally, Tally sighed and whispered

"Best friends forever"

and took a step forward

into the light.