Twist and Scream - Volume 5 (Horror Short Stories) by Bartholomew Jayne

Author:Bartholomew, Jayne [Bartholomew, Jayne]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2014-01-17T16:00:00+00:00

Hair Extensions

The hairdressing salon was tucked away on a side street in a sleepy village, opposite a florist and nestled between a clothing boutique and a new age shop specialising in crystals. The moment Dee had seen the picture in the estate agent’s window she had fallen in love with the picturesque little building.

While some little girls dream of owning a pony, the only thing she had every truly wanted to do with her life was cut hair. Her friends may have played with their dolls but Dee used them only for styling purposes and her mother knew that scissors had to be locked away before sleepovers unless she wanted a queue of angry parents at her door in the morning.

It was the texture of the hair that entranced Dee. The way the silky threads would cascade through her fingers gave her tingles that she had long ago given up receiving from the opposite sex. When she was with a client she could lose track of the outside world and the busy bustle of everyday life faded into a warm background of highlights, perms and blow dries. In her lunch breaks she would go next door to the new age shop and browse their bookshelves that promised spells and potion making.

Starting up the salon took all of her savings but she had a good reputation and in less than three months the reservations book was filled. Her clients travelled a long way for her attention and without fail would leave a generous tip and a promise to return.

As the income grew so too did her team of assistants. The receptionist was a necessity, a designated hair washer saved her time to concentrate on the cutting itself and a cleaner to sweep the floors and offer drinks completed the full time staff. Dee had briefly contemplated hiring another stylist but in the end she couldn’t bring herself to share the playground she’d created.

Dee could have lived out the rest of her days in the salon perfectly happily and without drama if it hadn’t been for an unexpected health issue.

It was a persistent, albeit mild, headache that persuaded her to go for a check-up with her doctor. He misdiagnosed stress and sent her away with prescription for pain killers. The pills worked for a couple of weeks but heavy nosebleeds forced her back to his clinic and she was referred to a specialist.

At the hospital her consultant prodded, poked and took blood samples. He didn’t say anything specific but Dee found his thoughtful silences excruciating. When it was time to collect the results she was told that she could bring a friend with her if she wanted to and she knew it wasn’t good news.

She’d managed to hold it together when the consultant had sat next to her and gently informed her that she had a rare genetic disorder that wasn’t life threatening but would lead to total blindness. He said he was sorry. She thanked him for his time.

Internally her mind was in turmoil.

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