The mirror cracked from side to side, she pressed her finger into the deep, sharp crack along the centre, the jagged points arching around her reflection. She smiled at her reflection. It smiled back, gleefully. Then she slowly pulled a tuft of long blonde, silky hair from her head. Then another, then another. The extensions lay on the surface of the desk, mockingly waving back at her, the red blood mingling with the long blonde strands, which were once attached to a child's scalp somewhere in Russia. She scrubbed the face wipe across her skin. The soft, glowing peachiness of her skin faded instantly. The dark, deep eyes stared back; the dry, chapped lips seemed to pout back at her- revealing the small droplets of blood from her lower lip. What would they do if they knew? The 1000s of followers on her beauty blog? The adoring messages from men who told her she was beautiful, youthful, perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. She stared morosely at her reflection. The contoured upturned nose had gone, her true, wide, round nose stared back. The acne scars gleaming back at her. She had wilted like a once red, ruby rose, but this rose had never bloomed.

The apple pie lay long forgotten on the windowsill. Kate Moss doesn't eat apple pie, Lucy thought begrudgingly before leaving it on the side earlier.

She scrolled through her Instagram photos and there on her news feed was- Cecilia. Her dark, shiny, flowing hair dancing in the wind, her red lips smiling at Lucy. Lucy felt her own wispy hair, she could barely plait it, let alone style it. She grabbed the scissors and mindlessly cut another chunk out of it. The dull, straw like hair fell to her feet and she smiled softly at the mindless release.

Ping! A message flagged up on her ipad.

From RumpleyouknowhatImean. Who's this clown? Lucy sighed. Not another one asking me to send them a lock of my hair- or worse underwear.

Rumple: 'I know what you need Lucy.'

Another freak. Thought Lucy. Oh well doesn't hurt to humour them, that's how you create a fan base.

LadyLucylou: 'Oh really?'

Rumple: 'I have this new hair growth pill. It will triple the thickness of your hair after just one pill.'

Lucy froze. Hair thickness? She wears pure Russian hair extensions. Triple weft. Unless- he knew? But no one knew.

LadyLucyLou: 'Like I need that...'

Ping!

Lucy's jaw dropped. Her face turned white. Her pulse quickened. The room began spinning in circles around her, it was like someone turned all the light switches off at once and she couldn't find the exit.

It was a picture of Lucy. Pulling her hair extensions out; just 5 minutes earlier. But it's not possible? He can't be in my home? The light flickered in the room. Instinctively, she stood up, grabbing her precious hair extensions from the desk.

"Hello" her voice quivered and echoed through the room. She suddenly felt very alone.

Rumple: 'Don't be scared.'

Lucy threw the ipad across the room. She heard the horrid clacking sound as it thudded against the wall. Her heart was racing, she wanted to run to the neighbours but, her face? Quickly she began clipping her hair back into place, but then she heard it...

Thud. Thud. Thud.

It was coming from the back door. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife.

"Stay out!" she screeched, whilst applying foundation to her face.

"I'm warning you..."

Creaaaaaaaaaak. It sounded like someone was coming in the front door...

Everything went black.

She could hear herself panting, she tried to stop her breath, to slow her thudding heart, stop the perspiration. (Still applying the foundation- in the pitch black). I will not die ugly, she thought to herself.

"Hello, beautiful." He whispered softly.

A metallic taste filled her throat suddenly.